Skyleader SLX with a must have feature - an internal heater!

[Mike_K]

I thought I ought to post this now, as if I leave it another couple of weeks you'll all think its an April 1st joke!

I've been trying to fly as many days as I can over the winter as a bit of a challenge and I only missed 2 days in Jan and 6 days in Feb, all done with my converted Skyleader SLX and Futaba M6. But one problem these old transmitters have is a metal case that can be rather cold on a day with the snow falling, even when using a Turnigy transmitter muff.

By coincidence I'd bought a heater mat for another project and tested it out on a sheet of aluminium. The result was a nice warm sheet, but not too hot to hold. My next job was to take off the back of the Skyleader for a firmware update and there was a eureka moment when I saw the sheet aluminium back cover. So I ordered up another heat pad, used a heat compound glue to fix it to the Skyleader back cover, connected a 3S lipo and I had a nice warm transmitter.

I had plans to have a menu option "heater on" and thermistor with PID PWM control, but in the end I found that a 12V 12W version was about right on a 3S battery. And there is a spare switch on the bottom of the Skyleader (it originally had an internal charger and you used the switch to select Tx or Rx batteries), so I used that with a 2A fuse just in case. I didn't want to use the Tx battery and could only squeeze in a 800mAH 3S lipo, so you only get around 30 minutes heating, but that is more than enough for 4 x 5 minute flights. Next job is to fit an LED to remind me when it's on. Unfortunately the Futaba hasn't got any spare room in the case for another battery, so is reserved for warmer days

Just don't try this with a modern plastic cased transmitter please...

Cheers

Mike

Heater pad in the back of the Skyleader

Skyleader SLX with Heater Pad switch on the bottom

[PaulJ]

I love it! I wonder who will be the first commercial producer to copy it?

Paul

[Pchristy]

Many years ago, I turned up at the local field to find it 18" deep in snow. There was a frozen layer on the top which was *just* strong enough to support the weight of my "Taurus" clone. My Bonner Digimite had a charging jack on the bottom, connected straight to the NiCads. Not wishing to short out the batteries with melting snow, I placed the transmitter on its side on the snow whilst I started the model.

I managed to take off from the frozen snow, and was enjoying my flight, until I started to become aware that I was unable to feel my left hand! I throttled back and landed (in a shower of snow!) only to discover that not only had my left hand gone blue, but that it was now firmly frozen to the aluminium transmitter!

Lesson learned, and not repeated!

--
Pete

[RON]

Hey Pete,
How do you think I feel with my die cast case creations

Ron.

[Igull]

LOL, great use for a 3D printer heater pad

Bit more 21st century than the 80's when we had aluminium trays with clear blown acrylic bubbles on top (no idea where we got them - I recall something to do with the hairdressing trade ) for slope soaring - really kept the wind chill off.
They were held with a big neck strap (like an ice cream lady at the flicks ) There was a couple of terry clips mounted on the bottom to which attached a Braun styling roller - sans the jaggy plastic bit. Just press the button on the end to start the heater before you went up the hill - nice and toasty all day nearly. The rollers weren't that great quality and died quite frequently - we stopped using them when Braun started using their own gas cartridges rather than just filling them with cheap lighter gas
The new versions might just fit in a Skyleader case for that 80's feel
Cheers
Neil

[Wavemeter]

That is such a good idea Mike!

I suffer from Raynards disease where your fingers turn white and don’t work well enough to fly - this would be a real help