Gaui X5 Night Rig?

[darkfa8]

Anyone here with a X5 that is setup for night flying?

What are you using?

[powerstroke01]

Kind of hard to find the right size blades!

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[kavic5150]

Have a look around the night flying pics and videos section for some setup ideas. Most folks opt for several segments of led strings on the canopy, skids, tailboom and even tail boom supports. I'd recommend a small 2s or 3s lipo around 350mah to 500mah. This will be good for at least 3 flights when its new. 2s is fairly bright and 3s is too bright to look at directly when you are close up.

Its rare for anyone to use glowwire on a night rig. The stuff just doesnt get very bright even with the best glow wire driver.

Stock night blades are usually a disappointment, less than bright even if the internal battery hasnt been left on a shelf unattended for too long. Often these factory made night blades show up DOA.

If you have a pencil tip soldering iron and some halfway decent soldering skills I can give you a few links, should you want to tackle the DIY night blades job yourself.

I think Timtreo is still doing custom night blades. You might want to send him a PM.

[Timtreo]

I am and I have (on thier way) a set of Gaui 500mm carbon fiber blades ready to be made into night blades. Check out my blog if you would like https://www.helifreak.com/blogs/timtreo/1954-making-all-size-night-blades.html
Thanks for the mention Kavic!

[kavic5150]

Your welcome. I thought about making night blades for other folks but I find the process a bit tedious. I dont like to solder and really dont like to use CA, it makes my head spin. I gotta remember to use CA in the great outdoors while I still have a brain left to save.

I think the X5 kits ship with 520mm blades.

[Timtreo]

Yes very tedious... I don't think most people looking for night blades realize that, especially with the amount of LEDs we use compared to the store bought ones. It takes me a good 6 hours to complete a set. I see posts where people say they can make them in two hours but I don't see how they can do a good job and be any good in that amount of time. The CA is some nasty stuff when using it for anything more than a dab here and there, it makes my eyes burn. With the winter coming and my windows and door going to be closed I'm considering just clear coating all my night blades out in my little 12X12 shop. I just insulatated the whole thing so a small heater would make that a nice spray area for the winter. The clear coat is no joke for your health either but with a respirator and some goggles I can spray them and get the heck out of there. Also with the clear a couple shots on one blade or the other and you can get the weights and balance perfect without messing with tracking tape.
I see from your sig you are definitely a Gaui guy, you know if anyone is using 500mm blades on the X5? If not what size Gaui are they for? The ones I'm getting are Gaui brand blades. Thanks Kavic.
EDIT: I just saw the 500mm come stock on the Gaui X5esp (EDIT- X5 FES?), but I suppose they could be used on any X5.

[kavic5150]

Not sure who uses 500mm on an X5. I saw the specs called for 500 to 550. On the older hurricane 550 you can use anything from 425mm to 550mm.

[desertstalker]

AFAIK the popular size for the X5 is 520mm

[darkfa8]

Anyone else have a night rig setup for the X5?