550 Pilot's lounge
- Thread starter OI Photography
- Start date
markminer said:
I am using the 8" DJI props. Also, my flying is fairly tame. I also purchased a Pulse flat pack 6600 4s battery, and seems to increase the flying time by about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
I made a typo printing the flying times above. The flying time with the Hyperion 5000 mah is 12 minutes, and is about 13.5 to 14 with the Pulse 6600. This is by getting the battery down to 14.6v to 14.8v at rest. I have been playing with the 1st level warning to get the batteries down to 20%. My flight time varies, depending on the altitude and how much time is low speed and hoover. The times I posted are for very tame flying and lots of hovering. the 2.1 Kg is with the Pulse battery. With the Hyperion 5000, the weight goes down to 1.9 Kg.
Flew today two 5000 mah packs and one 6600mah pack. The 5000 mah gave me (with wind) about 10.5 minutes with 29% of power remaining. This is consistent with approx. 11.5-12 with 20% remaining. The 6600 flies an additional 1.5-2 minutes.
rmklaw said:
I'm assuming these were 4S.....correct. I'd like to get 4S but the LED lights that I installed state, "Recommended is 2S-3S". So I'm a little leery hooking up a 4S and killing my LED lights. That would be a lot of work wasted in my opinion. So I don't know.
I did find this lipo at Tower Hobbies: Duratrax Onyx 6400mAh 35C, 505gr $85. This battery weighs 120gr more than my Storm 5500mAh 35c that I got from Heli-Pal.com. So the question, this will probably give me about a minute more flying time..... I'm guessing.
FangsCPO said:
When using anything above a 3S batt, often you have to step down the voltage for lights and other accessories (possibly including gimbal and FPV Tx) that can't take more than 12v. I use this BEC for that, has worked great so far with all the lights and other accessories I've tested it with: http://www.helipal.com/bec-for-fpv-syst ... v-out.html
I just put a tap on the main battery line, to use that BEC to create a separate 12v circuit.
Sometimes you may run in to accessories that require you to step it down all the way to 5v, I know there's BEC's available for that as well but I haven't tested any.
Great info!!! Thanks!! I would have fried my lights and FPV. LOL!! I'll just stick to 3S for now and see about getting 1 or 2 3C batteries to allow for more play time.
FangsCPO said:
Yeah I should have mentioned that sometimes I run my accessories off a small 3S, usually when my gimbal isn't mounted and I need to compensate to maintain overall weight balance. I have both of these batts, one for that and one for just bench testing components:
http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... cts_id=700
http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... cts_id=701
I'm considering installing a T8FGHS with the Futaba rx. However, I'm new at this so I'm a bit perplexed. The installed rx (RX 701) is not using an S bus but has connectors for the different requirements (it is an RTF from Helipal). The labeling on the installed rx is a little off of the pins on the Futaba. The Futaba chart for helicopters is not specific to a quad.
Has anyone done this? Got any hints?
Has anyone done this? Got any hints?
Just FYI I got an email from helipal that they are having a "special sale" now for an additional $100 off their F550 RTF and on the F450 RTF kits.
I suspect it may be to unload current stock since I have heard that DJI will soon start shipping the ARF kits on those models with an upgraded propulsion system for the same price as the current kits. Sometimes procrastinating can pay off! :lol: I haven't ordered one yet, but it's getting awfully tempting.
I suspect it may be to unload current stock since I have heard that DJI will soon start shipping the ARF kits on those models with an upgraded propulsion system for the same price as the current kits. Sometimes procrastinating can pay off! :lol: I haven't ordered one yet, but it's getting awfully tempting.
ladykate said:
Have you checked on YouTube?? I lucked out big time. My RTF Installed Devon receiver for Heli-Pal matched all my areas for my DX7s receiver. Also, I found a guy that had previously installed a DX7s on his F550 and he had a YouTube video on it He also provided the file to download and copy his setup/profile into my DX7s radio. Everything worked perfectly once I got it to bind. Talk about lucky. Good Luck!
Re: Futaba install
I found a video of an F450 install with the same rx. The devo rx swaps two cables. I think I have it figured out. Using the profile specified for the P2 in another thread. After studying the video, the two manuals (Devon and Futaba) and Helipal setup, I think I have a plan. Will proceed tonight.
I found a video of an F450 install with the same rx. The devo rx swaps two cables. I think I have it figured out. Using the profile specified for the P2 in another thread. After studying the video, the two manuals (Devon and Futaba) and Helipal setup, I think I have a plan. Will proceed tonight.
labmansid said:
Bastards.....that was their original price before the Chinese New Year. I was in the middle of a purchase for that price when their price jumped $100 and my order got caught in limbo. So I placed and finalized a second order and that one was $100 more. I sent them an e-mail and their response was simply, the price went up at the Chinese New Year. Regardless, loving my F550. So do you have a link to this suped up F550? I saw the propulsion system on the DJI website but it didn't really say it was for the F550. I just thought it was for the S800, S800E or S1000. I smell another upgrade coming. :lol:
FangsCPO said:
There's 2 "levels" of the new propulsion kit, E300 (designed for aircraft that use 3S batts) and the E600 (for 6S batts). Both the E300 and the E600 are available in Quad or Hex configurations.
http://www.allerc.com/dji-e300-tuned-pr ... -8553.html
http://www.dji.com/product/tuned-propulsion-system
Nice...........but I wonder why they only include 5 pairs of props, shouldn't it be 6 pairs of props for the F550? I wonder how the flying time improves with this upgrade?
It seems that the Quad version of the kits include a full set of spare props (4 pairs total), but the Hex version on only has 5 pairs...one complete set + 4 extra props. No idea why it was done that way, but I wondered the same when I first saw them.
Flight time might not improve much for those already using the 9443 props, but I haven't seen any comparison tests yet. I WISH DJI was selling the 12" version of those props separately (and without self-tightening threads), but right now it seems they're only available with the kits.
Flight time might not improve much for those already using the 9443 props, but I haven't seen any comparison tests yet. I WISH DJI was selling the 12" version of those props separately (and without self-tightening threads), but right now it seems they're only available with the kits.
Futaba 8FGHS install
Before I started, I put on my new landing gear. I bought one of the common ones available on eBay and elsewhere (Ol Photographer steered me to it). The gear was pretty sturdy and I think it represents a big improvement. The only problem was the bottom cross-brace which would come out if the gear were stressed at all (as in, if you pick it up by the gear, the cross piece would sometimes come out of the sockets). I super-glued it in place. See: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251273667813?ss ... 1439.l2649
Well... it was an interesting afternoon. I ended up pulling the NAZA out and re-running the wires (not as big a deal as it might sound - 8 connectors that were already hooked on one side isn't tough). I also learned the gimbal needs a camera else it gets angry. After solving the head slapping problems, I ran the wires in order and then calibrated it in the NAZA software. After a bit of tweaking (the calibration was, of course, off) got it running. If anyone does this, be sure to look at the stick movement cal - two are reversed for the Devo and they need to be reset for the Futaba.
The tweaks done for the Phantom 2 (see the Futaba install for it - that one uses the bus structure so it was easier) were interesting. The gimbal controls were nice. The gimbal moves much smoother and it has an auto function that will pan up and down automagically.
I'm still a bit confused by one of the readings (on GPS mode the NAZA software shows failsafe but the aircraft seems to be in GPS mode - going to hard failsafe causes the motors to rev up like you would expect). Will fly it tomorrow and see how it works.
Oh... and I know you know this but be sure to take the props off for this mod. You will need to run things up and if there is a flubadub, the props will eat you up.
Edit: Flew it this morning. Worked like a charm! GPS, ATI, controls, all in sync. GPS held in high wind, etc. Yet again it is colder than a well digger's butt so no real flights for a few days but I had to get it out and up in the air. Three flights. First was about two feet off the ground, second went up to 20 meters or so and tested all the controls, third was a hover test. Maybe five minutes total. Three landings with the new gear - much more solid than the stock gear. Works like I wanted it to.
Before I started, I put on my new landing gear. I bought one of the common ones available on eBay and elsewhere (Ol Photographer steered me to it). The gear was pretty sturdy and I think it represents a big improvement. The only problem was the bottom cross-brace which would come out if the gear were stressed at all (as in, if you pick it up by the gear, the cross piece would sometimes come out of the sockets). I super-glued it in place. See: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251273667813?ss ... 1439.l2649
Well... it was an interesting afternoon. I ended up pulling the NAZA out and re-running the wires (not as big a deal as it might sound - 8 connectors that were already hooked on one side isn't tough). I also learned the gimbal needs a camera else it gets angry. After solving the head slapping problems, I ran the wires in order and then calibrated it in the NAZA software. After a bit of tweaking (the calibration was, of course, off) got it running. If anyone does this, be sure to look at the stick movement cal - two are reversed for the Devo and they need to be reset for the Futaba.
The tweaks done for the Phantom 2 (see the Futaba install for it - that one uses the bus structure so it was easier) were interesting. The gimbal controls were nice. The gimbal moves much smoother and it has an auto function that will pan up and down automagically.
I'm still a bit confused by one of the readings (on GPS mode the NAZA software shows failsafe but the aircraft seems to be in GPS mode - going to hard failsafe causes the motors to rev up like you would expect). Will fly it tomorrow and see how it works.
Oh... and I know you know this but be sure to take the props off for this mod. You will need to run things up and if there is a flubadub, the props will eat you up.
Edit: Flew it this morning. Worked like a charm! GPS, ATI, controls, all in sync. GPS held in high wind, etc. Yet again it is colder than a well digger's butt so no real flights for a few days but I had to get it out and up in the air. Three flights. First was about two feet off the ground, second went up to 20 meters or so and tested all the controls, third was a hover test. Maybe five minutes total. Three landings with the new gear - much more solid than the stock gear. Works like I wanted it to.
I've been wonder about that landing gear....it looks heavy. Will that reduce my current flight times? Also, how do I attach my H3-D2 gimbal since it seems that it will cover the complete bottom of my F550 and probably throw it off balance. Looks solid though...defintely a consideration.
FangsCPO said:
The bottom plate accepts the gimbal screws... although the front slot is too small and either has to be drilled out a bit or you can use a zip tie (I used a zip tie). It sticks out about 3 inches farther (maybe) and down a 1/2 inch (maybe) but that might be a good thing since it will clear the props a little better. The back of the gear has another platform that counterbalances things a little. Edit: I just checked the balance point and it is almost dead center with the battery installed. I had absolutely no problem with stability - it was steady as a rock.
I first considered putting my receiver on the back platform but decided it was easier to bring it out the side and take the antennas down the leg (a la Phantom) and out one of the motor poles (to get the 90 degree thing going). In all, the installation of the gear gains you a lot more room to add things.
I'm sure there will be a weight penalty but right now, unless it is huge, I'm willing to put up with it. Much nicer and steadier landings.
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