Tail wagging advice please ?

[Bugster]

Wonder if you can please help. My Century Neon Blaze has developed a pretty violent tail wag. No adjustment of the pots in the 4 in 1 makes any difference. I recently fitted a new tail motor after the first one died with about 3 hours use. The new one didn't work at the start but slight pressure on the speed controller got it going. I ended up using the old speed controller soldered to the new motor. 30 second video of this below.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVjrFBkHBP4[/ame]

[cambs flyer]

Mostly those symptoms are usually Gyro related, however you say you've exhausted all the pot adjustments on your control box.

The fact you had to coax the new motor too work may well be at the heart of your problem, and it's very possible the new motor regardless of it being new well may be faulty.

What do you mean by putting slight pressure on the speed controller? I'd say the fault is possibly stareing you head on, as everything was fine until your first tail motor brought it, I'd contact your LHS and return your new motor for a replacement and ask them for suggestions as well..

[Boggy]

as wayne says bugster it looks like a gyro problem but it could well be the tail motor pulsing and causing the wag

[Bugster]

What do you mean by putting slight pressure on the speed controller?

Thanks for your advice. To explain, I fitted the new tail motor/ESC but it didn't work. When I was checking it with a meter it suddenly sprang to life. Then I realised by gently applying finger pressure to the soldered on ESC it worked. Tried resoldering the connections but no good so ended up un-soldering it and fitting the old ESC to the new motor and it appeared to work fine then.

Guess I was just too impatient to fly it again

[cambs flyer]

Oh right I see mate, only when words "slight pressure" pops up in describing a problem its never good.

Best of luck sorting it, and do let us know how it goes.

[Boggy]

just a thought bugster did you unplug and reconnect your battery after each adjustment of your 4in1?

[Bugster]

Thanks Boggy. Yep I disconnected it each time. The tail motors aren't dear so I've ordered one tonight. Process of elimination if that doesn't work.

[Bugster]

Reporting back - new tail motor arrived this morning (thanks Midland Helis) and I've just fitted it with the same result - tail wagging like a happy puppy. So I guess my 3 in 1 has gone up it as neither the sens or limit pots seem to do anything when adjusted ? If so they are £35 ish + p&p. Just wondering if I would be better off buying a separate gyro and using an old JR 35mhz Rx and Tx (from a former life with fixed wing) in it ? Any advice on converting to separates greatly appreciated, thanks

[cambs flyer]

Using a separate Gyro & RX would be the way to go, but I know nothing about your heli, so long as the voltage is correct it should be doable.

However you said when pot adjustments were carried out it made no difference, so changing the box will be the easiest alternative, as from what you've said, and after changing the motor the blame seems well & truly centered on the control box.

[Boggy]

separates sound great ... but! a gyro will not control a motor afik. you will need to control a motor for the tail so i guess you will need another esc for that so it is starting to not sound very practical

[Bugster]

Thanks cf and boggy. Yes there are a few things here I hadn't thought about. Firstly the Neon Blaze has speed controllers fitted directly to both main rotor and tail rotor motors. And the heli runs on 11.1 volt lipos. So I guess I'll need to have a probe with a meter to check if voltage would suit a separate JR Rx before I start spending the hard earned stuff on a gyro.

[Bugster]

Fixed It !!!!!!!

Tonight I hovered it again and noticed the trainer undercarriage was vibrating quite a bit so removed it. Guess what - tail wag's gone !! It now hovers so steadily I can't believe it. I luv it again with all my heart and I take back all the nasty things I said about it's makers and their parents not being married and hoping they all got chronic itching between the knees and the navel.

[Boggy]

doh!!! we should have spotted that!! nice one bugster well done mate glad its ok

[cambs flyer]

Doh! of course, the Neon is a light little beasty so having the training gear and the wash hitting the ping pong balls would cause very unstable down wash.

There'll be no stopping you now mate, just take it slowly and you'll do just fine.

[Bugster]

Thanks both. Got a day off so I'm hoping there'll not be much wind and I can get a rare flight outside with this now very stable little heli