mike.chuanshi
Member
Part 1 (Background and Preparation):
Motivated by the frustration that has resulted from: 1) the lack of power the Delta Ray has, and 2) the short lifespan of the stock brushed motors, I have spent countless hours researching and planning an upgrade which will be broken down into several stages. I’m putting this all together in a little write-up in hopes that it will help others who also want to upgrade their Delta Ray; I really wish something like this had been available for me, especially since I was new and had limited background knowledge when I first starting seeing the need for an upgrade.
The first stage of this upgrade will be a fairly simple swap of motors: take out the stock ones and put in Xtreme Pro 180s. The XP180s are the same size as the stock motors (180-size) but have significantly more power - they are said to be the most powerful 180s currently available. By keeping brushed motors in the plane for now, the upgrade will be kept simple and straightforward since it's basically just a "drop in." It will also allow the SAFE features to be kept in the plane and make it so that the pilot doesn't need to worry about frying the integrated flight control board. All that will be needed on the part of the person doing the first stage of this upgrade will be a little r/c airplane vocabulary, the ability to obtain the motors, and the ability to solder some wires onto the motors (this isn’t hard – I have fourth grade students who do it regularly).
The information I am going off of is from others who previously modified their Delta Rays in similar ways, some of whom tried various upgrades (brushed, brushless, swapping out electronics, etc.) with mixed results. My intent is use and share methods which have been tried, tested, repeated, and verified by several sources. It's also worth noting that in many cases those who did similar upgrades made numerous flights over a period of several months - therefore their success (or lack thereof) can be validated by many flight trials and different pilots with different planes.
After completing the first stage of this upgrade, my own tests and trials will be done in a moderately high wind environment (15-20 mph with gusts to 25 mph), with winds that consistently blow from the same general direction and where it is warm and humid. The upgraded Delta Ray will be tested with a DX4e transmitter since this is frequently used by many pilots (especially new ones) and because it is included as a stock part with the RTF version of the plane. With the exception of the motors, no other parts will be changed or modified during the first stage of upgrade or during the initial testing of the motors.
If the upgrade is successful, the next stage will involve replacing the stock battery with a 250 gram, 2 cell (2S), 5000mah LiPo battery to increase the plane’s endurance. According to Davide Monda, who has tried several different types of upgrades on the Delta Ray, the plane should be able to handle a battery of up to 250 grams. In a high wind environment like the one that I am flying in, this added weight can be advantageous.
Xtreme Pro 180 Electric Motors:
The Xtreme motors are produced by Xtreme Production, a company based out of Hong Kong, and were originally intended to be used in helicopters (Esky, Blade, etc.). The particular motors to be used in my DR upgrade are the Xtreme Pro 180 (A) and Xtreme Pro 180 (B) - the (A) and (B) designations being indicators of which way the motors spin (one spins clockwise and the other counterclockwise). Because the Delta Ray is designed to fly with two propellers spinning in opposite directions, this characteristic must (of course) be preserved. Xtreme Production is now producing the third generation of this motor, which means that this motor has been through mass field testing and then refined/improved a couple of times. The motor features a ventilated metal case, a “quick change” carbon brush system, and ball bearings at both ends.
Compared to the stock motors, the XP180s are far more efficient, and therefore produce more thrust while using less power. For anyone concerned about the motors drawing too much power from the battery or through the ESC, this should provide some peace of mind (this was a major concern of mine, especially since I could not get any reliable information on the rating for the stock ESC). Several pilots who completed the motor upgrade have said that they tested out the new motors by putting them at full throttle and doing a series of acrobatics – basically anything they could think of to drain the battery as quickly as possible. From what I have gathered from them, the test results have all been positive: the motors are not as warm, they get more flight time, and they now enjoy enhanced performance. Reviews of the XP180 are generally very positive: they are reliable, are of higher quality, can be repaired without too much hassle, and provide a reasonable but significant amount of extra power compared to the DR's stock motors. The biggest drawback expressed by those who have purchased the XP180s is the cost - it's about $40 to have a pair of motors sent to a US address from Xtreme Production in Hong Kong.
Some have suggested that lubricating the motors periodically will help keep the motors in good running order. They do, however, caution about using too much lubricant. Apparently one small drop at both ends does the trick, and putting too much can be worse than the motors not being lubricated at all. Common sense tells me that using a lubricant specifically designed for electronics is probably a good idea, and that lubricating in general would be beneficial since friction reduces efficiency and produces heat, and heat is the primary enemy of both motors and electronics. Silicone lubricant is supposed to reduce static electricity and attract less dirt/dust, while preventing the generation of metal particles which could mess with the magnets in the motor. I could be completely off the mark here because I’m not an expert on electric motors, but those are my thoughts on the whole matter. If there are any experts out there, please feel free to comment.
When it comes to installation, some of those who have performed this upgrade have purchased two motors of the same type (spin the same direction) and then have simply switched the wires on one of the motors in order to have it spin the opposite direction. While this may appear to work initially, some of those who did the wire switch reported problems with one or both of the motors and/or the flight controller after a few flights. As explained by John Hendry:
"Running them backwards will cause them to not only wear out faster but will decrease performance because they will create more friction 'digging in' and likely not have as good of contact especially on the Delta Ray with vector thrust control as the FC board will compensate in yaw to keep the faster motor in line with the slower motor."
The lesson here: use the right parts in the correct manner. Don’t make the mistake of simply hooking up one motor backwards and expecting everything to work fine. If you’re going to do this upgrade, get a motor designed to spin clockwise and another motor designed to spin counterclockwise – just as the Delta Ray requires. And then hook them up correctly. Both versions of the Xtreme Pro 180 can be purchased directly from Xtreme Production via their online store at http://www.xtreme-production.com/xtreme/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=241
SPMA-3160:
This may sound like some futuristic artificial intelligence unit, but it’s actually just the product code for the DR’s integrated receiver/ESC/stabilizer (flight controller, board, brick, FC, or whatever you want to call it). Information on this unit seems to be above top secret given how difficult it is to find any specs on it. I’ve asked countless questions about the SPMA-3160 and I either get 1) no response, or 2) an “I don’t know.” This has become pretty infuriating since this information is important for anyone wanting to modify the plane, and it seems to be kept secret because Horizon Hobby doesn’t want people tweaking what they already have – they want people to buy more products and give them money. Maybe I’m just unreasonable, insane, or both, but it seems to me that people ought to get a straight answer when they ask about a product they have paid good money for. Moreover, I believe that nothing should get in their way should they wish to use, tinker, or modify what is now their rightful property. But then this issue is a huge can of worms unto itself…
Anyway, here’s what we do know: the SPMA-3160 is a 2.4Ghz radio receiver, electronic speed controller, and stabilization system all in one. The stabilization technology used is SAFE (sensor-assisted flight envelope) which is a blend of relatively basic sensors and propriety software. For someone who has never flown before, this is a pretty awesome little circuit board. As that new pilot becomes more proficient in their skills and knowledge, however, the SPMA-3160’s flaws begin to clearly show: the most annoying of which is how it has been designed to fail epically if you change anything on it or that is connected to it (and sometimes it will fail even if you don’t change anything).
I’m still waiting for a response from Spektrum and/or Horizon Hobby about the specs for the SPMA-3160, and will share this information if/when I receive it. Of course, any specs that someone else may already have would be very much appreciated.
From the input I have received so far, I have learned that the SPMA-3160 cannot handle a 3S battery - so make sure you keep a 2S in the plane. I have also been informed that putting on bigger props or props with more blades will require the motors to draw too much power from the unit and will cause problems. Blowing FETs (field-effect transistors) seems to be the most common problem for the SPMA-3160. How much the props can be modified, if at all, with the XP180s has yet to be seen.
Next Steps:
My XP180s are due to arrive in 1-2 weeks (I went the cheap route: $7.13 for shipping). After I have everything together, I’ll document the upgrade process for anyone who may want to give their own DR more power and endurance. After testing the upgraded DR, I’ll also share the results. If anyone has any additional information, advice, or suggestions, PLEASE contribute your wisdom.
Motivated by the frustration that has resulted from: 1) the lack of power the Delta Ray has, and 2) the short lifespan of the stock brushed motors, I have spent countless hours researching and planning an upgrade which will be broken down into several stages. I’m putting this all together in a little write-up in hopes that it will help others who also want to upgrade their Delta Ray; I really wish something like this had been available for me, especially since I was new and had limited background knowledge when I first starting seeing the need for an upgrade.
The first stage of this upgrade will be a fairly simple swap of motors: take out the stock ones and put in Xtreme Pro 180s. The XP180s are the same size as the stock motors (180-size) but have significantly more power - they are said to be the most powerful 180s currently available. By keeping brushed motors in the plane for now, the upgrade will be kept simple and straightforward since it's basically just a "drop in." It will also allow the SAFE features to be kept in the plane and make it so that the pilot doesn't need to worry about frying the integrated flight control board. All that will be needed on the part of the person doing the first stage of this upgrade will be a little r/c airplane vocabulary, the ability to obtain the motors, and the ability to solder some wires onto the motors (this isn’t hard – I have fourth grade students who do it regularly).
The information I am going off of is from others who previously modified their Delta Rays in similar ways, some of whom tried various upgrades (brushed, brushless, swapping out electronics, etc.) with mixed results. My intent is use and share methods which have been tried, tested, repeated, and verified by several sources. It's also worth noting that in many cases those who did similar upgrades made numerous flights over a period of several months - therefore their success (or lack thereof) can be validated by many flight trials and different pilots with different planes.
After completing the first stage of this upgrade, my own tests and trials will be done in a moderately high wind environment (15-20 mph with gusts to 25 mph), with winds that consistently blow from the same general direction and where it is warm and humid. The upgraded Delta Ray will be tested with a DX4e transmitter since this is frequently used by many pilots (especially new ones) and because it is included as a stock part with the RTF version of the plane. With the exception of the motors, no other parts will be changed or modified during the first stage of upgrade or during the initial testing of the motors.
If the upgrade is successful, the next stage will involve replacing the stock battery with a 250 gram, 2 cell (2S), 5000mah LiPo battery to increase the plane’s endurance. According to Davide Monda, who has tried several different types of upgrades on the Delta Ray, the plane should be able to handle a battery of up to 250 grams. In a high wind environment like the one that I am flying in, this added weight can be advantageous.
Xtreme Pro 180 Electric Motors:
The Xtreme motors are produced by Xtreme Production, a company based out of Hong Kong, and were originally intended to be used in helicopters (Esky, Blade, etc.). The particular motors to be used in my DR upgrade are the Xtreme Pro 180 (A) and Xtreme Pro 180 (B) - the (A) and (B) designations being indicators of which way the motors spin (one spins clockwise and the other counterclockwise). Because the Delta Ray is designed to fly with two propellers spinning in opposite directions, this characteristic must (of course) be preserved. Xtreme Production is now producing the third generation of this motor, which means that this motor has been through mass field testing and then refined/improved a couple of times. The motor features a ventilated metal case, a “quick change” carbon brush system, and ball bearings at both ends.
Compared to the stock motors, the XP180s are far more efficient, and therefore produce more thrust while using less power. For anyone concerned about the motors drawing too much power from the battery or through the ESC, this should provide some peace of mind (this was a major concern of mine, especially since I could not get any reliable information on the rating for the stock ESC). Several pilots who completed the motor upgrade have said that they tested out the new motors by putting them at full throttle and doing a series of acrobatics – basically anything they could think of to drain the battery as quickly as possible. From what I have gathered from them, the test results have all been positive: the motors are not as warm, they get more flight time, and they now enjoy enhanced performance. Reviews of the XP180 are generally very positive: they are reliable, are of higher quality, can be repaired without too much hassle, and provide a reasonable but significant amount of extra power compared to the DR's stock motors. The biggest drawback expressed by those who have purchased the XP180s is the cost - it's about $40 to have a pair of motors sent to a US address from Xtreme Production in Hong Kong.
Some have suggested that lubricating the motors periodically will help keep the motors in good running order. They do, however, caution about using too much lubricant. Apparently one small drop at both ends does the trick, and putting too much can be worse than the motors not being lubricated at all. Common sense tells me that using a lubricant specifically designed for electronics is probably a good idea, and that lubricating in general would be beneficial since friction reduces efficiency and produces heat, and heat is the primary enemy of both motors and electronics. Silicone lubricant is supposed to reduce static electricity and attract less dirt/dust, while preventing the generation of metal particles which could mess with the magnets in the motor. I could be completely off the mark here because I’m not an expert on electric motors, but those are my thoughts on the whole matter. If there are any experts out there, please feel free to comment.
When it comes to installation, some of those who have performed this upgrade have purchased two motors of the same type (spin the same direction) and then have simply switched the wires on one of the motors in order to have it spin the opposite direction. While this may appear to work initially, some of those who did the wire switch reported problems with one or both of the motors and/or the flight controller after a few flights. As explained by John Hendry:
"Running them backwards will cause them to not only wear out faster but will decrease performance because they will create more friction 'digging in' and likely not have as good of contact especially on the Delta Ray with vector thrust control as the FC board will compensate in yaw to keep the faster motor in line with the slower motor."
The lesson here: use the right parts in the correct manner. Don’t make the mistake of simply hooking up one motor backwards and expecting everything to work fine. If you’re going to do this upgrade, get a motor designed to spin clockwise and another motor designed to spin counterclockwise – just as the Delta Ray requires. And then hook them up correctly. Both versions of the Xtreme Pro 180 can be purchased directly from Xtreme Production via their online store at http://www.xtreme-production.com/xtreme/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=241
SPMA-3160:
This may sound like some futuristic artificial intelligence unit, but it’s actually just the product code for the DR’s integrated receiver/ESC/stabilizer (flight controller, board, brick, FC, or whatever you want to call it). Information on this unit seems to be above top secret given how difficult it is to find any specs on it. I’ve asked countless questions about the SPMA-3160 and I either get 1) no response, or 2) an “I don’t know.” This has become pretty infuriating since this information is important for anyone wanting to modify the plane, and it seems to be kept secret because Horizon Hobby doesn’t want people tweaking what they already have – they want people to buy more products and give them money. Maybe I’m just unreasonable, insane, or both, but it seems to me that people ought to get a straight answer when they ask about a product they have paid good money for. Moreover, I believe that nothing should get in their way should they wish to use, tinker, or modify what is now their rightful property. But then this issue is a huge can of worms unto itself…
Anyway, here’s what we do know: the SPMA-3160 is a 2.4Ghz radio receiver, electronic speed controller, and stabilization system all in one. The stabilization technology used is SAFE (sensor-assisted flight envelope) which is a blend of relatively basic sensors and propriety software. For someone who has never flown before, this is a pretty awesome little circuit board. As that new pilot becomes more proficient in their skills and knowledge, however, the SPMA-3160’s flaws begin to clearly show: the most annoying of which is how it has been designed to fail epically if you change anything on it or that is connected to it (and sometimes it will fail even if you don’t change anything).
I’m still waiting for a response from Spektrum and/or Horizon Hobby about the specs for the SPMA-3160, and will share this information if/when I receive it. Of course, any specs that someone else may already have would be very much appreciated.
From the input I have received so far, I have learned that the SPMA-3160 cannot handle a 3S battery - so make sure you keep a 2S in the plane. I have also been informed that putting on bigger props or props with more blades will require the motors to draw too much power from the unit and will cause problems. Blowing FETs (field-effect transistors) seems to be the most common problem for the SPMA-3160. How much the props can be modified, if at all, with the XP180s has yet to be seen.
Next Steps:
My XP180s are due to arrive in 1-2 weeks (I went the cheap route: $7.13 for shipping). After I have everything together, I’ll document the upgrade process for anyone who may want to give their own DR more power and endurance. After testing the upgraded DR, I’ll also share the results. If anyone has any additional information, advice, or suggestions, PLEASE contribute your wisdom.
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