Helicopter wiring

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		Informational > Tips and Tricks > Helicopter Wiring

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The tools:
Zip ties
Rubber bands
Velcro Straps
Fuel Tubing
Foam Rubber

Whenever you build a kit, one of the things that is left up to the imagination of the modeler is how to route the wiring. Many modelers will ignore the details of where they route their wires, and then experience trouble with interference, gyro problems, or worse. A clean installation can not only make your helicopter look better, but it can also help protect your investment. A poorly done wiring harness may subject the wires to sharp edges that can cu or fray them, or they can get caught up in a rotating part. A single frayed or cut wire can cause loss of control and a major crash. Vibration can wreak havoc on electronics that are hard mounted, causing problems with setup or unexpected failures.

Before You Route The Wires

There are many options when routing wires. Begin by installing all of your servos and start looking for a common route to guide the wires. Avoid routing any wires near the motor and speed control on an electric model. On a fuel-powered model, be careful to keep all wires away from hot engine and exhaust components. Plug the servos into the receiver and make sure you know each servo is in the proper channel before you begin routing. It may be helpful to label each servo load next to the receiver, so that when you are done routing it is easy to figure out which lead came from which servo.

Watch out for those Moving Parts!

If you have to route wires around the main gear, make sure to find a route that you can secure with zip ties. One popular method is to use a short piece of fuel tubing over the zip tie to insulate the wire. This method is well proven and looks good. Anytime a zip is used directly on the servo wire, it is best to insulate it with fuel tubing. Make sure to watch out for not only the main gear, but also the pinion, clutch, tail drive system, or any other part on the heli that rotate or moves.

Like A Glove

Braided sleeving or spiral tubing can be used with good results. These can be expanded to fit over connectors, and wire can be looped over itself and hidden to make it look like a custom installation. It is best to use shrink tubing on the ends to finish the look and zip ties should be sued over the sleeving to secure it.

All Wound Up

Another method involves coiling the servo wires to shorten them, and then securing with zip ties.

Wrap the lead around a tool such as a screw driver.

After coiling the entire length, give a little slack so you can slide the tool out of the coil without letting it come undone.

Plug the wire into the correct channel of the receiver without letting it uncoil.

Secure the coiled wire with zip ties or Velcro straps.Solid Signal For the antenna, make sure that it is not touching any other wires, or anything metal or carbon. Fuel tubing can be used over the antenna to protect and guide it. Make sure the antenna is not routed with any other wiring. For electrics especially, make sure to keep the antenna away from any battery or motor wires. Don’t cut the antenna wire unless you are following the instructions for a base loaded antenna. If the wire is longer than the wire routing tube that comes with the heli, you can loop it back and hold it to the tube with a piece of fuel tubing.

Soft Touch

When mounting the receiver, gyro or any other component that does not have a specific mout (speed control, governor, etc) it is important to isolate these components from vibration. For components other than the gyro, there are several alternative methods:

Foam Rubber: Wrap the unit in foam rubber, and secure it with a Velcro strap or rubber band.

Adhesive-backed Velcro: Apply adhesive-backed Velcro to unit and secure it with a Velcro strap or rubber band.

Double sided tape: Apply the double sided tape and secure with a Velcro strap or rubber band.

Mounting Step-by-Step

Before you begin, wash your hands and be careful not to let dirt or oil prevent a good connection.

Clean both surfaces with denatured rubbing alcohol or motor cleaner before applying double sided tape.
Cut and apply a piece of tape to the component.
Press the component down firmly and make sure you have a solid connection.

Quality Materials

Having motor specifications from the manufacturer will help determine how efficient it is, how well it is made and roughly what kind of output you can expect given your application. Higher quality motors will have a substantially lower No Load Current than lower grade motors. The No Load current is a measurement of the amount of current it takes to spin the motor up with a bare output shaft; with no load. A motor built with optimum materials will give a 1 amp no load while a typical lower grade motor will draw 4 amps. The optimum materials ultimately yield a more efficient power-to-work output with less heat generation. To make an adequate comparison based on the No Load Current specification, group motors together based on similar weight and Kv rating.

Tech Tip

For added security and safety, here are guidelines to aid you in wiring your heli.

It is very good idea to use both double sided tape and a Velcro strap on the gyro. If you have ever seen a gyro fall off a helicopter in flight you know why, and if you haven’t, let it suffice to say you don’t want to know what happens, it isn’t pretty!

For micro electrics that use double sided tape to mount the servo, use a zip tie as well to prevent any movement.

It is helpful to label each servo lead next to the receiver, so that when you are done routing it is easy to figure out which lead came from which servo.

Final Word

The only thing that really matters when you are done is that the wires secured from moving around, and insulated from being cut or otherwise damaged. All components such as the receiver, gyro speed control, governor and so on should be soft mounted to isolate vibration. Taking your time here will pay dividends in the form of a helicopter that is good looking, and protects its expensive electronics from the vibration demons. Personal taste plays a big role here, and making the wiring look clean will show that you paid attention to details and took your time.






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