[NSRCA-discussion] Electric/IC ...was Arming Plug/Receptacle Problem

Mon Feb 9 13:03:37 AKST 2009

I beg to differ.  The rules are already slanted to favor IC: the way  
the airplanes are weighed.  IC airplanes are weighed without fuel;  
electric airplanes are weighed with fuel (batteries) and both may no  
more than 5 kilograms.  OMG, here we go again!

Ron

On Feb 9, 2009, at 3:54 PM, James Oddino wrote:

> I've been at this longer than most and have known from the  
> beginning that the propulsion system is the key to winning in  
> Pattern competition.  It can also be the most frustrating due to  
> constantly changing conditions.  I found that the gas engines with  
> spark ignition were a lot more consistent than glow and that  
> reduced the frustration.  I have more recently convinced myself  
> that electric is the least frustrating.  A few folks have gone back  
> to glow after playing with electric to get more power for windy  
> conditions.  We are now getting close to getting more than enough  
> out of electric systems (3 to 4 HP?) and when that happens we won't  
> have these discussions anymore.  However, before that happens, the  
> rules will probably be changed to favor IC.
>
> Jim
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2009, at 12:39 PM, Jerry Voth wrote:
>
>> I've been lurking for a long time and after reading all the things  
>> that one needs to do to successfully fly electric, it makes one  
>> wonder how things would be if electrics were the norm from the  
>> beginning of powered R/C models. It might go like this;
>>
>> Hey guys, I just bought this little IC engine and I tried it on  
>> one of my Pattern models and it works really well. "Look what it  
>> will do;
>> 1. It has just as much power as our electric motors.
>> 2. The only batteries you need are for the flight pack, glow  
>> igniter and the electric starter if you don't like to flip by hand.
>> 3. All you have to do is pump fuel into the tank, spin the engine  
>> with the starter and fly.The tail gets a little oily, but what the  
>> heck, it's fairly easy to clean up.(Switching the radio on first  
>> is a given.)
>> 4. You don't have to haul a generator or an extra car battery  
>> around to charge motor batteries."
>>
>> Please don't take this the wrong way. It is tongue in cheek and  
>> just an observation. I also have too much time on my hands these  
>> days.
>>
>> JJV
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jay Marshall"  
>> <lightfoot at sc.rr.com>
>> To: "'General pattern discussion'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>> Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 1:50 PM
>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Arming Plug/Receptacle Problem
>>
>>
>>> A 100 ohm resistor may be enough to charge the caps and make the ESC
>>> "active". Bad idea...
>>>
>>> Jay Marshall
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
>>> [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of  
>>> Ron Van Putte
>>> Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 1:14 PM
>>> To: General pattern discussion
>>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Arming Plug/Receptacle Problem
>>>
>>> Good.  I will try it.  What wattage 100 ohm resistor?  Let's see,
>>> doesn't sustained power equal voltage squared, divided by the
>>> resistance?  If so, 42 squared, divided by 100 is 17.64 watts.
>>> That's probably overkill, since the current surge is transitory.   
>>> How
>>> about a 100 ohm, 10 watt resistor?
>>>
>>> Just thought of something:  With the 100 ohm resistor across the
>>> arming plug receptacle, won't the ESC be on whenever the batteries
>>> are plugged into the circuit?
>>>
>>> BTW, what about Castle Creation's statement that the "spark is your
>>> friend'?
>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>> On Feb 9, 2009, at 11:55 AM, James Oddino wrote:
>>>
>>>> Put a 100 ohm resistor across the arming plug receptacle.  Then the
>>>> capacitors in the ESC will charge without a spark as you connect
>>>> the batteries.  When you connect the arming plug, no spark.
>>>>
>>>> Jim
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Feb 9, 2009, at 8:08 AM, Ron Van Putte wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I have a problem which I am sure many other E-powered airplane
>>>>> owners have that I'd like to solve.  I use an arming plug to
>>>>> connect the two 5S Lipo packs to the ESC.  On initial contact of
>>>>> the arming plug with the receptacle, there's a big spark thrown.
>>>>> Eventually the contacts on the arming plug and receptacle get
>>>>> burned to the point where the electrical contact is very bad.
>>>>> Yesterday I had to land my airplane deadstick because (I think)
>>>>> the ESC saw what it thought was low voltage out of the battery
>>>>> that was actually due to the burned arming plug/receptacle
>>>>> contacts.  BTW, I am using high-amp Anderson Power Pole
>>>>> connectors, which are probably more susceptible to having the
>>>>> contacts burned than would Deans Ultra connectors.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have thought about putting a BIG capacitor in parallel with the
>>>>> arming plug, that would damp the initial current surge which
>>>>> causes the spark.  The capacitor could be removed before flight.
>>>>> However, I'm wondering if there's a more elegant solution.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ron Van Putte
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>>>>> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>>>> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>>>
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>>
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