Old Speedster ESC help needed

Vlad

Uber Noob
So I am looking to build a pair of Old Speedsters so that my grandfather (a former private pilot) and myself (only trained on combat simulators and a full scale Cessna 172) to get into the hobby. I have done a little flying with a S.E.5a from flyzone that I burned the ESC out on within a month. The circuitry is too crazy for me to figure out how to replace it at this time but Im holding onto it for now. I was going through the parts list for the Old Speedster and noticed that some products were resulting in 404 errors and the like. The one that is giving me the most trouble is the ESC. Neither of the links are working and I need to know what alternat one would work. I would like to get it from HobbyKing since thats where everything else is coming from. The battery I will be using is the Turnigy 1300mAh 3s 20C Lipo Pack, the motor is Hextronic 24g 1300kv Brushless, the servos are Hextronic 9 Gram Servo. Not sure if the other equipment matters but that is just for full disclosure. I havent decided on a receiver yet but am thinking about the Hobby King 2.4Ghz 6Ch Tx & Rx V2 (Mode 2) kit. It seems like there is room to grow and it is nicely priced.
 

Ron B

Posted a thousand or more times
I am using a 25-30 amp hk esc as I wanted to use it with bigger motors as I moved up and it works quite well you can always go larger esc but not smaller and always add 10 to 15% over the motor rating.
 

ViperTech

Member
I think you will be fine with a 20 amp esc on that, gives you some buffer zone, I think that motor would work with as low as a 15 amp but I always go bigger on esc's.

I don't know about the HK radios but they have a good price point!

I use the ORX T-SIX but I am looking at the Turnigy 9x really hard, just not ready to pull the trigger yet.

I do know that the Old Speedster is a lot of fun, just a little wonky to get in the air, mine always turned left so I had a lot of right rudder in it, the harder you push the motor the worse the left turn, I wound up off setting my motor with washers to the right and that helped a lot!
 

Vlad

Uber Noob
Thanks guys! I didnt know that you could always go bigger on the ESCs. As far as radios, I have a Tactic radio that I got with the S.E.5a and didnt know if that would work with any other SLT receiver or if it had to be from Tactic. I am very new to scratch building and flying in general so any help you guys can provide with that would be awesome as well.
 

raphino

Junior Member
Hey Vlad! Yeah Viper Tech is right about the ESC. I am also going always at least for the 20A. You'll have enough room getting a bigger motor. I've already used http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=15202 for 7.13 Dollars and it works just fine. You can even programm it if you wish.
Just a tip about the going left on the old speedstar: Josh metioned it in the build video I guess. It is coming from the tork of the motor. Thats why he installed the wing so, that it is longer on the right side to produce more drag. Just check out the video. I'm not quite sure if I am right about the right side.
And in Question of the Transmitter: I just love the spektrum radios. You can get some really cheap DX6i and have the ability for mixing. But the best part for is to use the cheap orange receivers (6ch Receiver for 12 Dollars). Inspite of some are claiming about them, I had never any issues with them.
And for the motor: I'm not really a huge fan of the hextronik 1300. Have one of these, but with 3S and a 8x4 the amperage is to high already for the motor out of my experience. For this kinda build I really like the NTM 28-26 1200kV. You can fly it with a 8x4 prop and its really low in wattage but produces enough for the FT speedstar. Add a bigger Prop and the motor gives you more power. Or fly economic with 8x4;)
 

Vlad

Uber Noob
I would like to keep it as close to the build plan that the FT crew has laid out so that I have a good foundation to build off of. It is easier for me to listen and watch Josh put together a powerpod with the components I have than to read a description of how everything goes together. My grandpa and I want to fly rather slowly so a smaller motor would be a better idea. Eventually I would like to get my grandpa to fly some crazy fast Blue Angels FPV setup where he can be the acrobat he should have been. I think with the right wing we will just put a penny or something on the wing tip if it still has the bad tendencies. I think the best way for me to learn about the radios and receivers would be for me to get my hands on one and feel it out. I think there might be a few little clubs in the Toledo area that I will have to check out. Thanks for all your help, everyone!
 
Just my 2 cents, I've built about 10 planes so far and here are some suggestions - first off start with the old fogey it may not look as cool but I've flown both and the old fogey is a more enjoyable experience, on a calm day it pretty much floats, my little brother was doing touch and goes on is first time flying. (1450kv turnigy 2822 motor, 20a esc, 1600mah 20c zippy lipo, 8x4.5 SF prop, and some fun bouncy landing gear)

go bigger on the ESC, it gives you room to grow to a bigger motor, that plane will easily carry a 30a if you want for the couple bucks more why not? unless your building gliders or micros the extra weight won't change a thing

the hextronic motor will run on a 15a but it will also run on bigger of course. I suggest going instead with the turnigy 2822 1450kv motor, i've used an 8x4 and a 7x5 prop with great results on several FT planes, it's not a power house but it is much better than the hextronic motor IMO. I also was very pleased with the speed as a beginner on the FT22 and the FT Bloody wonder. the 24g motor did better on those planes with a 7x5 prop but not nearly as good as the turnigy. the NTM motor is a good choice as well I have one of those and have been using it on my spitfire and been pretty happy but I think I would have liked the increased speed from the NTM 2826 1350kv.


as far as radio, If your certain you are going to get crazy in the hobby just get a good 9ch Tx. I have been doing this 6 months and am now venturing in to FPV and multi rotors and now I only have 2 channels to turn stuff on and off or to do pan tilt on cameras. I did however buy the flysky fs-t6 and have been very happy with it as far as 6 channel receivers go. it has a 20 model memory extra receivers are 12 bucks and it's $55 delivered from hobbypartz.com

that's how I got started. I now have enough electronics for 5 different planes because I got tired of swapping pods and have also started building non swappables I usually take 2-3 planes to the field often something goes wrong or needs an adjustment I just happen to not have the tools to fix in the field. anyway...

sorry for rambling

- Jes
 

flatblackratrod

Junior Member
I agree with vipertech that the old speedster is "Wonky" to get in the air, in fact its the only flitetest build that I have built so far that I couldn't get to fly acceptably (I have built ft flier, ft delta, spitfire, baby blender, versa wing, and bloody wonder)
Of the planes I have built I would highly recommend the ft flier as a first plane, it is an extremely forgiving build and very easy to fly. Also if you crash it and happen to break something its literally a dollar to fix assuming you only hurt the airframe or pod. Unfortunately it just doesn't look quite as cool as the speedster.
Sorry I know I really didn't answer your esc question but I just wanted to let you know my experience with the speedster.