[flyboy2009]

isn't that something now eh?seems we learn something new every day

[Carlisler]

Hey Sean,

yeah, have seen various combinations of setups, and i tend to run the electrics as the gassers.
meaning, with an ignition switch and idle up, on the same switches as for the gas planes.

idle up being just enough to keep the prop turning, and not go to a stopped position.

I still use the 'throttle kill' switch on the Tx as well tho.

even then it still isn't perfectly safe to let down your guard with that plugged in motor.

have lost a couple planes to this idle thing, and seen the damage caused by a throttle stick being bumped at the wrong time. (fyi, by one of the safest pilots i know...)

[seanokeefe]

Hi Scott,

Thanks for the message.

I run a throttle-kill on everything, and it triggers a voice message saying on or off.

And, like you, I try to keep as many switch setting in common as possible for all of my planes. And I don't overlap the "extra" features on the other switches, if at all possible.

I have flown this plane a bunch more times with the high idle and I have had no issues. For demonstration purposes, I turn off the "high-idle", and can cause the stalled prop effect within a couple of attempts.

I've seen the aftermath of a couple of bumped throttles on electric planes. I agree that is doesn't take much to have an accident, and it can happen to anyone. Any time.

Sean

[stegl]

Sean
Still think it is not in the motor but in the ESC ; if as you say there is nothing physically wrong with the motor. The motor does what it is told by the ESC . Having been running electrics for over 10 years and never have had that happen. But then I run Castle Creations ESC and have only had one fail and that one got dunked in the lake . It failed after the dunking .
I would suggest trying a known working ESC . I doubt that it is the radio /receiver ( including other brands) that would cause the motor brake to come on as that is an ESC function.
Also check your throttle end points and make sure at 100%+- and trim at neutral. Then if the ESC you are using allows a relearn , do that.

[seanokeefe]

Hi Len,


I'm 100% convinced that it is a ESC / motor / a-synchronous timing issue.

The motor is mechanically just fine. It even got a good cleaning along the way!

As documented, I have have had exactly the same thing happen with two different ESC's. One from Extreme Flight, and the other was an 80A HobbyKing that I happened to have lying around.

I have played with the trim and the re-set the 100%/0% for each configuration. Then I bump up the "high idle" to 6-8%, and that is just enough to get the prop spinning.

With this "high idle", I have the feeling that the ESC is actually "slowing the plane down" on the downline relative to the "free-wheeling" prop. Hard to say that this is actually happening without more telemetry and some "science".

Since the first posting, I have had many "uneventful" downlines with this high-idle setting. It is being put onto all of my planes now.

Sean

[Dennis Pedersen]

As for your down line braking it absolutely does. I also have ran an idle switch on my larger electric planes for both reasons you have mentioned. It really helps on down line speed and it really helps the landings. If you have ever had a larger fuel aerobatic plane go dead stick you will realize that they glide really good and fast, this makes it really easy to over shoot your runway if you try for a normal running lang approach. As for your issue I am wondering if there is some type of a fast start activated (odd with 2 different esc's) or else something may be being messed up by voltage feed back from the prop free wheeling?

[stegl]

My thoughts are that since there are magnets on the drum and windings inside is that when spinning up , freewheeling so to say , is that there is a voltage generated back into the ESC that is causing it to brake , intermittently ...... I would try a ESC like a Castle Creations and see what happens.

By setting up a “high idle” , you are telling the ESC to drive the motor , not the other way around, resulting in a braking situation.

A plus with The Castle Phoenix and Edge series ESC’s ;you can get in there and reset a high numbers of parameters to match the motors plus there are about a dozen parameters that can be recorded on the ESC/motor operation when in use that can be down loaded after a flight.

[seanokeefe]

more toys to buy - cool!

[stegl]

or you can keep using what seems to be broke.