stephenh Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 Quite some time ago, Mrs H bought an electric radio controlled helicopter for our grandson. We didn't give it to him at the time because when I saw it (still in the box) it said suitable for 15+year olds, and he was about 7 at the time! He is 10 now, so just before Christmas we got it out, to try out. I've charged the (on board) battery, and fitted it (not easy as it is quite a tight fit in the bottom of the fuselage) and fitted a set of batteries to the hand set. As far as I can see, when the 'copter and the hand set are switched on all the controls work in the sense that the trim and pitch of the rotors changes, but the motor of the 'copter doesn't work, so it just sits there on the ground with its lights flashing and the rotors changing angles but not going round. Does anyone have any experience of these, and if so any idea what might be wrong? Unfortunately it was bought several years ago from a gift fair, so we can't go back to the retailer, apart from the passage of time Mrs H hasn't a clue whose stall it was on. Quote
stephenh Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 Just realised I haven't given enough info to identify what we have. It is said to be 60 cm long, although that must include the rotor, the fuselage is about 40 cm long. It is powered by a lithium rechargeable battery and has double (counter-rotating) rotors, with stability weights above the upper rotors, so is supposed to be easier to fly than most model helicopters. I wouldn't know, because with the rotors not rotating it doesn't leave the ground! Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 Not meaning to ask a stupid question, but have you charged all the batteries? Last time I had anything like this, many years ago, to be fair, the on board servos and control electronics had one battery, The main drive motor then had its own much bigger battery pack. Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 Ah, clashed with the second post.. Sounds like it may only have the one then. Do you know the maker/model number? Quote
peterg Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 Don't know about this model but on the larger copter I have it has a tiny on/off switch on the body... failing that you may need to check the wiring and if that is beyond you I'd drop into your local model shop and let them have a look at it (get the Mrs to take it in and play the helpless female...) Quote
peterg Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 is it this one? http://www.nitrotek.co.uk/airwolf-electric-4ch-rc-helicopter-with-lipo-battery-7-4v-1400mah.html Quote
Dodgey Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 If it's a contra-rotating heli - which you say it is, then the pitch of the main blades is definitely NOT changing when you wiggle the sticks. What is happening is you are changing the aileron & elevator angles of the whole head. On helis the pitch is the angle of the actual rotor blades. The head is changing angles but the motor is not working - this means either the motor is dead, or a wire has come off. Check the wire/s from the motor/s - contra rotators typically have two motors - one for each pair of rotors. For both to be gone it is sounding like an electronic problem. Quote
dabar Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 Throttle stick and trim usually have to be down before the heli is turned on otherwise the esc will not "ARM" and allow the motors to run (safety feature). So stick and trim down,turn on transmitter,turn on heli and let the electronics / gyro boot up for a few seconds,most will give a couple of bleeps when ready,tail rotor may waggle when gyro is ready(do not move any sticks while any of this is happening). You should now be ready to crash / fly Graham. Quote
FILFAN Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 the charger may not have worked properly and as gadgers said it could be flat. they usualy cut power to the motors when the voltage gets low but would still allow other functions to work such as sevos Quote
stephenh Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks guys, I'll have another look at it next time it is dry. Peter, yes that looks like the one! I can only identify one rechargeable battery, that is the one in the 'copter. The batteries in the controller are new non-rechargeable. I can see one on/off switch on the side of the 'copter, and another on the controller. Dodgey, I may be miss-interpreting the "wiggling"! Maybe Dabar has the answer? we'll see. Unfortunately tomorrow is forecast to be wet here, so may not be convenient to test, but I'll get to the problem eventually. I'll let you know how I get on. Quote
graham frankland Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 We should have a class or team for Westfield Coptor Pilots. I can't fly mine any better than I drive the Westfield See you soon Graham Quote
Blatman Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 Could be an event for Curborough or Blyton Park. The Westfield Air Race, maybe round the top field at Curborough or a handy nearby space at Blyton Airfield. Just imagine using old airfields for flying things. Who would have thought... Quote
FILFAN Posted January 7, 2013 Posted January 7, 2013 im sure richard at blyton would be ok with it. i spoke to him last year about taking some of my larger models up and flying them off the tarmac areas. he was ok and said to contact him when i wanted to go up. never got round to it though Quote
stephenh Posted January 8, 2013 Author Posted January 8, 2013 Right, I've tried again, with throttle trim and forward/reverse trims on 0 before switching on. Still no joy. So now I'm trying further charging of the battery in case that wasn't properly charged. Not easy to know if you are doing right or wrong when most of the instructions are in some strange oriental language! Quote
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