Winter / Focus / Fuel

[Keith Black]

Doug,

While you're at that flying site by yourself be REAL careful around the prop
on that electric. One false move and that sucker could be at full power at a
very inopportune time! To me that's the hardest thing to remember when
switching to electric.

I highly recommend using a separate arming plug/switch for the motor so you
can run the control surfaces and have the motor disabled until just before
taking off.

Of course, I'm sure Jason has told you all about that.

Keith Black

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doug Cronkhite" <seefo at san.rr.com>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: Winter / Focus / Fuel


> Sure thing..
>
> Motor: Hacker C50-14XL geared.
> Controller: Jeti Hacker Master 77-3p.
> Batteries: Thunder Power 10s3p (actually 2 x 5s3p wired in series)
> Charger: Schulze ISL 6-330d x 2
> Aircraft: ZN Line Supreme
>
> Cost is unreasonable at this stage of the game. The motor and controller
> are actually not the bulk of the price. It's the batteries. Including
> everything (motor, controller, battery, chargers) I have roughly $2000
> invested. You could knock about $650 off that if you only buy 1
> 10s3p battery pack. I already had the chargers so you're looking at
> another $380 to buy a pair. I'm also developing my own mounting setup for
> the airplane (which ZN will manufacture as an option). Landing gear is
> also being designed to handle the 22x12 APC-E prop. 1st rev will be
> aluminum but a carbon gear is in the works as well.
>
> As far as weight goes, I'll have to get out the scale for exact numbers,
> but the installed weight is about 8 ounces more than a comparable glow
> installation (this is using Jason's airplane as a reference as I'm still
> building mine). Judging by the component weights of my kit and hardware, I
> think I'll be at 9.5 pounds before paint/covering so 10.5 pounds should
> be VERY workable, but keep in mind I'm looking at every gram that goes
> into the airplane to keep it as light as possible.
>
> OK.. so the disadvantages at this moment are costs, lack of completely off
> the shelf components, and the volatility of the LiPo batteries if they're
> mistreated (fire and explosion). There is also the unknown of just how
> many charge/discharge cycles these batteries can take at these current
> levels (roughly 65 amps max). These are all things I'm willing to
> risk/endure however.
>
> The advantages to me however MORE than overcome the problems.
>
> 1) lack of vibration
> 2) perfect throttle response
> 3) zero weight change/shift through the flight
> 4) low noise
> 5) no lean/rich runs
> 6) no flameouts
>
> Last and most importantly is the available practice sites for me. We have
> an electric only field here in San Diego which is 10 minutes away and
> rarely used if ever in the afternoons giving me all the flying time I will
> need.
>
> -Doug
>
>
>
> On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, JOddino wrote:
>
> > Hey Doug,
> > Could you describe your complete set-up, plane, motor, batteries, etc.,
with
> > weight and cost.  This sure sounds like the way to go if the costs are
not
> > too unreasonable.
> > I agree 300 flights a year seems to be plenty even when you can fly all
year
> > long.  I remember how I couldn't wait to retire so I could fly everyday.
> > Now I can but I don't go out more than 2 or 3 times a week and some
weeks
> > not at all.
> > Jim
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Doug Cronkhite" <seefo at san.rr.com>
> > To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 8:52 AM
> > Subject: Re: Winter / Focus / Fuel
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Hopefully none. I have 2 10s3p li-po's on the way (big hit to the
wallet
> > > there)..
> > >
> > > My chargers are Schulze.. they'll likely outlast me.
> > >
> > > -Doug
> > >
> > > On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Wayne Galligan wrote:
> > >
> > > > How many li-po battery packs or charghers will you be going through?
> > > >
> > > > WG
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > From: "Doug Cronkhite" <seefo at san.rr.com>
> > > > To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 10:20 AM
> > > > Subject: RE: Winter / Focus / Fuel
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Atwood, Mark wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > That begs an  interesting question.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > How much fuel do people burn in a calendar year?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I'd be interested to hear responses and where you're from (or
maybe
> > more
> > > > specifically, how many months that fuel is spread over.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > In a competitive year (the last three not withstanding) I was
> > burning
> > > > 40-50 gal over 3.5 - 4 months (late May - Mid Sept.)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > -Mark
> > > > >
> > > > > Hmmm..
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm in San Diego.. will be flying all year round.. I don't think
I'll
> > burn
> > > > > a single gallon of fuel this year :-P
> > > > >
> > > > > -Doug
> > > > >
> > > > > =====================================
> > > > > # To be removed from this list, send a message to
> > > > > # discussion-request at nsrca.org
> > > > > # and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
> > > > > #
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > =====================================
> > > > # To be removed from this list, send a message to
> > > > # discussion-request at nsrca.org
> > > > # and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
> > > > #
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > =====================================
> > > # To be removed from this list, send a message to
> > > # discussion-request at nsrca.org
> > > # and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
> > > #
> > >
> >
> > =====================================
> > # To be removed from this list, send a message to
> > # discussion-request at nsrca.org
> > # and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
> > #
> >
> >
>
> =====================================
> # To be removed from this list, send a message to
> # discussion-request at nsrca.org
> # and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
> #
>

=====================================
# To be removed from this list, send a message to 
# discussion-request at nsrca.org
# and put leave discussion on the first line of the body.
#