I found out the feathering spindle is 1mm in diameter. Obviously I can't use stock spindles on 4 blade because they can't cross each other at center of hub. I'll have to use something like m1 x 6mm machine screws individually threaded into the hub. It should be an interesting project. I haven't tried machining anything that small before. I've always manufactured heavy machine and automotive parts.

 

Oops, 4-blade might be a little more complicated than I thought. I just noticed the links are right where the two added grips would need to be. Hmmm. (thinking)

 

Never mind the 4-blade thing for now. I ran flight times with the BL motor installed in the Nano tonight. As was expected, the times are down just a bit from the tests I ran on the last stock Br motor (before it went bad). Using same configuration that got me a best 7 minutes running brushed, I only ran just under 5 1/2 min with the BL on my best packs. The Nano now tends to bypass the LVC spool-down (soft landing) mode when the packs get low... and abruptly shuts down and goes into a mad spin downward due to the "braking" action when power is cut. Out of the 14 flights with the BL, I've only seen LVC spool-down maybe 3 times. The other 11 were all "stop and drop". I find this little problem slightly annoying to say the least. I will probably replace the main-leads on the Rx board with slightly bigger wire to see if that makes any improvement. As far as the BL/ESC combo, I'll leave it unmolested to preserve warranty and probably be in contact with HH if I suspect a defect. At worst, I'll tolerate the quirks if it pays for itself in not having to buy more brushed motors.

 

I happened by a LHS today...... 3 200mAh 35c packs, a swashplate, and a 4-way charger splitter...... I'll see what the BL Nano does with stronger packs. I needed a swashplate because the bearing was popping out of the base plate on occasion...... and so the saga continues......

 

Strange little bird, this Brushless Nano. I installed the new swash plate, then tried the new 200mAh Microheli packs, and same story-- "stop and drop" instead of soft-landing mode at LVC. All this with Nano in stock configuration.... right? I decided it a good time to build another prototype set of "indestructible" landing skids from 0.5mm steel rod. Finished and installed, I was about to flight test the Nano, and decided to try my modified mCPx blades again. Bear in mind that both of these changes add weight to the little Nano, so I expected no change in the "stop and drop" problem. stopwatch app armed and ready, I set a freshly charged 200mAh pack and took off...... 7 minutes later, Nano enters normal LVC soft landing mode. 2 more 200mAh packs later, normal LVC landings. Just for shiz and giggles, I tried a 180mAh pack, 5 1/2 minutes later- still another normal LVC landing. I'm assuming the slightly heavier steel wire skids and bigger blades added enough weight to change the voltage/current curve so that LVC voltage threshold is reached before packs are discharged beyond current capability. Bird is yet a little less twitchy as well. I can actually take my hand off the cyclic and scratch my nose without the Nano drifting away toward the nearest available wall. Higher disk loading and increased rotating mass stabilization?

 

One thing to check @Beaver... And i guess your probably already aware of this - check the wire soldering into the battery plug both on the connector side and PCB end too. I found that after a hundred or so connect/disconnects the cable would "fray" and you may loose a few strands of connecting wire. It does not take too many of these frayed wires to actually cause a voltage drop which will rob you of power and also cause auto cutouts.

 

I did retouch those solder joints a while back during one of my LED escapades. I did notice a difference. In this case, adding more current drain seems to have solved the LVC problem. I did consider using slightly larger diameter wire to the Rx board, and I may still do it if power problem returns.

 

regarding weight, what about using slightly thinner wire? Great idea by the way

 

Yes, I may go with a slightly thinner wire on the next set of skids. I also need to work up a different battery holder instead of recycling parts from the stock plastic skids. This is only the second attempt at it. The first one I made a few months ago was similar, but I scrapped it thinking it was too heavy. Turns out, the main motor was going out instead.

 

So another 6 packs run on the BL Nano.... LVC landing cycle still good. Maybe now I can get back to normal now that I don't have to worry about motors anymore. I can get back on with the LEDs, and get some quality fly-time. I need to get back to learning maneuvers. (Hear that @crash??)

 

26mm CF tail boom extension. (What can I say... I couldn't help myself from it.)

 

4 packs worth of flying in the wind, the tail boom extension seems to be working well. The "stop and drop" problem has returned, having gone back to stock 85mm bullet blades. The modded mCPx blades I was using (with no stop/drop) are damaged due to a little help from @Crash Heligod, who showed up and gave the Nano "a little push" right into a steel post yesterday..... broke the eye out of the grip on one of the blades, and demonstrating how brittle they are compared to stock blades. Since the BL motor and ESC seem to behave better with more blade, I will be ordering some 95mm blades tomorrow. I already had that in mind when I stretched the tail.

 

Ok, I'm convinced. BL kit here we come..

 

I ordered a set of 95mm Lynx white bullet blades, and a set of Lynx mCPx white bullet blades for my Nano. Hopefully the Lynx mCPx blades will be made of a less brittle and slightly lighter plastic.

 

The. Mcpx blades fly better - are a little tougher but still break. Best insurance is long thick grass.

 

I agree, but I don't get out in open grass often enough. I have to take fly-time when I can get it, which is usually either indoors or somewhere with plenty of vertical objects around for @Crash Heligod to manipulate. Fortunately, my collision-avoidance reflexes are getting better. A Nano with oversize blades makes an interesting sound when under hard cyclic to avoid a wall. Reminds me of a hummingbird on steroids.

 

Tree-shredding machines are more fun to run when running un-dead bags of bones through them.

 

Remember the "stop and drop" instead of soft-landing at LVC problem I was having with the BL Nano? I sent in a service inquiry to HH last week asking about the problem, and after the usual formalities (proof of purchase, etc), they are not only sending me a replacement BL kit, but are also sending me a new Rx board..... free of charge! I must say, I can't complain about HH as far as their customer service is concerned. The only other issue I've had was a 150mAh pack that puffed on the first charging at only 200mA when it was rated for 3c charging. They sent me a new pack.... no questions asked. With service like that, I might stick with HH a bit longer than I intended.

 

95mm white Lynx blades arrived today. 8 packs later.... I like the new blades. Aluminum swash plate up next. I managed to run the center hub out of the bearing of the plastic swash plate I installed recently, I assume the silly things can't handle the extra torque of larger blades, aluminum grips, and the more powerful BL motor. I'm also ordering some 2mm solid CF rod for the next tail boom.