Rigger Information

I am looking at getting an electric rigger for a DG-800S 15/18m.
Currently, I am aware of two on the market IMI (Wings and Wheels) and SoaringXX (Cumulus).
Can anyone advise on the differences between the two?
Are there any others out there that I should be checking out?
Does anyone have a used one for sale?

Trying to get one very soon. Thanks for any feedback.

I think the style with 4 or 5 wheels is more stable than the single-axle type...

On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:55:05 AM UTC-7, cdeerinck wrote:
I am looking at getting an electric rigger for a DG-800S 15/18m.
Currently, I am aware of two on the market IMI (Wings and Wheels) and SoaringXX (Cumulus).
Can anyone advise on the differences between the two?
Are there any others out there that I should be checking out?
Does anyone have a used one for sale?

Trying to get one very soon. Thanks for any feedback.

SoaringXX from Craggy Aero

http://www.craggyaero.com/ground_handling.htm

On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:55:05 AM UTC-7, cdeerinck wrote:
I am looking at getting an electric rigger for a DG-800S 15/18m.
Currently, I am aware of two on the market IMI (Wings and Wheels) and SoaringXX (Cumulus).
Can anyone advise on the differences between the two?
Are there any others out there that I should be checking out?
Does anyone have a used one for sale?

Trying to get one very soon. Thanks for any feedback.

I have the IMI rigger. It is well-constructed using quality materials and disassembles into a relatively small package for storage. The remote controls are GREAT! No more back and forth adjustments as you are trying to get the wings aligned. Just be sure that you start with enough remaining travel to get things aligned (pretty much the same issue with any rigger). The only issue I have had with it was that (somehow) the power switch was either left on, or it got bumped and the battery was drained when I was ready to use it. No battery - no rig. Furthermore, the battery was drained so badly that my Hitec X2 would not charge it, so I had to attach my solar panel to get some charge into the battery. Then the clouds blocked the sun! Lesson learned: buy a 2nd battery. But the connections are soldered to the battery terminal, so I had to unsolder them and attach slip-on terminals. Other than that I have no complaints.

The SoaringXX rigger looks very similar and is a little cheaper, but haven't seen it in person to assess its construction quality.

Tom

At 02:16 06 May 2020, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:55:05 AM UTC-7, cdeerinck wrote:
I am looking at getting an electric rigger for a DG-800S 15/18m.
Currently, I am aware of two on the market IMI (Wings and Wheels) and
Soa=
ringXX (Cumulus).
Can anyone advise on the differences between the two?
Are there any others out there that I should be checking out?
Does anyone have a used one for sale?
=20
Trying to get one very soon. Thanks for any feedback.

I have the IMI rigger. It is well-constructed using quality materials and
d=
isassembles into a relatively small package for storage. The remote
control=
s are GREAT! No more back and forth adjustments as you are trying to get
th=
e wings aligned. Just be sure that you start with enough remaining travel
t=
o get things aligned (pretty much the same issue with any rigger). The
only=
issue I have had with it was that (somehow) the power switch was either
le=
ft on, or it got bumped and the battery was drained when I was ready to
use=
it. No battery - no rig. Furthermore, the battery was drained so badly
tha=
t my Hitec X2 would not charge it, so I had to attach my solar panel to
get=
some charge into the battery. Then the clouds blocked the sun! Lesson
lear=
ned: buy a 2nd battery. But the connections are soldered to the battery
ter=
minal, so I had to unsolder them and attach slip-on terminals. Other than
t=
hat I have no complaints.

The SoaringXX rigger looks very similar and is a little cheaper, but
haven'=
t seen it in person to assess its construction quality.

Tom

You need to make sure it is up to the job regarding electric power. I
bought one for a Lak 12 and it simply wasn`t man enough to lift the wing.
They all seem to be underpowered.

At 07:36 06 May 2020, Colin Roney wrote:
At 02:16 06 May 2020, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:55:05 AM UTC-7, cdeerinck wrote:
I am looking at getting an electric rigger for a DG-800S 15/18m.
Currently, I am aware of two on the market IMI (Wings and Wheels) and
Soa=
ringXX (Cumulus).
Can anyone advise on the differences between the two?
Are there any others out there that I should be checking out?
Does anyone have a used one for sale?
=20
Trying to get one very soon. Thanks for any feedback.

I have the IMI rigger. It is well-constructed using quality materials
and
d=
isassembles into a relatively small package for storage. The remote
control=
s are GREAT! No more back and forth adjustments as you are trying to get
th=
e wings aligned. Just be sure that you start with enough remaining
travel
t=
o get things aligned (pretty much the same issue with any rigger). The
only=
issue I have had with it was that (somehow) the power switch was either
le=
ft on, or it got bumped and the battery was drained when I was ready to
use=
it. No battery - no rig. Furthermore, the battery was drained so badly
tha=
t my Hitec X2 would not charge it, so I had to attach my solar panel to
get=
some charge into the battery. Then the clouds blocked the sun! Lesson
lear=
ned: buy a 2nd battery. But the connections are soldered to the battery
ter=
minal, so I had to unsolder them and attach slip-on terminals. Other
than
t=
hat I have no complaints.

The SoaringXX rigger looks very similar and is a little cheaper, but
haven'=
t seen it in person to assess its construction quality.

Tom

You need to make sure it is up to the job regarding electric power.
bought one for a Lak 12 and it simply wasn`t man enough to lift the wing
They all seem to be underpowered.

I should have added that a Lak 12 wing weighs in at about 230lbs.

On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:16:12 PM UTC-4, 2G wrote:
No battery - no rig...

Equip your rigger with a long power lead and the same connectors
as your plane battery. Then you can use the plane battery when
you forget something and run down the rigger battery ;-)

PS: Yes, I did need to use that feature once, oops.

I am using IMI power rigger for over one year now. Very happy so far, no more running multiple times to wing stands. Saves a lot of my energy especially in hot weather.I have light 15M glider and with full battery charge I can rig glider about 5 times.

On Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 12:45:05 AM UTC-7, Colin Roney wrote:
At 02:16 06 May 2020, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:55:05 AM UTC-7, cdeerinck wrote:
I am looking at getting an electric rigger for a DG-800S 15/18m.
Currently, I am aware of two on the market IMI (Wings and Wheels) and
Soa=
ringXX (Cumulus).
Can anyone advise on the differences between the two?
Are there any others out there that I should be checking out?
Does anyone have a used one for sale?
=20
Trying to get one very soon. Thanks for any feedback.

I have the IMI rigger. It is well-constructed using quality materials and
d=
isassembles into a relatively small package for storage. The remote
control=
s are GREAT! No more back and forth adjustments as you are trying to get
th=
e wings aligned. Just be sure that you start with enough remaining travel
t=
o get things aligned (pretty much the same issue with any rigger). The
only=
issue I have had with it was that (somehow) the power switch was either
le=
ft on, or it got bumped and the battery was drained when I was ready to
use=
it. No battery - no rig. Furthermore, the battery was drained so badly
tha=
t my Hitec X2 would not charge it, so I had to attach my solar panel to
get=
some charge into the battery. Then the clouds blocked the sun! Lesson
lear=
ned: buy a 2nd battery. But the connections are soldered to the battery
ter=
minal, so I had to unsolder them and attach slip-on terminals. Other than
t=
hat I have no complaints.

The SoaringXX rigger looks very similar and is a little cheaper, but
haven'=
t seen it in person to assess its construction quality.

Tom

You need to make sure it is up to the job regarding electric power. I
bought one for a Lak 12 and it simply wasn`t man enough to lift the wing.
They all seem to be underpowered.

I fly an ASH31Mi, not exactly a feather weight. The IMI actuators are rated for 1500 N (337 lb), which should be more than adequate for your LAK 12. One thing that could reduce this is a bad or marginal battery. Try using a larger, temporary battery to see if this is the problem.
https://wingsandwheels.com/power-rigger.html

Tom

As the producer of the WingRigger, I toyed with the idea of remote electric adjustment. I built a few, and made the parts to be retrofittable to existing WingRiggers. I learned that, the more powerful the actuator, the slower it operated due to the gear ratio from the motor to the screw drive. To allow for a faster speed without giving up the lifting capacity, I used an actuator with about 150 lbs. power and also had a 100 lb. gas spring. That seemed to work well. Unfortunately, demand never really developed, so I put the idea aside.