Any advice on electric conversion?

[Brew Glider]

I have been looking at a few electric ARFs in a reasonable price range that look real nice. Been looking at the Swift Vee and the Filip 600 from the Chech Republic. They are pretty light with electrics and I bet they would convert to Thermal pretty easily with a lighter load.

Things I came up with to check:

Possible CG Move?
Enough nose to move CG forward if necessary?
Are they stable without the weight?

What am I missing?

Anyone tried this???

My Spirit Elite ARF seems like a rock still. She needs a bit of a wind to really shine. Just been thinking and wonder if anyone else has done the same...

Brew Glider

[RandyK1]

The only problem is that both of those planes were made for e-motors, you would have to add alot of lead to get the CG right. If you need to add all that lead, you mite as well put the motor in it. My Swift Vee has a AXI 2820/10 motor and a 7 cell sub-c battery pack in it and to get it to ballance the (heavy) sub-c pack is almost all the way forward, and I built the Swift light. You couldnt even move the wings back any because the planes wing will only fit in one place. I guess you could make a very long nosecone and mount your servos, rx and rx pack all the way forward, but that would be one long ugly nosecone. ...R...

[Brew Glider]

Thanks for the reply RandyK1,

The first reason that I looked at these planes was due to having problems finding space for a Heavy High Start.

I am thinking about going to at least one e bird in my fleet.

Do you really like your Swift???

Brew Glider

[xtc]

go with a e-glider ,you wont turn back ,my airtime has increased soooo much that my experience has tripled,im sure i could thermal any glider much better now even if they were bricks:D

xtc

[RandyK1]

Brew Glider, Yup I do really like my Swift Vee, I also have a Big Swift same body and tail feathers as the Swift Vee but longer (2m)wing with ailerons. Just so you know the Swift Vee is more of a "warmliner" where as the Filip 600 is more of a "floater". Your choice would depend on if you wanted to fly faster and not thermal as well or fly slower and thermal better. I am not saying that the Swift dosnt thermal well, it does. Do you have lots of wind where you live? If so then the Swift mite be better for you and if not then the Filip 600 mite be better. Both planes will hold the same size motor and battery combo. There are reviews on both of these planes here on the Zone, check them out. Just remember that a e-sailplane will have you spending money on some stuff like a motor, ESC, battery pack(s), folding prop and a battery charger. A e-sailplane would get rid of the need for a hi-start for sure. I have 6 of them and love them all and would not trade them for the world. ...R...

[Stan Rose]

I have a Filip 600, electric version, and am very pleased with it. It has a Kontronik Fun 480-33 brushless motor and a matching ESC running on 7 x GP3300 cells and a 14 x 9.5 prop. it climbs really well and is a good thermaler when I can find lift. But of course the financial outlay for all this can be considerable when you are first starting out, in addition you will need a charger and acess to a 12v battery. But electric powered gliding is great fun, especially when you are running out of lift and you can open up the motor and climb again!