F-18 LED Afterburners
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seahawk1984
Junior Member
I know this might be an old thread, and hopefully someone is still watching it, but I just now saw the F-18 EDF Afterburner video, and would like to do this with my Starmax Grippen. Weather is crappy outside, and looking for something to tinker with today. I don't have a brushed ESC, but I have a 20 amp brushless ESC, and I will only need to use one strip of LED's. Also I run a 4cell battery on my Gripen. I was wondering why I wouldn't be able to use the brushless ESC, I know it has 3 leads coming off of it for the motor, couldn't I just use two of them, and remove the 3rd, or tape it off? I don't think I the current draw from a few LED's would hurt a 20amp ESC, and I don't see a reason why I couldn't use the brushless ESC, just wanted some confirmation. I know that it might have been recommended to use a brushed ESC for cost reasons, but since I'm not currently using this brushless ESC, I was thinking about using it for this project.
Thanks for any help you may have to offer. :applause:
Thanks for any help you may have to offer. :applause:
No, you can't use a brushless esc with a brushed motor. Brushless motors are powered by alternating current. The brushless esc is an inverter that converts the dc battery to alternating current. Brushed motors are direct current motors.
Here is some info on the difference between the two: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brushless_DC_electric_motor
Here is some info on the difference between the two: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brushless_DC_electric_motor
seahawk1984
Junior Member
Thanks for the response, but what I was asking was if I could use a brushless esc to power the LED's for the afterburner, or I was just thinking, could I take the two power leads from the LED's and just solder them to two of the EDF motor leads? Would that create a power problem for the EDF motor?
Just ordered 30A brushed ESC and yellow LED strip from AR warehouse. They didn't have amber. I assume yellow is it? http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...lexible_Strip_Yellow_1mtr_AR_Warehouse_.htmlz
Will be putting in my Freewing 64mm F-86. Only want them to light up at full throttle. How is this adjusted?
Will be putting in my Freewing 64mm F-86. Only want them to light up at full throttle. How is this adjusted?
Foam Addict
Squirrel member
Hey Sabre,
Unfortunately no, you can't power it from a 4s. I have that exact ESC, and cooked it using a 4cell battery. You will probably have to run a separate 3-500 mah 3s to power the LEDs.
Unfortunately no, you can't power it from a 4s. I have that exact ESC, and cooked it using a 4cell battery. You will probably have to run a separate 3-500 mah 3s to power the LEDs.
No separate 3s battery necessary. The balance plug off the 4s battery is a handy place to tap 3s (11.1) volts for the brushed ESC and LED A/B lights. The LED's themselves do light up fine and xtra bright with 4s. So I may use instead of the brushed ESC, a receiver controlled switch easily mixed on my TGY-i10 with the throttle stick to come on at 75-80% throttle. I think that would be pretty cool. And a bit more realistic. Then I won't have to deal with the extra weight and wiring of the brushed ESC and seperate 3s battery. bench tested ok.
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Foam Addict
Squirrel member
Sounds great! Just make sure you balance charge the battery after every flight, because you will discharge the 3 cells you are drawing the LED voltage from faster than the last cell.
Using Turnigy receiver controlled switch plugged into ch. 6. Using linear mix on my TGY-i10 to light up the pipe at approx. 85% throttle. Full 4s to led's nice and bright. no problem. Works slick. Would light up interior more but had previously painted inside of tail pipe matte black. Will hard wire and flite test soon.
Worked F-4's in 70's. Watched those guys take off. Real fighter jets only use A/B for take offs and a burst of speed. I usually do most of my flying at <85% throttle. So we'll see. I may adjust the threshold to 90. cheers.
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