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[tigertiger]

I am looking at sail winch servos. It says in the ad, up to 3 1/2 turns. Does this mean they are easuly adjustabe?

If so, how is this usually achieved. I am looking at Hitech, coz they are much cheaper than futaba.

[FullLeatherJacket]

Mark

I'd hazard a guess that what that means is the end-to-end travel at full stick in each direction. If you don't push the stick all the way then they probably don't go out as far...............but no doubt there's a dozen clever 50D5 out there just itching to contradict me.

IMHO Hitech is better made than Futaba these days. I was in correspondence with Bluebird the other day,  a propos of which he had cause to open the back of his Futaba Tx. I don't think he was impressed!

FLJ

[Welsh_Druid]

Tiger

I have used Hitec sail winches in all my sailing boats and find them good and reliable.  They are not actually adjustable at the servo itself.  I use a computer radio and by using the End Point Adjust function on the winch servo channel I can adjust the winch servo travel to the required amout.  Thats the way to go if possible.

Otherwise you have to route the sheet (line) to each sail in such a way as to use up the excess length.

Don B

[MikeK]

Tiger

I have used Hitec sail winches in all my sailing boats and find them good and reliable.  They are not actually adjustable at the servo itself.  I use a computer radio and by using the End Point Adjust function on the winch servo channel I can adjust the winch servo travel to the required amout.  Thats the way to go if possible.

Otherwise you have to route the sheet (line) to each sail in such a way as to use up the excess length.

Don B

Hi Tiger, I was just writing the same thing when Don pipped me to the post. The likes of Nylet do a modified Hitec that has an extra pot wired in so you can adjust the turns at the servo, but at £98 not exactly cheap. I find the Hitec are not as fast or precise as the Futaba/Aussy winches, but if it not for racing, then they are well worth the money.
Mike

[Circlip]

Tiger, a real low tech way to adjust length of take up IF you can do it is to mod the drum diameter, bigger dia, more take up, Smaller,less take up.

[tigertiger]

I want to avoid buying a computer radio if I can as may be too costly. Unless somebody knows of a cheap 4 channel comp Tx.

Is there some kind of pot/servo stretcher I can put between the Rx and Servo?

[Telstar]

Hi Tiger
I  use Hi-tech TX and sail winch.   My Hi-tech 4 ch Tx was not expensive, and has Throw adjustment pots on ch1 and ch2. this allow me to restrict the travel on the winch.
http://www.bpesolutions.com/rcequip.html      Do various servo gizmo's , but I feel their a bit pricey
cheers tom

[BobF]

Hi again

It is possible to modify you own transmitter, if you can use a soldering iron. It's not difficult, as it just requires an adjustable pot fitting across the pot on the transmitter.
There is a thread about it on here somewhere. I'll go have a look to see if I can find it. But I'm sure someone else will get back to you before me.

Bob

[BobF]

Nope, I'm back first.

Can't find the previous item, but I do have an original Marine Modeling version October 1995.

It requires a 4k7 or 10k pot from the middle contact of the sail control pot connecting to the wire removed from said tag.

If you are interested in this item I could type it out in full.

Regards Bob

[Welsh_Druid]

 My Hi-tech 4 ch Tx was not expensive, and has Throw adjustment pots on ch1 and ch2.
cheers tom

Tom

What model of Hitec TX is it ?

[wideawake]

I have a Hitec Ranger 3 set-up with end-point adjustment on Ch 1 and 2.   This works well to limit the travel on my sail winch and rudder.   i can't remember what it cost but it wasn't expensive.

HTH

Guy

[Telstar]

Hi
Sorry not answered sooner, been out for the evening
My radio is a Hi tech laser 4 it has the usual stick reverse on all chanels and 'A T V'  adjustable travel volume ??? on ch 1 & 2

Tx, Rx, batteries and charger, 3 servo and sail winch was just over £100
cheers
Tom

[Welsh_Druid]

As I need a new TX for my current build (see my Metcalf's Moonbeam thread) with the ability to adjust the winch servo, the HiTec Laser 4 sounded just the job so I ordered one. At £85 for Tx + RX + 3 servos + Nicads + charger + crystals - a good buy from Howes.

Yes it has adjustable travel on channel 1 & 2 as Tom said and it it a very nice set. BUT -on the right hand stick - channels 1 & 2 are both spring loaded and on the left hand stick, the one with the rachet which I would normally use for the sail winch  ( I wish to set the sail and leave it in the set position without having to hold against the spring) is channel 3 which does not have adjustable travel..

So what to do ? -  on older TX's I have easily changed the spring and the rachet over but on this newer type it is not possible as the two mouldings are " handed".

However I found that if you loosen the circuit board (by  removing  the small screws) and follow the wiring from the pots on the control gimbals to the board, the wires end in small plugs which can be swapped over. This gives channel 2 on the left hand ( rachet stick) and channel 3 on the right stick ( you are probably not going to use channel 3 anyway on a yacht.) Plug the winch servo into channel 2 on the RX and you have  adjustable travel  for the servo.

Don B