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heli-lover · 04-06-2012, 10:03 AM

I'd venture to say it's quoted on just about every major heli site on planet earth. This is a COMMON practice by FBL owners. Originally came from non-heli modelers I believe. The practice has been in use for over 20 years or so in this hobby. Shame you missed out on that tidbit of advice. I would've saved you a very expensive crash.

Lesson learned. At least NOW you know how to keep them from falling out. Mikado may not like a mess to work around if you have to send it back but at least it would go back from internal errors and not damage from a crash when the sensor wire fell out. I'd pick the lesser of two evils if it was me. And it is me on three machines.

Chalk this one up to mechanical error based on not using proven methods of plug retention during construction. Drama over, move along.

Good luck on the rebuild and re-maiden.

Mercuriell · 04-06-2012, 10:37 AM

Certainly on nitro helis the level of vibes justifies hot gluing in the plugs and I have heard of several cases of vbar sensor plug falling out. Electric vibes generally much less but usually hotglue in servo and sensor plugs, peels off pretty easy if you want to remove them. I think its fair comment that you wont find that advice in many manuals.

MrMel · 04-06-2012, 10:43 AM

Any tension is enough,i lost two helis to deans coming apart, not by much tension, just "a little"
But that combined with the natural vibes from hard 3d is enough.
Same with sensor cable or any servo cable, loop it back and you have no issue, a little tension and you are in trouble.

heli-lover · 04-06-2012, 10:46 AM

The only thing I can see in that is that model manufacturers don't provide that hardware. This would be something that should be noted in FBL units from any manufacturer and maybe a nice note in RX units as well. We loctite bolts into metal, CA screws into plastic/f-glass.. just makes sense we insure a longtime connection with electronic plugs too.

Let this be a lesson to those that don't think you "need" to retain them with anything. It's not that it WILL happen. It's that it COULD happen to you and if it does you'll be in a thread like this looking for answers. The prevention only takes a few seconds with the right tool. The model can only ever be as good as the limits of it's construction and design. Don't let the next digger by yours.

helicraze · 04-06-2012, 07:13 PM

I use double sided tape to hold connectors on vbar

ElectricSheep · 04-06-2012, 07:38 PM

Gareth, glad to hear you found out what caused your crash!

I found out about the gluing connectors the hard way -- but I was very lucky. On one FFFF (extra F inserted at the beginning on purpose), the heli pitched up in very small increments, like I was pulling up on the elevator in a jittery way. But I wasn't pulling up on the elevator. It scared the crap out of me, but I was able to land in one piece.

At first I thought I had a faulty sensor, so I put a new one on. Same problem. Then I checked the connections to the VBar and there it was: elevator channel connector from the RX was loose. I should have checked the connections first, but as others have said: we all learn. I've hot glued all connectors, including the sensor & servo connectors, from that point on and no problems since.

Rebuild and enjoy that heli with confidence!

4cyclic · 04-07-2012, 08:04 AM

Agree here with MrMel, any tension, you'd be in trouble territory. Double sided 3M tape is my use on the sensor plug.

CNCjunkie · 04-07-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

I wonder how they did it back in the 80s with no gyros !??!?

LOL, we had gyros back in the 80's. Big heavy mechanical rate gyros which required big RX packs. What we didn't have was driven tail rotors, so autos had to be performed with plenty of forward flight so the tail would weathervane on the way down.

No such thing as a backwards inverted auto back then.

Sorry to hear about your crash Gareth, I use goop on the servo and sensor connectors going into the vbar unit. It peels off if I ever need to remove the connectors.

col · 04-11-2012, 08:38 AM

That's great you worked it all out.

DominicD · 04-22-2012, 05:53 AM

Shoegoo the hell out of your connections. Shoegoo never really gets hard and can be removed with some effort years later.

maarset · 04-23-2012, 11:48 AM

+1

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

trickybit · 04-26-2012, 11:54 AM

So does this explain his buddy's mushy tail?

JamesGreen · 04-28-2012, 03:36 PM

I have a feeling that you need a powerful tail servo for this Heli. I would be using the new savox servos if I got one.

04-06-2012, 10:37 AM	#62 (permalink)
Mercuriell HF Support Join Date: Sep 2006	Certainly on nitro helis the level of vibes justifies hot gluing in the plugs and I have heard of several cases of vbar sensor plug falling out. Electric vibes generally much less but usually hotglue in servo and sensor plugs, peels off pretty easy if you want to remove them. I think its fair comment that you wont find that advice in many manuals. __________________ John

04-06-2012, 10:43 AM	#63 (permalink)
MrMel Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2005	Any tension is enough,i lost two helis to deans coming apart, not by much tension, just "a little" But that combined with the natural vibes from hard 3d is enough. Same with sensor cable or any servo cable, loop it back and you have no issue, a little tension and you are in trouble. __________________ Gone fishing.. or hunting or something.. http://heli.dacsa.net

04-22-2012, 05:53 AM	#70 (permalink)
DominicD The Capi My HF Map location Join Date: Oct 2006	Shoegoo the hell out of your connections. Shoegoo never really gets hard and can be removed with some effort years later. __________________ Spreading capibara awareness since 2006

04-26-2012, 11:54 AM	#72 (permalink)
trickybit Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Sep 2007	So does this explain his buddy's mushy tail? __________________ PRÔTOS 500 Plastic, Logo 550SX/600SX, PRÔTOS Max2 up and flying! Team MSH USA, Team Cyclone, Team Xnova

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04-06-2012, 10:03 AM	#61 (permalink)
heli-lover Join Date: Oct 2009	I'd venture to say it's quoted on just about every major heli site on planet earth. This is a COMMON practice by FBL owners. Originally came from non-heli modelers I believe. The practice has been in use for over 20 years or so in this hobby. Shame you missed out on that tidbit of advice. I would've saved you a very expensive crash. Lesson learned. At least NOW you know how to keep them from falling out. Mikado may not like a mess to work around if you have to send it back but at least it would go back from internal errors and not damage from a crash when the sensor wire fell out. I'd pick the lesser of two evils if it was me. And it is me on three machines. Chalk this one up to mechanical error based on not using proven methods of plug retention during construction. Drama over, move along. Good luck on the rebuild and re-maiden.

04-06-2012, 10:46 AM	#64 (permalink)
heli-lover Join Date: Oct 2009	The only thing I can see in that is that model manufacturers don't provide that hardware. This would be something that should be noted in FBL units from any manufacturer and maybe a nice note in RX units as well. We loctite bolts into metal, CA screws into plastic/f-glass.. just makes sense we insure a longtime connection with electronic plugs too. Let this be a lesson to those that don't think you "need" to retain them with anything. It's not that it WILL happen. It's that it COULD happen to you and if it does you'll be in a thread like this looking for answers. The prevention only takes a few seconds with the right tool. The model can only ever be as good as the limits of it's construction and design. Don't let the next digger by yours.

04-06-2012, 07:13 PM	#65 (permalink)
helicraze Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2008	I use double sided tape to hold connectors on vbar

04-06-2012, 07:38 PM	#66 (permalink)
ElectricSheep Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Feb 2009	Gareth, glad to hear you found out what caused your crash! I found out about the gluing connectors the hard way -- but I was very lucky. On one FFFF (extra F inserted at the beginning on purpose), the heli pitched up in very small increments, like I was pulling up on the elevator in a jittery way. But I wasn't pulling up on the elevator. It scared the crap out of me, but I was able to land in one piece. At first I thought I had a faulty sensor, so I put a new one on. Same problem. Then I checked the connections to the VBar and there it was: elevator channel connector from the RX was loose. I should have checked the connections first, but as others have said: we all learn. I've hot glued all connectors, including the sensor & servo connectors, from that point on and no problems since. Rebuild and enjoy that heli with confidence!

04-07-2012, 08:04 AM	#67 (permalink)
4cyclic Registered Users Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northern Vermont	Agree here with MrMel, any tension, you'd be in trouble territory. Double sided 3M tape is my use on the sensor plug.

04-11-2012, 08:38 AM	#69 (permalink)
col Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2008	That's great you worked it all out.

04-23-2012, 11:48 AM	#71 (permalink)
maarset Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Feb 2008	+1 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

04-28-2012, 03:36 PM	#73 (permalink)
JamesGreen Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2008	I have a feeling that you need a powerful tail servo for this Heli. I would be using the new savox servos if I got one.

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