T-52: Various Battery Packs
Here is the new position for using one of the recommended battery packs - a 500 AR or 600 AE 7 or 8-cell pack (I prefer the 8-cell packs). I dug out a "pocket" at the bottom-front area of the fuselage & tucked the pack into position. This yields a more aerodynamic solution
(than taping it "outside" the fuselage) & provides better protection during a landing (or crash). I simply connect the battery, place it in the position as shown, tuck the wiring into the slot & tape everything in place. You could make a "skid" out of some milk jug plastic, and tape that to the underside of your battery for an extra measure of protection - I don't because I fly off grassy fields and it isn't necessary.
Using the recommended battery packs, with a Speed 400 motor using a direct drive, 6x3.5 prop, the longest flight I've had so far is 7 minutes & 38 seconds. I was using 8 cell 600 mAh AE batteries. My average flight times are around 4 or 5 minutes - about 2 1/2 minutes with the AR's flying "wide open".
It's important to note, I probably damaged all of my 500 & 600 mAh battery packs due to overcharging them when I was new to electric flight & I didn't understand the basics of charging Nickel Cadmium batteries. I believe overcharging my battery packs has decreased their performance - the extent of this damage is only a guess.
Using An NiMH Battery Pack
I wanted to obtain longer flight times, so I bought one of these for $25 at Radio Shack - just because I was curious. It has performed very well:
I've found this pack delivers adequate power delivery, similar to the 600 mAh AE's, but the duration is really phenomenal compared to the 600 mAh AE NiCd's. I'm considering using these packs more & more as I enjoy their duration. These are, in my opinion, a perfect match when using the Kyosho Magnetic Mayhem reverse motor & Master Airscrew 3:1 reduction drive unit, however, they are also "adequate" when using with the Speed 400 motor.
Using the 1420 NiMH 8 cell battery pack I'm getting really long flights with my Master Airscrew 3:1 drive unit & 12x8 folding prop.
This is my most favorite combination for flying the T-52 - the battery pack provides enough power, but the duration is phenomenal - 10 minute flights are easy and when you need to gain altitude - WOW!!! A future project involves T-52 duration - my initial goal is 20 minute flights, then 30, then?
The location of these battery packs had to be altered when using the Magnetic Mayhem reverse motor & Master Airscrew reduction drive system. Review the following pics (I use a piece of tape to mark the location - also, in the photos you can see the original "pocket" used when the NiCd packs were used with the "stock" Speed 400 motor using a direct-drive 6x3.5 prop):
I'll update this site as more info is gathered.
