Electrics - 2009/12

Also included in this column:
• Li-Poly “auto detect”
clarification
• Going retro—RC, that is
• E-Nats recap
Ice for Christmas
December 2009 101
Electrics Greg Gimlick | [email protected]
Castle Creations’ new Ice controllers
feature extensive programming and data
logging. The Lite version is rated to 6S; the
regular is rated to 8S.
The screen in the Castle Link software,
ready to program the data logging on the
author’s Ice Lite 50 controller.
A graph of all the parameters Greg logged during a bench run. You can select which data
points you want to display so that the graph is less cluttered. Everything is shown here.
THIS IS one of those months in which the
column space is going to be too short. But
first, Merry Christmas to everyone and I
hope you have a great New Year. Let’s get
to it!
Auto Li-Poly Detect: During my discussion
of ESCs, many questions arose. You were
great about waiting for my e-mail responses
when I was delayed.
One of the most common questions had
to do with the setting for the ESC to
automatically detect the cell count and
appropriate cutoff. The majority wanted to
know when the ESC determines that
voltage.
I wrote to several manufacturers and,
unfortunately, only Castle Creations replied.
For the Phoenix line of controllers, the
voltage used to determine cell count and
cutoff is detected when you plug the battery
into the controller.
The one exception is on the company’s
HV line of controllers. That requires a signal
from the receiver before anything happens.
So for that particular line, it waits until the
ESC and receiver are talking to each other,
and then it decides.
I suspect that most ESCs from other
manufacturers also determine that upon
initially applying power to the ESC. I hope
that clears things up a bit, and I thank Castle
Creations for responding quickly and
thoroughly.
e-nats Recap From the Event Director:
Mike McGowan served as the event director
and provided the following information
regarding the 2009 Electric Nats. It has
changed since I reported on it a couple of
years ago, and it sounds like the event is
getting better each year.
Mike wrote:
“Electric soaring, from the Event
Director viewpoint, was an exercise in
transitioning the electric events into true
Man on Man soaring events. With electric
soaring, it is possible to actually launch a
group simultaneously so that no flier gains
advantage of being the last to launch.
“In winch launch with large groups, the
last person to launch has a full minute and
numerous airplanes in front of him to
analyze the air so the ‘luck’ of the draw for
launch position often affects the outcome.
This year, the electric soaring groups were
launched simultaneously which meant they
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102 MODEL AVIATION
Retro RC’s laser-cut kit for the e’Moth should pull the heartstrings
of those who remember their Lazy Bee days.
Ric Vaughn, a perennial favorite, launches his original-design A
Sailplane for another win.
RJR Cool Tools carries products to accommodate many building
tasks that aeromodelers perform.
If you’re a glue spiller, RJR Cool Tools has the answer with these
glue-bottle bases.
You can find specialty cutting tools—such as these for foam and
balsa—at RJR Cool Tools.
were all on approach and landing simultaneously if they were on time.
“It worked well and lessons were learned to improve the field
set-up next year. This year was the first introduction of the FAI style
landing tape, which worked very well and will probably be
incorporated for the following years.
“Electric soaring is all about new ideas. It is one of the newest
events due to the dramatic evolution of batteries, motors, speed
controllers, and radios. It is about innovation and there is the total
innovation of designer/builder Ric Vaughn, who is constantly
experimenting with airfoils, lighter composite construction, wing
shapes, fuselage shapes, batteries, motors, controllers, and
propellers!
“His ‘A’ plane spans 145 inches, RES, 1240 square inches, with
Kevlar D tube, carbon capped balsa ribs, and carbon trailing edge. It
weighs 65 ounces using a Neu 1509 motor, RFM 18X19 prop, 2S,
4200 Hyperion G3 battery, and Hacker 125 amp controller. The
Kevlar fuselage sports a full flying stab.
“Ric is a wealth of knowledge and has teamed with Ernie
Schlumberger to bring both great flying skills and true electric
sailplane designs to the venue!”
Hangar 9 Electric Cub Update: I mentioned in the last column that I
was building the electric-powered Hangar 9 Cub that comes with the
E-flite 46 motor installed. I had flown one at the Southeast Electric
Flight Festival (SEFF) and fell in love with it, so I had to add one to
my fleet.
The good news is that the model is everything I knew it would
be; the bad news is that it has been discontinued. Many retailers still
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have stock, but when they’re gone, they’re
gone.
The 40-size glow version is the same kit,
but without the battery hatch and motor. It
looks to be an easy conversion, so all is not
lost.
Ice for Christmas: It’s not what you think!
Castle Creations has finally gotten the longawaited
Ice line of Phoenix controllers to
market, and it looks like it was worth the
wait. Most notably, the new units integrate
data logging into the ESC and use a
switching battery eliminator circuit instead
of a linear version.
The new BEC method in the Ice allows
up to 5 amps peak power on input voltages
up to the 8S limit on the Ice line or the 6S
limit on the Ice Lite versions. This is the
first time we’ve been able to use the
controllers’ BEC function on higher cell
counts, and it should handle the
requirements of most setups.
Be sure to check your setup’s current
consumption and determine whether or not it
falls within the 5-amp capability. If not, you
can disconnect the BEC function and use a
separate receiver battery or opt for
something similar to the Castle Creations
BEC Pro, which can handle up to 20 amps.
The Phoenix Ice switching BEC output is
factory-set to 5.0 volts. You can use the
Castle Link to select any desired voltage
between 5.0 and 7.0 in 0.1-volt increments.
The new Ice brings extensive datalogging
capabilities, to measure and record
many parameters. You can select rates
between 10 samples per second and one
sample per second. Data points include:
• Battery voltage
• Battery ripple
• Battery current
• Controller temperature
• Controller input throttle
• Controller motor power output
• Motor rpm
This data is stored directly in the controller
and can be accessed, when the run is finished,
using the Castle Link USB adapter. When the
memory is full, it quits logging.
There is mention of the next firmware
update, which will allow the user to decide
whether the unit stops logging or overwrites
the beginning of the data loop. These
firmware updates continue to be free of
charge and are done by the user via the Castle
Link.
The Ice line comes in two versions: the
standard, optimized for demanding RC
helicopter and sport-aircraft applications,
and the Lite, which is packaged in heat
shrink for models with tight fuselages. The
standard version allows up to 8S because of
its integrated heat sink, while the Lite
version is limited to 6S.
All Phoenix Ice controllers are ready to
fly out of the bag; no programming is
necessary for most aircraft applications. The
units are set at the factory for “Auto Lipo
detect/cutoff” operation. One change from
other Castle lines is that the Ice is tuned for
optimum outrunner performance as the
default.
I’ve been playing with the Ice Lite 50 on
the bench and in my trusty test airplane, and I
have been impressed. Check out the photos
and you can see the logging capabilities. The
graph might look busy, because I logged
everything I could to show you. You can
select which outputs you want to display, for a
less cluttered look.
Going Retro—RC, That Is: I’ve gotten
more e-mail through the years about the lack
of availability of a great old model called the
Lazy Bee. I think many of us had one at
some point, but it’s long gone now.
Retro RC has something that is
reminiscent of that airplane, and it’s a great
little flyer. I’m in the process of building
one of the company’s beautiful laser-cut kits
and hope to report on it soon. I’ve seen these
e’Moths fly, and the kits are nicely done.
In the meantime, check out the photo of
one I saw and then check out Retro RC’s
Web site. You’re in time for Christmas!
Tool Time at RJR Cool Tools: When I go to
the Toledo R/C Expo every year, I have to
stop by the RJR Cool Tools booth because
it’s too good to pass up. The company has
numerous things for the aeromodeler.
Have you noticed how some of your
screwdrivers come out of the screw heads
on certain products? That’s because many
come with Japanese Industry Standard
(JIS) heads, and we generally have
standard Philips in the US. Once you get a
set of JIS drivers from RJR, you’ll quit
stripping those heads.
RJR Cool Tools has more gadgets than I
could cover in an entire column. Check out
the great little glue-bottle bases that keep
you from spilling that precious CA all over
everything.
Are you a fan of cutting lightening holes
in your model’s framework when you build?
The company has special tools for that. Do
you construct foamies? RJR has special
tools to do miraculous things with foam. Do
you need special soldering fixtures with
magnifiers? This company has ’em!
Give Ross Wegryn-Jones a call at RJR
Cool Tools. Tell him I kept going on about
the cool stuff I bought at the Toledo Show
and that you want some!
Final Approach: That’s it! Sleigh bells are
ringing, and there are going to be toys to
open real soon. I’m excited about the new
products on the horizon and the continuing
development of our electrics.
Keep the e-mail and suggestions coming,
and I’ll see you at the Toledo Show, the
WRAM Show, SEFF, or the Joe Nall Fly-
In. MA
Sources:
Castle Creations
(785) 883-4519
www.castlecreations.com
Retro RC LLC
(248) 212-9666
http://retrorc.us.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
RJR Cools Tools
(877) 230-2085
www.rjrcooltools.com