Originally Posted by Chap1012

Happy Veterans Day...Thank you

THANK YOU! And thanks to all those becoming veterans every day!

Originally Posted by 1Pilgrim

I know how to check and correct blade and flybar balance and blade tracking; how do I check and correct flybar tracking?

I'm thinking about replacing the main shaft with aluminum. Are there any other upgrades that you feel are essential? I'd rather not break the bank on upgrades that are of marginal value - saving up for a camera

I noticed a while back the the flybars weren't balanced all the time. I sanded or shaved off one end to balance. They visibly track better, don't know if it makes that much difference, to be honest.

The aluminum shaft will bend fairly easily. The graphite ones will break. It's kind of a toss up which you want. I've like the alum ones just because they are better IMHO to screw into.

I wish I was getting kickbacks--but I'm not--because I would like to plug a vendor.

Common Sense RC has had some great batteries and there are tests on other forums that show that the duration and sustained strength out performs most other batteries. But having just bought another six different sizes from them, I'm beginning to see that this company has a lot more going than just the batteries themselves. Specifically, they furnish complete instructions on how to care for their (and any LiPo) batteries, and, they come with an expressed warranty.

The battery "is guaranteed, under warranty, against defects in materials and workmanship." When you flip over the inclosed warranty slip it continues:

"This warranty is pro-rated over the life of the battery. The following table details exchange costs for warranty replacements."

Time since purchase/ Cost for warranty exchange
0-3 months/ No charge
3-6 months/ 45% of original purchase price
6-9 months/ 55% of original purchase price
9-12 months/ 75% of original purchase price
More than 12 months/ 85% of original price

Now, how many other vendors have this kind of warranty? And even that's not all... If you sign up for their email list, they send you deals that are really fantastic. They don't have the same things on sale every week, but their 500mah/25C batteries come on sale regularly, shipping included.

OK. Now that I have said that, and since I get no kickbacks on any of this unsolicited advertising, this is what I want:

CommonSenseRC, feel free to begin making a 600mah (or higher) battery that fits the 120 SR! I know you read these forums, and my guarantee to you is that we will be buying your batteries plus more if you would come out with the 600+mah!!!

I just picked up some of these for $13.00 for a 5 pack.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-3-7v-600-...item3a6c926464
3.7v 600mAh 15C~ 25C
For 13 bucks figure what the hell I will check them out.

OK! There you go, CommonSenseRC!!! You are not going to let Tiger batteries out do you, are you? There's are only 15C! Go ahead and make a 650/25C battery and we'll be knocking your door down!!!

Oh, and they offer NO WARRANTY!!!!

lol! tell em Sax.

Originally Posted by Blackanthem

I just picked up some of these for $13.00 for a 5 pack.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-3-7v-600-...item3a6c926464
3.7v 600mAh 15C~ 25C
For 13 bucks figure what the hell I will check them out.

I bought those some months ago from the same seller, so far so good.

just ran one of the new ebay packs through for 4 minutes, i'll run my e-flite for same time (same flying style) and let you know how many mAH it puts back in.

should give a good indication of quality (let me know if you want other stats)

But first impression is that they are good packs, has good pump effect on throttle response and the pack was just warm (not cold like some have said about hyperion) but I was varying throttle between 40-60%

Also it requires more throttle for me as I'm ~6600ft ASL

anyways thats what I got

Ok so the pack charged 380mah.. for the 4 minute flight..

For some reason i can't figure out if there is a formula to calculate average amperage (wattage) that this heli is pulling to get a good indication of flight time to battery consumption.

Sorry for the running blog here... but one of my eflite packs hit the LVC at 3:58 seconds on the flight time. and it was very warm to touch.

There also is not as much punch etc. So to me thats value enough. The eflite packs maybe have 5 charges on them.

You would have to use a controlled test to really figure it. The only consistent way you could figure the amps is start with batteries that have the exact same mah, tie down the heli, use a watt meter to determine when you have the speed exactly right, and then time it for exactly the same duration for each. Then you could determine if one battery is drawing more on the average than others.

true.. I was just being a geek and seeing if I could "guess" the amps

We had school on veterns day? But no school on columbus day?

just be grateful you got Columbus Day off, SD
The only people who deserve Veterans Day off are veterans, and a lot of them have to work today...... so suck it up and thank a vet!

Originally Posted by Coptafeel

just be grateful you got Columbus Day off, SD
The only people who deserve Veterans Day off are veterans, and a lot of them have to work today...... so suck it up and thank a vet!

I am just saying i think verterns day would have been more important than columbus day lol.

My step great grandpa (step moms grandpa. never knew anyother grandpa in the family actually just met my moms dad for the first time like 2 weeks ago) served in WWII for the army and fixed all the planes for them. Only if he was here and was about 60 years old im sure he would have loved this hobby.