52% Weeks Solution Test Flight (Hempel)

[toc pilot]

Well,

I have changed the bad reciever and also changed channel crystals just in case too. Made some modifications to the tail wheel and have changed the geometery of the aileron servos. The plane should do well tomorrow for the "AMA Inspection" Flights. In preperations, I have weighed the plane without fuel. It came out at 61.25 pounds! This is really good considering I am running canisters. This will definatley be a very fun plane!

Bill Hempel

[Kiwi]

Hey Billy,

Have you seen that Powerbox DDR system. That looks right up your alley mate. You need to go to the German site to see it and I think Snapasaurus has one on test.

[Shaker]

Very nice looking Bill.

Btw.. I'm still winning the pool on how long it'll take for someone to spell your last name right!

[toc pilot]

The Powerbox DDR system looks GREAT! I will definatly get one of those, just what I need/needed.

BH

[walkerk122]

Bill,
Great looking bird!! Will you be selling these kits?

Powerbox DDR: Does anyone know if they are available here in the US yet? Duralite and Aircraft International don't show them on their sites yet.

[xtreem3d]

suppossedly there is also a 5 channel matching powerbox with ddr built into it coming out or is out but that's not even on the german site

[toc pilot]

Good day and bad day!


Ok, another bummer day! I did my 2 flights for the certification and passed. That is the good news. The bad news is that the same side receiver quit working just like before. This is real confusing. I changed receivers and the crystals. Same deal. About 7 minutes into my second flight, the engine stops responding to throttle inputs and the airplane is suddenly out of trim. I knew exactly what to do. I got centered over the field in the downwind position and killed the motor agian with the Smart-Fly Fiber-optic kill switches. Boy, I am liking those!

Made a good landing and sure enough, the enitre left side is not responding. Last night I changed the rudder servos in to the right receiver and I had good steering on the ground, I stayed on the runway this time.

I pulled the canopy off and saw all voltages were perfect, the powerboard lights were all in the green and the left receiver was not working.

I am going to replace the Powerbox board now and install the new DDR if I can get one. Maybe we will try agian next weekend?

Any thoughts?

Bill

[thewrap]

Hey got any videos of the flights?

[CSpaced]

Gotta love those Smart-Fly ignition kill switches, its saved my plane a couple of times! That's strange for sure, too much of a coincidence - is there a way you can test the powerbox? Maybe power up all the electronics as if you are going to fly it and simulate a flight so you can watch whats happening inside, who knows - maybe something will jump out at ya?

You're sure you didn't put the same receiver back in again?

[crhammond]

	Quote: Originally Posted by toc pilot
	Any thoughts?

Good and bad - nice that the certification flights were good and the SmartFly cutoffs are great. Too bad about the gremlins - makes for a very scary feeling (for us mortals anyway LOL)

Connector(s) running in to that Rx for power may have a short and/or be loose inside the connector? Maybe thats why when you tapped it it came back last time?

[rc4flying]

Hey Bill,

Sorry to hear about your problems, but glad it has not resulted in anything more then the problem of solving it.

I think KIWI was thinking of this unit.

Attached is a pic of a new PowerBox RRS (Redundant Rx System) Two RX are hooked up and the unit always looks for the strongest RX signal and switches to it seamlessly. The readout gives you the percentage of each rx's signal strength and the weakest percentage for each during that flight. Reading should be viewed before powering down. Also indicates which receiver is being used at the present time. A very neat setup for two rcvrs and you would never loose control over half the plane if one rcvr fails as it has for you.

Hope you find you problem ?

[Tonybons]

Joe, Are you using the Powerbox RRS system in your 260?

Tony Bonanno

[rc4flying]

Yes I am Tony. Took it out today to prove the system to myself. During the third flight, somewhere during this flight the planes antenna position with respects to me allowed a 1% drop in rcvr singnal strength on rcvr #1, so the unit switched to rcvr #2 with out me knowing it and the unit's readout showed that there was one switch over to rcvr 2. Rcvr strength on #1 was 99% and #2 was at 100%. it will always go to the strongest signal strength. If #2 would ever go lower then the #1 rcvr strength during the same flight, then it will switch back to #1. And show that.

I was told to position one antenna to be straight back through the fuse, and to have the other go into a vertical position. This way, you should always have an antenna in a very favorable position for a good signal reception.

The one pic is how I had a single rcvr setup with the PowerBox. The other two pics are how it is now and how I can read it looking down through the hatch canopy and read the display.

Neat unit.

[MattyMatt]

Joe... that's a really sweet setup.

Bill, the only thing I can say it that it sounds like a short.... maybe vibration induced?

Sounds like you'll need the PowerBox stuff joe has! Joe... what's that cost?

[Imac Kiwi]

Bill

From what you are saying, something is going on with the left side that is damaging the RX.

I would talk to Powerbox about this as the receiver is powered from the Powerbox and the only through connection to the sevos is the signal wire and to my knowledge is doide islolated.

Alan