Great Planes RimFire 42 User Manual
42MM BRUSHLESS
OUTRUNNER MOTOR
Congratulations, you have just purchased one of the RimFire 42mm
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 42mm
power system are: RimFire 42mm motor, propeller, propeller adapter
and brushless speed control. This instruction sheet explains how to
determine what you will need and how to assemble each component.
MOTOR
1
40mm, 50mm OR 60mm
42.8mm
19mm
19mm
3mm
Mounting
Screw
The RimFire motors are labeled to provide the most information at a
glance. For example: The RimFire .32 (42-50-800) is 42mm in
diameter, 50mm long and has a kV (rpm-per-volt) of 800.
RimFire .25 (42-40-1000) (GPMG4675)
Motor Output Shaft Diameter and Length: 5x17.5mm [0.2"x0.7"]
Weight: 125g [4.4oz]
Input Voltage: 11.1 – 14.8V
Max Surge Current: 50A
Max Surge Power: 740W
RimFire .32 (42-50-800) (GPMG4000)
Motor Output Shaft Diameter and Length: 5x17.5mm [0.2"x0.7"]
Weight: 198g [7oz]
Input Voltage: 11.1 – 14.8V
Max Surge Current: 80A
Max Surge Power: 1480W
RimFire .46 (42-60-800) (GPMG4725)
Motor Output Shaft Diameter and Length: 5x17.5mm [0.2"x0.7"]
Weight: 268g [9.5oz]
Input Voltage: 18.5 – 22.2V
Max Surge Current: 100A
Max Surge Power: 1850W
RimFire .55 (42-60-480) (GPMG4715)
Motor Output Shaft Diameter and Length: 5x17.5mm [0.2"x0.7"]
Weight: 268g [9.5oz]
Input Voltage: 18.5 – 22.2V
Max Surge Current: 80A
Max Surge Power: 1850W
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 (1000x12) under no load.
Likewise a 3500kV motor will try to spin at 42,000rpm (3500x12)
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.
5mm
17.5mm
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 fine-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 fine 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.
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 the Silver Series SS-45, SS-60 and SS-80
Brushless ESCs (GPMM1840, GPMM1850 and GPMM1860) that
work well with the RimFire 42mm motors.
The SS-45 and SS-60 ESCs come with 4mm female bullet connectors that
plug directly into the 4mm male connectors installed on the RimFire 42mm
motors, so no soldering is required. The SS-80 comes with 6mm female
bullet connectors and requires an adapter (GPMM3119). Also, these ESCs
come with a Deans® Ultra Plug® battery connector that matches the
connectors that are found on most batteries that it will use.
BRUSHLESS MEDIUM MOTOR MOUNT
3
1. Front Plate (1) 5. Motor Bracket (1, not used)
2. Back Plate (1) 6. 4-40x1/2" SHC Screw (2, not used)
3. 4-40x1/4" SHC Screw (8) 7. 4-40 Lock Nut (2, not used)
4. #4 Flat Washer (10)
The ElectriFly Brushless Medium Motor Mount combines ease of installation
with the adjustability to fit most motor applications. The Medium Motor
Mount is designed to fit the bolt pattern of the Great Planes
.40-.70 Nylon Engine Mount. This easily allows the conversion of a glow
powered plane to electric powered.
PROPELLERS
4
There is a wide selection of propellers available for electric use. The RimFire
42mm motors use high performance electric props such as the APC
E-series 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.electrifly.com and www.greatplanes.com for the most
up-to-date listing of electric type props.
APCQ4120 10x5 Electric
APCQ4123 10x7 Electric
APCQ1055 11X5.5 Electric
APCQ4128 11x7 Electric
APCQ4129 11x8 Electric
APCQ4131 11x8.5 Electric
APCQ4130 12x6 Electric
APCQ3065 13x6.5 Electric
APCQ3080 13x8 Electric
APCQ4140 13x10 Electric
APCQ4145 14x7 Electric
APCQ1409 14x10 Electric
APCQ4016 16x10 Electric
APCQ4019 17x10 Electric
APCQ4021 18x8 Electric
APCQ4028 20x10 Electric
®
.20-.48 and
PROPELLER ADAPTERS
5
The RimFire 42mm motor comes with a prop adapter that mounts
directly to the motor case. If the RimFire 42mm motor needs to be
mounted so that the prop is mounted on the motor shaft, the motor
requires a 5mm prop adapter collet type or set screw type.
GPMQ4966 5mm Collet Type
GPMQ4939 5mm Set Screw Type
LIPO BATTERIES
6
Number of Cells
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 3.7x3 = 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
(2.2Ah).
A LiPo battery with a capacity of 2200mAh with a 25C discharge rate
can be discharged at 55 amps, 2.2Ah x 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 x 25C = 110 amp
discharge rate.
ElectriFly offers a full line of LiPo batteries. Airplanes that use the
RimFire 42mm motors will typically use batteries with a capacity of
1800 to 3350mAh, with the higher capacity batteries delivering more
flying time but also being heavier. All of the batteries have connectors
that fit the recommended ESCs.
Due to the constantly changing battery technology, check out the
ElectriFly web site at www.electrifly.com for the most up-to-date
listing of the ElectriFly battery line.
Stock # Voltage Capacity Weight # of Cells Discharge
GPMP0514 7.4V 1800mAh 3.6oz (102g) 2 25C
GPMP0515 11.1V 1800mAh 5.2oz (148g) 3 25C
GPMP0519 7.4V 2200mAh 4.4oz (125g) 2 25C
GPMP0520 11.1V 2200mAh 6.3oz (179g) 3 25C
GPMP0521 14.8V 2200mAh 8.2oz (233g) 4 25C
GPMP0540 7.4V 3350mAh 6.6oz (188g) 2 25C
GPMP0541 11.1V 3350mAh 9.7oz (275g) 3 25C
GPMP0542 14.8V 3350mAh 12.2oz (347g) 4 25C
GPMP0543 18.5V 3350mAh 15.3oz (435g) 5 25C
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:
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.
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 as 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 Setups:
RimFire .25: 3S Battery, 11x8.5 Electric Prop
RimFire .32: 4S Battery, 13x8 Electric Prop
RimFire .46: 6S Battery, 11x5.5 Electric Prop
RimFire .55: 6S Battery, 13x10 Electric Prop
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 firewall to the front of the prop adapter first needs to
be determined.
It can be mounted directly to
the firewall 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® .20-.48 and .40-.70
nylon engine mounts.
RimFire 42mm Aluminum Mounting Plate
Template
Check the airplane instruction
manual for the correct distance.
These pictures show the distances
from the firewall to the front of
the prop adapter using the
different mounting systems.
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 firewall. If the
firewall 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 firewall.
MOUNTING PLATE INSTALLATION
If attaching the motor to the firewall using the adjustable motor mount,
skip to the Medium Motor Mount Installation.
Note: Apply a drop of Threadlocker (GPMR6060) to all bolts and screws
used to install the motor on the plane.
Attach the backplate to the motor using four
3x8mm flat head machine screws and
threadlocking compound.
Attach the Backplate of the motor mount
to the firewall using four 6-32 machine
screws and four #6 flat 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. Apply a drop of threadlocker to
the threads of each bolt.
MEDIUM MOTOR MOUNT INSTALLATION
Note: Apply a drop of Threadlocker (GPMR6060) to all bolts and screws
used to install the motor on the plane.
Attach the backplate of the
motor mount to the firewall
using four 6-32 machine screws
and four #6 flat washers.
Remove the c-clip from the
motor shaft. 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 42mm
motors use the 5mm prop adapter (GPMQ4966 Collet Type or GPMQ4939
Set Screw Type).
ALUMINUM PROP ADAPTER INCLUDED WITH MOTOR
Mount the aluminum prop adapter
to the motor case using four
3x7mm SHC screws and
threadlocking compound.
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
firewall to the front of the prop
adapter. Attach the front plate of
the motor mount to the back
plate using the eight 6-32x1/2”
SHC screws, eight #6 flat
washers and four aluminum
screw plates, spaced out as far
as possible.
Note: Once the motor is mounted in position, the collet type 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
9
Mount your ESC in the desired location. Always make sure that the
ESC is positioned so that it gets some cooling air flowing over it. Use
the instructions included with the ESC to correctly connect the ESC.
RIMFIRE MOTOR MAINTENANCE
10
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
11
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
•
specification of each motor.
DO NOT apply currents to the motor that exceed the maximum
•
specifications 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 flight.
•
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.electrifly.com
or visit your nearest hobby shop that carries the full line of Great
Planes and ElectriFly products.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
12
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 first. 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.
GPMM3114 4mm Gold Plated Bullet Connectors - Male (3)
GPMM3115 4mm Gold Plated Bullet Connectors - Female (3)
GPMQ4906 RimFire Prop Adapter for 42mm Motors
GPMG1205 RimFire Backplate Motor Mount for 35-42mm Motors
GPMG1434 C-Clip (10) for 5mm RimFire Motor Shafts
GPMG1456 Bearings (3) for RimFire 42-xx-xx Motors
GPMG1412 Replacement Shaft Kit for RimFire 42-40-xx Motors
GPMG1414 Replacement Shaft Kit for RimFire 42-50-xx Motors
GPMG1416 Replacement Shaft Kit for RimFire 42-60-xx Motors
Entire Contents © 2009 GPMZ0029Instr for 42mm RimFire
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