Modelflight have had some enquiries from pilots who wanted to know how to convert a nitro/gas RC plane to electric power, so today we wanted to provide you with a step-by-step guide for converting gas rc planes to electric power. To help, Mike was able to put together a how to video on Modelflight's YouTube channel. you can watch this video below:
This blog post is designed to serve as a supplementary guide to the above video.
You Will Need
In order to convert a gas RC plane to electric power (gas or nitro), there are a few additional parts you will require. We have produced a list of these parts below, along with Modelflight's recommendations (to suit a 40-50-size model): - Electric motor and ESC (e.g. Dualsky 50-size Tuning Combo) - LiPo battery (e.g. Dualsky 3600mAh 6S LiPo battery or 2x Dualsky 3200mAh 3S 20C LiPo batteries) - Adjustable motor mount stand offs (e.g. Dualsky adjustable motor mount stand offs) - Electric propeller (e.g. APC 14 x 7 Electric Propeller) - Velcro - 3mm Plywood - Battery straps
How to Make the Conversion
There are three basic steps to follow when converting a nitro/gas RC plane to electric power.
Step 1
Depending on your model, the plane may come with a radial mount, so the first step would be to remove this mount. Once this is done, you can mount the electric motor. You may require the adjustable motor mount stand offs in order to securely fasten this motor (be sure to measure the length to ensure that you purchase the correct stand offs). The motor should be mounted either to the stand offs, or directly to the firewall using the cross mount supplied with the motor. In many instances you will be able to use the same mounting holes from the radial engine mount.
Step 2
After the motor is mounted, connect the speed controller to the motor. You can attach the speed controller to the fuselage using velcro.
Step 3
The next step is to connect the battery. If your RC plane has a battery/fuel hatch, this will be a straightforward procedure. However, if your plane does not have this hatch, you will need to make the connection through the underside of the fuselage. If you are going to use a large battery, such as the Dualsky 3600mAh LiPo we recommended, you may want to make a plate using 3mm plywood to secure the battery in place. This prevents it from moving around during flight. This plate can be screwed onto the servo tray and/or glued to the fuselage sides. You can then fasten the battery to the plate using Velcro and battery straps. The battery should be located so that the correct centre of gravity (CG) can be obtained. Typically the LiPO battery will partially occupy the space where the fuel tank would have been located. As soon as the battery is connected, your plane has been converted to electric power. Charge the pack and go fly! If you have any questions about this procedure, please ask us in the comments section below.