Trex 450X, XL & SE Owers Thread

Each helicopter has a sticky thread and any other good threads of that helicopter can be linked to the sticky thread here.

This is the sticky all Trex 450 (X, XL and SE) Oweners thread. You can discuss and post anything related to Trex 450 helicopter here. You can create new threads to discuss Trex 450 if you want. If you do, please start your thread with the helicopter name like Trex 450...... so that it is easy for other members to find. Try to name your thread as descriptive as possible and avoid something like I need help or Help.


Links to important information about Trex450 helicopter.

HeliTown's Trex 450 Oganized Link Page
http://www.helitown.com/Trex450.html
http://www.helitown.com/Trex450Page2.html

HeliTown's Bob White's Vidoe Link Page - You need to register with Helifreak to be able to view the videos. Once you are registered, you can download them from the page.
http://www.helitown.com/VedeoInstructionsbyBobWhite.html

Trex450 Assembly Thread
http://helitown.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=79

[eddiemoth]

I ran into this info while researching on something else and thought that it is helpful to some folks who are having problem in the green swashplate http://www.align.com.tw/shop/product_info.php?cPath=22_72_78&products_id=894

[NeilM]

OK, having spent the entire evening going from web page to web page, I am now completely confused.

I have seen a 450X advertised, got pictures and found that although in perfect condition, it appears to be a V1 (????) as the servos have ball links at one end and Z bends at the other.

What is the difference, between all the different models PLEASE ?

Some clarity before I go completely nuts :?

Neil (I think)

[swatson144]

HI Neil,
450x = original
450xl = longer tail and the changes to that date
450se = full bling
450sa = preassembled with parts that HM thinks are best

It has been a long and winding path with many changes and versions of each iteration. Some of them threw tail feathers and some of them had the swash plate separate. Many of the same problems were revisited in the next version. To this day it is constantly changing. Frankly as close as I will ever come to owning one is the blades. There a good bargain is found.

Not dis'g the heli but the consumer is the beta tester, and with competetors like the Dragonous, and varients, there really isn't much reason for me to jump. Besides I'm a bit different.

Steve

[NeilM]

Thank you very much Steve.

I am in two minds at present and to a degree I am thrashing about trying to decide where to get started. There certainly are a wide range of second hand aircraft out there in an equally wide range of prices.

Bling I don't need. Robust is good.

One thing is sure in this very complex world of helis ' buy in haste, repent at leisure'.

Neil

[daniel reese]

I broke a servo on the swash....now I need some replacements. Looking for those replacements has spawned all kinds of questions!

The servos that came with my SE have the Align name on them but no model identifier. The manual specifes "6G" for the tail and "9G" for the swash...But...they seem a bit hard to find.

First off, why are there two different kinds of servos for swash and rudder in the first place?
And what's the difference between "digital" and "analog" servos?

I've found 6G servos at Grand RC but no 9G servos...They have "9X" and "9XP"...is there a difference?

Also, Ive read on other threads about BECs....that the right BEC will marginally lengthen flight time but will significantly reduce heat in the ESC and prevent the ESC from shutting down and killing power to the servos- with the right BEC, the ESC might shut off the motor but the the BEC will maintain power to the rx and the servos allowing an autorotation recovery.

Is the Align 35A ESC good enough or should I put in a BEC...how does one install a BEC anyway? I havent had it shut down yet but it does get pretty hot. Id rather put in a $20 BEC than watch my rex immitate a brick! But, then again, I dont want to add more stuff to the helicopter just because some internet blogger said I should.

I dont need to spend oodles of cash upgrading to fancy 3D capable, uber-fast servos & such- im just toolin round the yard- so Im just looing for an OEM or similar equipment that will do the job and not cost me the other arm and leg.

Open to any and all suggestions & hoping for an education.

[eddiemoth]

Hi daniel reese,

Steve responded to my question about BEC on my Hurricane 550 and it could be applicable to your question as well. I don't use a BEC with my Trex450.

"On the BEC a 3A linear is marginal at best on 3S. Most of the people complaining about ESC heat are actually complaining about the BEC's heat. Here is how it breaks down. Let's say you pull 1.5A on the electronics, and have a 3A linear BEC. A 3A would be (IXE=P 3AX5V=15W) a 15W device. Now the simple formula for figuring how much power a LR disipates as heat stepping down the voltage is Vin-Vout X I=P. So 11.1-5*1.5=9.15 so a device that can dissipate 15W total is using 9.15W as wasted heat just to step down the voltage at that current. The gear is consuming 7.5W (still assuming 1.5A) so with out really good cooling you are in a heat dissipation deficit at 1.5A on 3s. Depending on the LR used you are headed for it's thermal cutoff temp. If that temp is reached the LR shuts off until it cools leaving you without control. Different servos pull different power and very few times will the manufacturers share the working current with us.

Yep a Switching BEC is your buddy. I also don't use one on the X400 but I'm running S3110 servos that aren't exactly power hungry. If I were to switch to HS65 etc I'd probably put a switching BEC on it for some safety margin. It gets hot here!"

You can solder your BEC input wires to the ESC input wire per Hyperion Titane owner manual. I am asking about the BEC wiring alternate wiring here http://helitown.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8856#8856 I am sure either Steve or Martin will answer it once they see it. I think it is OK but I just want one of our Tech Support to confirm it in case there are any concerns I may not know. If you can do it to the battery output wires, you don't have to turn on ESC when you want to test your receiver or servos.

For the servo, if you can't find the same kind you need to replace all three I guess. I use HS-65HB servos on my Trex for swash. They work pretty good.

[daniel reese]

Eddie,
Thanks for the response.
Coincidentally, Dyami and I were just talking about the same servo/rx testing system.

We wanted a way to test servos and set linkages & etc without draining a battery and since the Align 35A ESC will go up to something like 15 or 16v (I dont remember offhand) we made a rig to attach a 120vAC to 12vDC converter (whcih we use to power our LiPo charger/ballancers) to the battery plug on the helicopter: the 12v output dongle is soldered to a battery lead that mates to the battery plug on the ESC. That way the ESC is supplied with an (endless and constant) 12v (just like a peak charged 11.1v LiPo) allowing all the bench testing we could need. (of course, for safety the motor is unplugged).

Maybe this has some bench application for your needs.

Still tryin to school myself up on servos and when one needs a switching BEC....

[Sleepstalker]

Just a tip for those looking for good bulletproof AC to DC power supplies 15-20 amp , google or check your phone book for the local Amateur/Ham radio club . Those guys run power hungry 12 volt mobiles at home as base stations . Being a thrifty and friendly bunch just ask where to get the best deal on a power supply! Trust me ...They WILL know...Sleepster... 8)

[eddiemoth]

Hi daniel reese, thanks for the info. When talking about these things: voltage, AC, DC, etc. I have to read it word by word again and again to understand it. I had never thought I needed to know all these until I got addicted with heli so I am learning both heli and electricity now. Please share more info if you learn anything new.

[G-MRM]

Hi daniel reese
Another way to set the servos up is to remove the ESC cable from the Rx and just plug a 4.8v battery pack into the Rx. This will power it all up but not the motor. You could even use 4 good AA cells in a holder !

This is easy for me as I fly larger nitro helis and you always have a spare 4.8 Rx pack or two in the flight box, however they are cheap and worth having one for testing my small helis !!

[swatson144]

I do this also even though I don't fly an RX pack. You can kill two birds with one stone if your charger will also do Nixx cells. Buy a 4 AA holder from radio shack etc, and a fairly long servo extension. Cut the servo extension in 1/2 and attach the male end to the battery holder, and the other is the charging adapter. You can now charge AA for the digicam etc and use it for bench power on a heli.

I wouldn't fly with it but it's handy. Especially if your TX uses servo connectors on the battery. I haven't used a wallwart charger in years and run 2100mAH nimh in my TX. I keep a Piranha Digital in the house for dealing with NiXX.

Steve

[eddiemoth]

Thanks, Martin and Steve. I dropped by at another newly discovered LHS today and I saw the 4 AA holder by Futaba for $5 so I got one. It is neat to have it handy.

http://www.helitown.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10006/batterybox.jpg

[swatson144]

Pls Eddie don't fly with it! Bench tool right?

It seems you need to come to the Right coast and discover some new LHS around here. :lol:

Steve

[basic]

Question -

Does anyone have a good set of vendors which to buy parts for the 450 series heli's online? I know the helihobby, grandrc, and helidirect. Maybe we could start a list of URL's that have parts for each model heli and our personal experience with them.

[smegga]

Anyone in need of parts, and are'nt we all.It is well worth checkin out- www.wattsuprc.com.au . They supplied a bsolutley everything for my SE V2 including night blades and cold light string ( post pics soon) at a good price, with great service. my problem now is that it looks so good im too scared to fly it.

[daniel reese]

I was getting to the point of being too scared to be adventurous with my 450 til I gradually poured about $5K into a TRex600. Sure realigned my perspective! Now the 450 is my banger toy! Trust me, if you dump your life savings into something even MORE frivolous, then you wont worry 'bout crashing that 450 at all! (LOL)

In all honesty, it took having a really good crash (is there such a thing?) to realize that fixing the 450 was alot cheaper and easier than buying and upgrading it in the first place. After your first real crash, its not so intimidating or frightening to push the limits of your comfort zone.

Go fly, you'll love it!

[aramsdell]

I got a pair or carbon-Tech 350mm blades that Century advertised for the Trex 450. Guess what hits.....
These blades are sweet but I need to stretch longer than XL. I need to have a boom that is about 10mm longer and a matching belt (unless get it from Stock Drive Prod)

So stock XL/SE boom is 347mm x 12mm. Stock belt is 397t MXL pitch and 2.6mm or approx .125" or 1/8 inch.

I NEED HELP FOR CERTAIN ON THE BOOM. i'm sure I can get a belt for any boom in this range (357+mm x 12mm)

[Eagle513]

Seems to me like a lot of work. Not to pry to much, but may I ask why you feel it neccesary to fly with 350mm blades. I have tried quite a few different blade combos 315's-335's of just about every combination and I have found that I like the good old basic 325mm woodies by Align.

These seem to react and fly the best.

By changing the length of the blade from 325 to 350 I think you may end up with quite a few other problems other than just needing a longer boom and belt. Have you considered the extra drain on the motor and battery to spin those yet.

I don't want to sound like I am saying you are wrong for trying, just curious why the larger blades.

[swatson144]

Man, most people don't like 335mm on the trex 450, in fact many who think they liked the 325's go back to 315 after a while. I'm thinking matbe you are trying to change the roads to match an error on the map, when it's probably easier and better to fix the problem.

Having said that the BP explorer uses a 12mm CF boom ~390mm.
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=A2155764&pid=XPL128

SDP-SI also has a belt calculator on the main page which is handy

Steve

[Eagle513]

I really like the 325's. They perform great for me. I am not doing crazy 3d stuff, just upright forward flight and hovering. But to me they seem the most consistant.

Maybe it is because that is what I learned on, but I doubt it. The 325 woods perform the way I think they should in my head and all the rest don't.

It is really personal preferance to match the way you fly. Like a nascar driver's and pit crews, although the crew wants one thing, they make the car perform better around the driver. Not force the driver into something that doesn't feel right.

[swatson144]

Not knockin ya man. That post I made with the 325/315 opinion was posted about the same time as your post and I didn't read yours before posting it. Certainly wasn't meant as a correction or saying you are doing something wrong.:)

That happens a good bunch with me as I tend to have the "reply to thread" window open for some time before posting. Someone scoots a message in and mine looks like a disagreement.

Steve

[FlyGuy]

Just got my 450 up running 4 flights so far.
What a bird ! ! !
I put a 13t pinion with the scorpion HK II-2221-8 motor
Hitech HS65 MG's on cyclic, and the Futaba 401 with S9257 tail servo.
I got the carbon blades. But still using the woodies.
The RX is the spectrum 6100 and the DX6i TX
It is the HK 450 from Hobby City.
Although, I put the metal head on it, I am still waiting for the metal tail.
But, WOW more than enough power !
I love this thing ! ! ! Almost as much as my 600.

[BobinNJ]

Confused yet again. Okay, I saw the X, XL, SE and SA stuff. I have the SE. Now when I chase parts, I'm seeing V1 and V2. I'm guessing I need V1? Anybody know for sure? Also when I go to 450 parts on Xheli's site, they show some "EXI" stuff. Will that stuff fit too?

[FlyGuy]

You probably have the v1.
And you will want to stay with Align parts.
Unless you use CNC machined parts to replace the old parts.
Just my 2 cents...

[Skytrek]

Have a EXI Blue Ray 450 that I bought about a year ago from Xheli. These are just another in a long line of T-rex knock off's. Although I think they are better than most others, just my opinion! I also like the Copter X version.

I still have mine and have replaced just about every thing on it 4 times and was able to use T-rex parts from the LHS every time. So if there are parts to an EXI that aren't interchangeable I have not broken it,.... YET!!

I have switched to larger helis for the stability, cause I was tired of crash'n my 450 Every---Dang----Day! I hope to go back to it after a while, maybe by then my skills will be more suited for the jerky little thing.lollollol

[estarter]

The main difference between the V1 and V2 head is the featering shaft / spindle, V1 is 3mm, V2 is 4mm dia. The blade grips in V1 has 3 bearings, V2 has thrust bearings.

[BobinNJ]

Thanks to all for clearing it up. I have a Rapter .30 but getting it out and fueling and charging the glow and the starter battery and................
The 450 just works for letting off steam in a world where there is just not enough time. That is until I hit the ground. Got a case for it at Christmas. Going to take it along when I travel so I can unwind anywhere. Lets see how many states I can crash in :-)