It also has the advantage that the wires do not run over the edge of the booms and run the risk of being severed in the case of a crash.... Gary: Do you have a supplier for the source of the external sheathing? Andy.
Other con after my first two test flights is a bit tougher to carry since you don't want to pull on the wires. Just need to pay attention.
Another benefit is loads of weight saved on reduced wire length! All the skunkworks machines here have external wires these days FWIW. Tabb
Andy two sources. www.electicalhub.com has some short lengths available. Product is called Flexo PET 10mil Braiding Sleeving. I got 1/8 and 1/4 from them. About $6 per 25 feet. But I found those sizes just a bit small. Flexo also makes PET Clean Cut. Supposedly doesn't unravel quite as much when you cut with scissors. Couldn't find that anyplace but DigiKey. Only in 100 ft roles so I am set for life. Bought one each of 3/8 and 1/2. Finding that I am using more of the 3/8 and the 1/4 than anything else. Put a piece of shrink wrap on the ends, shrink, and it look really good. Also make any exposed cabling look neater. I know that it will improve my flying.....
Let me know (via email) if you'd like to sell some of the PET Clean Cut 3/8. I hate having to buy larger quantities of stuff than I know I'm ever going to need (and also paying more in shipping than the cost of the objects shipped!) Andy
Markertek sells exactly what you are looking for. It's call flex wrap or tech flex. It's expandable too so you really only need 1 size most likely. Its $35 for a 100 foot roll. I have been using this for years in my classroom installations and it works great. Here's the 2 most common sizes. http://www.markertek.com/Cable-Mana...ble-Cable-Tubing/Techflex-Inc/PTN0-50BK.xhtml $35 for a 100 foot roll. http://www.markertek.com/Cable-Mana...ble-Cable-Tubing/Techflex-Inc/PTN0-25BK.xhtml $18 for a 100 foot roll.
I hooked up a 12 LED cluster from Hobby King. They are pretty bright even despite the close flash of the DSLR. So far the best lights I have tested. They are brighter than the 8mm single NTE light bulbs from at least my testing. I'm looking forward to my 5mm lights from RC lights. Here's the part http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17192__12_LED_Cluster_RED.html
Gary are you using the current limiting resistors that RC has? http://www.rc-lights.com/products/RCL5075.html I got my kit yesterday and hooked it up. The bulbs seem very narrow beamed and not as bright as the LED cluster above. I'm using 2 5mm LED's. I tried it without the current limiting resistors and they blow almost instantly even at 5volts. The adjustable regulator doesn't say exactly how much current it's putting out at 5 volts but it does say its putting out 10 watts so that should be able 2 amps of current more than the bulbs can take without the resistors.
All LED's need to have resistors installed otherwise they blow. There are formulas on the web for determining the size of the resistors. But I used the RC lights 3 way since it has the resistors built in. All their controllers have the resistors on them.
I was being lazy on the current rating of the LED's and should have known better. It's always a good idea to use a current limiting resistor in a circuit (electronics 101) Don't you think the RC lights look to be very narrow beam? Especially in my picture? They don't look narrow beam in your picture though.
HI Ryan I haven't tried to meter it but I think the extension PC board is already current limited and the those lights do take 12V. I am not using any external resistors after the extension PC board and they have been fine. When I soldered the extension PC board together there were several resistors on the board that I"m pretty sure limit the current.
The led strips have resistors built into the strips, those little black SMD's between the LED emitters.
Dave...I have the same set up as you, basically. I find the red cluster up front is better visible when the sun's behind the copter. Installed pointing down at about 30 degrees. So far so good. (Sorry about all the floral arrangements...have to "share" my space)
What lights are those? Those don't look like the lights I purchased from Hobby King. Did you make your own brackets? Great idea to angle them down.
Dave...these are Hobby King 12 LED clusters mounted in the Baja Headlight Housings...they snap right in. I had to modify the housings (cut the existing mount to roughly 30 degrees) to get the desired angle and to fit the mounting locations. For the back housing, I drilled 2 small holes in each side to zip tie it to the top of the landing gear. Heat shrunk and ran wires through the back boom. You'll need to solder some extra wire on the back light...the original length is not long enough to make it all the way through. http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=17189 http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=17192 http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=24802
Thanks, do have a picture up close of the bracket to the boom from behind? It's a little hard to see how you have it. I'll probably have to modify those brackets without the landing gear since I have the 3 axis gimbal. Good find on the brackets.