Stefan's Electric R/C Web Site

Electrifying the Great Planes SlowPoke

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:24:04 GMT

While in Syracuse, New York for a horse show, I stopped in at Walt's Hobby Shop to see if there was anything I might like to bring back to Canada. One kit that caught my eye was the Great Planes SlowPoke, a pudgy, somewhat comical looking, open cockpit low wing mono-plane intended for a .10 to .25 glow engine. The need for speed got to me however, and I ended up buying a Kyosho T-33 Shooting Star instead, but shortly after I got home, our esteemed editor e-mailed me to ask if I wanted to review the SlowPoke. After a quick look at my summer schedule to see if I'd actually have time to complete it for the deadline, I gleefully accepted. About a week later, a package arrived from Great Planes, containing a colorfully decorated, densely packed box of balsa, ply, and other interesting bits.

BattMan II Documentation Update

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 01:13:53 GMT

I've received some questions about the algorithms used for charging the various battery chemistries that BattMan II supports. To answer those questions, I've added some information to the Software section of the page.

BattMan II Software Update

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:24:25 GMT

A reader who built his own BattMan II discovered some bugs in the calibration portion of the software. I've fixed this bug, and a few others, and posted the updated software to the web site. Before attempting to calibrate your own BattMan II, please go to the "Software" section of the construction article and download the latest version.

Stefan's Electric R/C Web Site Now Interactive

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 21:39:07 GMT

Stefan's Electric R/C Web Site now has a comment section at the end of each article page. Here you can leave a comment about the article for all to see, and see the comments that have been left by others. For example, you might have some insight or information about the subject matter of the article that you wish to share with other readers of that article.

Caring for Your Lead-Acid Field Battery

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:36:55 GMT

The electric modeler uses a lead-acid battery as a source from which to recharge flight batteries, an application which uses a significant portion of the lead-acid battery's capacity before it is recharged. Like our models' power batteries, this field battery requires some care to ensure a long useful life.

BattMan II: A Computer Controlled Battery Manager

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:18:34 GMT

BattMan II is a computer controlled battery manager, intended for typical rechargeable batteries used by R/C and electronics hobbyists, as well as various consumer product batteries. BattMan II can charge, discharge, cycle, test, and monitor NiCd, NiMH, LiPo, LiNP, and lead acid batteries. A real time graphical display shows what's going on, and a log file keeps a history of all battery operations. Connects to any Microsoft Windows based PC using the parallel port.

Speed 400 Upgrades

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:33:24 GMT

You've built a Speed 400 model, whether from scratch or from a traditional or almost-ready-to-fly (ARF) kit. You've flown it for a while, and experienced the fun and convenience of a small model. But now, you're yearning for more. Longer flights, better performance, or perhaps a bit of each. Where do you go from here? What can you do to your model to make it better?

First, make sure you have the right plane. If you're flying a Speed 400 parasol-winged old-timer style model, and want to make high speed passes and pylon turns, you've got the wrong model. Likewise if you have the latest glass pylon racer and would prefer steep climbs and long glides. Before changing anything about a model, make sure it's the right model for the job. I won't elaborate any further, since that's pretty obvious.

On Fuses

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 01:39:07 GMT

Our models are powered by electricity, and at very high power levels compared to most battery operated equipment. In the non-modeling world, any electrical circuit fitting that description will be equipped with a fuse (or a circuit breaker), a small device which is designed to disconnect power from the circuit if there is excessive current flow.

A fuse serves two purposes. First and foremost, it is a safety device, protecting against fire. Its secondary purpose is to protect the equipment on its circuit.

What About the Wires?

Wed, 30 May 2007 01:16:17 GMT

I've had the opportunity to build and/or review a number of parkflyer models, along with the electronic equipment designed specifically for such models. Although the models have all flown reasonably well, one thing that has bothered me is the use of relatively thin battery and motor power wires and connectors in parkflyer speed controls and battery packs.

My e-flight instincts were telling me that a significant amount of power is being wasted in these thin wires, and that it ought to be possible to do better.

Powering Sailplanes

Wed, 09 May 2007 15:43:31 GMT

Most of my columns to date have revolved around electric sport models, the electric equivalent of the kind of model you would expect to find at a glow field. To me, this category spans the size range from Speed 400 to Astro 90 to large brushless powered, with styles ranging from high-wing trainers to low-wing aerobats. But, this magazine, formerly called "Sailplane & Electric Modeler", also deals with sailplanes.

To the sailplane purist, the thought of putting a power system in a sailplane at all might be offensive ("leave the winch on the ground"), but we all know the kind of performance that a sailplane is capable of, even when carrying the extra weight of its own launching system. The convenience of not having to set up a winch or arrange for a tow plane more than makes up for the extra weight. In windy conditions, a pure sailplane is often ballasted with more lead than the battery and motor in an electric sailplane would weigh.