450 and years down the road ....
08-10-2015, 02:47 PM
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
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450 and years down the road ....
Its somewhere over 5 years since I bought my Clone 450 SE V2 ... it's had its fair share of war and peace !
Overall in 5 years ........ initial cost was ~$200 RTF with 2.4 Radio incl LiPo, Pitch Gauge, training gear, all except Velcro straps !!
I would estimate she's had replacements in those full 5 years .............
Replaced servos all round probably 4x.
10 - 12 sets of main blades
5 - 6 sets of tail blades
3 complete head and swash
2 tail drive units
2 belts
I bottom tray
2 tail booms
3 boom struts mount on rear tail
2 sets of fins
numerous flybars and feathering shafts
2 sets of main blade holders
1 new canopy.
1 new ESC
10~ main gear wheels
But the amazing thing is the basic machine is still original ... most parts still going on ... the motor is sweet as first day ...
Taking the list ... it first appears to be OH MY !! but its over 5 years of my absolutely crap flying. I don't practice enough and it tends to sit for periods - then I have like last few days - a frenzy of heli flying.
I think the initial decision to purchase this clone has been borne out by my overall costs to have been OK. With my flying ... buying a Gaui or Align would have been way too expensive and even though people claim they fly better - my problem is not the model ... Its ME !! Brutal is the word !
I'm not pushing the model I have .. in fact I cannot find it on eBay anymore ... I'm just posting about my experience with what many would consider a PoS clone !!
Oh I nearly forgot - the original LiPo is still in use but for light duties, no longer suitable for the heli ... but the two Turnigy blue LiPo's are still years later flying her despite first years abuse of no storage care etc.
Cheers
Nigel
Overall in 5 years ........ initial cost was ~$200 RTF with 2.4 Radio incl LiPo, Pitch Gauge, training gear, all except Velcro straps !!
I would estimate she's had replacements in those full 5 years .............
Replaced servos all round probably 4x.
10 - 12 sets of main blades
5 - 6 sets of tail blades
3 complete head and swash
2 tail drive units
2 belts
I bottom tray
2 tail booms
3 boom struts mount on rear tail
2 sets of fins
numerous flybars and feathering shafts
2 sets of main blade holders
1 new canopy.
1 new ESC
10~ main gear wheels
But the amazing thing is the basic machine is still original ... most parts still going on ... the motor is sweet as first day ...
Taking the list ... it first appears to be OH MY !! but its over 5 years of my absolutely crap flying. I don't practice enough and it tends to sit for periods - then I have like last few days - a frenzy of heli flying.
I think the initial decision to purchase this clone has been borne out by my overall costs to have been OK. With my flying ... buying a Gaui or Align would have been way too expensive and even though people claim they fly better - my problem is not the model ... Its ME !! Brutal is the word !
I'm not pushing the model I have .. in fact I cannot find it on eBay anymore ... I'm just posting about my experience with what many would consider a PoS clone !!
Oh I nearly forgot - the original LiPo is still in use but for light duties, no longer suitable for the heli ... but the two Turnigy blue LiPo's are still years later flying her despite first years abuse of no storage care etc.
Cheers
Nigel
08-10-2015, 04:09 PM
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Posts: 6,122
Are you still flying it these days Nigel? Obviously how long they last depends to a large extent on how often you fly.
Clones vary in quality, some are pretty good, some not so, sounds like yours is pretty good.
If you want something to make a heli easier to fly you might look at the new generation of flybarless controller with 'self level'. Set with strong self-level they make flying child's play and you can gradually reduce the strength of the self levelling as your skill develops.
They still aren't cheap but prices are creeping down. The Spirit is the best value controller with self level functionality at the moment: http://www.spirit-system.com/
Clones vary in quality, some are pretty good, some not so, sounds like yours is pretty good.
If you want something to make a heli easier to fly you might look at the new generation of flybarless controller with 'self level'. Set with strong self-level they make flying child's play and you can gradually reduce the strength of the self levelling as your skill develops.
They still aren't cheap but prices are creeping down. The Spirit is the best value controller with self level functionality at the moment: http://www.spirit-system.com/
08-10-2015, 07:02 PM
#3
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
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Had it in air yesterday ... flew through 3 batterys in fact.
Might even charge up one now and give it a whirl again ... before sun drops too low !
Photo attached taken just now ...
Yes still with Training gear ... because of the state my garden is I fly in ... bit rough and without she trips up too easy... the skids catch and hold ....
Nigel
Might even charge up one now and give it a whirl again ... before sun drops too low !
Photo attached taken just now ...
Yes still with Training gear ... because of the state my garden is I fly in ... bit rough and without she trips up too easy... the skids catch and hold ....
Nigel
08-10-2015, 09:18 PM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
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Just for you JPF ... I found a square of OSB board ... placed on the grass and took the trainers of ...
Flew fine ... bit unsteady at start as I was worried about tripping over ...
LiPo used was one of the 4 year old Turnigy's that I got for her ... 4.5 mins before throttle started to lag and she started to vibrate a bit. I only charged her to 4.18 ...
That's the funny thing ... as the LiPo sinks in power ... this heli gets a bit of a shake on ... nothing to worry about - but its a good observable sign that LiPo is now at storage !
I think its resonance that does it .. motor reduces .. I give more stick which increases pitch ... so you get resonance and little bit of shakes. I land ... 5 mins later ... LiPo is rest at storage .........
Nigel
Flew fine ... bit unsteady at start as I was worried about tripping over ...
LiPo used was one of the 4 year old Turnigy's that I got for her ... 4.5 mins before throttle started to lag and she started to vibrate a bit. I only charged her to 4.18 ...
That's the funny thing ... as the LiPo sinks in power ... this heli gets a bit of a shake on ... nothing to worry about - but its a good observable sign that LiPo is now at storage !
I think its resonance that does it .. motor reduces .. I give more stick which increases pitch ... so you get resonance and little bit of shakes. I land ... 5 mins later ... LiPo is rest at storage .........
Nigel
08-12-2015, 03:11 PM
#5
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ex UK Brit now in Latvia west coast - Ventspils
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So each day another 2 batterys worth through her ...
Must look at sorting out my other 450 ... had a catastrophic event with her a while back !!
Swash links came of while about 20ft up !!
Nigel
Must look at sorting out my other 450 ... had a catastrophic event with her a while back !!
Swash links came of while about 20ft up !!
Nigel
08-12-2015, 03:56 PM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Posts: 6,122
Good going Nigel.
I found removing the training gear made a surprising difference to the handling of the heli, the gear seemed to have a damping effect so one removed response was a lot more sensitive. The gear also helps a bit with orientation which can catch you out after removal.
Sounds like the battery is tired and headspeed is dropping off and causing the 'wobbles'. On all my helis I always fly with a governor to avoid and unplanned change in headspeed, but a governor cant hold headspeed if the battery is knackered.
I found removing the training gear made a surprising difference to the handling of the heli, the gear seemed to have a damping effect so one removed response was a lot more sensitive. The gear also helps a bit with orientation which can catch you out after removal.
Sounds like the battery is tired and headspeed is dropping off and causing the 'wobbles'. On all my helis I always fly with a governor to avoid and unplanned change in headspeed, but a governor cant hold headspeed if the battery is knackered.
