#%%@ the Tarot zyx.

[Dr. M]

Originally Posted by Epoweredrc

Can someone explain xgrounding for dummies? Me and my dad dont get how you ground a plastic heli? I mean the tail case is aluminum on my trx but thegear the belt runs on is plastic the boom is cf on it. There nothing to really ground to what kinda wire do you use

Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2

grounding a heli means you create a path for electricity to move around the chassis from source areas (such as the tail rotor) to sinks such as the motor iron core or the negative battery lead off the ESC.

The way I do it is by trapping a thin copper wire underneath one of the tail shaft bearings. Here's my Protos tail:


Then lead the wire under the tail case such that it make contact with a conductive part of the tail boom. You'll have to strip the anodized coating/paint off aluminum booms, or make contact with the very end of CF booms, where nude carbon is exposed. And here's the wire going under the tail case:


The boom will conduct the electricity to the other end, where you need to pick it up with another wire (ensure good contact as above). Lead this wire from the forward boom end to the motor mount or negative esc lead.


Finally, use a multimeter and measure resistance from the tail shaft to the motor core/negative ESC lead to make sure you've got electrical continuity i.e. you should have measurable resistance (the number doesn't really matter), not infinity/open circuit. The wire type/gauge doesn't matter: use something that fits your setup and is not prone to snagging and breaking.

Here's what happens if you don't properly ground your tail: flying spark plug

[Epoweredrc]

Originally Posted by Dr. M

grounding a heli means you create a path for electricity to move around the chassis from source areas (such as the tail rotor) to sinks such as the motor iron core or the negative battery lead off the ESC.

The way I do it is by trapping a thin copper wire underneath one of the tail shaft bearings. Here's my Protos tail:


Then lead the wire under the tail case such that it make contact with a conductive part of the tail boom. You'll have to strip the anodized coating/paint off aluminum booms, or make contact with the very end of CF booms, where nude carbon is exposed. And here's the wire going under the tail case:


The boom will conduct the electricity to the other end, where you need to pick it up with another wire (ensure good contact as above). Lead this wire from the forward boom end to the motor mount or negative esc lead.
Attachment 360166

Finally, use a multimeter and measure resistance from the tail shaft to the motor core/negative ESC lead to make sure you've got electrical continuity i.e. you should have measurable resistance (the number doesn't really matter), not infinity/open circuit. The wire type/gauge doesn't matter: use something that fits your setup and is not prone to snagging and breaking.

Here's what happens if you don't properly ground your tail: flying spark plug
Attachment 360162

So your not running a solid ground wire? Its just jumping to the wire in some spots such as the tail rotor shaft
Ok so you have one wire from tail shaft up between the tail fin to where the tail case splits and have itfastened there then the other end of boom has a wire on itto the motor mount
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[Mikej]

I have done the grounding both ways - with short pieces of wire from the tail to the boom and the boom to the motor mount and a single wire from the tail shaft to the motor mount - I generally start with the single wire and tidy it up by going via the boom once it has been proven to make a difference (as it is neater)

[4 stroke flyer]

I had mine do the same thing and found the reciever battery was low. I got lucky i had finished my flight and everything was still when my did it though.

[dhc8guru]

I had a similar incident several months ago.

I did a test hover with my Trex 500 in my front driveway after doing some repairs from a crash. All was great but I wanted to tweek the tail settings as the new carbon tail blades were effecting the original tail settings.

Plugged in the ZYX to my computer, made the changes to the tail and went back out to the driveway. As soon as the heli got light on the skids, it rainbow'ed backwards and landed on the head.

I checked the head stabilization and the elevator was reversed. I plugged the ZYX into the computer, didn't make any changes to the programming, just did a forced update to the controller and the compensation was corrected.

Just the other day I was flying my 500 for the first time after doing a firmware update to my DX8 and the heli was flying screwy. First it started out with having to recalibrate the throttle with the ESC, then while flying the tail blew out, something it has never done before.
I reflashed the zyx last night, hoping it will get it back in line.

[EGG_]

Is the ground wire mod only for belt drive helis or should it be done to torque tube helis aswell?

would this metal gyro case help with static?
is says something about electromagnetic interference in the description
http://tarot-rc-heli.com/Gyros/METAL-GYRO-CASE-ZYX

[Dr. M]

I'd recommend it on TT helis as well, since the largest source of static really is the TR, not the transmission system. The metal case will not have any bearing on resistance to static discharge. ESD rarely strikes the gyro box itself, most often it propagates to the gyro electronics after striking the frame, a servo, or wire.

[EGG_]

Ive been flying without on 3 different setups... with no issues though.

but im wondering if maybe it would make for a more stable heli, i see in the video the swash plate was going all crazy without the ground wire.

does having aluminum hopups effect this in anyway, say on a 450 pro tail servo mount, anti rotation braket, battery tray, canopy mount? or would it be another point to ground off of? or is it just mainly TT causing the static and the boom needs ground?

[Dr. M]

IMO it is the tail blades moving thru air creating static.

[satgod]

technically Dr. M is correct the tail blades or the main rotor disc either on could generate static electricity under the right conditions. Carbon blades spinning at high speed. Since carbon is conductive the right humidity and temp could easily cause some static build up. I believe that use to be a problem in real helicopters as well