Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

[GliderGuy]

I did some more research…prompted by your comments. I could not find the article that I’d read which suggested the “leave 40%”. All the articles and videos I can now locate say “leave 20%” and/or consider 3.5V per cell the minimum.

Percentage is subjective anyway. It is the minimum 3.5V that really matters per the experts. Going lower risks hitting the 3V “damaged” cell voltage.

But, I fly many thousands of flights a year, so I must treat them easy. And I get a year on a new set by rotating 10 batteries through 4 EDFs to achieve this large number of flights on a set. The annual cost of 10 LiPos is still cheaper than a lot of hobbies!

Finally, Most importantly, I prefer to keep a good safety margin for go arounds, too.

I am updating my mental database. 😃

-GG

[DCORSAIR]

I did some more research…prompted by your comments. I could not find the article that I’d read which suggested the “leave 40%”. All the articles and videos I can now locate say “leave 20%” and/or consider 3.5V per cell the minimum.

Percentage is subjective anyway. It is the minimum 3.5V that really matters per the experts. Going lower risks hitting the 3V “damaged” cell voltage.

But, I fly many thousands of flights a year, so I must treat them easy. And I get a year on a new set by rotating 10 batteries through 4 EDFs to achieve this large number of flights on a set. The annual cost of 10 LiPos is still cheaper than a lot of hobbies!

Finally, Most importantly, I prefer to keep a good safety margin for go arounds, too.

I am updating my mental database. 😃

-GG

Oh I understand and was just adding a little humor, when I first got into EDF jets I didn't understand all the battery tech stuff but soon learned the hard way, I don't shop around for the cheapest battery either and by paying a little more for my GA lipos I have found you do get what you pay for, I have abused these poor batteries and like I said, 4 yrs on some and getting close to 5 yrs on a a couple of them and still using them in my HSD 120mm T-33 which eats batteries for lunch, still flying them in my big scale helis as well, but 30% or less is the normal for me, I just can't stop flying at 40%, I take off again with that much left in the tank , but I see your point if I flew that many flights.

[GliderGuy]

There’s another consideration which I neglected to mention and which adds another dimension to how long to make each flight….but I swear I did read a paper about leaving 40% as good practice. LOL

By only using 60% of capacity, my chargers can recharge them in 50 to 60 min on location from my truck. With 10 batteries and 10 charging ports, by the time the last flight is finished, the 1st-flown battery is ready to go again….followed by another in succession.

I can fly almost continuously this way. If the first 6S battery is not quite full, I get in some P-38 flying on 4S sets.

This is how I am able to get 40 flights in during a 6-hour day (lunch break pause). An average flight cycle = 9 min until the next flight is going (taxi, ESC and BEC cool down with a fan, re-load battery, etc).

My minimum flying outing is 13 flights (EDF + P-38) and a more typical stay is 2 sets = 26 flights.

Couldn’t do this if I used 80% of capacity. Too much down time needed for charging.

-GG

[locharrow]

Back to batteries My IMAC charges to 4.20 but my B6A3VC charges the cells to 4.25..............??? Not worried, just curious. Anyway, stretched my flights Thursday / Friday, great weather and grass cut really short ..... worst cell was down to 3.7 best was 3.73 .....batteries got a wee bit hot but not excessive and charged up fine. Very pleased !

[GliderGuy]

Most interesting as in….this is a first for me!

1) The ESC on my F-4 failed to initialize (no beeps).
2) Grounded the F-4 and got her home to trouble shoot.
3) Had another ESC, so opened up the belly to perform the replacement.
4) Noticed the Yellow connector between the motor and ESC was discolored. Not bad, but noticeable.
5) Replaced the motor and all is fixed. The ESC initialized and the new motor worked.

I have never seen high-resistance connection heat damage in an “always mated” connection of this type. The damage is significant and seen in the photo below. The male connector was melted.

Factory defect? Who knows. Something was amiss.

It took a couple of years to fail. This bird has well over 1,000 flights on it.

Note: When I corrected the “problem” on the original motor (new connector), the original motor worked fine.

-GG

[locharrow]

Walk of shame last week...hit the top of a pine tree I thought I was above....but wasn't...heard it tumble through branches and boof.....hit the deck. Well blow me down, a few pine needles stuck in the underside of the wing, pancaked into tall grass, nose cone off but intact and the only damage was a crack in the stab beside the torque rod box. Good to go when weather improves, gales for the past couple of days............

[f4u ausie]

Walk of shame last week...hit the top of a pine tree I thought I was above....but wasn't...heard it tumble through branches and boof.....hit the deck. Well blow me down, a few pine needles stuck in the underside of the wing, pancaked into tall grass, nose cone off but intact and the only damage was a crack in the stab beside the torque rod box. Good to go when weather improves, gales for the past couple of days............

Not that hard to do,, was one hundred percent sure was past tree( in my p51) last year ,, while descending to land,, nnaaa bang into the tree,, broke fuse 1 retract, oh well fixed now.. sounds like u were lucky ( gota hav some here or there)

[SanExup]

I had a Multiplex Twinjet a number of years ago, EPP foam I believe. Tough stuff, very durable. But not going through a tree at high speed. I flew at a school parking lot that was outlined by trees. It was fun, it forced me to fly inside and above a box. I had spatial disorientation on the bottom of a big loop. I had just pulled about parallel with the ground through a dive. I realized with enough time to swear but not to do anything before the wings were ripped off. It was an Aspen tree and all of the leaves were off. I had a great view of the impact. But it glued back together ok!

[locharrow]

I had a Multiplex Twinjet a number of years ago, EPP foam I believe. Tough stuff, very durable. But not going through a tree at high speed. I flew at a school parking lot that was outlined by trees. It was fun, it forced me to fly inside and above a box. I had spatial disorientation on the bottom of a big loop. I had just pulled about parallel with the ground through a dive. I realized with enough time to swear but not to do anything before the wings were ripped off. It was an Aspen tree and all of the leaves were off. I had a great view of the impact. But it glued back together ok!

I get loads of spatial disorientation but it's usually after my Friday nights cab sauv or a few single malts when the wife is out socialising ........

[locharrow]

Successful repair ......good flight today, just one as dog walkers arrived as I was changing the battery. I was watching for how it behaved after the repair and by jings (Scottish exclamation) it does not take long for the beast to go a long way! A few seconds straight line flight after it passes and it is just a dot in the sky! Battery cells at 3.7 ---3.6 again so looks like I'll stick with that extra wee while in the air.

[Elbee]

locharrow, great news, Sir. Best, LB

[locharrow]

Got to say…..weather today was warm and black with thunder in the air. About 8 o’clock the wind dropped and as everything was in the car and ready I went out to the park. On the way over a black ominous cloud was drifting in but no rain and no people. Good flight as it got darker as the cloud arrived. Set up for landing, way out and watched it come in. First time the lights have really popped on approach, coming in dirty, nose up….f##k me I thought I was watching the real thing coming in. Just gets better and better.

[jetpltrich]

Got to say…..weather today was warm and black with thunder in the air. About 8 o’clock the wind dropped and as everything was in the car and ready I went out to the park. On the way over a black ominous cloud was drifting in but no rain and no people. Good flight as it got darker as the cloud arrived. Set up for landing, way out and watched it come in. First time the lights have really popped on approach, coming in dirty, nose up….f##k me I thought I was watching the real thing coming in. Just gets better and better.

Love the lights! Flown many a time at dusk because it was the calmest time of the day. I won’t fly my EDF’s that don’t have lights at dusk. And yes, when the F-4 settles in on approach it gives me chills. It reminds me of my youth watching them come in on the ship.

Former Jet Pilot
SWA Capt. retired

[DCORSAIR]

Got to say…..weather today was warm and black with thunder in the air. About 8 o’clock the wind dropped and as everything was in the car and ready I went out to the park. On the way over a black ominous cloud was drifting in but no rain and no people. Good flight as it got darker as the cloud arrived. Set up for landing, way out and watched it come in. First time the lights have really popped on approach, coming in dirty, nose up….f##k me I thought I was watching the real thing coming in. Just gets better and better.

Yes sir, I remember one time when I had my F-4, I was bringing it in on a nice evening with the sunsetting and got chills when seeing it on final approach, looks awesome on final, here is mine using no gyro either and sorry for the rest of the video, was my sons first time using his phone for a video, lol.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Been flying both my F-4's on the SMC HiV 6200's weight 814 gr. I have the 12 blade inrunner in all my 90mm's and get over 4 minutes on that battery. Couple days ago I picked up Danny's new SMC HiV 5900's, which weigh only 740gr. Balanced it out with those packs and took her up. Flew outstanding, a bit quicker, shorter off the grass and a "hair" more maneuverable. Timed out at 3:50 with 24% left on the pack, so I think I'm going to use those packs for a while. I also tried them in my F-18 (was using 6200) and my Mig 29 (which I was using the SMC HiV 5300's at 130 gr each-they have a slightly higher C and more punch on take-off than the 5900's). I need to fly everything more on the 5900's but after the first few flights on various EDF's, I think the 5900's are my new go to pack considering the C/Weight/mah.

[rlcamden]

Been flying both my F-4's on the SMC HiV 6200's weight 814 gr. I have the 12 blade inrunner in all my 90mm's and get over 4 minutes on that battery. Couple days ago I picked up Danny's new SMC HiV 5900's, which weigh only 740gr. Balanced it out with those packs and took her up. Flew outstanding, a bit quicker, shorter off the grass and a "hair" more maneuverable. Timed out at 3:50 with 24% left on the pack, so I think I'm going to use those packs for a while. I also tried them in my F-18 (was using 6200) and my Mig 29 (which I was using the SMC HiV 5300's at 130 gr each-they have a slightly higher C and more punch on take-off than the 5900's). I need to fly everything more on the 5900's but after the first few flights on various EDF's, I think the 5900's are my new go to pack considering the C/Weight/mah.

I too just ordered the 5900s. Been flying my 90s on Admiral 6000 pros and my 80s on 5000. I decided to go 5900 due to the similar weight of the 5000s with the added mah of the 6000. This will be my first set of LIHVs. I have read about disabling the LVC and replacing the UBEC for a receiver pack. Is this something I will need to do, or are the LIHVs just plug and go?

[Hugh Wiedman]

I too just ordered the 5900s. Been flying my 90s on Admiral 6000 pros and my 80s on 5000. I decided to go 5900 due to the similar weight of the 5000s with the added mah of the 6000. This will be my first set of LIHVs. I have read about disabling the LVC and replacing the UBEC for a receiver pack. Is this something I will need to do, or are the LIHVs just plug and go?

First just plug in a fully charged HiV and count the number of beeps from the ESC to make sure it beeps 6 times. If so, you're good to go. If not, then the ESC believes it is a 7S and the low voltage safeguard will kick in too early (with about 50-60% of battery left). It does this by first pulsing the throttle and eventually will cut off completely (saving your battery but destroying your plane ) I have 2 of the early F-4's, one the ESC gives me 6 beeps (it's good to go), the other did not. Same thing with 2 early F-18's. My old Avanti/Stinger90/F16/A-10/Corsair/Spitfire/B-24/Mig 29 and Eurofighter all worked without re-programming, so it's not 100% either way.

I then had a buddy who really knows electronics reprogram the ESC to get rid of the low voltage cutoff all together . With that one, the ESC does not beep at all when you first plug it in with a fully charged HiV (but beeps 6 times with a battery that is at a maximum of 4.28 v per cell), but you can drain the battery to 0 without the ESC cutting off early. If you have that issue of not getting the correct beeps, let me know and I'll have him give you a rundown on what he did, but I do remember he first got the online manual for the particular Freewing ESC and just followed directions (something I'm not very good at, according to my CO). I'm thinking the newer ESC's all handle the HiV's. The Castle ESC's I have are easily programmed for HiV with their Castle Link and following instructions on their website. My buddy has reprogrammed several Freewing ESC's (as that's all we use now are the HiV batteries) with the exception of a Freewing 8S ESC in his F22, which for some reason it couldn't be done. The 8S ESC in my Eurofighter handled HiV just fine.

I would also recommend before flying, charge up the HiV fully, put it in the jet and do a "simulated" flight on the bench to make sure the cutoff isn't affecting it. Drain it down to 3.7 per cell or lower then you won't have any concerns that it's good to go.

[locharrow]

"Danny's new SMC HiV 5900's".......... Be great for the grass take offs....can't get them in the UK ......It's my birthday next year ......anyone ..

[Alphonso]

"Danny's new SMC HiV 5900's".......... Be great for the grass take offs....can't get them in the UK ......It's my birthday next year ......anyone ..

Danny can send to UK direct from factory, email him with your choice and required connector. Postage is really cheap but slow. He also gives 15% discount as he isn't importing into USA first.
I ordered 6 packs totalling 400 quid, postage was $70. With the discount, the added cost over his list price was only $9 extra and it included all taxes. They arrived at my door in Kent with no extra duty to pay. Another friend at our club has just done the same.

So yeh, . . . . . Happy birthday

[locharrow]

Can you let me have email address Alphonso? Would love to try these out.