The Cat's EXI 450SE

[BTCat]

EXI 450 Build So Far:
Parts:
EXI 450 Kit: $55.00 on sale
Motor: Alpha 450 3500kv -- $15.00 on sale
ESC: ACE RC 40 amp -- $55.00 (Throwing business to the LHS)
Gyro: G401B -- $31.00
Servos, Cyclic: HiTec HS-65HB -- $60.00 ($20x3)
Servo, tail: HiTec HS-5065MG -- $39.00
Receiver: Futaba 7 channel -- $73.00

I also ordered a CNC tail from Dealextreme yesterday.

So all has arrived but the cyclic servos (coming from Canada, so taking longer) and the CNC tail (who knows when that will be here). I got home from a work assignment this afternoon and started opening and inspecting. Everything looks great. The heli is impressive for the price and has a good, solid feel to it. The motor came with a 13T pinion only, and the extra pinions I ordered are the wrong shaft size. No big deal. I’ll order the 11T later tonight.

BUT, then I made smoke. I hooked up the ESC to the battery and to the programming card. POOF! Let the smoke out of both of them. I don’t know if the ESC or the programming card was the culprit. But I have both coming. Our old nimesis was very prompt to answer my email (about an hour) and Andy has new ones on the way next week. Not a good start. Now I am really questioning my choice of Exceed for the ESC.

UPDATE: Replaced ESC with a 40 amp ACE RC by Thunder Tiger. Got it at the LHS.

Anyway, I’ll start putting together what I can tomorrow. Get ready for all the stupid noob questions

Out of the Box Picture:





Parts So Far:

[Solitaire]

Ah, good start BT.

Good list of components, too. I had bought the Exceed 30A ESC as well for mine, but decided to go with a 40A Pentium instead, just for a little more leeway. Workin' on mine as we speak, although I'm still without a radio.

[r/c basher]

Awesome Bt post pics when you are done. I wish I could afford an Exi kit with all the electronics. The tx/rx price gets in the way. I would love to build one but I have to save for a car.

[BTCat]

Apr 10, 2009 18:55:44 GMT -6 r/c basher said:

Awesome Bt post pics when you are done. I wish I could afford an Exi kit with all the electronics. The tx/rx price gets in the way. I would love to build one but I have to save for a car.

Wish I was 15 and broke again ;D. Trade? You would be getting the bad deal ;D

[Solitaire]

Hell, I'm 58 and still broke

[r/c basher]

Well Im not exactly broke, right now I have enough money to buy a junky car thats rusty and has high miles but I want something a little nicer, it doesnt have to be no Mustang or any thing but something that looks halfway decent and something thats not going to break every couple miles. Maybe next Christmas Ill be able to afford a decent car and Exi with all the goodies.

[BTCat]

Apr 10, 2009 18:21:04 GMT -6 Solitaire said:

Ah, good start BT.

Good list of components, too. I had bought the Exceed 30A ESC as well for mine, but decided to go with a 40A Pentium instead, just for a little more leeway. Workin' on mine as we speak, although I'm still without a radio.

Sol, where did you get your 40amp?

[Raygun]

I would check with DonsRC he has the pentium esc pretty reasonable and his shipping is not bad either. Ray

[Solitaire]

Yep, that's exactly where I got mine. Don's is another small etailer with limited inventory, but looks after his customers very well. He certainly gets my recommendation and he has the Pentiums on sale quite regularly.

[BTCat]

Well, I changed my ESC. I was going with the one from Dons 40 amp Pentium, but they are out of stock. I went down to my LHS and made an impulse buy. An ACE RC ESC 40 amp, for $55.00. More than I wanted to spend, but comperable to the other once shipping was calculated. And I like giving the local guy some business, too. Of course, I hope I don't have buyer's remorse later....

This looks a little more impressive than the Exceed. A real heatsink.

Now if the other 3 servos will get here...

[akent]

Cool, BT!
I think you made a wise decision to upgrade your ESC.

I hope those servos show up soon!

I hope you are taking lots of pictures of the build!!
Kent

[Solitaire]

Ah, sorry BT. I should have checked Don's supply before suggesting him.

Does the Ace have a programming card?

[BTCat]

Apr 11, 2009 12:44:10 GMT -6 Solitaire said:

Ah, sorry BT. I should have checked Don's supply before suggesting him.

Does the Ace have a programming card?

No programming card. I'm taking my chances with the TX. I am going to do it "on bench" without the motor hooked up, though. From what I see, the default settings will work on this. They are set as follows:

Battery protection: Standard discharge for lipo (choice of light, standard and heavy)
Motor Timing: Auto Timing (choice of soft, standard, hard or auto)
Brake Mode: No Brake
Throttle Sensitivity: Standard throttle response (choice of Soft, standard and quick)
Flying mode: Heli without governor

See what you think. Let me know if it looks like it needs changing.

BTW, I have a whole lot of reading and learning to get the Futaba, the ESC, the servos and the gyro all set up. Don't know diddly about any of them.

[akent]

Hi BT:
Unfortunately, you MUST have the motor hooked up to program these! The motor is the beeper!! That's surprised me when I first saw that.
I programmed mine with the transmitter, too. I just backed the motor away from the gear.

I am using standard timing. I don't have an Auto setting. That is a nice feature!

Everything else sounds good!
Kent

[BTCat]

Apr 11, 2009 14:06:11 GMT -6 akent said:

Hi BT:
Unfortunately, you MUST have the motor hooked up to program these! The motor is the beeper!! Kent

I knew that Thanks Kent, actually I didn't...
;D