Maiden 500

[stevek32]

Hi everyone,
just took the 500 out for a try.... Trembling knees and all, but I have a few probs, 1st I had to subtrim just about everything pitch, ail, rudder. I set the rudder dead center on the slider and dead center on the servo but on spoiling up and lift it was swinging left tail in. now sub trimmed and servo arm is 30° off upright. Still getting full throw tho and no bind.
2nd lipo is used and tried to balance charge and wont do it 1cell reads 4.20 but other 5 read between 4.8 and 4.12 and jumping around on the numbers I.e dropping to 4.0 then 4.8 etc but in seconds. Is it dead.?.
Also I have put bamboo make shift training on will this affect heli wanting to pitch around, had it about 2ft in the air but had to keep constant ail, and rudder and pitch to hold her level.
any help advice pls on all the above.

[PaulJC]

When you say it 'wont do it? balancing the battery what do you mean?

Constant corrections are required but if you are constantly holding them in one direction then something with your setup isn't right.

[stevek32]

Yeah Lipo is reading 4.08, 4.04, 4.08, 4.12, 4.14, 4.20 but the 1st 3 reading drop by .04 or more then come up to that reading and drop again and repeat every second and charger only willing to give out one amp when it started at 2.5amps. Won't seem to pump up the cells.

[PaulJC]

Yeah Lipo is reading 4.08, 4.04, 4.08, 4.12, 4.14, 4.20 but the 1st 3 reading drop by .04 or more then come up to that reading and drop again and repeat every second and charger only willing to give out one amp when it started at 2.5amps. Won't seem to pump up the cells.

What charger do you have? Had it finished it's charge?

That sounds to me like it's balancing the pack, the voltage drops temporarily because the charger switches off the charge to that cell so it can check the resting voltage, it then reapplies the charge to try and top it up a little more and get it in balance, that sounds pretty normal.

[stevek32]

Its the accucel 6 had it on for 40mins and no increase in cell volts tho.?

[PaulJC]

Its the accucel 6 had it on for 40mins and no increase in cell volts tho.?

The charge usually peaks at 4.20v per cell, you have one sell thats reached that so now all the charger is doing is using a lower current to bring the other cells up to that level, to me anyway it sounds completely normal, i'd pop it back on the charger and let it finish balancing if it was mine

[stevek32]

Ok will give it another go. And as for subtrims is there an easy way to mark where the links need to be adjusted to equal subtrims

[tomatwalden]

Ok will give it another go. And as for subtrims is there an easy way to mark where the links need to be adjusted to equal subtrims

If you're having to subtrim everything, have you ensured mechanical levels? - eg. is the swashplate level throughout its full travel ?

(sorry in advance if this is teaching granny to suck eggs!)

[stevek32]

Yep seems level by eye balling it, just wondering if its because I'm using bamboo as training gear.

[Guest]

I think you need to sort out any possible mechanical problems with the heli before you fly it...if you are needing to subtrim everything then that would indicate some initial set-up problems. It is worth setting all the links to the lengths given in the instruction manual using a Vernier Gauge as a starting point, then using a swash leveling tool to make sure the swash is level and adjust it exactly.

Before that you should also make sure the cyclic servo horns are as horizontal as possible in the neutral or centre position.

I've built and set-up several Align models, normally you can get the servo arms near perfect, certainly 30 deg off vertical on the tail servo sounds a bit extreme......

The idea of improvised training gear made from bamboo sounds scary, when I started out I bought a set of proper carbon rod ones for about £20, they have the ability to bend and cushion the heli if you hit terra firma, and they have nice big orange balls on the end which stop them digging into the grass and tipping the heli over.

[tomatwalden]

Yep seems level by eye balling it, just wondering if its because I'm using bamboo as training gear.

Eye-balling a 500 isn't going to cut it. You need to put a swash-leveller on it, and check it's level across the collective pitch range.

[tomatwalden]

The training gear, if not perfectly balanced isn't going to help either ... Have you got anybody local who can test-fly it for you ?

[stevek32]

No I need somebody to give it a once over but doesn't seem to be anyone locally to help. No flying clubs either. Heli acts like it should once airbourne I.e cyclics all give correct actions and rudder etc.

[iceuk]

Steve it sounds a complete mess mate, I wouldn't fly it until you can get someone to check it over or do a lot of research mate, go on helifreak, finless bob has some excellent videos on how to set a 500 up here is the link, Trex 500 Build Videos - HeliFreak do as he instructs do not cut corners.

Get some proper training gear mate, we have kinda moved on from the iron age.

Best of luck.

[PaulJC]

Did the battery charge?