Beginners tribulation in his quest for the Gaui Grin

[fiveflat]

One other thing I noticed is my DX6i is running at 5.2V this morning. It's on the charger now and while it's not terribly low, Spektrum recommends not running below 5.3.

Could that be? Interestingly I just went out and flew my little MCPX and it's tail jerked once like that. coincidence? It's odd...

[Mikej]

Originally Posted by fiveflat

Mike,
It's a Hyperion DS20GMD digital tail servo. Clone GY520, according to PTcaflyer - there's no markings on it. OrangeRX 6 ch rcvr and my Spektrum DX6i

Well the DS20GMD is an excellent tail servo - I have those on 3 of my helis.

If you are getting the same issue with 2 helis then that would suggest the Tx as the common denominator (as well as the pilot ). There was a problem with DX6i pots at one stage as well, I think that you can check your serial number to see if you are affected.

[Mikej]

a bit more info here http://www.spektrumrc.com/Articles/A...ArticleId=1885 - and google "dx6i rudder problems" as some people outside the identified group have had issues

[fiveflat]

I don't fall into any of those date codes and the monitor shows nice smooth movement.

I got it put back together already and tested it. Before I could even get it off the ground the tail is pulling it hard around. The gyro has a steady red light but I can't find anything on how to program this clone gyro.

[PTcaflyer]

...That gyro was set using the Futaba settings from their online manual...lights are the same...It is kind of a pain to set up but held great for me. I use DX6i for all my stuff too and Orange rx's...I want a DX7s next....I usually run the 6i down to 5.2v and have not had any issues....Let me know on the 48v gyro if you want to try it...PT

[fiveflat]

DX8 is next for me actually. Any rate, I'm hoping what I just found means it's not the TX, Gyro or binding (well maybe something WAS binding...)

So I flew one battery after I got sorted out and I notice a little jerk in the tail once in a while. I came in the house to get my son, put my iphone in his hands and said video this so I can show the fine Gaui folks... Here is what happened!




Now, reading throught Ekron's Tale of his Tail it would appear that I need to get the X5 tail slider and grips? Doesn't appear to be anything wrong with my grips, unless they just won't fit the X5? The X5 slider will fit right onto the shaft and servo arm? (is that a 5mm shaft for the tail rotor?)

[PTcaflyer]

MOST EXCELLANT SAVE!
X5 grips are a direct bolt up as well as the pitch slider...I use the stock plastic control arm on my 500 though...I went so far as to use the X5 tail case on it too...bought it used here on the Freak and put new flanged bearings in it....took out the torque tube gear and put the regular 425/550 shaft and pulley.

That is the first time I have seen a stock tail blow up like that

[fiveflat]

Originally Posted by PTcaflyer

That is the first time I have seen a stock tail blow up like that

Is that the "common" issues with the stock 425 tails?

I placed an order with heliflightcenter earlier today, better amend that order before it gets shipped!

[PTcaflyer]

I'm used to slower Head speed with my former 550 and the current mid boom 500...
I have had 3 other 425's and no tail issues with them, but that is just me and my "Ole Granny " style of "Flying"
I'll send you a spare stock tail pitch assy and grips/hub if you want it...PT

[fiveflat]

Originally Posted by PTcaflyer

I'll send you a spare stock tail pitch assy and grips/hub if you want it...PT

[PTcaflyer]

Right on!
It will go out on Monday!

[sp00fman]

Oh my, the bad luck you keep running in to is incredible. you seem pretty determined to get this heli's quirks ironed out, Kudos for that.

Just look at it this way: Everytime you have to go to the bench it will be reborn a better heli. I even got my cheap HK450 to be 3D ready.... did take 3 years
Have learned tons of all the things that went wrong on the way.

Best of luck for the coming flights!

[fiveflat]

Originally Posted by sp00fman

you seem pretty determined to get this heli's quirks ironed out, Kudos for that.

Well... with that said, I think I am only going to give it the tail prescription and if I have any other problems I'm going to part it out.

My LHS keeps loads of parts in stock for Blade and Align, and convenience is a big deal to me.
I've determined that this heli is NOT going to be a good platform for a gopro and I have a quad rotor on it's way for that so I may just drop down to a 450 size heli.

[EKron]

Man, that sucks! Quite surprising to see where it broke and hard to imagine what could have caused it? What do you think broke first - the hub or pitch slider arm? Did you mess up those shiny Edge blades. Dang! I'm sticking with plastic KBDD's at half the price until I quit crashing every 6 packs.

Keep at it though. Not sure this heli would have ever been a good GoPro platform but it isn't a bad bird in general. It's the favorite of my fleet.

Originally Posted by fiveflat

... I may just drop down to a 450 size heli.

NOoooo! My 450 is a lot harder to fly compared to my Gaui. That first flight of the day when you're a little nervous and people are watching, I always go to my 425 for that first warm up run. She's much more stable and less twitchy. My 450 is like a mad wasp on crack.

Gee, it looks like three of you guys are in Cali not too far apart. Maybe have a Gaui gathering?

Originally Posted by fiveflat

Now, reading throught Ekron's Tale of his Tail ..

Um, one small thing... "Tale of HER Tail". (I AM the grandmother of a 15 y/o but not to be confused with the little old lady from Pasadena)

One final tip, if Empire has it, so does AlleRC.com. They ship out of the East Phoenix metro area so my stuff comes overnight for $4.95. I've bought a lot from Heli Flight Center too (I own 3 Gaui's) but it has to come all the way from New York. There are also a lot of 425/550 parts that are the same as the X5, X4 and NX4 parts but have different part numbers and very few of the vendors cross reference them so you have to be a dedicated shopper.

Good luck getting things sorted. Might not be for everyone but that's half the fun for me.

-- Elisabeth

[fiveflat]

Originally Posted by EKron

NOoooo! My 450 is a lot harder to fly compared to my Gaui. That first flight of the day when you're a little nervous and people are watching, I always go to my 425 for that first warm up run. She's much more stable and less twitchy. My 450 is like a mad wasp on crack.

Haha, have you flown a little MCPX? The first 4 or 5 batteries I ran through the Gaui this morning before the first accident were easy and calm... kinda relaxing compared to my little MCPX even though I just have to pick it up off the ground, straighten the blades and carry on.

I'm looking forward to how the 425 handles when I go FBL with it!

(My apologies with the his/her bit too)

[Seebodener]

Originally Posted by fiveflat

Well... with that said, I think I am only going to give it the tail prescription and if I have any other problems I'm going to part it out.

My LHS keeps loads of parts in stock for Blade and Align, and convenience is a big deal to me.
I've determined that this heli is NOT going to be a good platform for a gopro and I have a quad rotor on it's way for that so I may just drop down to a 450 size heli.

IMHO almost no Heli -except with high-priced-modifications- is a good platform doing video, quads and especialliy Hexa + Octos are much better.
Even with simple and (almost) inexpensive modification you will achieve good results, besides its much easier to fly them with the up-to-date systems like Naza etc.

Nevertheless I made my first aerial videos with my FBL-BeastX-Hurri550 and had some good results.

Personally I would never "step-down" to the 450s again: besides the small size (my eys grew old with me too) I also think that there isn´t that much difference in price for spare parts if you compare the 450s to our Hurris in basic version.

[Jerrymac]

Five, sorry to see that you are having so many issues with your Hurri. I had almost the same thing happen to both of my 425's but only one tail grip bolt broke off and not both of them. I think the stock hub/grip assembly can't handle the higher head speed IMO.

I have the stock hub/grips on my mid-boomed 500 and my long-boomed 550 and never had an issue. Head speeds are 1900 and 2300 respectively. Both of my 425's run head speeds of around 3000, and both of them had an issue with the tail grip bolts breaking off in flight. I had one break off once just at lift-off and the grip/blade hit me right in the chest.

[sp00fman]

I disagree with the 450 size helicopters to be much worse than the bigger birds. With the FBL systems they are also stable, ridiculously overpowered, pretty easy to work on and for sure cheaper to crash and maintain.
If your quick on throttlehold and dont impact the ground at high speed repair costs for silly stuff like losing orientation and such are pretty low.

(or linkage popping off, tailservo dying, featheringshaftbolt snapping, battery on nightblade letting go (bending the mainshaft instantly), messing up on landing, bodged auto practice, losing orientation in a shade, Potentiometer of rudderstick failing, failed recovery on backflips, running out of height in stall turn piro....)

errrr, and many more. If i had to do all that on the hurricane i would be pretty broke right now

[fiveflat]

Originally Posted by Jerrymac

Five, sorry to see that you are having so many issues with your Hurri. I had almost the same thing happen to both of my 425's but only one tail grip bolt broke off and not both of them. I think the stock hub/grip assembly can't handle the higher head speed IMO.

I have the stock hub/grips on my mid-boomed 500 and my long-boomed 550 and never had an issue. Head speeds are 1900 and 2300 respectively. Both of my 425's run head speeds of around 3000, and both of them had an issue with the tail grip bolts breaking off in flight. I had one break off once just at lift-off and the grip/blade hit me right in the chest.

Interesting that this happened right after I adjusted my throttle curve to 0-75-85-85-100 and with my 1110kv motor I should be getting around 2300RPM. I'm going to back to a throttle curve of 0-30-60-75-100

[fiveflat]

Originally Posted by sp00fman

I disagree with the 450 size helicopters to be much worse than the bigger birds. With the FBL systems they are also stable, ridiculously overpowered, pretty easy to work on and for sure cheaper to crash and maintain.

I really do love this 425, I just wish parts weren't as hard to get as they are. One of the reasons I might switch. Also the Blade 450X is beautiful and I have TWO local hobby shops that carry them and the one right next to my office (lunch break stops) carries Align as well. They both have loads of spares... That's the big attraction to Blade. And the 500X has been getting really good reviews as well. A 10 minute drive yesterday would have had a Blade up a running again.