First build with DB's Junk

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
First build with DB's Junk (Trifecta Build)

Been doing some looking around for ideas to use DB's junk on and will be building a Quanum Trifecta folding tricopter as my first build. Going with a new frame and servo, and the rest will be a mix of my junk and DB's junk.
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thumb-tri2.jpg

Cheers!
LitterBug
 
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jipp

Senior Member
cool, i bouht a trifecta i paid like 17.00 i think hk sale.

it seems like its gonna be a nice frame.. it will be my first tri-copter.

just trying to get healthy here. before i start or finish up a project.. i am collecting parts tho..

right now im collecting parts for a cheap paraglider. after watching the Ft video i said that looks fun till they said how much.. they put most of that cost on the parachute.. well i have to disagree. nylon parachutes in the four foot to 6 foot range are cheap. i picked up a 1.5m chute cost me 12.00 got bored and took it for a test ride in kite form see if it would work, and it works perfect will be a lot of fun.

so i fugue ill be able to build a cheap poor mans paraglider for around 60.00 ( seems like a fun thing to fly, and will look coll in the air. i also want to try and fly FPV under a parachute that is gonna be a interesting experience. ill be sure to take photos and save links etc in case this turns out good. which i do not see why it would not.. but yeah ill document it so it will be easy to build if someone wants too. the only problem with the 12.00 four foot parachute.. is you do not get to pick colors. so yeah i have to sport rainbow brite canopy.. o well from the round it will look yellow i guess. )
most of that money is gonna be on the metal servos im gonna need.. just not sure what servos to buy as the paraglider im using for inspiration only gives specs not a size or brand of servos so no clue what servos i need :( . at least the HK trifecta had the recommended metal gear servo.. along with its internal gearing system i can only assume we will not have any issues with durability..from what i get the reason others do not use this type of servo connection is because there is a patent.. i wonder how much money HK spent to use it.

i hate patents. especially digital ones.. the patents in cell phones is just hurting the industry.. if everyone could share they would all be better off.
rant over. LOL

good luck on your build.. i will be paying attention since im sure you will get yours built way before me. i have not seen any build threads on the trifecta so will be interesting first tricopter, and first tric-copter
chris.


anyhow the main body will be 3/16" hobby grade plywood. that is a project i have on my table riht now. lol
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
i wonder how much money HK spent to use it.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha :D Goodness that felt good. Thanks, jipp. :)

it seems like its gonna be a nice frame.. it will be my first tri-copter.
Tricopters are for madmen. ;)

I am loving the eMAX metal gear servos on my Twitchity mini-tricopter. I would recommend them if you are looking for a sturdy 9g MG servo.

Looking forward to this build, LitterBug.
 
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Darkback2

New member
Now I wish I didn't give up all that wonderful stuff! Notice it is no longer junk. :p Seriously though I am so happy to see all of the stuff that was collecting dust on my desk actually go to use somewhere.

DB
 

jipp

Senior Member
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha :D Goodness that felt good. Thanks, jipp. :)


Tricopters are for madmen. ;)

I am loving the eMAX metal gear servos on my Twitchity mini-tricopter. I would recommend them if you are looking for a sturdy 9g MG servo.

Looking forward to this build, LitterBug.

heh after i typed it out i laughed too..

i also went with the 9g emax metal gear motor they recommended for the trifecta.

here is the specs they want for the para glider esc.. much larger than 9g i think..

dimensions do not matter as i will be building the body/power pod from 3/16" plywood. and aluminum or carbon arms for the esc.

Servomotors: 4kg.cm / 3.5lb.in (22x12x30mm / 0.8x0.5x1.2in) to 10kg.cm / 8.7lb.in (40x20x40mm / 1.6x0.9x1.6in)

unfortunately that does not tell me anything about esc. lol, and of course they use there own branded esc so can not even look up there emplacement part. blah proprietary bs when it need not be.

ill be using the run-cam mobius style cam.. not sure where the FPV Swift cam will go. i did buy a extra trifecta frame i sent to a friend so he can help me design a proper camera mount.. as i have no desire to fly through the camera.


yeah i keep hearing tri are rocket machines :D i will have to take a hammer to my head to make sure im in the right state of mind. :D

chris.
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Now I wish I didn't give up all that wonderful stuff! Notice it is no longer junk. :p Seriously though I am so happy to see all of the stuff that was collecting dust on my desk actually go to use somewhere.

DB

Should be entertaining since there were not three of the same motor. Going to start with 5 inch props on the 2 greens up front and the silver in back since they are close in kv rating. If that won't go, I could arm it with 7-8 inch props on some old 2208 980kvs I have laying around. Just waiting on parts from HK west.

Cheers!
LitterBug
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
cool, i bouht a trifecta i paid like 17.00 i think hk sale.

it seems like its gonna be a nice frame.. it will be my first tri-copter.

Cool beans. My first tri too. Didn't realize that they used servos until I started looking at frames. Was hoping to use DB's junk servo, but it is to big for this build.

Cheers!
LitterBug
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Should be entertaining since there were not three of the same motor. LitterBug

That is interesting. Don't see mismatched motors here very often.

This makes me wanna do a junk drawer build now too.

What are the kvs you are mixing?
 

jipp

Senior Member
id think as long as your esc are the same amperage. and you draw the lowest RPM as your baseline.. it should not be a issue.
,
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
That is interesting. Don't see mismatched motors here very often.

This makes me wanna do a junk drawer build now too.

What are the kvs you are mixing?

2 multistar 2206 - 2150kv up front
1 Luminier 2206 - 2000kv in back

Will be using DB's Afro-ESC 20A ESCs with .5A BECs. There were 6 in the box of goodies. Going to flash them with BLHeli instead of SimonK. (if they are not already)

Cheers!
LitterBug

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LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Did that Lumenier work? Glad if so. You may want to blow it out with some water repellant or something.

DB

LOL, good stuff! It worked on the table with the previously attached esc and no prop. Haven't given it a real load test with a prop yet but it feels smooth. Have not run up the BabyBeasts yet but did check their resistance. Still waiting for the frame. Guess it wouldn't hurt to pull the motors apart and give them a good polish while I wait. :)

Cheers!
LitterBug
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Upon closer inspection, the signal wires hooked to the Lumenier ESC were frayed and could possibly have been shorting out for you. Will be resoldering that ESC before throwing it back in the box. Using the AfroESCs on this build.

Cheers!
LitterBug


AFrayed.png
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Another day that the UPS driver went by... Gives more more time to look at the plethora of ESCs thrust upon me. Looks like the SimonK firmware they were originally flashed with may have had some desync issues so I have gone ahead and thrown the latest BLHeli 14.6 on them. Going to give the motors a quick shot of water-B-gone and polish the snot out of them, test and clean the VTX and camera too.

Cheers!
LitterBug

SimonKgoodbye.png
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Look what showed up today! Let the build begin!
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Kit came with a really good, detailed instruction manual! WTH! :confused: I like to struggle with bad pictures, missing steps, bad translations, etc.... LOL

So far just mocking things up, test fitting, etc. One crucial step that I would add to the manual would be to clean up the rough edges on the rear servo pivot with some 800 and 1600 grit sandpaper. The steel pin had a few rough edges that were not really visible or obvious but caused it to bind up a bit. Probably would have made it erratic to fly and possibly eventually killed the servo. Smooth as silk now.

Cheers!
LitterBug
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
Been going back and forth on what to do for a flight controller on this Trifecta build. Use and old APM 2.5 that is in my junk box, or go new tech. Decided to go with David Windestål's F3FC Racing controller and Baby PDB http://rcexplorer.se/product/f3fc-racing/ and http://rcexplorer.se/product/babypdb/. Going to have to bail on the AfroESCs for this build as the frame is much smaller that I was anticipating. I will be getting a new base plate for DB's Martian frame and use the AfroESCs for reviving it. Will also be doing a build in the fixed wing section with Meehan's FT Trainer which will be powered by one of DB's AfroESCs. (watch for Meehan's FT Trainer powered by DB's Junk ESC)

More to come!

Cheers!
LitterBug
 

makattack

Winter is coming
Moderator
Mentor
FYI, just be aware that the HK recommended servo for the tricopter has resulted in a lot of complaints from people about slop on the tail. My friend had the same complaint after building his. I personally used a digital, metal gear servo that was approximately the same size and haven't regretted it. Pretty solid for my tastes.
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
FYI, just be aware that the HK recommended servo for the tricopter has resulted in a lot of complaints from people about slop on the tail. My friend had the same complaint after building his. I personally used a digital, metal gear servo that was approximately the same size and haven't regretted it. Pretty solid for my tastes.

Thanks for that input makattack! I had been reading similar stories on the rcgroups Trifecta forum after placing my original order. I ordered the forum recommended EMAX ES09MD digital MG servo and am swapping it out before it leaves the bench. Now after ordering the FC, I wish I would have bought the feedback servo David sells. I'll have to wire the feedback myself. The more you know, the more you know! :) Just ordered some DYS XS30A BLHeli_S ESCs to go on. We are going to pump up DB's Junk motors to the max! :)

Cheers!
LitterBug
 
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jipp

Senior Member
hmm, i think i need some links. i also bought the servo that hk recommends. and what ESC with feed back?

hook me up with links please.. as i will be needing them in a month or two depending on my health.
chris.
 

LitterBug

Techno Nut
Moderator
hmm, i think i need some links. i also bought the servo that hk recommends. and what ESC with feed back?

hook me up with links please.. as i will be needing them in a month or two depending on my health.
chris.

A feedback "servo" provides the output from the potentiometer for use by the flight controller for exact tilt position. I am going to use the EMAX ES09MD Metal gear Digital servo and added a feedback wire to it myself. I opened both the EMAX and HK recommended Turnigy servos up tonight. Here is a comparison of the gearsets with EMAX on left:
20160720_211408.jpg

The Emax has a clutchlike mechanism on the motor gear to keep from stripping gears on a stall. The control board on the Turnigy is soldered directly to the potentiometer, and the Emax is wired loosley. To add a feedback line to the servo, simply solder a wire to the center lead of the potentiometer.
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Servo closed back up with feedback line.
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Awesome manual provided in kit.

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Cheers!
LitterBug
 
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