Author Topic: R/C Planes  (Read 1194 times)

Kipper

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R/C Planes
« on: March 27, 2000, 11:11:00 PM »
Hello
     Anyone out there into r/c planes ?  if so i could do with some advice on my engine settings and running in etc, i have had a spit ix sports scale for a few yrs, have flew it 3 times 1st time was ok as such 2nd and last i had a few knocks n picked up damage  
I would appreciate any tips n bits of advice from more regular and long termed flyers
I hope someone out there can gimme a few pointers etc

email address if you wish to use it is
gumpygumpy@gumpygumpy.screaming.net

               Thanks
              Have Fun

Offline hitech

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« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2000, 05:53:00 PM »
Been flying RC since 1974 be glad to give you any know how I have on engs.

What type of eng?

HiTech



Kipper

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R/C Planes
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2000, 06:49:00 PM »
Hello HT,
        My engine is a  Thunder Tiger GP .40
I have run it at low medium and high revs as it suggests in the wimpy (not very detailed) paper that came with it, but it still tends to die at certain pitches, mainly on pitching up and pitching down from the horizontal, any help n suggestions would be great

                 Kipper
               

Offline hitech

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« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2000, 08:19:00 AM »
That is normaly 1 of 2 problems.

1. Your just running 2 lean.
   The way I normaly tune the top end is lean the eng out until you are right at max rpm. Then back off about 1/8 - 1/4 turn .

2. Your fuel tank is mounted to low or a slight constrictiction in the fuel hose.

Also im assuming your eng has at least 15 hours running time on it. Most rc engs are a pain until they have a few galons of fuel run threw them.

Adjusting the low rpm is more work. To tune it ,listen for the pitch changes at idle. If when you bring it to idle after a sec or so if the eng starts speeding up slightly and dies, you are to lean on the idle adjustment.
If the eng idles rough, and when you slam the throttle ahead there is a big lag before the eng speeds up, you are to rich on the idle adjustment.

Also make sure your clunk isn't stuck and that there isn't a pin hole in the fuel lines some where. The pin holes can be tested buy just closing one end of the hose and sucking on them.

Im also assuming that you are running a pressure line from your muffler.

On ocasion glow blugs can also be the culprit.

HiTech


Kipper

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R/C Planes
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2000, 02:02:00 PM »
Hiya HT,
       I have checked my Tank Level in relation to the Engine and it's Level, I have also checked the Feed Pipe from the Tank and all seems well there (yes as you assume i have got a pressure pipe from my muffler to the tank).
Now as for my running the engine in   my calculations show i have not run it in for a full 15hrs, Got her run for around 10hrs when i first got it, So first thing in the morning i will be bolting the beast to a freshly made bench and finish the running in  .
Then i will follow your advice on the settings and hopefully fingers crossed n touch wood n all that the Kipper can be Airborne by the Weekend scaring all the residents by my local beach   LOL j/k  i'm gonna sneek down at 6am when it's all quiet so as not to let anyone see my attempts at mastering the art of R/C Planes

       Many Many Thanks
       (I'll post my Post Flight Experiences for you the weekend) you never know the Kipper may still have a flyable Spit left LMAO  (Looks at plane hanging on wall behind him n thinks to himself...Ohh lord please keep this plane intact and functioning ok) as it takes an age to repair

Offline Gunthr

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« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2000, 04:00:00 PM »
Kipper, you should also use more % oil in the fuel mixture during run in, and use a easy pitched prop.
 And sorry, but the bird will not stay intact. (this has been my experience   )

Carry 5-min epoxy and Zap-a-gap in your flight box... don't leave home without it  

Gunthr
332nd Flying Mongrels

[This message has been edited by Gunthr (edited 03-30-2000).]
"When I speak I put on a mask. When I act, I am forced to take it off."  - Helvetius 18th Century

Offline eagl

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« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2000, 04:30:00 PM »
Kipper,

Here's some of the problems I've had and solved with my various R/C aircraft.

One thing to check with fuel tank mounting is to try to isolate the fuel tank from airframe vibration.  My trainer would run fine on the ground (when airframe vibrations were damped out from the plane touching the ground), but inflight, the fuel tank would vibrate enough to make the fuel foam!  It took about a year and 2 complete engine swaps to figure this out.  I solved the problem by widening the one bulkhead that the fuel tank had to stick out through, then isolating the tank from the airframe with  good quality latex foam rubber.

Make sure your fuel tank is pressurized from the exhaust, and make sure that the pressure tube inside the fuel tank is at the top and not submerged in the fuel making bubbles.  You might consider moving the pressure tap on the muffler if you think you're not getting enough pressure.  Also important is sealing the gap between the muffler and the engine to ensure the muffler is properly pressurized.  A scrap of thin high-temp gasket works fine, so does high-temp silicone gasket sealer although that's a messy option.

Make darn sure you're using a high quality fuel filter that does not leak at all under any conditions.  Check for air bubbles in the fuel line between the engine and fuel filter when the engine is running at high speed.  This has to be the most common reason for fuel system inconsistencies I've seen.  Before I pointed this one out, half of the guys in my old flying club were leaking air into the lines at the fuel filter.

Make sure you're using the right prop size so you're not overspeeding or bogging down the engine when you manuver.

Make sure if you have a fuel filler valve that it also does not leak any air.  If it leaks or seeps fuel between trips to the flying site, chances are it also will leak air into the fuel lines during engine operation.

Make sure the fuel tank is sealed up when pressurized.  You can check this by filling the tank with fuel, plugging the line that goes to the engine, and then pressurizing the tank from the exhaust line.  There should be zero leakage from any fittings.  If you use your mouth to pressurize the tank, be careful because when you release the pressure, it'll probably squirt fuel back at you (been there, done that, 15% nitro fuel tastes really bad)

Keep the lines from the fuel tank to the engine as short as possible.

Replace the fuel lines every few months to help prevent pinhole leaks.  Fuel tubing is cheap...

Like HT said, don't run your engine at the perfect ground mixture.  Find the best mixture on the ground, then tweak the needle valve a bit towards the rich side.  Your engine will thank you.  If you're getting a lot of discoloration on the engine, you're probably getting it too hot.

If you really can't get the engine running right, consider getting a fuel pump.  There are some relatively cheap ones that operate off of exhaust pressure and provide a nice consistent fuel pressure.

One last thing, higher nitro isn't always best, and nitro content above 10 or 15% can make engine tuning difficult.  YMMV here, it really depends on the engine.


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eagl <squealing Pigs> BYA
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Everyone I know, goes away, in the end.

Kipper

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R/C Planes
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2000, 05:24:00 PM »
Hiya,
    Many thanks for the replies Gunthr and Eaglr, it is much appreciated.
Where i live in UK the nearest model shop to me is now 40miles away   , so tomorrow i am gonna get a train to the nearest and invest in some more fuel-pipe and spare props and some 5min epoxy (great idea Gunthr) and maybe another kit to make cause i just love making things   (little does she know it yet, but my moms large garden shed is now my building and hobby workroom)

ps.. If you have any good address's of r/c plane stuff  ie plans tips and all in general to do with r/c planes it would sure help me

             Many Thanks
             Kipper

Offline Gunthr

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« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2000, 07:41:00 PM »
Here ya go:


 http://www.modelflight.com/rcring.html

Gunthr
332nd Flying Mongrels
"When I speak I put on a mask. When I act, I am forced to take it off."  - Helvetius 18th Century

Offline Swager

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R/C Planes
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2000, 07:13:00 AM »
I have a 1/6 scale PICA MKIX Spitfire.  Spring Air Retracts, Super Tiger .60 engine, flaps, Nice little bird.  It just sits there, part way finished.  Been like that for 5 years.  Nice little bird!  It's not going anywhere.    

 

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Swager
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[This message has been edited by Swager (edited 03-31-2000).]
Rock:  Ya see that Ensign, lighting the cigarette?
Powell: Yes Rock.
Rock: Well that's where I got it, he's my son.
Powell: Really Rock, well I'd like to meet him.
Rock:  No ya wouldn't.

Kipper

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R/C Planes
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2000, 07:34:00 AM »
Hiya,
     Many thanks Gunthr, the links are great for me  

Swager hello, he he  come on get that bird finished n go try to defeat gravity  

Kipper

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R/C Planes
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2000, 08:40:00 PM »
He He,
     Had a 10min flight (then the darn heavens started to shower)  
But as it was almost a 2 mile walk from home to a large piece of deserted beach where i could fly that was the only flying time i could get in unfortunately

I took off ok and just did nice circuits   well i say ok  lol if there was a real pilot in cockpit he may of chucked up (bounce bounce bounce) but all in all besides gettin wet on walk home it seemed to fly ok, engine was perfect...took a bit to trim it ok (then son goes n moves trim tabs to middle notch   ) also have to bear in mind not a lot of climbing and diving to test engine fully but it seems a lot sweeter than last time i flew it

Many Thanks for Advice n Ideas Guys

                  Have Fun
                   Kipper

Offline MarkVZ

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« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2000, 03:48:00 PM »
Kipper,
Glad to hear you got your engine running.  Thunder Tigers are usually good engines after break-in.  I have been in RC for about 4 years.  It's alot of fun, isn't it?  
I am a part of two RC sites which I consider to be pretty good.

First is  http://www.rconline.com
It has forums like these, with many people there to help you.  It also has a nice UBB swapshop which I have gotten some good deals from.  

Next is  http://www.netradiocontrol.com  This site was just started in March and we're growing rapidly.  Drop in on our chat sometime, I hang out there alot, as well as several others who can answer your RC questions.  Attendance usually peaks in the evening for those in the US, so don't be surprised to find very few people there early in the morning or early afternoon, it picks up later.
For those who are IRC literate, the server for our chat is irc.superchat.org, port 6667, channel #rcchat, or you can use java to join us by clicking on the link fromt he main page .(netradiocontrol.com)

A good site for beginners that belongs to a friend of mine is:  http://www.rcplanet.com/rcfu

Those should keep you busy for a while  

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Mark VanZwoll
33rd Strike Group

Kipper

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R/C Planes
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2000, 12:05:00 AM »
Hiya,
     Thanks for reply Markvz

Nice Links :-) ty

              Have Fun

                 Kipper

Offline Saltty

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R/C Planes
« Reply #14 on: April 07, 2000, 12:08:00 AM »
Kipper,
Been flying about 5 years...Mostly ARF's as
I travel alot and when I'm home the wife's horses take most of my free time.(poop scooper ya know)
I have had the best luck with OS engines
but many of my club mates swear by thunder tigers.
The break in period can be trying but remember to run the engine a bit on the rich side...should run fine for you.
If you live near a beach,ever think of putting a plane on floats,it is a blast.
Was fun to read through the threads.  
Saltty