DIY Night Blades in progress

[moyesboy]

I'm on with a set of night blades based on some Phoenixtech 600D thatI bought when genuine align ones were sold out everywhere. The main face of the blade is not conductive but the LE and TE join were, hence the little white bits of tape.

Batteries are eflight type 130maH with the plastic connector bits removed (3 pack from robotbirds). The tape is 1/4 wide slit down the middle.

when I've got these shrinkwrapped and fuel proofed I'll post how they go with a list of parts and where they came from.

I got the LEDs from Farnell in packs of 10, 5 different colours, and there was a £20 minorder so I also got the little round things which are G switches to make up the total, so they will switch on when they spin, though I retained the connector switch as well. This is 4 way so it has a storage position and an on position for the little switch plug thing.

The LEDS are really bright - a lot brighter than the align ones, though the clearcoat will diffuse them a little I guess. They shold be pulling 100mA total so they should last an hour, but if they are on only when spinning thats plenty of flights.

My reson for dong this is I find my align night blades too agressive with the beastX. The 425 ones on my 500 are fine though.

[challis349]

these will be interesting to watch in there first flight mate

[DanWright]

that does look cool and interesting! Can we see a video when their done please

[ghost2212]

Got a link to the G switches?

Thanks

Brett

[moyesboy]

I'll post a list of parts in the near future, and some more pics.

I take no credit for the techniques used - all picked up from US forums and youtube.

Lets hope they work and it all doesn't come flying off when they spin up

Thre G switches can actually be plugged into an align blade and would probably work in place of the connector switch if you could be sure of them staying in place during flight.

[moyesboy]

The eflight msr lipos come from Robotbirds in a 3 pack quite cheap.

The copper strip is off ebay, slit down the middle as its a bit wide - enougfh to do a few quivers of blades!
COPPER FOIL TAPE FOR STAINED GLASS, 6mm x 4m - 5 rolls (390352132159)



Heres a paste of my farnell order - I only used the 82 ohm resistors, required on the yellow and red LEDs in series. The others go direct off a 1 cell lipo.
PAck quanitites gives you enough for a quiver of blades.

We'll see how fast the blades have to go before the G switches kick in.

Line No. Order Code Qty Description Unit Price Line Price

1 1218868 5 SOCKET IC, SIL, 10WAY 0.4 2
2 1716766 10 LED 0805 SUPER BRT TRUE GRN 0.133 1.33

3 1716767 10 LED 0805 SUPER BRT YELLOW 0.185 1.85
4 1716768 10 LED 0805 SUPER BRT RED 0.154 1.54

5 1716764 10 LED 0805 SUPER BRIGHT WHITE 0.154 1.54
6 1716765 10 LED 0805 SUPER BRIGHT BLUE 0.144 1.44

7 1469862 50 RESISTOR, 0805, 100R , 1%,0.125W 0.014 0.7
8 4229060 2 SWITCH, ACCELERATION, 10G 3.08 6.16

9 1887248 25 RESISTOR, 0805, 62R 1%, 0.125W 0.038 0.95
10 1887251 25 RESISTOR, 0805, 82R 1%, 0.125W 0.038 0.95


I have brush painted my blades with ripmax tuffcoat today. They balance pretty good.
I will fly them soon

[moyesboy]

Slight hitch, bad connection on one of the G switches so I had to remove and replace the flim on one blade. All fixed and ready to go now when it stops raining and I feel like a trip out in the dark

[BobJ]

Hi Gordon

Best don't heat shrink them, for one you will find it a bugger over the black surface as it sucks up all the heat making a neat job very difficult but mainly as heat shrink tends to ballon at the ends with high head speeds, not sure if it's due to low pressure or contrifugal forces on the air inside the blades or both but it does happen on larger heat shrunk blades.

Cheers
Bob

[rachel]

HI Bob & Gordon I did offer to 2K clearcote the blades do you think this would be a better method ???

X Rachel

Hi Gordon

Best don't heat shrink them, for one you will find it a bugger over the black surface as it sucks up all the heat making a neat job very difficult but mainly as heat shrink tends to ballon at the ends with high head speeds, not sure if it's due to low pressure or contrifugal forces on the air inside the blades or both but it does happen on larger heat shrunk blades.

Cheers
Bob

[Swashbuckler]

I made a set from some SWE blades last year. I heat shrunk just the root section so the battery had extra security. The copper tape doesn't lift off in flight so no need to heatshrink or clearcote the whole thing IMO.

[BobJ]

Hi

If the copper tape has adhesive on it then I suspect this will get softened by the oil in the fuel long term so if you think the blades are going to last then they will need sealing, clear coat should be fine as long as their lightly keyed up first or if you have already put tuffcoat on them then job done really.

Cheers
Bob

[moyesboy]

I just flew the blades in the light back to back with a plain set of the same type and there was no discerns me difference in the way they flew. Seems the g switches need to be higher g rated as its going to be almost a blade stop before they go out!

I used some old (20 years+) solar film over the batteries and then sealed them with brushed on rip max tuffcoat(also 20 years old!) and all seems good. Will post some pics later.

I'm sure sprayed clear coat would be neater than brushed but they are for bringing out in the dark!

[Cuppa]

Nice one good to see someone having a go at knocking up there own night blades, nice job.

[moyesboy]

Just had a couple of flights in the dark and they look really nice.
With the G switches there is a sort of strange effect with the G switch switching off once or twice a rev, like its resonating - gives a sort of spoke effect. Not sure how long those switches are going to last!
I also flew with them switched on with the connector and they were solid then.
Its really nice to fly some blades in the dark that handle the same as what I use in the light. Adds a lot to the confidence!
Cyclic still seems faster in the dark - even though I know I flew the same blades in the light and it wasn't!


With the copper tape- it might last with no varnish on an electric - but remember its very damp with condensation on winter evenings!

[Mslater]

Brilliant - Any chance of a video ?