INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the SIG T-CLIPS EP ARF.
We hope you will enjoy this unique fun scale R/C model.
Assembly of your T-CLIPS EP ARF is fast and simple when fol-
lowing the detailed instructions in this manual. We urge you to
read this assembly manual completely before assembly. Famil-
iarize yourself with the parts and the assembly sequences. The
successful assembly and flying of this airplane is your responsi-
bility. If you deviate from these instructions, you may wind-up with
problems later on.
Good luck with the T-CLIPS. Let’s get started!
ADDITIONAL ITEMS YOU WILL NEED TO PURCHASE
In addition to this kit, you will need the following items to complete
your T-CLIPS and make it flyable.
❑
RADIO SYSTEM
The T-CLIPS requires a standard 4-channel radio system and four
standard size servos. In addition, you'll need two 6" long Servo
Extension Chords (actual length needed will depend on how long
the wires are coming off your servos - be sure to double check
your servos and plan accordingly), and one standard Y-Harness
Chord for connection of the two aileron servos to the receiver.
ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM
❑
500-800 watt BRUSHLESS OUTRUNNER MOTOR
The T-CLIPS is designed to be powered with a 500-800 watt
brushless outrunner motor. This size motor is sometimes referred
to as a "32" class motor to those who like to make a comparison
to a glow motor. Also, the motor you choose should be rated at
800-1000 kv, in order to turn an appropriate propeller.
Here is a sampling of motor sizes that work well in the T-CLIPS:
4 2 5 0 - 8 0 0
4 2 5 0 - 7 7 0
4 2 4 8 - 8 0 0
3 5 5 4 - 8 0 0
❑
MOTOR MOUNT
A laser-cut plywood adjustable motor mount is included in this kit.
It should work perfectly for any suitable brushless outrunner motor
which has an “X” or “cross” motor mount plate on the back.
❑
60-75 amp ESC (Electronic Speed Control)
We used the Castle Creations ICE LITE 75 ESC in all our T-CLIPS
prototypes. This is an excellent "switching type" ESC that has a
built-in 5amp BEC that is safe to use with a 4 cell lipo battery pack.
Important Note: BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit) allows you to
use the same battery pack to power both your motor and your
radio system, eliminating the normal radio battery pack. When
the single battery pack runs down in flight to a prescribed point,
the BEC circuit in the ESC will shut down the motor and leave
enough power to operate the radio while you land the model. Note
that the BEC feature in some cheaper ESCs does not work with
4 cell and larger lipo battery packs - only 3 cell packs. Check the
manual of your particular ESC to learn if this is true in your case.
If your ESC is only rated for 3 cell operation, you have three op-
tions: 1) fly only 3 cell lipo packs (lower power flight performance);
or 2) disable the BEC and install a normal receiver battery pack
to run the radio full time; or 3) install an aftermarket BEC that is
rated for 3 or 4 cells.
❑
3 or 4 cell 3200-5000 mah LIPO BATTERY PACK
You can fly your T-CLIPS with a 3 cell (3S1P) or 4 cell (4S1P) Lipo
pack. Pack capacity should be 3200-5000 mah for good flight du-
ration. A 3 cell pack (11.1 volts) provides good flight performance
and mild aerobatic capability. A 4 cell pack (14.8 volts) provides
more power for full aerobatic performance, and was our favorite.
❑
PROPELLER
With electric powered models there are many factors that have a
bearing on what propeller to use. The best place to start answer-
ing that question is in the instructions that come with your motor.
Another fine source of information is one of the electric flight cal-
culators that are available for you to use free online (there is a
good one on Castle Creations web site).
OUR FLIGHT TEST REPORT
After extensive test flying, our favorite setup for the T-CLIPS is a
4250 (case dimensions) 770 kv brushless motor, with a 75 amp
ESC, 4S lipo battery pack, and an APC 13 x6.5 E propeller. This
combination gave outstanding flight performance. When using a
4S 3200 mah lipo, we had flight times around 6-7 minutes, de-
pending of course on throttle management. A 5000 mah lipo pack
provided between 10 to 12 minutes of flight time. Your results may
vary. Prop size, size and quality of the battery pack, throttle man-
2
What do those numbers mean?
NOTE: This numbering system is very common, however there
are exceptions. For instance, some motor manufacturers will
list the actual diameter of the stator (armature) inside the motor
instead of the case diameter. Some may list the length of the
stator inside the motor instead of the case length. Some will
give you both if you dig far enough into their specs. Make sure
you understand the motor manufacturer’s numbering system
when shopping for a motor.