Different Types of RC Helicopter Blade

If you are an enthusiast in remote-controlled toys especially rc helicopter, you should have some experiences related to blades and problems occasionally caused by them. In this article, I would like to write about rc helicopter blades type. RC helicopter blades take a vital role, without it you can’t expect the toys would fly.

What are RC Helicopter Blades?

RC Helicopter Blades are plates attached to a rotor, giving a thrust power that lifts the chopper upwards (main rotor blade)or tail balancing (tail blade).

Types of Blade

Good-quality blades should be durable, just in case you or your kids still learn to fly the toys. Blade is a part in rc helicopter that will likely bump into things and have a high risk of becoming damaged. You should also pick not too sharp blades, since you don't want to ruin everything inside your house, whenever you fly it inside your house or you purchase the indoor types of rc helicopter.

RC Helicopter blade type available in the market these days are:

• Wood
• Metal
• Fiber Glass
• Carbon Fiber

Wood is the cheapest but lack in maneuver ability, even you can try to build one if you like to do it yourself. Metal blade is heavy but more durable and cost more than wood. Fiber glass is more durable but heavier than wood, besides it is also lack of maneuver ability because of its weight. Carbon Fiber is the best of all because it is light, durable and suitable for expert flyer. You can easily do some acrobatic stunts with it, but the price is also the most expensive compare to another blade type.

You should also seek a rounded edges one. Rounded edge blade is not merely aerodynamic, but will also prevent it from cutting yourself or your kid.

If you are new and still learning to fly your chopper, you can choose the cheapest one, for example wood blade or fiber glass. You can change later if you are becoming expert in flying your rc helicopter.

READ MORE - Different Types of RC Helicopter Blade

Everything You Should Know About Rechargeable Battery Charger

In portable world like remote controlled toys, using rechargeable battery is a must. You can't operate your beloved toys without it. My previous article already writes several types of batteries known in rc toys’ world, then the next related article will be about its charger. What you should know about rechargeable battery charger?

There are three types of rechargeable battery charger available.

1. Slow Charger

By using slow charger aka normal charger or overnight charger, you will expect to fully charge your battery in more than 14 hours. Slow charger is suitable for NiCd batteries only and is the cheapest type than another type. It has no full charge detection, but as long as using the right type of charger with suitable battery’s mAh and you don’t charge your battery for more than a day after fully charged, it is still considered safe, but better to unplug the charger right after reach its full charging capacity.

You should note the battery’s mAh and choose the suitable slow charger for it, because when small mAh battery charge with a bigger one, will heat up the battery at 70% charging capacity and if you keep charging it, this heat will damaging your battery. On the contrary if you charge using smaller mAh charger to a bigger mAh battery, the battery will not performed well and if you continue to undercharge the battery, eventually it will affect its fully charge capacity or known as memory effect.

2. Quick Charger

Quick charger’s - or more popular as rapid charger - capability and price is in between of slow charger and fast charger. Battery will fully charge in about 3-6 hours. Good charger should have charging control, which will terminate the process when the battery is full, and this good quality type will keep the battery last longer.

3. Fast Charger

This charger is the most expensive than another, because most of the type available has more sophisticated charge control and also bigger power supply. Nickel-based battery will fully charge in about 1 hour but Lithium-based battery will not affected very much because this type of battery has slower mechanism in absorbing energy. When fully charge, charger will switch to trickle charge, that means the battery is safe from overcharge, and the current only to compensate the self-discharge process. However it is still unsafe to leave the battery charge in days.

The first charger suitable for NiCd battery only and NiCd battery manufacturer recommend to slow charge the new NiCd battery for about 24 hours right before used.

Second and third type of charger above are suitable for NiCd, NiMH and Lithium-based battery, but you should not interchange the battery with another charger.

Charger designed for NiCd can’t be used to charged NiMH, it will overcharge the battery, but NiMH charger can be safely use to charge NiCd battery.

READ MORE - Everything You Should Know About Rechargeable Battery Charger