Damn plastic spinner broke apart today on a launch and ripped the front of the plane off. I inspect the spinner/blades on a daily basis, but there was no visible signs of impending danger.

Luckily it left the ESC and battery behind so I was able to kind of fly it in inverted and flip it back somewhat level before touchdown.

Everything I've previously heard about it came from http://www.radian-pro.com/propeller.

Going to the 10x8 prop sounds good, but I worry about burning up the motor or stock battery. My usual flying is full power climb for 30-45 seconds and then several minutes of gliding, but occasionally when the air is dead I just fly around at partial power. What kind of prop do ya'll think I can get away with? (I know, I really should get myself a watt meter)

Originally Posted by KLRico

Damn plastic spinner broke apart today on a launch and ripped the front of the plane off. I inspect the spinner/blades on a daily basis, but there was no visible signs of impending danger.

Going to the 10x8 prop sounds good, but I worry about burning up the motor or stock battery. My usual flying is full power climb for 30-45 seconds and then several minutes of gliding, but occasionally when the air is dead I just fly around at partial power.

A 10x8 is fine. The latest version of the stock prop creates almost as much load.

Originally Posted by KLRico

I know, I really should get myself a watt meter.

Everybody should have one. This is what I use:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dproduct=10080

Originally Posted by Danny_l

Hi,
Thanks Jumpysticks.
It is actually encouraging to hear that several of you got the RP to fly OK wihtout mods.

Here are two photos showing the 1800 Mah battery and how it fits in the RP.
The batt is 100mm long and weighs 140 Gr' (4.9 ounces)

How does that compare with your 1300Mah batteries?

Brgds,
Danny

Yes, the stock 1300 ma and also my newer turnigy 1300ma batteries go back far enough that the strap is partially off the front of the battery.

I'm still evaluating the turnigy batteries. They are supposed to be 25-40 c rated, but they don't seem to have as much oomph as the stock ones. Maybe they just need to be broken in. They do not overheat with my larger prop like the stock parkzone batteries did. The overheating was my main concern.

Originally Posted by JumpySticks

Yes, the stock 1300 ma and also my newer turnigy 1300ma batteries go back far enough that the strap is partially off the front of the battery.

I'm still evaluating the turnigy batteries. They are supposed to be 25-40 c rated, but they don't seem to have as much oomph as the stock ones. Maybe they just need to be broken in. They do not overheat with my larger prop like the stock parkzone batteries did. The overheating was my main concern.

I use NanoTech 1300 mah battgeries, the lowest C number, in my Radian. It fits hand in glove. I get 90 minute flights on a good day with thermals. You could probably get close to same performance, maybe with one less climb, in the Pro.

Originally Posted by Danny_l

Hi,
A question to Eagle, Woodstock,Ecase and Aejar:
Does your repeated post mean that none of you have made any modifications to your RP?

snip...

Brgds,
Danny

I own an original Radian but I don't own a Pro. However as an instructor at my field I work with new pilots with Radian Pros all the time. Some are flying on DX5e, some on DX6i, someon more advanced radios.

The only things I advise is to darken the bottom of the wings for better visability. We hand toss (power off) and trim till it gliders nicely. Usually that means adding a quarter to the tail.

When it glides out level from a hand toss then and only then do we power up and take it up. Then more trimming till it really glides nice.

No other mods recommended unless they want to fly ALES contest with it. Then a prop change and replacement battery of 1300 to 1500 mah of 25C or higher to handle the higher amp load.

After that they can play with it all they want, but at this point they have a nice flying glider that will let them enjoy thermal soaring, and they can fly in our ALES thermal soaring contests.

That is all she needs.

Originally Posted by kaptondave

Everybody should have one. This is what I use:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dproduct=10080

I like the PowerLog6S. It's a watt meter, battery voltage meter (cell balance), 4 temp probes, optical RPM and servo signal source/meter. Plus, it records all of these values at 4 samples per second to minutes per sample.

It's an electric R/C swiss army knife.

Check www.progressiverc.com and www.epbuddy.com. Good people who will treat you right. Yes, HobbyKing sells these slightly cheaper. Buy from the good guys, they really are good guys.

Originally Posted by LizardMan

I like the PowerLog6S.

When I read your description, I thought for sure you were talking about a $150+ tool, but then I saw it was only $50! That sure sounds like a good value to me!

It's small and doesn't weigh much. Most of the weight is from copper in the Deans connectors and amp meter shunt.

It's a way to test props and motors in flight, rather than on a static test stand. If you also connect the battery balance leads, servo lead for your ESC and place a temp probe on the ESC it records flight pack voltage, current, power, ESC heat build up, throttle signal and individual cell (balance under load) during flight. It's possible to use an LED connected to the motor leads to trigger the optical tach sensor.

Originally Posted by JumpySticks

Yes, the stock 1300 ma and also my newer turnigy 1300ma batteries go back far enough that the strap is partially off the front of the battery.

I'm still evaluating the turnigy batteries. They are supposed to be 25-40 c rated, but they don't seem to have as much oomph as the stock ones. Maybe they just need to be broken in. They do not overheat with my larger prop like the stock parkzone batteries did. The overheating was my main concern.

I would appreciate to learn how to "break in" a battery including lipos. .

Zor

Originally Posted by Zor

I would appreciate to learn how to "break in" a battery including lipos. .

Zor

I hope that their performance improves after a few charge cycles, but don't know if that will happen or not. The comment was sort of a half joke.

Originally Posted by Zor

I would appreciate to learn how to "break in" a battery including lipos. .

Zor

I have never life tested lipos, so I will not comment on those, but I can confidently say that NiMH and NiCad batteries generally need 3 to 5 discharge/charge cycles to bring them up to rated performance. Professionally, I've needed to do this kind of life testing dozens of times for critical applications. I find that the thunder AC6 is a superb and cheap charger for this application. I usually cycle test 10 cells at a time, all connected in series of course. The charger allows you to see how much charge was required after discharge and how long it took to discharge the cell down to 1 volt. Once they pass the test, I release them into the world.

Cliff

And while I'm on the subject of life testing. The labeled capacity rating of NiMh and NiCads are typically inflated by 20 to 25 percent. Duty life is also dependent on current drain. If you use them at a 1/20 capacity rate they will last a lot longer and reach an operating time close to what the capacity rating suggests. Also quick charging them easily takes half their life away.

Originally Posted by Zor

I would appreciate to learn how to "break in" a battery including lipos. .

Zor

Folk law has it that you should be gentle with them while changing and discharging for the first few cycles so they last longer.

I buy in pairs and have been gentle with one and not the other, but can't really say if it makes any difference at all. Much better just to operate them within specs all the time.

Originally Posted by Gerry__

Folk law has it that you should be gentle with the while changing and discharging for the first few cycles so they last longer.

I buy in pairs and have been gentle with one and not the other, but can't really say if it makes any difference at all. Much better just to operate them within specs all the time.

My experience has been more with NiCd batteries, back in the day when elecric sailplanes were just coming into use, and I know that NiCd's benefit from "cycling".

I don't know if Lipos have similar "break-in" properties, but I sure hope so, because my brand new 40c rated lipos do not seem to have the same oomph that the stock parkzone batteries had. The problem with the stock parkzone 25c rated batteries is that they had been overheating and puffing since switching to a larger prop setup. And yes, my lipo charger is very gentle, taking about an hour and a half to charge a 1300 ma lipo (and probably only 1/2 to 2/3 discharged).

Originally Posted by JumpySticks

My experience has been more with NiCd batteries, back in the day when elecric sailplanes were just coming into use, and I know that NiCd's benefit from "cycling".

I don't know if Lipos have similar "break-in" properties, but I sure hope so, because my brand new 40c rated lipos do not seem to have the same oomph that the stock parkzone batteries had. The problem with the stock parkzone 25c rated batteries is that they had been overheating and puffing since switching to a larger prop setup. And yes, my lipo charger is very gentle, taking about an hour and a half to charge a 1300 ma lipo (and probably only 1/2 to 2/3 discharged).

Running out of spec, this is what you'd expect to happen.