Colder conditions

[mattie-lodge]

Last winter is a long way away now, so I thought I would raise this thread to remind everyone of a few things concerning cold weather flying.

LiPo cells are effected a lot by the cold weather. Constant voltage and load checks should be carried out before each flight when using them as RX packs. I have seen first hand the consequences of falling LiPo's. I'm talking more about RX packs as we all seem to be using them now for this application.

Main electic packs also get effected. If you leave them out in your garage in the frezzing cold, then go and fly them, you will notice a big drop in power and performance. I keep mine in the align metal 450 cases for this reason and bring them inside. You still obvouisly have to be careful where you store them and the guidelines should be followed!!!!!!!

Also keep an eye on your heli's as well. Plastic goes brittle in the cold. Trex 700 links seem to suffer from this the most by the sounds of it.

Hope this as jogged all of your memorys and for the new guys beware!!!!

Cheers

[nightstalker]

good stuff mattie-lodge,
When i used to fly in the winter last year used to check my blades half way through a flight and find a small amount of ice on the leading edge of the blades

[Tim Procter]

Thanks mattie, All good tips we tend to forget about..

[Arky]

Don't forget cold fingers and loss of fealling resualting in a rather expensive lawn dart

[andylinney]

Mattie, cracking post mate. Paul's 700 links post had gotten me thinking about it but that's great advice for all of the newbies!

Andy

(last year I used one of those 'heat packs' inside my align ally case to keep the batteries at room temp inside the case, worked really well provided it was kept out of direct contact with the batteries and it was nice to warm your fingers after each flight...)

[Deweydaddy]

Last winter is a long way away now, so I thought I would raise this thread to remind everyone of a few things concerning cold weather flying.

LiPo cells are effected a lot by the cold weather. Constant voltage and load checks should be carried out before each flight when using them as RX packs. I have seen first hand the consequences of falling LiPo's. I'm talking more about RX packs as we all seem to be using them now for this application.

Main electic packs also get effected. If you leave them out in your garage in the frezzing cold, then go and fly them, you will notice a big drop in power and performance. I keep mine in the align metal 450 cases for this reason and bring them inside. You still obvouisly have to be careful where you store them and the guidelines should be followed!!!!!!!

Also keep an eye on your heli's as well. Plastic goes brittle in the cold. Trex 700 links seem to suffer from this the most by the sounds of it.

Hope this as jogged all of your memorys and for the new guys beware!!!!

Cheers

Thanks for the heads-up. Weather been great lately but we do get our share of Old Man Winter here in Michigan.

[kerhs]

Thanks for the heads-up. Weather been great lately but we do get our share of Old Man Winter here in Michigan.

Went to Michigan last April, Traverse City, very nice but it was bloody cold......and that was the end of your winter!!! Want to go back in the summer next time.

Sorry for jacking your thread.

[Deweydaddy]

Went to Michigan last April, Traverse City, very nice but it was bloody cold......and that was the end of your winter!!! Want to go back in the summer next time.

Sorry for jacking your thread.

Hi Mate, Traverse City, visiting family & friends or just a vaca? I'am about 3.5 hrs. from there. Really is nice country. Also, thats a bummer about the weather last visit, kinda went right into summer after that. Dewey

[kerhs]

Went to the Toledo show then onto Traverse City with a couple of mates.

I would like to take the Mrs out there, really nice there. Maybe next year.

[Deweydaddy]

Went to the Toledo show then onto Traverse City with a couple of mates.

I would like to take the Mrs out there, really nice there. Maybe next year.

Hi kerhs, If you do, You'll be passing by my neck of the woods. Maybe meet and have cup of jo with ya. Dewey or this .

[mattie-lodge]

Chaps, start a new thread or use the PM system please

[richieclarkie]

OK getting this thread back on track

Matt was witness to me falling foul of this issue twice last year where my TREX 600N failed twice. The RX packs somehow lost capacity and went under voltage and I watched the heli fly into the ground hard both times - not good

If you look there was a string of posts regarding the spektrum reset stuff around the same time (Nov/Dec) and it was then that we realised that it must be the cold that affects things.

I carry a Futaba BR2000 with me all the time and always check my voltages EVERY flight all year round. It's really easy as I have a lead sticking out the side of the heli I can plug straight into. ON any lipo I would treat 7.5v at a 1amp load for 20 secs as the minimum voltage you should fly at.

In winter maybe stick that up to 7.7v to be safe.

[ChrisB]

Ive never been to Michigan







Agree i think the Rx packs can be overlooked,i will monitor them closely over the colder months and keep the Lipo flight packs in the warm until they go on the model to fly it.

[Boggy]

after yesterdays weather i thought the timing of this thread was strange . but nice one matt! batteries and heli's in sheds overnight are getting very cold and it could be oh so different by next weekend,and catch alot of peeps out!!

great heads up mattie

[mattie-lodge]

after yesterdays weather i thought the timing of this thread was strange . but nice one matt! batteries and heli's in sheds overnight are getting very cold and it could be oh so different by next weekend,and catch alot of peeps out!!

great heads up mattie

I wrote it yesturday morning after I had just been working outside for a bit. Was bloody cold.

Cheers