Introduction: Installing the Optional Heat Sink on a Blade CX

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This is another installment in my series on repairing and modding the E-Flite Blade CX micro Helicopter. In this Instructable I well so how to install the optional motor heat sink. The reason for installing the heat sink is to dissipate heat from the motors. This is especially important if you are flying the model numerous times in a row without letting the motors cool down in between, over heating them. This is because the motors are being run for a long period of time due to the LiPo battery having such a large capacity and running the motors at a higher voltage then they were originally designed to run at. This is the problem with using LiPos with brushed motors, I have toasted 2 motors in my old Zagi 400 using LiPos with it.

Step 1: Materials

You well need:

- The optional E-Flite Blade CX/CX2 motor heat sink, the hobby shop you bought the Helicopter from should have these in stock or can order one for you.
- Small Phillips screwdriver, there should be one that came with the Helicopter.
- Something to cut the zip tie with, I used a large toenail clipper, these also work good for clipping leads on components after you have soldered them to a PC Board and for cutting fishing line when attaching hooks.
- A replacement zip tie, again look with the stuff that came with the Helicopter.
- Heat sink compound, I did not use any because I could not find mine but it is recommended to use it.
- About 10 minutes.

Step 2: Disassembly

-Too begin you need to remove the body from the helicopter, this is done by pulling out the two carbon fiber rods that run through the frame and the body sections, in my case just the front canopy.
-Next you need to remove the right motor, the one on the left if you are looking at the front of the model, I suppose it doesn't make a whole lot of difference. To do this you must turn the helicopter over and looking at the underside you well find the two screws that hold the motor in place, carefully remove these screws.
-After the screws are out gently pull up on the motor and remove it from the frame.
-Using your cutting implement, cut the zip tie and unravel the wires to give you room to slide the heat sink in.

Step 3: Installing the Heat Sink and Reassembly

- Apply heat sink compound to the heat sink where it well come in contact with the motors and push it onto the motor that is still installed in the helicopter.
- Slide the other motor back in and reinstall the screws on the underside of the helicopter.
- Using the new zip tie, collect up all the wires and tie them together in such a way that they do not restrict airflow over the heat sink.
- Reinstall the body sections and go fly, or in my case go and crash it a few more times killing two more rotor blades and destroying the front body section. Guess its time to make a custom one, stay tuned.