Torn between Nitro version or E version Srimok

[discoferret]

I'm really cant make up my mind getting one of the above. I was thinking which would be the cheapest to run. Nitro or Electric? The thing that puts me off of getting the electric is the cost of the batteries and the time it takes to charge them. I would need alot of batteries to take to the field for the day which would mean alot of money up front. How much does it cost approx to run a 90 sized heli per flight?

[GravityKills]

One 8 min flight with a .90 is about 3 pounds, give or take some.
Electric will most likely NOT save you money and is a major PITA at the battery size you're talking about. For example, chargers fail quite frequently. You have to get at least 100 cycles out of the packs to draw even with nitro. It takes only a small scratch to wreck a 6s pack, and do you still want to pair up the surviving, old and worn pack with a brand-new one?

Getting an electric heli to fly like a nitro heli takes experiments which cost money (if you're unlucky, a LOT of money. Been there, done that, bought the ticket, got the T-shirt...). Most likely you'll find out it's either a) too heavy or b) flight time is too short and batteries get too hot and fail early.

If you want to fly .90, go nitro. If it's too expensive, simply get a smaller heli instead, IMO.

I fly .30 size electric most of the time, for cost reasons. The gains from a larger heli (600 or 700) are quite marginal, but the running costs skyrocket.

[challis349]

although, sureley a years worth of fuel, will ammount to about the same ammount as a years worth of batteries, this same question has been asked in junes issue of model helicopter world

[heliphil]

I might get some flak for this but I reckon that the larger size heli's are not quite so economical with electric, purely because if something goes wrong it usually takes a large amount of the power train out in one go... ie a whole battery pack plus possibly esc and or motor.....
And you need a big power supply at the field to charge ( unless you have mains power at the field)

[moonmanflyer]

I would go nitro, you can get more flights in a day unless your club has a buzz bar setup to charge batts, or you can invest in a shed load of batteries

[ChrisB]

Nitro without a shadow of a doubt.

Electrics that size are a complete pain when it comes to recharging 2 pretty high mah packs for one flight and a shorter than Nitro flight at that.

You either need a lot of packs to take to the field or a viable way of recharging at the field.

I agree with Gravitykills on 550 size electrics being IMHO the ideal overalll size for electric models.

[GravityKills]

>> I might get some flak for
*grin* being an early adopter of 700 electric, I can confirm everything you wrote. Maybe it's a bit easier now, with better batteries and more reliable known-good setups. Broken main gears, about two dozen. Broken pinions. Broken motor shaft. Broken motor (screw holes stripped). Two burned ESCs. One dead LiPo that fortunately didn't burst in flames (a friend's did, same type, same setup). Lots of unplanned autos. Hello 700 electric - "putting "hell" into "hellicopter"

[trillian]

I am paying £3.50 per litre of Rapicon 15%.

So if your tank was 500ml then it would be roughly £1.75 per flight.

Or put another way, an inexpensive dinner at a restaurant in London
can easily set you back something in the area of 10 flights worth

I was reading something recently on a Heinseleit 3D NT that was setup to run on zero nitro fuel. But at the price of Rapicon 15% I'm not sure you'd get fuel much cheaper even at zero percent nitro (and it also depends if you really need every bit of power the .90 engine is capable of or if low nitro is OK. For me I'm totally fine on relatively low nitro fuel and my helis run great on the Rapicon 15%).

[Paulice]

I love my rex 500esp but i have on order the Nitro version, If i go out for the day i want to be able to fly as often as i want and not waiting all the time for the lipos to charge.

[Eckchaz]

I did prefer Electrics but I'm beginning to love nitros more after my outting today.. but I still hate the mess, noise, smoke!!

I would say its your own preference.. things can go wrong with either N or E's.. and both can be very costly!!

Personally I love properly set up electrics but then again, its not as easy to take a gallon of fuel for loads off flight time.. which puts you back in the same dilema!! lol!!.. So get both!!

[Andy from Sandy]

I have seen first hand elctric 90 size compared to nitro 90 size and as of today the advantage is definately with electric.

This model is a T-Rex 700 using a 400kv motor. The gearing is set to allow for a 2100 headspeed. The motor is producing about 4HP which as you know is about 1/2 HP more than a 91. The model is lighter than the nitro so the power to weight ratio is way better than the nitro.

For up front costs of course it is massively expensive compared to nitro but once you have the gear you have the gear. A bit like having to get a flight box for the first time for a nitro.

With 4 packs you should be able to fly the first pack and get it on charge and then after flying the next 3 packs the first should just about be ready to go again.

The model will not require anywhere near the same amount of maintenance as there will be none of the vibration issues associated with nitro.

A pack costs about £135. There is no way of knowing how many cycles you will get from it but any over about 43 will make the pack cheaper than the eqivalent amount of fuel 20% Rapicon at £19 for 4 litres and about 6 flights from that.

You wont be wasting fuel getting the engine tuned so that is another plus for electric. I have seen people me included go through a couple of tanks just trying to get the engine running perfectly. Add the cost of a glow plug or two and electric is getting even better.

By using two liesure batteries (110 Ah) in series with something like the iCharger 208 you should be good for 15 to 20 charges of 12S 5000mAh packs.

I have nitro at present but looking to go "gay" in the very near future. lol.

[Andy from Sandy]

Some other costings

Kontronik Jive 80+ HV and Scorpion 4035-400 = £377

Align 91H and Align 90 pipe + Align 2 in 1 regulator and lipo = £369

Only £8 more expensive for the drive system when going electric. There is cheaper ESCs on the market but you would then need a separate regulator and maybe lipo for it and then it adds un-necessary weight to the model.

All pricing comes from the same supplier.

From FastLads Optifuel is £34 for 5L. For that cost a flight pack would only have to last 20 flights before the costs are the same instead of 43 that I posted in my earlier post when using 20% Rapicon.

[3Dheliflyer]

id go for nitro mate.

[5exi]

My Vote is for a E Srimok.

I've got both 700E & a 700N

You can be giving loads of views from people with Nitro and they'll say it's the way to go but Nitro can be a pain when they play up.

And the same for people with E heli's, but i will say if you don't get your gearing and ESC set up correctly you will have loads of issue's with striping gears and so on.

Plus over all a E cost less to run some will say its more but there WRONG
if you can get 4 X 6S packs 5000 for £180 - £200 to your door.

Hope it helps

[Jamin_00]

Personal preference I would say.

What do you prefer.

I love nitro just cos it an engine and pollutes the atmosphere but I like leccy cos its clean and quick and easy.