E525 Quad

[akphill]

As I have already started on the build and am guilty of not taking pics like I should have .
Here is my progress so far.

The Main frame is put together and motors mounted with the esc's zip tied on 30 amp size .

And still need to put the deans on .



I just finished putting the power bus together it will give power to the motors and the flight computer.

Thinking about a 2nd jst connector to put on there for running lights here is a bottom view.


And a top view.



Will post more as I get more parts in the mail

[McKrackin]

I think the props might be on in the wrong order.
Hard to see from a pic but you should have two "tractors" on the front...One turning CW and one CCW

The two pushers on the back....One CW and one CCW

Make all the props turn to center such as the front left prop turning CW and front right turning CCW

Rear left CCW and rear right CW

[akphill]

Yes you are right.
will check that for sure before I get to trying to get it airborn
I think that the orange props are cw and the black one's are ccw.

This is what I have my props installed by unit on the left of this pic

[McKrackin]

I may be seeing it wrong.
The props that come with a kit usually have one of each direction so you can have orange in the front and black in the rear for orientation.

[McKrackin]

If you're set up like the pic,you're right and the only problem is the colors.

I bought opposing directions of same colors to have better orientation.

Two orange tractors and two black pushers.

One orange CCW tractor and one CW orange tractor.
And same with the black.

Looking good btw...

EDIT: I mean to say one orange tractor on the front and one orange pusher on the front...counter rotating.

You get it.lol....

[McKrackin]

What size and pitch are you using?

Steeper pitch=longer flights
Flatter pitch=more stable flights.

[akphill]

Thank you
These props are 9x4.7
I just didn't get the props color coordinated like what you were saying But am going to reorder some that are color coordinated .
From the reading I am doing on this quad with the free flight board it actually should have 3 bladed props
so am considering them.

Well the good news is the board just left California postal system so next week will be installing the first flight computer and programing

[akphill]

Ok more parts came in so have made some progress the power bus is installed and coupled to the esc's

Had to solder in the power lead for the free flight board
And also soldered a jst connector to the board to run lights if I want to.

Here is a pic of the free flight board installed on the quad

And here is a closeup of the board


and this is wiring up the motors and rx connections


will have more to come as I am waiting for a rx to show up then will start the programming

[19000rpm]

Looking good Phil! How many cells will you be running.

[akphill]

I will be running a 3s 40000 mah battery
From what I have been researching it should give me around 8 or 9 minutes of good flight time

[19000rpm]

That should keep it fairly light too. What kind of payload?

[akphill]

Well from what I understand it has 4 times the thrust to weight ratio or 4 to 1 ratio
So I am thinking somewhere around 4 to 5 lbs
But the end result might be and probably different

[19000rpm]

That doesn't sound too far off from what I've been told by the other guys that are building Quads.

Since you've got multiple lifting systems; the more you have the less work each has to do to get the payload in the air.

[akphill]

Well been trying to get the quad programmed and it has been a real pita for sure
First windows 7 64 would not work found out it needs 32 so had to move all the stuff to xp 32
then couldn't get the programmers to cooperate finally did and downloaded the firmware fine'

So then came the actual board flight control programming so after three days of cussing finally hooked it up in the wrong order the usb cable sparked and the dang thing started working go figure.

Got all that done and tried to arm it.
nope noway nada nobody home

Well now comes the perplexing part
Set throttle channel to normal and tried to arm the controller and the dam thing armed
ok fine but now when you arm the throttle is at the top wide open well thats no good

But you have to try anyway right well I asked a lot of questions over at rcgroups web site
(I don't recommend that place to anyone by the way)

that got me exactly nowhere so back on my own.

So I tyried hovering this thing yesterday and it had to be armed oneway and the throttle channel reversed after arming to work right that is a pita

Well ok then I tried to hover it and at full throttle it would not come off the ground all it did was make some dust

Well during this course of action I played with left and right forward and backwards and found those reactions were also working reversed HMMMM?

well this morning after flying the 500 I am sitting here having coffee and it hit me why don't I reverse all the channels and see if that doesn't cure the quad whose ?

well I did that I now the Quad arms the right way and I am pretty sure the rest of the moements are going to be in the right directions too.

So now have to figure out what to do about the power output to weight ratio I am pretty sure it is a programming problem with the esc's and the flight board not giving me the power I need
I found another sheet of instructions on programming the esc so will give that a try after getting another jst fitting for a second battery

Just thought would bring everone up to date on the quad

[Raygun]

Where did you get the circuit board?? I have seen some at HK that are suppose to be plug and play. Ray