How Tight Should the Gear Be?

[Steve]

There's a tendency for people to stick and tie down receivers, gyro amps, governors, servos etc as if they're likely to encounter a nuclear explosion.

Is this really necessary, or even wise?

Having just recently built my 4th heli, which was my first departure from Hirobo (a JR Voyager), I was interested to note in the instructions that the brass servo grommets had to be omitted. I did as the instructions ordered, and everything is fine, but of course there is now a certain amount of 'designed' flex in the servos, and therefore vibration isolation, in the whole mounting procedure.

I tend to stick receivers down with gyro mounting tape and not much else, in an attempt to minimise vibration problems, and have not had one come loose yet.

Batteries are a different matter - much more concentrated mass and (so I think) less likely to fail due to vibration issues, so they get much firmer treatment.

What do you think, and why?

Tie it down so that the heli will hang off the component, or leave it floating (within reason)?

[G-DAVE]

I'm old style -- Receivers and batteries wrapped in armoured sponge and held in place with velcro straps -- Servos must have there rubber grommets and brass inserts -- Gyro amps and govenors secured with csm gyro sponge double sided tape.

Dave

[Thomas]

I bet Ade uses a fair bit of gaffer tape to hold his batteries in now!

[chappers]

tell us more thomas?

[Ade_Law]

Actually Batteries are just as fragile when it comes to vibration. Trust me... i have had one fail! The vibration work hardens the the tags which eventually crack.

My batteries are held in place with some single sided sticky foamy and a couple of heavy duty cable ties.

RX and 601 amp fit snugly in some soft pipe insulation which is then held onto the model with elastic bands, Firmly but not super tight. The bands are replaced when they show signs of falling apart. Its not the prettiest way of doing it but They get held on securely without strangling them and they are well padded.

Thomas is talking about one of our members models which the transmitter was given to me to test fly. The guy that set it up normally knows what hes doing so I didnt give it a check over before flying (my mistake doh) had it been a customers model it would have been different.

during the test fly i was checking the top end mixture in the only accurate way possible.. a full collective climb out.

at which point the battery seperated from the model. Luckily it didnt go far or into the pits but did do a lot of damage to the model.

moral of this storey is... Attach the battery properly not with elastic bands and when somebody says "here have a fly of this" give it a checkover yourself and make sure your happy with the model. dont take their word for it!

Ade

[Thomas]

I wasn't talking about any particular incident, just thought that a chap with Ade's wealth of knowledge and experience would make sure that everything was good and secure before taking to the air, but now you come to mention it I do recall that event, have a pic somewhere.

[Ade_Law]

we both should have known better :-)

mistakes happen, but not learning from them is foolish. Post the picture thomas, hopefully it will get others to take a look at their instalation and correct it if needed.

Ade

[Thomas]

I let you do that Ade, it's on a PC that is not working.

Not sure if others do but I tape all my conectors together, like the gyro/servo, battery/switch and even everything that goes it to the RX including the crystal.

[Dedcalm]

Interesting, have been considering different options for securing my plug/socket connections for the last few days (as I am nearing completion of my Raptor re-jig.

There are a plastic clip type things that holds the plug and socket together but they are not cheap at least not on ebay. I guess taping is a cheap and effective method.

Of course all my wiring will then be sleeved in my braiding for security and neatness. The battery is stuck to the frame with a double sided foam strip.

Rob

[Ade_Law]

by far the best is a piece of heat shrink.

Ade

[Dedcalm]

That is what I currently use, maybe I should trust my original thoughts