Tools and supplies for Synergy "E" Build

[Chris Sexton]

I saw a E5 this past weekend that the builder had not bothered to sand his frames.  The frame rubbed through two of the ESC to motor connection wires as well as the backup battery connection wires and burned a hole in the frame.  Sanding the frames is important, as is a good wire routing strategy.  Carbon fiber is conductive, keep this in mind when routing wires and even though electric powered machines have much less vibration than nitro powered machines vibrations still exist.  Vibration coupled with rough / sharp carbon fiber edges will eat through your wire insulation quickly. Paying attention to small details like these during the build saves time and money in the long run.

Rich

Well said Rich. Sanding the frames is a must even on higher end frames like on the e5. 10 minutes of work that can save you a bad crash!

A goon friend of mine lost his G630 to a shorted sat wire. Wore through and shorted to the frame. Vbar reset and it was a total loss crash.

Sucks to see a bird go in and later find it was your fault ;(

[hardsy]

I saw a E5 this past weekend that the builder had not bothered to sand his frames.  The frame rubbed through two of the ESC to motor connection wires as well as the backup battery connection wires and burned a hole in the frame.  Sanding the frames is important, as is a good wire routing strategy.  Carbon fiber is conductive, keep this in mind when routing wires and even though electric powered machines have much less vibration than nitro powered machines vibrations still exist.  Vibration coupled with rough / sharp carbon fiber edges will eat through your wire insulation quickly. Paying attention to small details like these during the build saves time and money in the long run.

Rich

Fantastic advise and something that I'm sure a lot of people overlook in excitement of building a new Heli!!

A technique I use where wires are passing through the carbon frames or resting on the carbon is just run a bead of CA over the edges and let it dry. It leaves a nice smooth edge and some peice of mind.

[RyanW]

Yes, sanding is only half of it. You really need to seal it w/ CA. I use a small skewer or large toothpick. Get a small drop on it and run along the edge. Too big of a glob and you will have it run down the side of the frame. A soaked Q-Tip also works, just saturate it first or you will have the white fuzz stuck on the first run.

I usually spend almost as much time prepping the frames as I do the rest of the build... no joke.

We went one step further with our R/C cars and would polish the edge after sealing it. That way there was no chance at all of chaffing a wire during the race.

[Lojik]

I agree sanding frames is essential in the areas where wires are going past, also wire wrap or spiral wrap your wires.

another tip if you have allot of wire in one area is to use fuel tubing, it doesn't look as nice but it damn well does the job, I had allot of pressure on ESC wires on my old X5 and they were right on the frame edge, nothing I could do to stop it and I wanted some extra protection against the carbon on top of sanding, so I took some hobby fuel tubing, cut a piece the same length as the area to secure then carefully slit one side open and spread it over the edge, the I took some thin CA and a cloth and held the heli so I could drip the thin CA in between the tubing and the edge, this bonded the tubing to the frame, worked like a charm, just be very stingy with the CA so you don't drip it everywhere

[Brandon Bartolomucci]

Use the fuel tubing on my N5c. Haven't sanded or sealed my E5 but everything is loose around any edge. Still will take one of these frozen days and sand up some spots.


Regards,
Brandon Bartolomucci
Sent from my iPhone

[Hendo67]

Instead of tubing cut some sections of fuel tank isolator. It fits good and it's black. You can also shape it if you heat it a little.

[copenhagen]

Bullet connectors motor to ESC (I use Scorpion 6.5mm. Note: The Scorpion HKIII 4025 1100KV motor has factory installed "banana" type connectors on the power wires, it is highly recommended that they be replaced with a connector with more contact surface area. ) http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0001P?I=LXTJJ0&P=8

Rich

Rich-,

I just got my Scorp yesterday.  I bought some of the Castle Connectors per your above recommendation, however, I am having second thoughts as to rather it will really be necessary to change the "banana" type connectors out.  Can you please expound upon this subject?  I'd like to get any input from others too as this is my 1st "real" RC heli build.  Thanks!

-Seth

[copenhagen]

Bullet connectors motor to ESC (I use Scorpion 6.5mm. Note: The Scorpion HKIII 4025 1100KV motor has factory installed "banana" type connectors on the power wires, it is highly recommended that they be replaced with a connector with more contact surface area. ) http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0001P?I=LXTJJ0&P=8

Rich

Rich-,

I just got my Scorp yesterday.  I bought some of the Castle Connectors per your above recommendation, however, I am having second thoughts as to rather it will really be necessary to change the "banana" type connectors out.  Can you please expound upon this subject?  I'd like to get any input from others too as this is my 1st "real" RC heli build.  Thanks!

-Seth

I ended up using the connectors your recommended because the C/C ESC wires would not come close to fitting into the Scorpion supplied bullets.

Oh, does anybody have a picture of what the finished sanding/sealing should look like on the frame?  My E5 kit is coming tomorrow, and I want to know exactly what I am going to be shooting for.  Thanks!!