Haha nice!

I had a 120SR two years ago. Learned hovering a heli on this thing. Then I begann to smack it to its limits till the tail motor died. Hahaha it was a funny time.

 

Hmm might do this to my nano.. Got any detailed pics of the LEDs and wiring?

Stuart
Citizen #507

 

Did you need to use special LEDs for 1S power?

Stuart
Citizen #507

 

I don't have detailed pics at the moment, but I can throw something together later today. I was also thinking of adding a few LEDs to my nano. It's all fairly easy.

 

The
The two NAV markers are standard LEDs (1.7 to 2v) with 150 ohm resistors on each one and wired straight to battery lead wires so they are powered anytime the Lipo is plugged in. The two white LEDs are 3.5v and are wired straight to the main motor leads and light only when throttle is on. The blue LED is supposed to be a flasher, but doesn't seem to like the interference from the tail motor. It's wired straight to the solid copper lead wires at the tail (very carefully I might add) and only lights when throttle is on. Tail motor leads in the boom are just long enough to allow for the 56mm longer tail boom if a hole is drilled in the end of the frame hole to allow wires to pass through the blind end of the hole and not be doubled back along the boom. Another mod is the wire braced battery holder to prevent the inevitable breakage associated with them and also serves as a holder for the "NAV light tube assembly" That's all I have at the moment. Feel free to ask if you need more details, @Stuart. Adding LEDs to the Nano will best be accomplished by splicing into either the main motor or battery leads depending on whether or not you want them on all the time or with throttle.

 

Okay @Stuart, now you've put the idea in my head, I'm considering the possibility of tapping into the on-board LED and making use of the existing driver circuit so that the indicator functions would also drive whatever LEDs I see fit to connect to it. It looks like a micro-surface-mount LED with a dropping resistor in series before the B+ run on the board. Voltage and resistance measurements to follow.......

 

....... Confirmed. The on-board circuit will drive more LED from the negative trigger side using standard voltage range 1.7 to 2.3v LEDs and a 150 ohm 1/8 watt resistor (with each one) and tied to B+ on the board. Due to extreme small size, I am hesitant, but will inevitably attempt after acquiring a magnifying glass. For sake of simplicity, go for the motor or battery leads.

 

This is REALLY very cool @Beaver! A night flying Micro!... What a great way to spend the evening!

 

Thanks. The night fly mods are almost a necessity since I find myself flying outdoors in the late evenings as the winds tend to slow about that time. The lighting does wonders for keeping orientation in the dark!

 

Thanks for all the info @Beaver. I would be hopeless trying to mod stuff on the board. But I will definitely consider doing a mod via batter and motor leads as the winter months and darkness make flying after work impossible here.

Stuart
Citizen #507

 

I'm a little hesitant about tapping the board myself. My eyesight isn't what it used to be with micro-soldering.

 

By the way...... Did I mention I've been experimenting with 185mm blades from the 200srx?

 

Hold the phone @Stuart ,I was at LHS earlier and eyed a red and white MCX2 canopy and tail-cover set that has 3 LEDs already built into the tail cover.... and had to have it for my Nano. The front canopy almost fit perfect aside from the battery is below the bottom of canopy. I will get into it with the tail to figure out the LED and tail motor situation sometime next day or so.

 

Sounds interesting

Stuart
Citizen #507

 

Work in progress......

 

Wow looks like a different heli... Will it be a bit heavy?

 

I considered it might be a touch on the tail heavy side, but I may shorten the tail boom just a hair, that might compensate. I still have to run a test flight yet before I go any further.

 

Test flights complete. The Nano is a bit heavy with the tail cover,but then the silly thing always did seem a little underpowered anyway. It flies, and is actually a little more stable, but looses what little punch it had even using 45c/180mAh packs. I might try it again {IF} I get the BL mod kit. Meanwhile I have a nice new red/white canopy and some pre-wired surface mount micro LEDs (from the tail cover) to work with for the Night Nano. ........... Epiphany: Under powered helis suck.