General Delta Ray issue

[FeWolf]

I picked up a used Delta Ray in excellent condition real cheap, the issue I have is when I plug in the battery the left motor runs at full speed and does not respond to transmitter.
the transmitter is a Spectrum 4xe, I rebound the transmitter and re-calibrated it, all the other controls respond, but the motor still runs at full speed and left motor does not run at all. Any suggestions I would be grateful.

 

[Tony]

This sounds like either an ESC issue or a Rx issue. If you have another Tx, try using that in place of the 4ch Rx and see if it does the same thing. If it does. then you know there is something wrong with the ESC.

Are there two ESC's or just one?

 

[Tony]

Just searched, it's an all in one unit and runs about $80. Ouch. If this were my plane, I would be looking for a replacement for the little 180 motors (go brushless) and put a small Rx in there with two ESC's. However, you would lose SAFE mode. And you would have to set mixes in your Tx to account for Yaw.

 

[FeWolf]

I looked around and found one for 40.00 board, I am doing a motor upgrade to 180 extreme pro brushless, I was trying to keep the SAFE Tech because handicap flier. I picked up the plane for 60.00 with battery, charger, and radio, they sell for 180.00, so still a good deal.
I have been looking at Youtube , and checking out the mods they done. There are some Mad Scientist there
Thank You for your help.

 

[Smoggie]

Tony is right, the Delta Ray uses a 'unique' all in one controller unit that features receiver with 'SAFE' and dual (brushed) ESC's all built in. To replace it you either need to shell out the crazy price for a new one or replace the receiver, two ESC's and motors for alternatives. Theoretically you could keep the motors but then you would need brushed ESC's which are hard to get hold of these days.

You can get all this stuff pretty cheap from the likes of Hobbyking so could do it for less than the $80 Horizon want for the original unit, but it would still add up to quite a cost. You would also be left with problems with the standard 4 channel transmitter because the built in motor differential thrust functionality that the standard receiver has (works like a rudder does on a normal plane) would need to be programmed into the transmitter using mixes, and the standard transmitter doesn't have the capability to do this.

All in all, likely to be quite an expensive repair.... sorry.


Oops.. sorry, I missed your last reply. At $40 for a new controller it's not quite so bad.

Bear in mind that you cant run brushless motors using the standard built in brushed speed controllers. You would need new brushless speed controllers and I'm pretty sure that would also mean that the stock controller unit would have to be replaced.

 

[Tony]

Steve, the 180X motors are brushed helicopter motors, they put out a little more power and weigh 3g less. You have to pull the motor pinion off of the shaft and slide the stock heat sink back in order to get the shaft to stick out enough. But, they do fit in the stock pod. However, you have to use CA to get them to hold a prop, so prop replacement is going to be a little difficult.

And $40 is a much better deal than $80. Keep us posted on how it's going.

 

[FeWolf]

digging through my parts box I found paired ESCs, several receivers and some slow fly props. I learned a trick with the props, Linkage Stoppers, they work pretty good.
Tony I am watching your Motor, ESC, Battery guide!
Checked out my FrySky 6 computerized radio, so I will be checking out programming it.

Question if I go total up grade, should I use dual ESC or single?

 

[Tony]

You have to use dual on this plane. There is no rudder and yaw is controlled by the motors. Which is where the mixing comes into play in the Tx. When you add rudder, you need a mix to tell the motors to speed up or slow down respectively. If you are going to fly this completely bank-N-yank, then you can just run one ESC, but make sure it can handle the two motors combined.

 

[FeWolf]

any suggestions on flight stabilizer board?

 

[Tony]

Quite honestly, on that plane, keep it with the stock board.

 

[Smoggie]

any suggestions on flight stabilizer board?

I've been using the 'HobbyEagle A3 Super II'.. It has a self leveling function similar to SAFE, as well as some other neat features. Having said that i agree with Tony. The Delta ray is so stable that it will virtually fly itself even with SAFE turned off, so I'd question the need for any stabilisation even if you have disability challenges.

PS.. in post #4 you said that the 180 motors you were going to use were brushless? It's important to know if they are brushed or brushless because different speed controllers are required for each, plus brushless must run off seperate ESC's, even if you dont use throttle mixing. Brushless motor have three wires, brushed have two, so it's easy to tell.

 

[FeWolf]

I am thinking it over, I do have the brushless ESC and I do have brushless motors for them, I sent an email out to Horizon Hobbies and waiting for a reply, what they say will pretty much decide what I am going to do.
I could always take the motor and parts out the delta ray and put it on some of the Flite Test planes I build for children and let them have a field day.
'HobbyEagle A3 Super II' and Lemon are on my list of things I need to checkout, I have several planes that I would like to put a good board on, I have been out of the hobby for over 1986, things have come so far I am alittle lost at times. Catching up on the videos made by Tony and reading articles and reviews done by forums community.
Everyone has been so helpful, thank you all!

 

[FeWolf]

Well Tech support called and I told them the truth about buying the plan, they pulled up my account and saw that I had been a great customer, he asked me a few questions about the plane and the test I had run, he said that the plane was out of warranty, and ask why I was using SAFE , I explained to him the deal, and about building planes for local kids, he was going to go above the warranty and replace my board as a Courtesy! That is just awesome of them!
I will still get the gear for a future upgrade as parts I need go on sale for brushless conversion. And I will still buy their products because of this.
I have saved this thread for future reference.
Again Tank You ALL!!!!!!!!

 

[Smoggie]

That's exceptional service! Please report back when you have the new board installed and get the plane in the air.

 

[trainrider06]

Thats a good deal I will have to keep them in mind to check out what they have!

 

[FeWolf]

Sorry been really hammered with family and summer time vacations, I got the new 180 Pro motors yesterday, installed them and gave them a test run on the old board, ( the broke one), before installing the new board. I am painted the Plane in plasti-dip, and going to let it cure for awhile, before I airbrush her. Ordered second Delta Ray raw, for brushless motors and 6x axis gyro.