How I modified my Blade MCX2 Navigation Lights so I could see it better at night.

[44marshmellow]

Dave you are awsome! thanks!!!

[sproutit1]

Dave, Are you a "Real" pilot? You make wonderful videos and I appriechiate all you help. I think I might want to get one of these is the MCX2 Worth it over the MCX?

[Tsnow67]

@Superbiggie85: The plug on mine is also on the left side. I just moved the orange wire as others have suggested and it works perfect. All you need is a very small precision screwdriver to lift the tab on the orange wire. I have noticed that the author has not responded to any comments for quite some time so I hope is all well with him.

[rcrules14]

is the mcx2 worth the extra $30 dollars

[zarcon42]

damn that nice mod..wish i had the balls to do it to mine lol

[11KAB11]

Hello Dave I have a problem with my Blade MCX2. I can fly it for about 1-2 mins and than after that every 15 seconds it dies out and slowly falls to the ground. Than I can fly up again and it falls to the ground after about the same 15 seconds. I think it might be the battery but I have barely used my MCX2, so I don't see why the battery's could be burnt out.

[SuperBiggie85]

Hi, I am new to Rc helicopters. Ive been flying my Mcx2 for 4 days now. Love it!! I noticed the LED harness plugs into the right side of your board. My harness is on the left side. I am wondering if its a new board or something like that. I bought the helicopter new. I am confused haha. Also are there any other mods for Mcx2 besides lights and tail boom upgrades? thanks.

[cessna815]

I think that's a great idea cents I'm a real world pilot in training I to think that RC scale helicopters and airplanes should have scale FAA lights

[bdub232]

Just ordered my first rc heli- the mcx2- don't even have it yet but when I get good at flying it, this will be my first mod.

[yukonjoe74]

@chrisgrello I just got my MCX2 today and i moved the orange wire to the unused pin as you suggested and it works perfect. thanks for the tip and thanks to the original poster for the great idea. the solid lights are way better.

[jrsmnb]

Hi Dave i was wondering if there was much of a difference between the mcx and the mcx2 as in how they fly. And do the lights take off flight time? Thanks

[19slmorse79]

Where did ya get the glowing blue blades?

[stickwalker]

Nice modification. I too don't care for the lights to blink.

[sergeantRC]

When you're listening to the best of the oldies, you're listening to magic 98.9

[poohtray]

"The FAA standard green/right-wing red/left-wing" was adopted from nautical standards. You knew that!

[Pucadupr]

You should give this idea to the manufacturer. I believe they would consider it very apropriate. Its much better.

[23mag23]

The steady lights are way easier to see. BTW: If I were the head of one these heli and plane manufactures, I would definitely hire you as a consultant before anything starts gettin g manufactured. Have a very blessed New Years.

[ky854run]

Hi Dave,

I agree with you, that the steady lights look better and are easier to see.

I don't have an MCX2, so I can't verify this. But, it looks like you could have just moved the orange wire to the open spot on the original connector to do this modification.

[NightFlyyer]

@ky854run Thanks.  Cant do that. The ground is the blinker so no pins would work. They still blinked.

[katsenhakeron]

@NightFlyyer

Hey Dave

Was the red wire cut and spliced also....a mistake?

[takeit69]

@ky854run I just moved my pin and it worked just fine THANKS!!

[pentiumdoz]

@ky854run hi i have the mcx2 but the lights connector is soldered in the same spot but reversed maybe a circuit board revision and i moved the orange wire to the open spot on the connector and the light is steady, thanks this video help me a lot.

[NIGHTMARExNINGA]

i just successfully completed this mod and love it... but i noticed that when i change my battery it is warmer than usuall is this a potential problem?

[NightFlyyer]

@NIGHTMARExNI All lipos get warm. After I fly my jets or big helis the batteries are actually hot. Not to worry. I still get a good 8 minutes of flying time with no problems. I skated at the rink last night and flew it alot, along with my flying truck and all is well. I have lots of extra batteries too. Thanks. Go fly and have fun.

[briansmobile1]

WAY BETTER!

[ramis182]

that was a great video mr. herbert, great job, nice attention to detail as usual. Nice "How to"!

[CrackerMcGillicuddy]

I got one for Christmas. I like the blinking lights myself. It's not a 'hotdog' copter nor can it handle any outdoor flying so it's not like you're going to lose it. But if you like them steady, whatever. Just my 2 cents.

[CarlosMerighe]

I got one for Christmas. What should my next model be?

[ivaneduardo747]

I love that heli! By the way, I think the LED's use a lot of battery, up to 20mA, so I think they are now using twice as much power.

[NightFlyyer]

@ivaneduardo747 These two leds use no where near 20 ma and like I said at the end of the video, the flight times don't seem to change enough to matter much. You can always turn off your lights too, you know. Just un plug them. But an 8 minute flight is good enough for me and I'm able to see it too. I have 16 batteries so flight time is not an issue. LOL

[wheely132]

@NightFlyyer Oh yeah i forgot about those! Thanks for telling me!

[ivaneduardo747]

I love that heli! By the way, I think the LED's use a lot of battery, up to 20mA, so I think they are now using twice as mucho power.

[nerofirestorm]

not sure about those roller skates big fella :)

[NightFlyyer]

@nerofirestorm I skate every wed for 25 years and still do. It helps with my health and my coordination. See the video response below for a video of my skating and flying airplanes and helis in the rink while I skate.

[nerofirestorm]

@NightFlyyer that still doesn't make it right lol

[tytig94]

Interesting video, you don't make many videos, but when you do I always like them.

[NightFlyyer]

@tytig94 Thanks. I make one video a week and have over 447 history and flying videos on line. Guess you missed a few. Glad you liked this one. 

[kuhataparunks]

Gosh your commentaries are awesome!

[tomascontrerasjr]

what is with the skates?

[NightFlyyer]

@tomascontrerasjr I roller skate ever Wed for 30 years and back then too. It is good exercise and keeps my balance on line.

[RcUniverseGuy]

woah trippy

[420choky]

what you smoking there in the dark with those lights hahaha

[52kyt]

This is completely off topic but i have a new nickname for the the van in the garage "The Davemobile" lol Cool lights too and i agree with you that those should be standard =)

[gripchion]

Dave if a guy was wanting to step up from a coaxial to a small fixed pitch, would you be willing to share your experieces with what might be a good heli for the money. All info would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Benboy207]

@gripchion Blade mSR!

[NightFlyyer]

@gripchion Yes. See my Falcon 40 videos or my Honeybee videos for many of my recommendations and info. Good luck. Thanks.

[rcboatdriver1234]

I broke the wire of one of the led's circuit boards and now I cant solder it back on (too small ) WHAT DO I DO?

[ARBuilder1776]

@rcboatdriver1234 Go to Radioshack and buy a new LED. Take the broken one with you to make sure you get the right size. If they don't have what you need look on eBay.

[rcboatdriver1234]

@ARBuilder1776 thanks for trying but my whole problem is the contact is too small for me to solder my iron tip is tooooooooo big and I hate soldering small stuff so if I buy a new one ill have one more contact than I need to solder

[ARBuilder1776]

@rcboatdriver1234 Sounds like you need a fine tip bit for your iron. I got some off ebay to replace the LED's in some xbox360 controllers and they worked great. On ebay search for soldering iron replacement tip and you will see the really fine tip kind Im talking about. Much easier to use on very small connections.

[NightFlyyer]

@ARBuilder1776 These are not standard leds. They are micro leds and Radio shack does not sell them.

[phill903]

Great little Blade MCX2 helicopter, night flying it must be a lot of fun and a challenge.

[crowe73]

As always, you are the king of night flying. Do you know if this would work on the original Blade mcx or is the circuit board different? I would like to try it on mine. Thanks and awesome video.

[NightFlyyer]

@crowe73 Any 3.7 volt LED will work on these, just wire it to the power points I show in the video. They will turn on. and work fine.

[thydusk666]

Thanks so much for doing these cool vids all the time! They really fill up my heart with joy :) Happy Holidays!

[primativemodelling]

Hey sir ..if i maybe so bold sir ,could you comment on one of my vids...it would feel like an autograph : )

[bernieborn]

I suppose someone has asked this question before but I am curious are you Mr. Wizard's (Don Herbert's) son?

[NightFlyyer]

@bernieborn NO sir, but he was one of my inspirations.

[iissyy123]

Cool

!

[mrbuki77]

Dave, I must tell you that you are an inspiration to me, as a new rc pilot. I have a Blade mSR, and very much enjoy it. I do plan on getting a larger heli this coming year after I get better at controlled flights. Keep the great videos coming. Sam

[NightFlyyer]

@mrbuki77 Thanks very kindly.

[Dad3Sons]

Great work Dave I just bought my first heli -- the original MCX (no lights). I've had a lot of fun just in a few battery cycles in the first few flights. I'm sure I'll be upgrading in the near future... Thanks!

[gaarasama0609]

i don't now if i bu a heli or a revo because last time i bought a axe cp v3 and i crashed it so i am afraid of doing it again

[NightFlyyer]

@gaarasama0609 Try a fixed pitch first. Learn on a VW and if you never crash it, then you can get the Porsche.

But dont give up.

[flyingchimp99]

you should sell T-shirts.....and autographed stuff. Many people would love.....and buy it.

[BrotherBloat]

steady lights = pure win :) nice one Mr Herbert :)

[frankcoffee]

I was thinking they were there to just look pretty. Now it makes sense. They should make that standard on them all.

[NightFlyyer]

@frankcoffee Thanks kindly. I appreciate that. It works better for us old guys to see too. Haha. ~NightFlyyer~

[wheely132]

@NightFlyyer Man I got a model plane like a year ago and never learned how to fly it. Then one day I finally got it up in the air but something happened and it went towards a building and just wiped the left wing off. Man that sucked.. Well at least it wasn't a super nice expensive one.

[NightFlyyer]

@wheely132 Bummer. Get an instructor for those first flights, and you will have better luck next time.

[816MONEYMAKER]

nice work

[wasifyar]

thankyou very much. we really appericate your videos. thanks

[catfishmudflap]

Smooth flying.

[beastly239]

Hey, what kind of camera were you using at 2:22 because that looked crystal clear close up!

[NightFlyyer]

@beastly239 Thank you. It is a Canon Elph 780 SD

[armsby]

@beastly239 Yeah - these camera questions hardly ever get answered - I'd like to know too ;)

[NightFlyyer]

Thanks so very Kindly. I appreciate your comments. ~NightFlyyer~

[beverke7]

The lights look great on this nice little heli, scale lights sure make it easier at night, well done Dave !

[Dorisequador]

Looks great man

[HOBBYBOY333]

Very Cool!!!

[WSRebel2]

I love your videos keep them up. I would lover to get in contact with you, I have just ordered my first edf jet and have some questions. I would like to get you email or something. Thanks