1st Buffer Pack
What is it, how does it work?

First of all, let's make it clear for everyone, It is exactly the same as the last release of the R2, you can see the version number on the board. V4.8. The only change is the name (and screen print of the board) and the colour of the capacitors. It is fully approved and supported by the original designer. 1st is a division of Xelaris in Switzerland and distributed worldwide by Heli-Professional. 1st has taken over the product from R2.

How is it working?

It's so easy and simple. Choose one empty slot on your flybarless and plug it in, make sure to check the polarity, and check out your FBL manual, because some of the ports can’t accept power.

Example is the MSH Brain, make sure you don’t use port 4-5-6. VBar Neo, RPM channel, etc etc. Mostly the ch5 is a great choice. Mount the 1st Buffer Pack somewhere secure, but don’t over tighten zip ties if you use them.

It's so light I always use Velcro only. Plug in your heli as normal, on the left side of the 1st Buffer Pack there is a LED indicator that's showing the charging level. To fully charge, it doesn't need more than 35-40 seconds, so put your canopy on, get on the flight line, then it will be charged already.

Once you've landed, finished the flight, there is a switch on the middle of the board, a single press on it will switch off your heli. Obviously as soon you unplug the battery, the 1st Buffer Pack takes over, and keeps feeding power to your receiver, or flybarless unit. On the event of BEC failure or ESC faults, during a flight, with telemetry, you should set up a warning. Example set up a 0.5 V drop then your transmitter will warn you, you should land immediately!

Complete ESC fault is easy to detect, motor will stop, so not much choice but to land immediately. Recommended to use with telemetry, because you never notice a BEC fault, only when your unit completely shuts down. Still recommend for no telemetry users too because mostly the ESC shuts down for different reasons. (soldering, contact problem etc) As written if the motor stops, you can still do an autorotation to save the model, at the very least touch the ground with skids!

How much time does the 1st Buffer Pack give? Is this enough?

It will give under load more than 40 seconds. With helicopters that's more than enough time to do a autorotation from any height.

What’s the benefit of it compared to other guards?

1st. Buffer Pack, the large one only weighs 45 grams. Don’t need to do anything with it after the installation. Don’t need to charge it separately, don’t have to get it prepared, it's doing everything automatically and so quick! Plug and play!

Last thing, a really cool feature, versus any other guards, it's keeping your BEC voltage in straight line. If you run on 8.2v, under a load, when the BEC voltage dropping.
And on this point the 1st Buffer Pack will store power, what’s connected to the main power line. As soon as your BEC can’t keep up, the Buffer Pack will help it out.
On long term usage, it's reducing the stress from your ESC, and giving it longer lifetime.