Great Planes RimFire 35 User Manual

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35mm POWER
SYSTEM

Congratulations, you have just purchased one of the RimFire 35mm
power system components. All the components are sold separately
to allow you to customize your power system to your airplane. The
components needed to assemble your complete RimFire 35mm
power system are: RimFire 35mm motor, propeller, propeller adapters
and brushless speed control. This instruction sheet explains how to
determine what you will need and how to assemble each component.

MOTORS

1

Model Stock #

RimFire .10 (35-30 - 1250) GPMG4595
RimFire .15 (35-36 - 1200) GPMG4620

The RimFire motors are labeled to provide the most information at
a glance. For example: the RimFire .10 (35-30-1250) is 35mm in
diameter, 30mm long and has a kV (rpm-per-volt) of 1250.

30mm OR 36mm

4mm

35mm

17mm

Motor Output Shaft

Diameter and Length

4 r 17mm [0.16" r 0.68"]

3mm

Mount Screw

RimFire .10 (35-30-1250) RimFire .15 (35-36-1200)

Input Voltage: 7.4–11.1V Input Voltage: 11.1–14.8V
Max Surge Current: 35A Max Surge Current: 55A
Max Surge Watts: 390W Max Surge Watts: 650W

ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL (ESC)

2

An ESC is basically the device that controls your motor through your
radio system. Never run any RimFire motors with a brushed ESC.
It will not work and you may damage both the motor and the ESC.
Always use a brushless ESC. ElectriFly offers Brushless ESCs that will
work with the RimFire 35mm motors.

ElectriFly Silver Series 35 (SS-35) ESC (GPMM1830) for 35A

•

maximum constant current draw.

The Silver Series 45 (SS-45) ESC (GPMM1840) for 45A

•

maximum constant current draw.

The Silver Series 60 (SS-60) ESC (GPMM1850) for 60A

•

maximum constant current draw.

The SS-45 and SS-60 ESCs come with 4mm female bullet connectors
that require an adapter (GPMM3123) to plug into the 3.5mm male
connectors installed on the RimFire 35mm motors. Also, all of these
ESCs come with a Deans® Ultra Plug® battery connector that matches
the connectors that are found on most batteries that it will use.

(30mm)
(36mm)

19mm

Weight

71g

102g

19mm

[2.5oz.]
[3.6oz.]

PROPELLERS

4

There is a wide selection of propellers available for electric use. The RimFire
35mm motors use high performance slow fl y electric props. The larger the
propeller used, the more current your motor will draw. The smaller the
propeller, the less current the motor will draw.

Shown are a few of the recommended electric props. Due to the large
range of propellers and the constant addition of new sizes, visit our web
sites at www.electrifl y.com and www.greatplanes.com for the most up-to­date listing of electric type props.

APCQ0945 9
APCQ4118 9 × 6 Electric APCQ4130 12 × 6 Electric
APCQ4120 10 × 5 Electric APCQ4136 12 × 10 Electric
APCQ4123 10 × 7 Electric APCQ3065 13 × 6.5 Electric
APCQ1055 11 × 5.5 Electric APCQ4022 18 × 10 Electric
APCQ4128 11 × 7 Electric

5

The RimFire 35mm motor comes with a prop adapter that mounts directly
to the motor case. If the RimFire 35mm motor needs to be mounted so that
the prop is mounted on the motor shaft, the motor requires a 4mm prop
adapter collet type (GPMQ4965), or set screw type (GPMQ4936).

6

Cells can be connected in series or in parallel. Usually batteries are labeled
by their number of cells such as a 3-cell LiPo. This means the cells are
connected in SERIES (S). Arranging batteries in series gives you more
power (higher voltage).

Each LiPo battery has 3.7V, so a 3-cell LiPo

•

battery has 3.7×3 = 11.1V

If you need a higher voltage than what is available in the LiPo battery line,
you will need to connect two battery packs together in series. If you need a
battery voltage of 14.8V you can use the Series Y-Connector (GPMM3143)
to connect two 7.4V batteries together.

If a battery is arranged in PARALLEL it might be labeled as (P). Arranging
the batteries in parallel will give you more duration (more capacity).

All LiPo batteries have a rated discharge that must not be exceeded or the
battery will be damaged. They may say 20C max. discharge rate or 25C
max. discharge rate. This means that the discharge rate (current draw of
the motor) must not be more than 20 or 25 (20C or 25C) times the capacity
of the battery. The capacity is expressed in milliamp hours (2200mAh). It
can also be expressed in amp hours (2.2 Ah).

A LiPo battery with a capacity of 2200mAh with a 25C discharge rate can be
discharged at 55 amps, 2.2Ah×25C = 55 amps. If the power system draws
more than 55 amps, the batteries will have to be connected in parallel to
increase the capacity. Two 2200mAh batteries in parallel have a capacity of
4400mAh or 4.4Ah×25C = 110 amp discharge rate.

ElectriFly offers a full line of LiPo batteries. Airplanes that use the RimFire
35mm motors will typically use batteries with a capacity of 1300mAh to
3350mAh with the higher capacity batteries delivering more fl ying time
but also being heavier. All of the batteries have connectors that fi t the
recommended ESCs.

Due to the constantly changing battery technology, check out the ElectriFly
web site at www.electrifl y.com for the most up-to-date listing of the
ElectriFly battery line.

Stock #

GPMP0504
GPMP0505
GPMP0510
GPMP0511
GPMP0514
GPMP0515
GPMP0519
GPMP0520
GPMP0521
GPMP0540
GPMP0541
GPMP0542

× 4.5 Electric APCQ4129 11 × 8 Electric

PROPELLER ADAPTERS

GPMQ4936 4mm
Set Screw Type

BATTERIES: NUMBER OF CELLS

Voltage

7.4V

11.1V

7.4V

11.1V

7.4V

11.1V

7.4V

11.1V

14.8V

7.4V

11.1V

14.8V

Capacity

1300mAh
1300mAh
1500mAh
1500mAh
1800mAh
1800mAh
2200mAh
2200mAh
2200mAh
3350mAh
3350mAh
3350mAh

Weight

2.7 oz

4.0 oz

2.9 oz

4.3 oz

3.6 oz

5.2 oz

4.4 oz

6.3 oz

8.2 oz

6.6 oz

9.7 oz

12.2 oz

(112g)

(121g)
(102g)
(148g)
(125g)
(179g)
(233g)
(188g)
(275g)
(347g)

GPMQ4965 4mm
Collet Type

No. of

Cells

(77g)

(83g)

Type

25C

2

25C

3

25C

2

25C

3

25C

2

25C

3

25C

2

25C

3

25C

4

25C

2

25C

3

25C

4

Procedure #2: If you know the approximate weight of your airplane,
including the motor and battery, and the performance you want from
it, answer the questions below to determine the correct power system
for your plane. You may need to make more than one calculation using
different motors and battery combinations. See the battery section for
some of the battery weights for the suggested batteries.

1. Perform the following calculation to determine the wattage

❏

required:

• If you expect trainer-like performance, then multiply 75 x

Airplane Weight (lbs)

• If you expect aerobatic or high speed-like performance, then

multiply 100 x Airplane Weight (lbs)

• If you expect 3D or extreme performance, multiply 150 x

Airplane Weight (lbs)

2. The number you get is the minimum wattage you will need for

❏

your plane to perform as you wish. Watts = current (A) × voltage
(V). Using suggested power system combinations for reference,
determine what combination gives you the performance you
want based on wattage and maximum propeller size that will fi t
on the plane.

3. Choose a battery voltage within the recommended range of

❏

the motor.

4. Determine the battery capacity needed based on the current draw

❏

of your system and your desired fl ight time.

5. Determine the ESC you need based on the system current draw.

❏

In addition to these two procedures, you can also visit the Great
Planes ElectriFly web site for descriptions of the power systems
recommended for our line of electric and glow airplanes as well as
more detailed explanation on the subject.

RECOMMENDED

SETUP

RimFire .10
RimFire .15

3S Battery, 8r4.5 SF Prop

3S Battery, 10r7 E Prop

3S Battery, 9r4.5 SF Prop

3S Battery, 11r7 E Prop

Understanding Motors

kV (rpm/volt): This is a number that gets thrown around quite a bit

when talking electrics and it is important to know what it is. kV is
the number of rpm a motor will spin per each volt applied (rpm/volt)
under no load.

This means that a motor with a kV of 1000 when connected to a
12V battery will try to spin at 12,000rpm (1000×12) under no load.
Likewise a 3500kV motor will try to spin at 42,000rpm (3500×12)
under no load.

When a propeller is attached to the motor, the motor will try to spin
the prop at the rated kV. Depending on the diameter and pitch of the
propeller (the larger the diameter or higher the pitch, the harder it
is to spin), the motor’s current draw can be increased or decreased.
There are meters available from your hobby dealer that measure
current and voltage.

Because every motor has a maximum current it can take based on its
design and cooling ability, the maximum size of propeller that can be
used with each motor can be determined. If the propeller is too large,
the motor will spin at a much lower rpm than its rated kV, causing it to
draw a lot of current and overheat. If the propeller/fan is too small, it
will require little effort (current) to turn the prop at the rated kV.

Ideally the motor should be matched with a propeller that causes the
motor to draw 80-100% of its rated maximum constant current. Once
a power system is set up, it can be fi ne-tuned by adjusting the propeller
size and measuring the amount of current the motor is drawing.

Please note that the kV of a motor does not change with voltage, but
if a higher voltage is applied to the motor, it will try to spin the same
propeller at a higher rpm. This will cause the motor to draw more
current and possibly exceed the maximum rated current of the motor.
So, if a battery with lower voltage is replaced with one with a higher
voltage, it is recommended that a smaller propeller be used to keep
the current in check. If a higher voltage battery is replaced by a lower
voltage battery, the size of the propeller can be increased to keep the
motor at its rated current.

Another possibility to fi ne tune the power system’s performance is to use
another motor with higher kV to increase the current or a lower kV to lower
the current.

BRUSHLESS MEDIUM MOTOR MOUNT

3

1. Front Plate (1)

2. Back Plate (1)

3. 4-40x1/4" SHC Screw (8)

4. #4 Flat Washer (10)

5. Motor Bracket
(1, not used on RimFires)

6. 4-40x1/2” SHC Screw (2)

7.

4-40 Lock Nut (2)

The ElectriFly Brushless Me-
dium Motor Mount combines ease
of installation with the adjustability to fi t most motor applications. The
Medium Motor Mount is designed to fi t the bolt pattern of the Great

®

Planes

.20 –.48 and .40 –.70 Nylon Engine Mount. This easily allows

the conversion of a glow-powered plane to electric-powered.

(not used)

e

DETERMINE WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD YOUR POWER SYSTEM

7

Now that you have one component for your power system, there are
several different ways to select the rest. In time, experience will help you
to determine what works best for you, but an easy way to determine what
you need now is the following.

Procedure #1: If you know the size of the propeller you want to turn and
the rpm, then look at the chart included in the packaging and:

1. Find the combination that delivers the closest performance to what

❏

you want (refer to the ElectriFly web site for typical combinations), or
refer to the airplane manufacturer’s recommendations.

2. Note the recommended battery voltage.

❏

3. Determine the battery capacity needed based on the current draw of

❏

your system and your desired fl ight time.

4. Determine the ESC you need based on the system current draw. See

❏

the ESC section.

ASSEMBLE YOUR POWER SYSTEM

8

Once the required RimFire motor has been determined, it needs to be
installed on the plane. To determine the best mounting system, the
distance from the fi rewall to the front of the prop adapter fi rst needs
to be determined.

It can be mounted directly
to the fi rewall using
the RimFire aluminum
mounting plate (included
with the motor). or an
ElectriFly Medium Motor
Mount (GPMG1255).
Both mounting systems
are direct replacements
for the Great Planes
.70 nylon engine mount.

Check the airplane in­struction manual for the
correct distance. These
pictures show the dis­tances from the fi rewall
to the front of the prop
adapter using the differ­ent mounting systems.

On the header card, you will fi nd the mounting hole pattern template
for the Brushless Medium Motor Mount and RimFire mounting plate.
If you are replacing a glow engine with an electric motor system,
remove the nylon engine mount and replace it with the Medium Motor
Mount or RimFire mounting plate, using the same bolts to attach it to
the fi rewall. If the fi rewall has not been drilled for an engine mount and
blind nuts, use the mounting template on the header card to locate the
mounting holes. Drill the four mounting holes and install 6-32 blind
nuts from the back of the fi rewall.

MOUNTING PLATE INSTALLATION

9

If attaching the motor to the fi rewall using the adjustable motor mount,
skip to the Adjustable Motor Mount Installation.

Attach the RimFire alu­minum mounting plate
to the motor using four
3x8mm fl at head machine
screws. Apply a drop of
Great Planes Threadlock­er (GPMR6060) to the
screws before installing
them.

Attach the RimFire
mounting plate to the
fi rewall using four 6-32
machine screws and four
#6 fl at washers. Apply
a drop of Great Planes
Threadlocker to the
screws before installing
them. Mount the alumi­num prop adapter to the
motor case using four 3x7mm SHC screws. Use a drop of Thread­locker to the threads of each bolt.

®

.40-

ADJUSTABLE MOTOR MOUNT INSTALLATION

10

Attach the backplate of the
motor mount to the fi rewall
using four 6-32 machine
screws and four #6 fl at wash­ers. A mounting template is
provided with the adjustable
mount.

Mount the RimFire motor to
the motor mount front plate
(front or back) using four
3mm machine screws.

Install the collet or set screw
prop adapter on the motor
shaft or the aluminum prop
adapter on the motor case.
The RimFire 35mm motors
use the 4mm prop adapter (GPMQ4965 Collet Type or GPMQ4936 Set
Screw Type).

Aluminum Prop Adapter Included With Motor

Mount the aluminum prop
adapter to the motor case us­ing four 3x7mm SHC screws.
Use a drop of Threadlocker
(GPMR6060) to the threads
of each screw to prevent them
from coming loose.

Collet Type Prop Adapter Installation

Slide the prop shaft over
the output shaft of the gear
drive or motor. Next slide
the prop shaft retainer over
the prop shaft. Note that the
hole through the retainer is
tapered. Make sure that the
side with the larger diameter
hole is installed fi rst. Install
the spinner backplate (if
used, not included), the prop, prop washer and then the prop nut. Tighten
the prop nut against the prop. This will cause the tapered hole in the prop
shaft retainer to squeeze the prop shaft around the output shaft. Carefully
pull on the prop to make sure it is securely attached to the output shaft of
the gear drive.

Set Screw Type Prop Adapter Installation

Slide the prop adapter over
the output shaft of the gear
drive or motor. Apply a drop
of Great Planes Threadlocker
(GPMR6060) to the set
screws and install them in the
prop adapter, tightening them
against the motor shaft.

Position the motor/front
plate assembly between
the backplate. Measure
the distance from the
fi rewall to the front of the
prop adapter. Attach the
front plate of the motor
mount to the back plate
using the eight 4-40x1/4”
SHC screws and eight #4
fl at washers, spaced out as far as possible. A drop of Threadlocker on
the threads of the screws will prevent the screws from coming loose.

Note: Once the motor is mounted in position, the prop adapter can
be removed to allow the cowl to be mounted. This adapter is easily
installed with the cowl already installed.

INSTALL THE BRUSHLESS ESC

11

Mount your ESC in the desired location. Always make sure that the
ESC is positioned so that it gets some cooling air fl owing over it.

Use the instructions included with the ESC to correctly connect
the ESC.

RIMFIRE MOTOR MAINTENANCE

12

RimFire brushless motors require virtually no maintenance. There are
no brushes to wear out and replace. The precision bearings have a
very long service life and should last a very long time. The internal
parts of the motor should not require any cleaning. The only thing that
needs to be checked is to make sure all the screws and set screws
remain tight.

IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS

13

Once the battery is connected to the ESC, stay clear of the motor

•

and prop.

DO NOT apply an input voltage that exceeds the maximum

•

specifi cation of each motor.

DO NOT apply currents to the motor that exceed the maximum

•

specifi cations of each motor.

DO NOT allow the input connectors to accidentally touch each other

•

while power is applied to the motor. Make sure all input connections
are insulated electrically.

DO NOT allow water or moisture to enter the motor, as it can

•

cause permanent damage to the motor and possibly short out the
attached ESC.

DO NOT cut the coated wires from the motor. If you must remove

•

the bullet connectors, unsolder them.

Allow the motor to cool after each fl ight.

•

The motor shaft of the motor will rotate at very high rpm. DO NOT

•

attempt to touch the shaft while it is rotating. If setting up the
motor/ESC on the workbench, make sure the motor is securely
attached and that nothing is attached to the motor shaft BEFORE
applying power.

Never attempt to use a damaged motor (having mechanical or

•

electrical defects).

ElectriFly carries a complete line of Ammo (inrunner style) and

•

RimFire (outrunner style) brushless motors, gear drives, motor
mounts, prop adapters and speed controls. For a complete list of
these products, check out our web site at:

www.greatplanes.com www.electrifl y.com

or visit your nearest hobby shop that carries the full line of Great
Planes and ElectriFly products.

Entire Contents Copyright © 2009 GPMZ0028

RimFire 35mm Aluminum

Mounting Plate Template

RimFire .10 Accessory and Spare Parts

GPMM3113 3.5mm gold plated bullet connectors - female (3)
GPMM3112 3.5mm gold plated bullet connectors - male (3)
GPMQ4903 RimFire Prop Adapter for 35mm Motors
GPMG1205 RimFire Backplate Motor Mount for 35-42mm Motors
GPMG1432 C-clip (10) for 4mm RimFire Motor Shafts
GPMG1452 Bearings (2) for RimFire 35-30-xx and 35-36-xx Motors
GPMG1406 Replacement Shaft Kit for RimFire 35-30-xx Motors

RimFire .15 Accessory and Spare Parts

GPMM3113 3.5mm gold plated bullet connectors - female (3)
GPMM3112 3.5mm gold plated bullet connectors - male (3)
GPMQ4903 RimFire Prop Adapter for 35mm Motors
GPMG1205 RimFire Backplate Motor Mount for 35-42mm Motors
GPMG1432 C-clip (10) for 4mm RimFire Motor Shafts
GPMG1452 Bearings (2) for RimFire 35-30-xx and 35-36-xx Motors
GPMG1406 Replacement Shaft Kit for RimFire 35-30-xx Motors