Help - Electric Models
From: Thinus Prinsloo email: thinus@intekom.co.za


I get many similar emails, and I've answered this one, but I thought that those of you with email might enjoy putting in your two-cents worth.  He might also enjoy hearing from many of you.  Km)

Hi There,
My name is Thinus Prinsloo and I live in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The city that I stay in is situated at a high altitude which poses to be quite a problem for electric models - so I am told.  Therefore nobody at our club likes the idea of electric models because they have the tendency not to fly here at all. I seem to be the only one at our club that find electric models challenging and interesting. I am reading and gathering as much information as I can from the Internet as I plan for my next model to be a electric model.

Experience:
I am a newcomer to the sport and have only been flying R/C models for the last 18 months.  Currently I fly a .40 size 4 channel trainer and a gentle lady. I have converted the gentle lady to use a geared Master Airscrew electric motor with a folding prop and I must confess that I enjoy  flying this model a lot (no hassles - starts every time - anywhere).

New Model Prerequisites (If possible):
1. Can be a glider or something else as long as it is possible to take the model apart to take it with  me when I go on holiday.
2. Cobalt electric motors in South Africa is unheard of and very, very, very expensive due to our weak currency and no local distributors that I know of. Therefore I
would prefer to use cheap canned motors (expensive in South Africa).
3. Use standard radio gear ( Futaba Skysport and standard servo's)
4. The model does not need to be a competition model as I fly for relaxation and fun only, although it would be nice to be able to do something more than just loops!
5. Seven or more cell battery packs is a foreign idea here therefore I am stuck with six cell battery packs (1700 and 2000 ma).
6. I am not the best R/C pilot around but I am one of the keenest.

Notes:
I saw some great reviews on the Great Planes

Electrostreak but all of them suggested that one should use a different electric motor than the one that comes in the kit and I do not know if I will be able to handle the model with my current R/C experience.
Thanks for reading this far!
Regards,
Thinus

Looking for Electric Flight in Colorado
From: Nick Mati email: nickm@cyrix.com


Ken,
I believe I am the only Electric flyer in Northern Colorado it would be great to have some company.
Regards,
Nick Mati
 (Can any of you out there make Nick feel not so alone! Km)

External Fuse as Switch
From: John Julian
email: jjulian@silas-2.cc.monash.edu.au
7 Horton Close, Brighton
VIC 3186, Australia
ph +61 3 95319135


 I've mentioned many times in the Ampeer about using a fuse as the external switch.  I made a post on the eflight list about it, and John replied to me personally about the following.

Ken,
I tried posting this to the eflight Digest but I have all sorts of addressing problems at the moment and it bounced. I'll send it direct to you since I think you were going to pass on some more info on your set up.  If you think it's useful info feel free to pass it on.

A neat solution I found for Speed 400 size was to solder a blade fuse to a Deans 4 pin connector (two pins bent slightly outward to each blade of the fuse), and put the socket in the plane with a small access hole. Works like plugging the fuse into a socket but the Deans is a much better quality and easier connection. By putting the socket in the battery lead and a reverse 3A diode across the input to the ESC you can charge without removing the battery from the plane by plugging in the charger lead with a Deans 4 pole plug as well. The Deans is polarised but even if you force the charger plug in the wrong way the diode blocks the current. I think the plugs are rated up to 25 Amps or so - and this solution uses two pins in (cont.)