New to the forums (and a shopping list + Questions!)

[ryanbatc]

I'm Ryan from MN.  Have my pilot's license but cost is far too much to fly at the moment.  I also work air traffic control up here in the frozen north.  Since flying is too much $$$ I've been doing a lot of flight simming (for many years) and only for a few years, flying the super cub lp.  Growing up I always wanted to get into RC planes but we could never really afford it.  I'm surprised at how little one can get into this hobby for nowadays.  Seems with the advances in battery tech (LiPo), electric RC is really the way to start off. 

Anyway, I'm excited I found this forum!  I knew of people modding their cubs (watching YT vids etc) but never knew there was a dedicated forum so I'm quite happy to be here.  I thought I did some good research for my "Performance Upgrade" for the Cub but after reading some posts here I'm unsure if my proposed parts are correct.

For starters I've got the first model LP cub RTF (with the Hobbyzone branded radio, slider for throttle).  My good friend got a later model with Spektrum DX4 (I think) radio.  Another buddy has the older NiCd red cub and we all went flying ...  Was a ton of fun!  So anyway I realize the servos and receiver aren't the best and that I'll need a new radio, Rx, and probably servos if I want to do the brushless performance upgrade.

As I understand there's a few different electric motor possibilities but most people go for the parkseries 480 (whether it be Turnigy or EFlite) from my reading on the net.  

Here's a list of components I think I need to get this done.  I'm just want to make sure I'm not insane because the price for all this is more than I paid for the SC to begin with (technically it's the new radio and Rx that will get me)...

Spektrum Dx6i Radio - $140
Spektrum AR6115e Receiver - $40
HXT900 Micro Servo - $5 for both
HXT900 Micro Servo
Motor Mount - Custom RC Parts web site - $16
Turnigy Park 480 Brushless motor (850kv) - $20
Turnigy Plush ESC 30A (40A Burst) - $12
Turnigy 2200mAh 20C 3S Battery - $10
APC 9 x 6 Prop - $4
Turnigy Accucel-6 50W 6A charger - $23
Hobbyking 105W 15v/7A Power Supply - $14

I also tried to wrap my head around the LiPo tech and how they label the variables involved with those batteries.  For the charger and PSU it seems it would charge my proposed battery in a little over an hour?  I'm confused because it appears that the Accucel will actually charge the 3S battery at a lower rate?  Not really sure on that one.  I also found a Turnigy 3S charger for a few bucks less but it would take around 3 hours to charge a 2200mah battery.

Also, reference the ESC, is the 30A continuous enough for that motor?  The site says 30-35A for the 850kv version.  Do they mean 30A C and 35A burst?  Would you recommend another ESC?

What about the connectors?  Do I need to wire my own on or do all components already have them?  The stock ones is EC3 I think, but it seems a lot of guys are going with the (better?) XT60 yellow ones...

Then I'm concerned about weight of the new battery and the other components.  How will they relate size-wise to my stock components?  What about center of gravity... are there any illustrations out there for how I need to arrange my components.  I'm sure a lot of you have seen that B747 stall and crash due to cargo shifting recently (yuck).  

Is there any other component I'll need?  Also I love to learn new things so feel free to learn me good if you see any issues.

EDIT:  Oops one further question.  All this seems great but do I need to put some ailerons on or will the rudder and elevator cut it?

Thank you for your consideration, 
Ryan

[toff]

Hello and welcome Ryan. Ohh, many questions, where to start? Okay, back to front...Yes, the rudder will definitely cut it, Ailerons are a great mod, but better left until you're happy flying RC ( From what I gather, it is far removed from flying a real plane). Weight is not an issue with the Cub ( not so long ago one of the members flew with half a brick attached, just to see how much weight it would move with), as long as it's balanced on the CG correctly, it's not an issue ( the CG is mentioned many times on other parts of this forum). From the sound of it, you're going to swap all the stock components for your own, so yes, you will have to solder your own choice of connector. I personally use deans, but that's only because I bought loads. The EC3's are fine. The 30 amp will be fine ( Yes it is 35 amp burst, for 60 seconds or less). However, if you are using the 2200 lipo, you will have to modify your battery bay to accept it. Charging lipos- biggy. Many, many Q and A sessions on here, on the battery section. check there. Also best person on here ( God amongst men!) is Flydiver, who knows more than anyone, and is a very helpful chap!
Finally, Yep, anyone who goes the whole hog and totally mods the SC usually pays far more than the original price in goodies to bling it up with.
My own advice is fly with the stock setup until you're happy with it, then mod it up.
Hope this helps a bit!

[hounddog]

Hi Ryan, I too am an Ex PPL who used to fly a Rheims C172 until circumstances changed about 15 years ago and I now find myself down here wistfully looking up at the sound of a 4 pot Lycoming, rather than up there looking down, wistfully wishing I had a pee before I took off.
IMO the best mod you could do as a first try is fitting a 2200 lipo. The extra wing loading really steadies the plane and makes it much more wind tolerant.

Welcome to the forum, although I am cheating here now as I have sold my Cub to make room for a B25 Mitchell bomber.

Regards
Mark

[renard80]

Just my (very) small contribution:

If you are looking to reduce your estimated budget, I can tell you that for more than three years I have charged all my batteries with nothing more than the stock 3S charger supplied by HobbyZone.

Others on here may recommend better chargers but old faithful has always been adequate for me. So, unless the more knowledgeable techies on here advise to the contrary, don't shell out on an alternative charger and power supply.

There, I may have saved you $37!

[toff]

Renard, one of the gifts that age brings ( and yes, I am half your age, I know), is patience. I can understand the need to charge batteries NOW, however, I can always find something to fill the charge time. When I was 16, I was bored, with nothing to do, at 41 I have a few spare moments....I truly pity you Renard, you must be run ragged at your age, with no spare time at all!!!!

Tongue in cheek, my friend!!

[ryanbatc]

Thank you everyone for your responses... interesting about the charger....

Project on hold for a little while. I'm having too much fun flying it around as a stock model hehe.

[flydiver]

Toff is somehow under the impression that I know more than he does about modding a Cub. He's modded one more Cubs than I have.

You have the OLD stock stuff. Absolutely NOTHING but the fuse and the motor (should you want it) can go forward. If you go brushless, then replace everything. Your shopping list is fine.
Renard is using the battery charger for the newer lipo version. You don't have that. IMO it's a very limited charger and I strongly recommend moving up. The AC-6 is fine. I use mine almost every day.

If you think you will be doing an aileron mod and using 4 x servos in the future I strongly recommend looking for an ESC with a SWITCHED (not linear) 3A BEC right off or you'll be replacing that when you move up. More ESC won't hurt anything but your wallet. You'll probably have to go up to ~40A ESC. Switched BEC are rare in 30A ESC.

The TX and charger are the basis of a good fleet. Put you smart money there. It's a bit of shock to realize you need to spend almost as much on a TX and RX as you did on the whole Cub. The reality is for 'cheap' foamies the $$ is in the electrics. Pretty much all the stuff on RTF planes under $200 are completely disposable. The marketing folks have figured out there is about a $100 bottom and $200 top ceiling for entry into the sport. The Cub at least has a few things you can actually use going forward more so for the current model than the one you have.
Note - To actually 'get going' in this sport it's more like $500-600 unless you do a lot of scratch building and squeeze the nickels hard.

You can go lipo with minimal expense. Get a 2200 lipo, do the battery box mod, get a GWS 10x6 prop, pull this jumper to reset the LVC [http://supercubclub.proboards.com/thread/988] but don't fly to LVC as it's too low and will ruin the lipo. Get the AC-6 to charge it. You will think you supercharged it. Less the Spektrum you'll essentially have an LP Cub.

If I were starting over I'd go XT60 for connectors, but Deans and EC3 are fine. Tamiya is not.

Good place for more info on electrics-Bookmark it, you'll need it a lot.
sites.google.com/site/tjinguytech/charging-how-tos/

[toff]

Fly, I was pointing more in the direction of lipos, charging and general batteriness, rather than cub modding.