600 Derek's Align Trex 600e Pro DFC

[Dirk]

So sorry Derek! It is crazy Monday here at work and I have a Trex 800 size headache on me.

You can Google the Milton Mod and find out how it works. I am waiting for my Align PU Gel mount to arrive so that I can do the mod. Only then will I go about 8 mistakes high and test the self levelling. It did not work on my maiden flight and crashed my brand new KDS550. My bad though as I never knew that the accelerometers used for the self levelling only does not like vibrations. I had self level switched on in all three banks. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!

The Ikon itself in normal mode ignores vibes as if they don't exist, so no worries there.

 

[Derek]

I'm sorry about your headache buddy! I hope it gets better for you.

I'll do some checking on the mod. Thanks for that! 8 mistakes high sounds like a good start. Keep me posted on your results!

I just did a search on that Milton Mod and it's just a simple, and low cost mod, I will surely look into doing this. I read some of the posts that followed the initial explanation and the theory is definitely sound.

 

[Dirk]

Yip, the results seem to work perfect and everyone who has done it are very satisfied with it. It is very simple to do as well. I will let you know what the results are.

 

[Derek]

Sounds good, Dirk! I have attached my Ikon with just a single layer of heavy duty 3M tape but after reading that thread with the mod, I think i'm going to pull the Ikon up and add some Zeal tape as well as a ziptie with rubber fuel line. Thanks for that!!!

 

[Derek]

Hey Paul...I just wanted to let you know that the USB cable showed up today. Thank you for that!!!

 

[pvolcko]

Cool beans, use in good health.

 

[heli-maniac]

Sounds good, Dirk! I have attached my Ikon with just a single layer of heavy duty 3M tape but after reading that thread with the mod, I think i'm going to pull the Ikon up and add some Zeal tape as well as a ziptie with rubber fuel line. Thanks for that!!!

All you need to do is layer 2 or 3 pieces of 3m tape
If it were a Nitro you might need the other stuff but not on a elc.

 

[Derek]

...two or three layers of 3m tape....will do. Thanks Jesse!!!

 

[heli-maniac]

Yep i have been using 3 on my helis works great

 

[Westy]

Nice heli Dude! ..... good to see your skills have improved !!! stepping up to the big league huh?

 

[Derek]

Thanks Westy! Yeah...I'm still trying to improve...on the sim and with my 500. My 500 is flying very well. Now I have this opportunity to have a 600 size. This is going to be awesome!!!

 

[Derek]

Tony helped me with this question the other day but I honestly have forgotten what his suggestion was. Here is a video that shows my wiring on my 600 and I have an odd wire that I don't know what it's purpose is. I asked a guy at my local hobby shop today about this wire and he arrogantly told me to just cut that wire out and move on. Because of the tone of his reply, I don't know if I can trust his word. So..I'm now asking the RCH World.

Odd wire on Trex 600 Pro DFC - YouTube

 

[Tony]

That wire is to keep the ESC and the BEC both grounded together. You can keep it or remove it. Your choice.

 

[Derek]

being "grounded" is a good thing, right? What could possibly happen if I remove that wire? Nothing bad, I hope!

 

[Graham Lawrie]

Hey Jesse...I got the landing struts going the correct way now. not sure why I did that before, lol.

You also said to get the Heli Option canopy mount that attaches to the frame. This will hold the canopy in the front, very similar to my 500. You also said to just get the quick release mounts and use them on the top. So, you are saying to use nothing on the bottom two holes? Why is that?

Hi Derek, I change the rear strut to face backward on my helis as it gives them a larger foot print for landing.
I dont think there is anything wrong, more personal preference I copied it from someone on the internet. And I think it is a good idea

 

[Derek]

Hi Graham! Yeah...on my 500, I have the rear strut backwards. I may still change the strut around on the 600. I have to agree with your thinking...bigger footprint.

 

[pvolcko]

You need to keep it if you are going to use a separate battery (not your main batteries) to power the BEC, which you indicate in the video is your intent. If you are going to tie the BEC input to the main batteries then it is not needed.

Why do you need it if you're going to use a separate battery? Because the circuits powered by two different power sources will end up with common (black/negative terminal on the batteries) voltages that are different to each other. This isn't a problem if the two sets of electronics do not electrically connect in any way. But in the case of helis they do, through the throttle connection from the ESC to the Ikon. This connection, if it isn't isolated through an opto coupler or other device, will end up having a difference between the Ikon "common" voltage level and the ESC's common voltage, as transmitted through the throttle line. This will result in what's called a "floating ground" (common and ground are effectively the same thing for our purposes here) which can wreak havoc on electronics. At best an opto isolator is used in the ESC (and it does not have a built in BEC) or there will be a small difference and the resulting loop current will be minor and handled by everything without issue. At worst the difference will be large and the electronics in the ikon and ESC will not handle it, resulting in a blown circuit, perhaps at a very inopportune time.

The same phenomenon in AC electronics is what results in "ground hum" in audio equipment, traveling lines of static or color shift in TVs, etc. In AC you can solve it by disconnecting the ground connections (unsafe, but very cheap, this is why people complain of getting shocks from their guitars and mics, usually), using isolating transformers (can be expensive, particularly in higher power applications) or using other filters (more common, moderate cost, usually in medium and high end power strips and power conditioners).

In DC you solve a floating ground/common by tying the commons together close to the source, this will keep the loop current in the jumper where it is safe, make both commons balance out and run at the same voltage level in the electronics they power, eliminating loop currents further up the chain. That is what this jumper is doing. Personally, if you intend to use the separate Rx pack, I'd keep it.

 

[Derek]

I've never been very good at understanding electronics, so I really appreciate your explanation, Paul! I don't fully understand AC and DC but now I do understand that the little black wire needs to stay and I think I'm understanding why. Thank you!

So now....I've got my EC5 plugs, 10ga wire, and my series connector. It's time to do some soldering and maybe even power this monster up today. It's a shame that the winds today are forecasted to be 20-30mph until after sunset, so there won't be any flying today. But....I'll just spend the day cleaning the house up a bit, shouldn't take long, then start the soldering on this 600 and the batteries. Then start working on the mechanical setup.

Getting the Ikon bound to my DX8....that really should be the same process as any other Spektrum rx, right? I'm using two DSMX receivers from the Ikon. So that part should be easy. Then the Ikon setup. Awesome!

 

[pvolcko]

Binding will be the same, mkae sure both sats are connected to the ikon before you do it. And you'll need to go to one of the first screens in the ikon setup to select the DSMX sat option, before binding (before plugging them in, I'd say, though I'm not sure it makes a difference).

 

[Derek]

Awesome! I've been through the Demo version of the Ikon and it looks pretty straight forward. I'm looking forward to getting to that part.