Futaba FP-G154 Gyro voltage

[topher]

Ok please dont laugh, I have an old heli which was gifted to me as a crashed lots but never flow item. I have changed the tail servo from a FP-S148 and have set the heli up as best I can. I can get it in the air and hover steady so want to try improve my skills slowly slowly (its a Kalt 30 so i know one crash and its all over due to lack of spares).

Now, the gyro is a mechanical one and the specs for it all say 4.8V but the reciever and servos are all 4.8V or 6V. My current battery will only really last one tank before it has lost 50% capacity (measured by re-charging on a decent charger) so i want to use a spare 6V battery I have but wonder if anyone can offer advise over the gyro voltage specs beign 4.8.

Anyhelp gratefully recieved as long as it is not "replace the gyro!"

[acwman]

Best advice.. Replace the gyro

The 154 is an old mechanical gyro, and it takes alot of power from your receiver pack. Think you will find that just by replacing the gyro, you should get a few tanks out of your existing pack.

[Paulice]

You can get a step down, A lot of tail servos today can only run on "4.8V"
But a full charged 4 cell Nimh is 6v so if you put in a 4 cell you'll be fine as you are.

Or like i said you could use one of these! Fast Lad Performance

[xygax]

G154... Oh dear... Its a rate gyro so evan if set up properly the tail control will be a bit of an isssue for a novice... Can you use it at 6 V ...No... but you can get an align tail voltage regulator (its a diode in a lead) and put this between the rx and gyro.... that will loose about 0.8-0.9v under load and that should make the voltage about right for it.

Consider heading hold as a soulition it will make it easier to learn on in the end...

Steve

[topher]

Dear all

I very much appreciate your comments with regards to the gyro but I have had a tank of fuel at hover in a fair breeze with no difficulties - I must state I am not a 100% novice, I have a walkera 4-3B which I learnt to hover on in the loft - when i fly the Kalt it is 100% more stable and much easier! The problem with going for a new type gyro is that the radio gear I have is still old and so I dont have a gain adjust on the transmitter - I can switch it to HH using the gear channel but with no gain adjust it is not possible to set it up so I have full articulation on the tail servo without exceeding the end points (TX has no EPA on it). I have tried adjusting the mechanical linkage but could not get a borrowed HH gyro to work correctly.

I think I will order a 4.8V battery pack - my current one is 1400mah so if I can get a larger capacity the hopefully I can run 2 tanks without fear of the battery voltage getting low.

In the current crap state of our economy, i am trying to learn a hobby on absolute minimal outlay! So far I have a flying setup for the cost of blades (£35) and about 4 hours of re-build! I am hoping that I can practice the basics and get some figure 8 circuits done then look at a newer setup for the next stage of my flight development!

Regards

Chris

[electricsceadu]

for the type of flying your going to do i'd go for the biggest mah pack i could
midland helicopter do a 4.8v 5000mah rx pack and that will give you a few flights
overlander do some around 3700-4300 mah

and i still have a g154 in a scale heli



happy flying

[acwman]

You could get a piezo gyro cheap nowadays.. these have no moving parts so will be a great help in battery life, and the gain is adjusted on the gyro, so will work with your tx..

Heres one HERE

[topher]

Thanks for the advice everyone, i will just charge this spare 6V pack i have and if it takes more than 2000mah i will use it with a voltage regulator. That should give enough for 2 tanks per charge - which to be honest I think is more than enough concentration time for me!

Happy flying!