First off, Thanks to all who have helped me try to get my sick Bird in the air. I programmed my Phoenix 25 and one of the changes was to change the electronic timing advance to LOW. Outside temp was alot cooler today at 53 with a steady 5 mph wind. I held a hover at 1/2 stick for 3 minutes. Landed and nothing was warm. Held another hover for 3 minutes and although 1/2 stick held it, vertical power was weak and getting worse. Landed and the only thing with any temp were the batteries"1200 ETECS". If I took a 30 second rest, the power would seem to kick in again. This points to the batteries drawing to much current. The power feels to be 1/2 of what it was but never the less, the heli did not lose power and settle down. Im running cut down stock blades, MS 22/16 brushless,11 tooth pinion. I have a 8 and 9 on there way but as is power is already weak. Although still not 100%, I am making some PROGRESS......................

Is it possible you have over tight swash/gear lash/? Servos stalling? I agree something is pulling too much since the batteries recover. If the batts still work fine in fixed wing it aint them.
I just spooled up my new hb(newbie on sim still) using etechs, but haven't run it long or tried hovering. My only hangup is the tail rotor runs on neutral stick after initializeng. NOt sure if its supposed to run when the main is not on. lTried trim it down, but ran out of trim. It slowed but not entirely. Hard to turn off the bird when the tail rotor is threatening.
Hang in there. I'll let know how the etechs do after I figure out the tail.
Stuka

I just posted for you on that thread. It will come on with the slightest of movenent so you learn quick to always have your hand on the left stick. If its reversed, it will also do that. I just ordered a 2100 pack of Thunder Power batteries. With a higher amp draw,longer voltage and reports of 25-30 minute flights, This might be the only pack I need for my 10 minute quick heli fixes.

Hey bud,
I really hope that solves the problem. Please let us know as soon as you try them out. With the new MIA chassis, I might go that route as well. Although I am still considering the Kokam SHD packs or 1500's. But I know you can't go wrong with TP packs.

http://www.b-p-p.com/KokamSHCpacks.htm

http://www.b-p-p.com/Kokam1500HC.htm

http://www.b-p-p.com/Thunder_Power.htm

Great talking to you the other night and I appreciate the help. You have good eyes cause the timing thingie was upside down. The heli handled well today I guess cause after a year off, I was able to hold 2, 3-5 minute solid hovers in a gusty wind for test. My arms still do not hang straight down and the swash still moves up under power. It can slide down the shaft and appear uneven but under power levels out. No cut offs today but power was probably simular to a 370 and climb out was poor. Reducing the electronic timing advance probably lowered the power output, which in turn kept either the batteries or controllers happy. SOMETHING is robbing power and running up the current but I am yet to solve that.

It was good to talk to you too. If you are referring to the timing yoke, that was someone else...whoever posted the pics and stuff in that thread. So they deserve the credit for that one.

I have a feeling that the TP pack will solve your problem. If it doesn't and you start seeing the same problem, then I would suspect your charger. I am only guessing. As you know you have changed everything on the heli so I don't know what else it could be.

Reducing the electronic timing advance probably lowered the power output, which in turn kept either the batteries or controllers happy.

Yup, that is a tell tale sign something is wrong with your batteries or charger. I have trued both the standard (default) timing and the reduced one (option three) and had no loss of power with either one.

I noticed a big power change but still hovered at 1/2 stick. I fI gunned it at first the vertical was OK, then shortly it started suffering. WHAT could be SUCKING my POWER???? I have a feeling its right in front of my face and I and others just cannot see it....... Or then again it could be something a NASA Shuttle Electronics Specialist couldnt figure out. But hey, Im so financially and emotionally attached to the Bird, I WILL WIN!

Does your mechanics work freely? As in if you detach the motor does the rotors spin freely? Mine keeps spinning and spinning and spinning without the motor in the way.

Jim, you really need to check your amp draw. I reviewed the 2 main threads you've posted (one here and the one on Power systems) and have seen it recommended several times, but it doesn't appear you've done that yet. It's the only way you're going to find out for sure what's going on and hopefully diagnose the trouble. The 1200's should be good for 7 amps cont. and 10 amps burst, it shouldn't take nearly that much to hover your HB. It could be a mechanical problem causing the amp draw to be higher than it should be.

I hope to have someone help me test amp draw soon. As far as mechanical, Ive taken the heli totally apart numerous times. With head off, the main shaft appears straight and spins very well. Hovered today until power faded, immediatly landed and nothings even remotely warm much less hot. IS THERE any possible way I could have miswired it? One single wire that could be wrong? ONE wire backwards that could cause these symptoms? Ive checked it against the helihobby diagram countless times and figured if any thing was hooked up wrong, it wouldnt run at all. I considered maybe some strange glitch. The ESC is within 1/2 inch in front of the motor. My experinences with glitches though is you will have erratic chatter or no power at all.

JUST TO VERIFI. The tail ESC, in my case a Pixie 7, the BEC "RED" WIRE IS LEFT OFF to disable the BEC.Correct?

Originally posted by JIMJAM
JUST TO VERIFI. The tail ESC, in my case a Pixie 7, the BEC "RED" WIRE IS LEFT OFF to disable the BEC.Correct?

Correct.

Steve

Is it possible the main esc canot run everything? What would hooking up the red wire along with the signal and ground do?

What the heck, hooked up the bec and hovered a 2 cell etec for 5 minutes w/ lots power. Got too dark so I was not able to find at if and when power would drop off. This pack was showing 8.5v right off the charger. The other etec has been flown on yesterday and was showing 7.4v. Would hover at 1/2 stick but barely climb.

Got something ordered from Lightflight to measure my amp draw and should be in a few days. A 3 cell measured 10.8 volts on my tester. I went into a hover for around 30 seconds. Landed and immediatley checked it. 8.8 volts. The 2 cells read around 8.4 charged, after a short hover, read 7.4 volts. They are dropping like a rock and yet nothing is hot. I have ruled out mechanical. Either I have 4 bad batteries or some wierdness is going on. I have a JR 652 RADIO. Is there any way possible you could have the radio set up to cause this? I moved my ESC away from the motor with no change. Maybe when I test the amp draw that may help. But if its high, WHY?