Originally Posted by djrocketodd

This question is about charging Lipos, I have a 3s 2200mah, 35-70c, what amperage should i do a balance charge at, my charger is selectable from 0.1 to 6A.

2.2A is a 1c charge rate for that battery. Some Lipo batteries are capable of handling up to a 5c charge rate. I have some that can handle that, but unless Im really in a hurry I only charge them at 1c.
Here is a link that helped me understanding charge rates, discharge rates, cell counts etc... The original posts are a bit old but the info is still applicable and there are more info links listed. Cheers!
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209187

What about LED lights?

What's the process of attaching these? Is there one wire that gets soldered to the battery solder joints on my F450 plate? Can you explain this?

Is there one type of light that's better than another?

A somewhat similar question, when I add something to my quad that requires battery power, I can either solder the wires for that thing to my board where the battery is soldered to the plate (like the VU is) - OR I need to get a Y connector which has 2 deans connectors, one to plug the battery in to, and the other to plug whatever else that needs power. Or is the y connector just for two batteries?

What are some things that need a Y connector? What are some things that are directly soldered to the plate?

This seems like a good deal:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

Can I cut off the ends of the red and black wires, then solder them to a female deans connector so I can plug it into the male-tipped deans plug on my board? Should I be concerned with soldering a live battery?

Thanks for your help!

I did just put up a little article yesterday about adding lights to a copter and I have a video on its way soon showing some more detail.

The LED strip lights come with a self adhesive tape on the back, so just cut them to length and stick them where you want them and then solder a couple of wires onto them. As long as you're only running a 3s Lipo then you can just connect them up to your power distribution board.

If you fly on 4s you will have to just tap off 3 cells from the balance connector using a cable like this: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=9737
You just cut the male connector off and you can remove the red, yellow and orange wire and that will give you your 3s supply for 12v devices, with the black being negative and the blue positive.

Pretty much anything that you would use a y connector for you can just power off the distribution board. I wouldn't recommend it for FPV equipment though, because of all the noise from the ESCs, so you're better off powering your FPV equipment from the balance connector and then an LC filter or from a separate battery.

http://drone-pilot.blogspot.fr/2012/...lticopter.html

Originally Posted by djrocketodd

I want to know whats the best way to pick motors and batteries, I assume 900kv is 900rpm per volt, so a 7v battery spins slower then an 11v battery.

So to pick motors if I have criteria such as a 550 frame, quad x, want to lift total 3000g, (copter and slr,) how do i choose which battery and what Kv motors and what size props...

On a 550 frame you are bit limited on the size of props that you can use and I think the maximum is about 10".

There is an on-line calculator that can help you decide on which setup is best for you and you can plug all of your numbers in to work out if the battery/motor/prop combination is likely to work. It has most common motors in the database and if you can't find your motors then just look for one that has the same specifications.

http://www.ecalc.ch/xcoptercalc_e.htm?ecalc

This is always my first stop when trying to see if my copter will get off the ground. I had a quick play with some numbers and it looks like a 4s 5000mAh lipo should get your 3kg (total take-off weight) 550 hexacopter in the for about 8 minutes or so. On 3s I found it hard to find a combo that produced enough power to even get you in the air.

I have a HK Multi-Rotor Control Board V2.1
a turnigy HAL
4 RCTIMER BC3536-11 750KV with 10*4.5 props.
4 simonk 30 amp esc's
3 cell battery at 5 amp

3 questions

what size battery should I use in terms of current?

and when I try to setup the Multi-Rotor Control Board V2.1 as suggested
I turn the pots to full and still don't get Oscillation effect, is this normal?
and liftoff is about 1/2 throttle, should I use a larger prop on this configuration?

Ritchie

As long as you're only running a 3s Lipo then you can just connect them up to your power distribution board.

And by connecting them you mean soldering red/black wire from LED to nearest ESC solder joint on the board? When I need to power something off of the board, that means soldering wires to the same point the ESCs are soldered to?

Still not sure about where to solder wires onto the LED, but I'm sure that and more will be apparent once I have it all in front of me. I do have a 3s LiPo.

Great article on your blog too. Maybe I'll use the HobbyKing LED with JST connectors you mentioned.

Originally Posted by cwg25

This seems like a good deal:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

Can I cut off the ends of the red and black wires, then solder them to a female deans connector so I can plug it into the male-tipped deans plug on my board? Should I be concerned with soldering a live battery?

Thanks for your help!

No problems with soldering a different connector on the battery, just make sure that you don't short the cables out when you're doing it and make sure that you get the polarity correct when you solder new connector. Check and then double check that you got it right before you connect it up.

Also remember that these connections are going to be carrying a lot of current, so they need to be soldered really well. You'll need a powerful soldering iron with a big tip so that you can get enough heat into the solder joint quickly. A good solder joint will be nice and shiny and you should have a nice meniscus where the cable and the contact meet.

One other thing, if you're cutting the old connectors off, don't cut through both cables at the same time because you'll end up shorting them out through the snips. Best to cut one cable, tin it, solder it and cover with heatshrink and then do the other cable.

Originally Posted by cwg25

And by connecting them you mean soldering red/black wire from LED to nearest ESC solder joint on the board? When I need to power something off of the board, that means soldering wires to the same point the ESCs are soldered to?

Still not sure about where to solder wires onto the LED, but I'm sure that and more will be apparent once I have it all in front of me. I do have a 3s LiPo.

Great article on your blog too. Maybe I'll use the HobbyKing LED with JST connectors you mentioned.

If you have a power distribution board that has more outputs than you have motors, then use a spare point to solder your LEDs to. If not, then yes, solder to the same point as an ESC.

I always solder an accessory cable ( 6" extension with JST connector ) onto the power distribution board when I'm building my copters. That way I always have an easy option if I later decide to add accesories that need power because my power distro board always ends up buried under everything else and is a pain to get to if you want to solder something else onto it.

Originally Posted by lovegroove

If you have a power distribution board that has more outputs than you have motors, then use a spare point to solder your LEDs to. If not, then yes, solder to the same point as an ESC.

I always solder an accessory cable ( 6" extension with JST connector ) onto the power distribution board when I'm building my copters. That way I always have an easy option if I later decide to add accesories that need power because my power distro board always ends up buried under everything else and is a pain to get to if you want to solder something else onto it.

the HK power board I got has a small 2 pin connector that should power leds with no problem.

Originally Posted by ritchie_laird

I have a HK Multi-Rotor Control Board V2.1
a turnigy HAL
4 RCTIMER BC3536-11 750KV with 10*4.5 props.
4 simonk 30 amp esc's
3 cell battery at 5 amp

3 questions

what size battery should I use in terms of current?

and when I try to setup the Multi-Rotor Control Board V2.1 as suggested
I turn the pots to full and still don't get Oscillation effect, is this normal?
and liftoff is about 1/2 throttle, should I use a larger prop on this configuration?

Ritchie

Those are some big motors to only be using 10" props at 3s and I'm sure you would be better switching to 12" props.

The max rating for those motors is about 25A, so 100A absolute maximum for your quadcopter. More realistically you will be pulling about 30-40A in hover. A 25C 5000mAh lipo should be capable of 125A, so I don't see a need to go anymore than than 25-30C rated batteries. In theory a 20C lipo will be fine, but it's best not to stress your Lipos too much.

I can't help you with the board configuration I'm afraid, but with the gain turned to maximum your copter should be uncontrollable. The normal tuning method is to start with the gain quite low and then increase it until you get oscillations and then back it a it down until you have no more oscillations.

Originally Posted by ritchie_laird

the HK power board I got has a small 2 pin connector that should power leds with no problem.

Yes, I think it's supposed to be for plugging your UBEC into for powering the receiver and flight control board if you are using Opto ESCs, but if you're powering your flight electronics from one of the built in BECs in the ESCs then you can use that output for LEDs.

hmmm, too many abbreviations in my last sentence??

Originally Posted by lovegroove

Those are some big motors to only be using 10" props at 3s and I'm sure you would be better switching to 12" props.

The max rating for those motors is about 25A, so 100A absolute maximum for your quadcopter. More realistically you will be pulling about 30-40A in hover. A 25C 5000mAh lipo should be capable of 125A, so I don't see a need to go anymore than than 25-30C rated batteries. In theory a 20C lipo will be fine, but it's best not to stress your Lipos too much.

I can't help you with the board configuration I'm afraid, but with the gain turned to maximum your copter should be uncontrollable. The normal tuning method is to start with the gain quite low and then increase it until you get oscillations and then back it a it down until you have no more oscillations.

the initial setting to these boards is set at 50% so while setting up one is set to zero for setting the throttle movement, and suggested to return to 50% when complete. the it explains that you should bring it up till it starts oscilating then back it off from that point (have yet to find that Oscillating point), might get up tomorrow morning nice and early and have another crack at it. see if I can't find it.

Ritchie

Aaarrrrgh! I just had a look at my footage for the LED video tutorial and discovered that my new camera obviously has a buffered video recording, so I missed the last second or 2 from every clip.

nice thread, still confused.
Bought a Tri from BlueSky this am
Bought the motors, Suppo 2212-11 - 1200kv Outrunner Motor
and 8" props too.
Now, heres where I am in trouble.
What size and how many batteries do i need?
what else does this thing need to fly?
Also. ill need a radio of some sort, im not rich so as cheap as i can get for now works for me.. but It has to have some quality to it..i mean, I dont wanna buy garbage, even if it works. I want as good as I can get for as less as possible...lol