Trex 500 Build Videos

[Jasmine2501]

Bob and I are both saying the same things. He went a bit further and told you how to do a rate mode setup, which I don't feel is appropriate for your situation, but is good to know about.

[Andre Melo]

It is true. Rate mode is not suitable for my case.

[vova]

Okey!

[luckyshot]

thx for everything

[Skippy109]

Okay a Noob question, I have been looking around and not finding the right info. Am I missing something... Is there a trick to starting the ball link / rod assembly? So far I have hesitated to hold the rod with a set of plyers? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Steve Evans]

Ball link pliers have a groove in them designed to hold link rods.

Steve

[Skippy109]

Missed that, thanks, I will give it a try...

[Finless]

Also take an x-acto blade and slightly bevel the hole int he link where the rod screws in. This will help make it easy to get the rods started in the links.

Bob

[Steve Evans]

A single twist of a countersink drill bit will also put a nice bevel on the end of the link.

Steve

[qwp777]

I actually purchased a Finless Bob's video in 2004 to set up a Trex 450 SE I had purchased. I paid $30.00 for it on EBAY (I didn't know any better), as, I did not have a clue as to what I was doing and did not understand how to set up the heli for 3D, how to set up the radio, etc. I followed the instructions and was having my best flights ever. Since then I have set up every helicopter of every size based on what I learned from this guy. This is a must have tutorial for any serious pilot coming into the hobby.

John Alexander

[Finless]

Glad they helped you out but kind of ticks me off you had to pay for the vids and some dweeb was making a profit off it. I had a few guys try to do that over the years but usually someone tipped me off that some idiot was trying to sell my free vids. Anyway, glad they helped you out.

If anyone spots someone on Ebay trying that please let me know.

Thanks,
Bob

[mitchellliu]

SO NICE, IT IS VERY USEFUL. THANKS A LOT.

[Chris Sexton]

I am sure this is the wrong place to post this, but I know you guys will set me straight.

I just opened the box on my new TRex 500 ESP Super Combo Kit. I am upgrading from a TRex 450 Pro.

My question is this, I have played with throttle curves/pitch curves, but I was wondering if you were setting up my DX7 for this bird, knowing I am NOT a 3d Pilot, how would you set the Throttle and Pitch curves for FM0?

Would you recommend I transfer my 450 curves over to the 500 profile since I am familiar with those? I guess I am not sure how the larger motor will react.

I am probably over thinking it, but I welcome any advise.

Thorance:
AKA: Chris

[Finless]

I do not know what FM0 is?

But like most electric helis if your not using governor, the curves are usually the same.
Normal - 0, 60, 80, 90, 100
idle 1 - Flat 90 or your preference
idle 2 - flat 100% if you like that

Bob

[Steve Evans]

Hi Bob,

Why have a normal curve which rises from mid to full stick by 20%? Where's the benefit? If the idle up curves are flat over the same range or perhaps, with a curve rise of say 92-96-100, surely normal should be less, not more aggressive.

Steve

[Finless]

I always set up a normal curve for spool up soft start or not. Reason is I also fly nitro and there is no soft start on nitro so you have to spool up using a normal curve. Thus I want to keep my routines the same so no mistakes are made due to bad habits learned. If you get use to flipping out of hold into idle up because of soft start, when you ever get into nitro this can bite you! If you forget due to habits learned and flip out of hold into idle up on a nitro you’re going to get a big surprise and possibly explode the heli with a boom strike on the ground. I have actually seen guys do this that came from electric and explode their nitro first day out.

So just the way I like to do things as I do not like teaching habits that I consider inconsistant. Feel free to not use a normal curve if you like.

Bob

[pinguin]

Originally Posted by Steve Evans

Hi Bob,

Why have a normal curve which rises from mid to full stick by 20%? Where's the benefit? If the idle up curves are flat over the same range or perhaps, with a curve rise of say 92-96-100, surely normal should be less, not more aggressive.

Steve

It's actually depend on the ESC you use and on my 500, she likes a high RPM. Something below 80 will shake the heli at some point.

On my other bird, because I can't find a lower pinion, so I set the throttle curve really low, but the bird flies the way I like it. I don't do 3D.

So throttle curve depend on how you like it. High head speed or low head speed.

[Steve Evans]

I understand that, but why have a normal curve which increases the throttle between hover and max pitch more than with an idle up curve? Bob's suggested normal curve is 90% at 3/4 throttle (which is about hovering pitch on a typical pitch curve), rising to 100% at full throttle. If 90% flat is suitable for idle-up1, requiring no such increase, why on earth would you want to have such an increase in normal mode. Normal is generally used for gentle hovering around, with a tame response, not one which has a dramatic increse in lift above a hover.

I too always use normal mode to spool up, then switching to idle-up. I switch into idle-up on the ground with the throttle at mid-stick/zero pitch. At this point (and for all positions above mid stick) the normal and idle-up pitch/throttle curves are the same so the transition between modes is seamless without a jump in rpm.

More recently I've started using the CGY750 governor on my 500ESP for idle-up1, but the same applies; use normal to spool up and then switch to idle up with as small a jump in rpm as possible.

As an aside I have idle-up3 assigned to a switch and set to give a linear 0-25-50-75-100 throttle curve to use for Align ESC programming.

Steve

[Jasmine2501]

Originally Posted by Steve Evans

I understand that, but why have a normal curve which increases the throttle between hover and max pitch more than with an idle up curve? Bob's suggested normal curve is 90% at 3/4 throttle (which is about hovering pitch on a typical pitch curve), rising to 100% at full throttle. If 90% flat is suitable for idle-up1, requiring no such increase, why on earth would you want to have such an increase in normal mode. Normal is generally used for gentle hovering around, with a tame response, not one which has a dramatic increse in lift above a hover.

Your reasoning is sound, and it's your helicopter. If you understand how the curves work and there's a change you want to make, then make it. If you want the normal mode to be weaker, then make it that way - but it doesn't have to be. There is no reason why your normal mode couldn't be significantly more aggressive than your idle-up modes. Setting curves is very much an issue of personal preference, and depends on the helicopter itself as well. Let's not act like "normal" has to be a certain way and Idle1 and Idle2 actually mean anything. You have three possible flight modes? Make them however you want. Have three different normal modes if you want to. You want to have a hot throttle curve in Idle2 and zero throttle in Idle1? Fine with me, it's your heli.

My point is, when we give examples of things, they are just examples to give you a starting point. My Trex 500 doesn't fly so well with the flat 100% curve, but all my other helis love that. So what am I to do? I've told the 500 to shape up, but it didn't listen, and it still likes the V-curve.

[Finless]

One problem with a really low normal curve and then a high idle up curve is the jump in RPM when you switch. Too large a jump and it can strip gears. I have seen guys that leave normal curve linear 0,25,50,75,100. Thus 75 would be hover. Then they have a flat 100 idle up curve. Thats a large jump when you switch!

Bob