Black Aero V3 Pro & Standard Case

[BLKKROW]

I am happy to announce I have updated, redefined, and improved the design of my popular Eggfinder LCD case. I will outline and highlight the two new cases below. To purchase please visit: www.blackaero.com.

Pro Case V3 ($35.00)
For years I have been asked to include a back light switch and external battery charging. However, as this request was only for a small portion of the community I never implemented it into the previous version. But I am pleased to announce the Pro Case comes with everything you would every need, and I will highlight some of design choices below. The Pro Case does involve wiring that is advanced compared to the standard unit, including crimping of Molex pins. I have include extra pins to practice with if you are unfamiliar or new to crimping.

• External Charging Via Molex Connections
• Three Way Switch, to ensure charging does not damage electronics.
• Momentary Switch for Selection
• Back Light Switch
• Clam Shell Design
• Lanyard Loop
• Thinner Than V2
• Printed in PETG and available in three color choices (Dark Yellow, Red and Dark Green)
• Power Switch Cover, to prevent turning the unit off by mistake.

If you want additional information, please see the assembly video (YouTube) found here.

Standard Case ($25.00)
This case is designed for those who just need a basic case, that contains a power and momentary switch. With the updated design, to charge the internal battery the five screws on the back will need to be removed, but all of the electronics on the inside is held securely in place, with plenty of space for wiring.

• Power Switch
• Momentary Switch for Selection
• Clam Shell Design
• Lanyard Loop
• Thinner Than V2
• Power Switch Cover, to prevent turning the unit off by mistake.
• Only Available in Dark Yellow

If you want additional information, please see the assembly video (YouTube) found here.

 

[cerving]

I've been using this case for quite a few months now, and I can attest that it's a huge improvement over the old design. It even has some room in it for "future enhancements", and will accommodate a much larger battery (up to 2200 mAH, if you can get one... some of the larger 2S batteries are getting a bit scarce). All in all, a very nice product!

 

[BLKKROW]

I've been using this case for quite a few months now, and I can attest that it's a huge improvement over the old design. It even has some room in it for "future enhancements", and will accommodate a much larger battery (up to 2200 mAH, if you can get one... some of the larger 2S batteries are getting a bit scarce). All in all, a very nice product!

Thank you for your support and for all of the beta testing.

If anyone wants to purchase the 2Ah battery I designed this case around, you can purchase it through Hobby King. If you want to use a different battery you can follow the following dimensions, from the battery mentioned previously:

87 x 34x 17mm

 

[OhioFlyer]

These look great! Will be placing an order soon as I settle on what colors I want.

 

[BLKKROW]

I added a wiring diagram on the product page, for those who are interested. I will include it below as well.

 

[cerving]

Note that if your charger does not require both the balance plug and the power plug, you can simplify this a lot... you don't need the connections on the Molex side of the switch, you can just connect your balance plug directly to the Molex, and that will be the only connection you need for charging. Make sure you get the polarity right, though!

 

[OhioFlyer]

Any reccomendations for someone who doesn't already have a Lipo charger?

 

[BLKKROW]

Any reccomendations for someone who doesn't already have a Lipo charger?

This is what I use: https://www.skyrc.com/iMAX_B6_Charger (Be careful there are clones/fakes, buy from a reputable source)

I have also heard good things about this one: https://www.amazon.com/Turnigy-Accucel-6-Balancer-Charger-JST-XH/dp/B00T3RKONE

 

[Banzai88]

The B6, and many of the 'clones' and outright Chinese fakes, have been the small form factor de-facto charger standard for over a decade. The only caveat that most gloss over is that it also requires a 12vDC power supply.

 

[cerving]

Whichever charger you get, be sure to get an AC/DC charger. You want to charge you batteries at home before the launch, not in the field if you can avoid it.

 

[OhioFlyer]

Whichever charger you get, be sure to get an AC/DC charger. You want to charge you batteries at home before the launch, not in the field if you can avoid it.

Yeah, it looks like SkyRC makes an AC/DC version of the B6 that isn't much more and would suit my needs for a long time.

https://www.skyrc.com/iMAX_B6AC_V2_Charger

 

[Zyzzyva1000]

I know its been awhile on this thread, but that recommended battery that the case is designed around seems to be out of stock everywhere. Anyone have any alternative recommendations?

 

[Tractionengines]

I have a number of these. They are stock in "global" if you can wait a week+ for delivery. It's one size smaller, but fits well in the v3 case. (Only 13mm thick.)
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-nano-tech-1500mah-2s1p-20-40c-lipo-receiver-pack.html?wrh_pdp=3

 

[Hobie1dog]

I sure hope to be able to get one of these soon. Thanks

 

[augendoc]

Thank you for your support and for all of the beta testing.

If anyone wants to purchase the 2Ah battery I designed this case around, you can purchase it through Hobby King. If you want to use a different battery you can follow the following dimensions, from the battery mentioned previously:

87 x 34x 17mm

I just bought this battery from Hobby King based on this recommendation. The battery does not fit if you have the Eggtimer voice module installed. That module limits the battery length to 85mm with a really tight fit. The battery specs on the HobbyKing website are incorrect. The site says 8 x 34 x 19mm. The "8" is clearly a typo. The battery I received, which matches the picture exactly, measures 90mm x 34mm x 17mm. The width and height of the battery fit the Black Aero v.3 case just fine, as does the length if you are not using the voice module. To accommodate the voice module you really need a battery with 80mm max length.

Note also that the v.3 Black Aero case handle measures 8.5mm depth per side. So a 19mm thick battery is not going to fit unless you use a Dremel tool to cut away some of the reinforcing ridges.

Note that to fit the 90mm battery with a voice module you could grind out part of the lanyard reinforcement, though the assembly screw would then be right up against the bottom of the battery, which I would not recommend.

 

[mtnmanak]

I just bought this battery from Hobby King based on this recommendation. The battery does not fit if you have the Eggtimer voice module installed. That module limits the battery length to 85mm with a really tight fit. The battery specs on the HobbyKing website are incorrect. The site says 8 x 34 x 19mm. The "8" is clearly a typo. The battery I received, which matches the picture exactly, measures 90mm x 34mm x 17mm. The width and height of the battery fit the Black Aero v.3 case just fine, as does the length if you are not using the voice module. To accommodate the voice module you really need a battery with 80mm max length.

Note also that the v.3 Black Aero case handle measures 8.5mm depth per side. So a 19mm thick battery is not going to fit unless you use a Dremel tool to cut away some of the reinforcing ridges.

Note that to fit the 90mm battery with a voice module you could grind out part of the lanyard reinforcement, though the assembly screw would then be right up against the bottom of the battery, which I would not recommend.

I am not disputing your experience (maybe something changed?), but I have built out 6 of these Black Aero cases with Voice Modules, GPS and (some) Bluetooth and the batteries linked above fit perfectly in the ones I have built with VMs.

Here are the four I used this past weekend at the METRA launch:

Here is the fit of the battery in the one on the lower left of that picture. The battery sits on the edge of the voice module, but they don't interfere with each other:

 

[augendoc]

I think the battery has changed. Although the battery shown on the HobbyKing website is identical to the picture you have, the label on the battery I got is slightly different. It's still a 2000mAh battery but the discharge rate on mine is shown as "20-40C." As you can see from the pic my battery sits about six mm higher up in the handle and overlies the ATMEL chip. Dang. I put in a query to HobbyKIng to see if they still have the exact battery they show in their pic.

 

[mtnmanak]

That definitely looks like they changed the battery. For a while, post-covid, the battery was completely unavailable. Maybe they changed the design slightly when they brought it back to market.

I can tell you that I have used 1000 and 1500 mAh batteries with the LCD Receiver before and they worked all day with no issues.

In my receivers with no GPS or Bluetooth (for connecting just for telemetry), I use this battery and it lasts a full day on the range: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CVBJ3SL

When I couldn't get the Turnigy 2000mAh batteries in covid, I used these and they just barely fit in the case. They worked great all day with GPS (never tried it with Bluetooth, but I don't use the Bluetooth functions anymore): https://www.amazon.com/Turnigy-nano-tech-1500mAh-20-40C-Receiver/dp/B00TD9XW3Q

 

[augendoc]

That definitely looks like they changed the battery. For a while, post-covid, the battery was completely unavailable. Maybe they changed the design slightly when they brought it back to market.

I can tell you that I have used 1000 and 1500 mAh batteries with the LCD Receiver before and they worked all day with no issues.

In my receivers with no GPS or Bluetooth (for connecting just for telemetry), I use this battery and it lasts a full day on the range: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CVBJ3SL

When I couldn't get the Turnigy 2000mAh batteries in covid, I used these and they just barely fit in the case. They worked great all day with GPS (never tried it with Bluetooth, but I don't use the Bluetooth functions anymore): https://www.amazon.com/Turnigy-nano-tech-1500mAh-20-40C-Receiver/dp/B00TD9XW3Q

Thanks! I found these 1800mAh batteries in the right size https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085G1R7MV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1UG33C8FHL6KG&psc=1. Also slightly bigger capacity at 2200mAh in the same physical size, if that can be believed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BPM12F38/ref=ewc_pr_img_3?smid=A1UG33C8FHL6KG&psc=1. They come wired with a Deans connector and 14AWG wire, which is way overkill and too big to retrofit a JST-RCY unless I disassemble the battery and solder on different leads, which I am inclined not to do. I may just go with the 1500mAh battery and call it a day.

 

[mtnmanak]

Thanks! I found these 1800mAh batteries in the right size https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085G1R7MV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1UG33C8FHL6KG&psc=1. Also slightly bigger capacity at 2200mAh in the same physical size, if that can be believed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BPM12F38/ref=ewc_pr_img_3?smid=A1UG33C8FHL6KG&psc=1. They come wired with a Deans connector and 14AWG wire, which is way overkill and too big to retrofit a JST-RCY unless I disassemble the battery and solder on different leads, which I am inclined not to do. I may just go with the 1500mAh battery and call it a day.

That was my experience when I was searching for a new battery. If I was willing to go with a Deans connector or XT-60, there were a lot of great options, but retrofitting my builds (from JST) and trying to shoehorn the bigger connectors in the case were non-starters for me. Sticking with JST definitely limits your options, but there isn't much of choice, IMHO.

 

[cerving]

I have a few 2000's that came with XT30's.... clipped them off and put JST's on them. As was mentioned earlier you really don't need a 2,000.... 1,000 mAH works just fine, but it IS nice to be able to stuff a larger battery in and know that you're good for the whole launch weekend without recharging.

 

[augendoc]

HobbyKing’s customer service was meh. They gave me the runaround on the dimensions, stating that they were just a suggestion and chemical composition would cause variability in the batteries between different production runs. They did offer to let me return the battery for a refund. But with what I paid at $7.99 plus shipping, I’ll just keep it.

Perhaps the v.4 Black Aero should incorporate a slightly larger and/or longer handle to accommodate a larger battery.

 

[augendoc]

Well, where there's will, there's a way. After all , this is a PRO case, right? I was just too cheap to toss the battery that was a hair too big, so I decided to mod the case. I used my Dremel to shave off about 4.25mm of the bottom buttress where one would otherwise attach a wrist loop. I also flipped the Eggtimer voice module over and used the Dremel to slightly chamfer the side edges. Dremel again to shave off the lower right corner of the boss on the case to clear the resonator on the voice module. I also had to carefully chamfer the edge of one end of the ATMEL chip. The voice module now sits at a slight angle, but the battery clears! I'll probably hardwire the voice module rather than use the pins.

As for the lanyard loop, I did not interfere with the embedded M3 nut so the M3 FH screw still closes the case nicely. The bottom of the battery has some exposure risk through the two lanyard slots so I might put a thin shim of "something" in there for extra protection.

I'll post more pics once I get the whole thing assembled.

 

[augendoc]

I tightened one of the flathead case screws a little too tight and it cracked the attachment for the nut. I removed the hardware and the nut, clamped the pad to reapproximate the broken bits and wicked in some thin CA. I used a bit of polyethylene yogurt carton lid under the clamp to keep the glue from adhering. I 3D printed some 3mm ID standoffs to buttress the screw attachments internally and slipped them over the FH screws before reassembling the case. The closure is a lot more robust now. Attached is a picture and .STL file for the buttresses.