Align 500efl Pro build thread.

[nobbycopter]

Starting to look like a heli now.......you enjoying the build Vikki?

[Vikki]

I am, yes. Looks like Tuesday (weather wise) will be maiden day. Plenty of time to get him spot on

[Vikki]

My ball link pliers from a cheap set of tools are rubbish, the ends a stupidly bendy-bendy thin. Ordered the proper Align set and a swash levelling tool. Reordered the RC Logger digital pitch gauge. Should be here tomorrow.

This is good because I'll get to learn how to set up the heli and BeastX completely from scratch

[muscleflex]

Opti 2700s are perfect CoG and should get 4:30 to 5min was getting 3:30 on 2150s

mine is still nose heavy with the opti 2700.
i've resulted in adding a 450pro flybar paddle on the tail fin just to lighten the nose a bit. still not perfect tho.

[Bronek]

This is good because I'll get to learn how to set up the heli and BeastX completely from scratch

Best read BeastX manual while waiting. In case you have AR7200BX , read BeastX manual too as this will save you some time during setup (the instructions are much better).

[Vikki]

ESC fitted, battery tray fitted.

Now the gripes: canopy has small cracks but not right through and not that noticeable. You'd have to look real close.

Was supposed to come with an EC5 male connector - it didn't leaving me one short for my charger. Come to think of it, probably best to get a whole charger lead to save butchering one.

Build thread to come soon. Have set up AR7200BX as far as 'settings' I. Got cyclic limits to do next but that can wait till tomorrow now.

Got my Align swash levelling tool, decent ball link pliers and digi pitch gauge coming tomorrow.

Not one ciggy has passed my lips these last two days and I don't even care. Champix is wirking for me, woohoo!

Beat regards.

Vikki.

[djm]

My ball link pliers from a cheap set of tools are rubbish, the ends a stupidly bendy-bendy thin. Ordered the proper Align set and a swash levelling tool. Reordered the RC Logger digital pitch gauge. Should be here tomorrow.

This is good because I'll get to learn how to set up the heli and BeastX completely from scratch

Set my ar 7200 bx up using the setup vids on here http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/beastx...nu-videos.html worked a treat and flys great.

[Vikki]

Thanks for that, djm. Got it right so far and it demystified the next few steps for me as well, many thanks.

[nobbycopter]

ESC fitted, battery tray fitted.

Now the gripes: canopy has small cracks but not right through and not that noticeable. You'd have to look real close.

My canopy that came yesterday had more than small cracks thanks to Royal Mail...

Was supposed to come with an EC5 male connector - it didn't leaving me one short for my charger. Come to think of it, probably best to get a whole charger lead to save butchering one.

I made my own charging lead as I had some 4mm bananas and 14 swg silicone wire, would have been quicker buying one but where's the fun in that!! I've got deans on my batts so going to buy some EC5's and swap them over as I don't like them...

Build thread to come soon. Have set up AR7200BX as far as 'settings' I. Got cyclic limits to do next but that can wait till tomorrow now.

Looking forward to reading it...

Got my Align swash levelling tool, decent ball link pliers and digi pitch gauge coming tomorrow.

I've just bought a digi pitch gauge from trexamanic on here, can't wait to play with it

Not one ciggy has passed my lips these last two days and I don't even care. Champix is wirking for me, woohoo!

Well done!!!!!!...what's the next reward a 700....

[trillian]

A couple things about the BeastX on the 500; In my experience on three different helis with the BeastX I often find menu J is a compromise because the BeastX can be difficult to please. On my 500 in order to get the coveted blue light I had to set the links on the servo arms at a point where the geometry just got silly as you move away from mid-stick, just far too 'non-linear' for my logical brain. So I moved the links to where I thought they should be and although this wouldn't satisfy the Beast enough for a blue light at 6 degrees it still flies very well. The same was true when I put the Beast on the Ely.Q. It just sometimes asks for an unrealistic amount of servo travel in my humble opinion. But I think it is probably important not to lie to it, give it exactly 6 degrees or near as dammit ('love that phrase).

The other thing is that there is a known vibes issue on the 500 and the BeastX that can make it pull hard to the left or right. This may not be the same with the Spektrum version if the case is different. On mine with the regular BeastX (version 2 firmware) it would pull hard to the right when I flipped into idle-up and I had to fight it with full left aileron to regain control. The cure was strapping it down a bit more snug (seems counter-intuitive but after much reading on the subject that's what I tried first and it worked). The other method is to use a different (stiffer) adhesive pad. (I cannot remember the name of the one everyone was recommending but there are threads about this).

Anyway, the vibes thing may only be an issue with the standalone Beast.

[djm]

I have to admit had no problem with the 6 deg and blue light, when built I put the DFC head on as well as metal servo arms and it was spot on.
From what I've read the 6 deg is more important than the blue light so if you can't get the blue light just go for the 6 deg, the only problem I had was the gyro sensor was reversed and didn't see it, (bit of a senior moment)you can imagine what happened on the maiden and hit TH to late and stripped a crown gear so take your time setting it up and check it twice and don't rush it like me.

[Vikki]

It was either order wire and connector and make it or by it ready made for less

No contest

[simon1]

Just on the point of the beast servo geometry, I used the inner most holes on the metal servo arms to get the magic blue light at 6 degrees, the manual states to use the outer, although im guessing that is more for the 3gx system.

[highlightshadow]

I've found a more rigid mount of my BeastX (ar7200) made it a lot more predictable and stable ... with a regular spongy pad i always felt it didn't feel locked in ... switched to the fabled 4011 tape and a velcro strap for good measure has really brought the heli back under control.

It also likes the tail to have as much gain as possible ... so when you get to setting heading-hold gain and its not very high bring the ball link on the tail servo arm in closer to the hub ... again seen it made a world of difference to the handling of beastx

[Vikki]

Great advice. Thanks guys.