EXI 500 down....ug

[Gabe]

So finally decided to put te EXI 500 to the test and try some patterns with heavy collective. She did pretty good and I had a smile on my face. I brought het back to a tail in hover and then it happened...something gave way. Either the elevator screw popped out or the ball link on the blade grip broke. I'm so tired of fixing this darn heli and not even getting a chance to fly it.

Initial damage report is a bent boom, busted stabilizer, blades, flybar, stripped DS520 aileron servo, I'm sure the mainshaft is bent without even looking, canopy, and looks like a little swash damage too.

F$&@k this heli man. My 450 works great as is and it doesn't give me any guff. I think I may steal the Spartan 750 gyro off the 500, and then punt the remains into the channel behind my apartment complex.

There was no reason for this in-flight failure. Every screw was lock-tite'd, every servo was working perfectly, blade grips and links were all new, gyro was set, tail was rock solid. Stupid bird.

Pics to follow...someday.

[19000rpm]

Sorry to hear that Gabe. Poo happens even when you're doing everything right. Just give it a rest. Don't throw it in the canal. Although, I know exactly how you feel right now.

Happy landings

[Gabe]

I know. You're right - and I won't. Just gonna fly the 450 for a while. Got the Typhoon motor comin'! Can't wait to try a 4S battery in that bad boy!

[akent]

Oh man, I'm sorry that happened.

I have decided that the Exi 500 is my main machine! It just flies always perfectly!

It could all be just a matter of luck, though! My 450 has crashed more often than all the rest combined!

I have put my two Exi 450's in their cases now, and they are now living in the corner. Well not quite, as I sometimes pull one out for practice hovers!

But the 500 is it. I love that thing!

I sure hope yours will be beaten into submission somehow!
Kent

[Gabe]

Finished. Finally.

Everything is loc-tite'd down, everything is double checked, and she is ready for a test hover. Too bad that will be next week. I fly out for Seattle tomorrow morning. We are doing a loop there this weekend and TV taping on Tues.

Be back in Tampa Wednesday (catching a red-eye).

Oh - I figured out the cause of this crash. The screw from the base plate of the swash to the elevator servo link stripped right out of the CNC metal hole. Jeez - bought a new one.

[akent]

Awesome, Gabe!
I knew you would figure it out!
That's a very strange failure though. I need to check mine out!
Thanks!
Kent

[Gabe]

It was probably from previous crashes and I didn't notice it stripping when I put her back together last time. Plus, the screw was kinda short.

[Gabe]

Did some de-bugging today and a maiden hover. It was a little windy though. Got her up off the deck a few feet and got a little, unwanted wag. I think I need to change the tail rotor shaft. Its the only thing I haven't replaced. The battery died after about 30 seconds of hovering (must have forgotten to charge it). I took it as an omen and gave it a rest of the time being.

Winds are at 17-20mph now. I'll try again tomorrow.

[Gabe]

Ok, on a hover, left stick yaws quick and stops rock solid. Right stick struggles A LOT and is super mushy. On the slider, when on the bench, everyhing slides quick and easy.

Any ideas?

[McKrackin]

Tried increasing the rudder limit in the radio?
The limits on the gyro prevent binding.
The limits in the radio control piro rates.

[Gabe]

Ern, can you elaborate please?

Rudder limit is maxed in both directions at 125%. With the Spartan 750, the rudder limit controls the piro rate.

Limits on the gyro itself? I'm assuming that if the tail servo pulls too hard it may slow down the rotation of the tail rotor? I actually see some binding marks on the tail shaft near the base where the servo pulls pretty hard on it. The gyro travel adjustment on the DX6i appears to have no affect on the travel limits of the tail slider. In fact, nothing does. Weird.

The Spartan 750 doesn't have any adjustments on it whatsoever. Maybe Kent can weigh in on this one since he has the same set up.

[McKrackin]

You have the limits programmed in the gyro.Right?
On the Align 750,you hit the program button until it gets to "Limits" and then use the rudder control to teach the gyro the left and right limit of the slide.
Make sure you're getting the full travel.

At 125% in the radio,piros should be a blurr.
Do you have any expo dialed in the rudder?
If so,take it out.Maybe even add some negative expo.

[Gabe]

Had to refer to my Spartan Manual for programming end points. That solved it. The tail slider was binding against the tail assembly.

Now I have another problem. My batteries completely drain after about 30 seconds of flight. I have the LVC at 3.80V per cell, but these puppies are all draining quick. They only get down to about 4.0V.

ESC problem maybe? Didn't have it before the last crash.

[akent]

Mar 20, 2010 8:45:57 GMT -6 Gabe said:

Had to refer to my Spartan Manual for programming end points. That solved it. The tail slider was binding against the tail assembly.

Now I have another problem. My batteries completely drain after about 30 seconds of flight. I have the LVC at 3.80V per cell, but these puppies are all draining quick. They only get down to about 4.0V.

ESC problem maybe? Didn't have it before the last crash.

Could be the ESC. It could also be the batteries. I had to retire a few Zippies for my 450 and 500 as they were getting very short flight times, too, but not 30 seconds short. Instead of 6 minutes, they would fly for maybe 4, but they lacked power. These were all puffed a little and were about a year old.
Kent

[Gabe]

You think the esc is bad possibly? All the setings seem ok on the program box. I guess I will order a few more batteries and see what happens.