All in one units are the way forward, less complications in terms of wiring, less weight etc, I wonder what the price of this little baby will be?
We have all known that Curtis Youngblood and his team have been working on and testing a flybarless electronics unit. However until this weekend it’s been kept under wraps, debuted for the first time to the public here at the 2009 IRCHA Jamboree.
Now, we knew it would be a flybarless unit. What was not expected is it to be a complete all-in-one unit, dubbed Total G. Meaning the combination of existing Solid G, ATG, etc all into one unit. Yes, the Total G includes a servo power bus, flybarless stabilization, tail gyro, and throttle governor all together in a single box.
So the Total G is a servo power bus, but that doesn’t mean it’s a receiver (RX). All servo inputs on the heli connect to the Total G. The Total G then has three RX ports to connect JR/Spektrum satellite receivers. This is the same concept as the soon to be released Mikado Mini V-Bar (also on display at IRCHA). However unlike the Mini V-Bar the CY Total G is designed to be used on larger heli’s. Curtis had the Total G in the pics installed on a Align T-Rex 700N with a Fueled By Hate flybarless head.
As you can imagine, this type of unit will decrease the complexity of the wiring on your heli dramatically. Less electronics and wiring on board also means less weight. I think we are starting to see a trend that will continue in the future of electronics that combine more if not all the functions on the heli to a single unit.
Curtis mentioned at IRCHA that the Total G should be completed and available for sale sometime around the end of 2009.
www.rcheliresource.com
- 45C Constant discharge
- 6C Charging
- 200-250 Cycles
- 1 Year 50% crash replacement policy
- 1 warrenty
- 25% drop in price
Some amazing features there but still too expensive in my opinion, unless the price of these batteries start to drop substantially, for most of us the cost is too prohibitive to get a practical setup. At least the price is moving in the right direction 
Thunder Power released the Pro Power 30C lipo battery almost a year ago. They had the latest cell, Pro Power 40C, slated for release this past couple months. However after further consideration Thunder Power decided why do 40C when they could achieve 45C! Shown at IRCHA this week for the first time ever, and seen right here first!
Now these aren’t just prototype samples for show at IRCHA, these batteries are not only shipping but for sale today from Thunder Power dealers at IRCHA. Today the Pro Power 45C 6S 2650mah (500 heli), Pro Power 45C 3S 2250mah (450 heli), and Pro Power 45C 3S 850mah (250 heli) are available to take home. The rest of the lineup you see in the pictures here will be available sometime between September and October.
With the Pro Power 45C release Thunder Power RC decided it was long overdue to give the labels a fresh new look.
6C Charging! Yes you can safely charge these packs at 6C rate if you choose. With older technology cells charging at such a high rate would quickly shorten the lifespan of the battery. This is not the case with the new G4 cell formula in the Pro Power 45C packs. Thunder Power RC has done extensive testing and shown 6C charging over 200-250 cycles with zero loss in performance and only a nominal loss in battery capacity (i.e. run time).
New cell technology, and a price drop! Yes that was not a typo, Thunder Power RC is going to price the new Pro 45C packs 10% below the current Pro 30C pricing. Then beginning in September the Pro Lite V2, Pro RX, and Pro Power 30C will all receive a 25% price cut! This will make every line of Thunder Power’s lipo batteries more competitive in pricing with other brands on the market.
Thunder Power RC for the past 6 years has instituted a 50% crash replacement policy and warranty against defects good for 6 months from day of purchase. Starting this September the 50% crash policy and warranty is now extended to one full year from purchase! Thunder Power RC is very confident in the quality of their products and are happy to extend their customer service. Also beginning in September, owners of Flight Power packs can qualify for the 50% crash replacement program as well!
www.rcheliresource.com
Check out the new look website at www.avantrc.com, in particular have a look at the Products section, very exciting 
How safe is it to use lipo transmitter batteries in either the DSX9 or DX7 and if it’s not safe why is it not safe?
The JR DSX9 and Spektrum DX7 use the LM2937ES 3.3v Linear Voltage Regulator, basically the more voltage you supply it the hotter it gets. As it turns out the maximum supply voltage for the LM2397ES is 26v. This is quite interesting given we know we are drawing about 300mA either with a supply voltage of 11.6v via NiMh or 12.6v via Lipo, both of which are well with in the stated acceptable limits of the regulator according to this document: LM2937ES 3.3v Voltage Regulator Datasheet
This only leaves heat as the number one suspect for failure. Interestingly enough there is no heat sink anywhere to be seen on the regulator in either the DX7 or DSX9. Both installations of the voltage regulator are also clearly inside a sealed plastic TX case which doesn’t help matters. Throw into the mix an above average ambient air temperature and you have conditions for the voltage regulator which are not so favorable. But… if you use the NiMh battery you’ll be fine according to the powers that be?
Just for the record a fully charged 8s NiMh battery is 11.6v (maybe slightly higher if it’s old) and a 3s Lipo is 12.6v, so there is a difference of 1.6v. So by implication, offically if you change your supply voltage by 1.6v in less than ideal circumstances (described before) you will toast your transmitter. I’m not desputing that some people have been unlucky and toasted their TX voltage regulators by using lipo batteries. The issue I have is that the margin for error in terms of supply voltage is incredibly fine for a hobby which has such an emphasis on safety.
Summary
Is it safe to use lipo TX batteries in either the DSX9 or DX7? Clearly it’s not safe, however some people are getting away with it, the regulator will easily take the voltage but the heat generated is the weak link. Whether you get away with it is likely to be on a case by case bases largely dependent on your use of the transmitter and the environment it’s operated in.
Also see: http://heli.brixtonjunkies.com/2009/07/02/transmitter-lipo-3s-11-1v-stepdown/
Recent Comments