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[cabinboy]

I posted this on another topic but thought maybe I should start another topic so here goes. I bought the Futaba 2.4 6 channel because I wanted to run several things on my boat, I mistakenly thought the switches would operate some of them (WRONG) so I thought OK I will buy some latching relays that will do the trick (WRONG AGAIN) they wont work off the switches either!!

OK so I’ll get the switches on the transmitter changed to centre-biased ones oh no you won’t man from RIPMAX says not possible!!

Well I am not one for giving up I’ll have them all working from the left hand joystick, fine got one to work but when I try to operate the secondary latching relay the first relay turns off! So I am advised to change the Exponential Rates or whatever they are called so not being one to shirk I got out the manual and away I go. Five hours later and a few choice words and nothing, the left hand stick won’t work the relays at all I can’t even hear the latching relay click where as before I messed about it was working. So any experts out there that can tell me what I’ve done wrong? I tried a servo on the joystick channel to see what would happen there is very little movement when the joystick is moved from side to side.

So here’s my question how do I make the left hand joystick work again and work multiple latching relays, and can I have channels five and six switches changed to centre biased ones that will the work relays? Or should I just give up and get a new radio set? I did see that Pandan Models do an add on to radio systems called a MCD - 8 way RC Switcher unit FUNCTION CONTROLLERS would this or something like it help me out?

 It seems to me that the Futaba 2.4 is not boat user freindly or is it just me? :'(

cabinboy
 

[John W E]

Hi there Cabinboy,

May I ask this question first, on your transmitter, the left hand stick - the movement up and down - is it ratchett?

Also, from left to right, is it spring return to centre?

The switchers you have acquired, are they the two switching units with latching on and off, Or, are they the four latching on and off?

Aye
John E
Bluebird (the Yo Yo)

[riggers24]

Hi Cabinboy,

Could you post a photo of the set up, so you show the RX and all of the switchers. :)

Riggers

PS Bluebird don't you mean bad penny not YoYo

[cabinboy]

Hi Bluebird,
The left hand stick is spring loaded left to right and ratchet up and down the relays can operate as either latching or non latching.

I had hoped to work the relays from channels 5/6 but am unable to do that, I asked the guy at RIPMAX if the switches on 5/6 can be changed to centre biased ones, unlike the man from DELMONTTI he say no!!  I have the rudder on channel one the power on channel two and the relay to work the lights on channel four if thats of any help.
 
I messed about with the left hand stick and seem to have changed something because prior to my fiddling the relay worked by moving the left hand stick now it won't so obviously I have changed the setting something to do with the exponentials I think but I'm no expert.

cabingboy

In case you are asking why I messed about with the stick the answer is that when I tried to opperate the second part of the relay it switched the first one off.

[DickyD]

PS Bluebird don't you mean bad penny not YoYo

We ought to call John Boomerang, he keeps coming back. 

[John W E]

Gud doy from the Geordie down under - its not quite the weather for a Barbie here and me boomerang is stuck in the bush and the bushrangers are looking for it...  :-\ 

On a serious note there...right Cabinboy:

First of all, as a suggestion - Reset your transmitter to factory settings on all channels and all modes and start afresh.

The 2.4 Controller and Receiver, as far as I can gather, although working on a different transmitting frequency, their actual drive output e.g. the signal that actually comes from your TX to drive your Servos is the same as the output on a standard 40 mgz so therefore you can plug any standard Futaba servo into your TX and it will work, so, going on that assumption - you should have no problems driving a quad switcher or a twin switcher.

 Dont forget though, when you originally set the switchers up, and operate them, set everything at the neutral position on your transmitter, then switch on your transmitter on first and then your power supply to your TX.   

Wait a couple of seconds to allow the switching units to find the neutral positions.

Your quad switch should operate.   If you move your stick from the centre, to the extreme 4 times, this should operate number 4 latching switch.

To unlatch it, move the stick 4 times to the extreme OF THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION and this should unlatch it.

The same goes for the two latching switcher unit - try this and let us know what the outcome is.

aye
john e
bluebird

[cabinboy]

Thanks bluebird,
I am loathed to reset everything as my second boat is working fine the two latching switcher is working fine it took me quite some time to work things out is there another way to put things right without reseting the whole lot and can the switches on 5/6 be changed to centre biased ones to allow things to work from them?

I am looking for the easiest option but accept it may not be there.
cabinboy

[John W E]

Hi there Cabinboy, its possibly time to do what every modeller has to do read the instructions once again  not being cheeky mind, but, I know on one of my Futaba sets I had to read and re-read and re-read again the instructions - until the penny sank in for me.

As it turned out, what I was asking it to do, it wasnt made to do.  :'(

As far as switches 5/6 are concerned, on your Futaba model.   I will not stick my neck out and say they cannot be changed to a centre-off switch.  Because, you can guarantee someone - somewhere will be able to do it.   But, I will say, it is well out of the reach of the even above average person.  To be honest with you, not only is it a hardwear change over job, but it may also be a softwear job as well - re-programming some chips inside.

However, the other thing that you really want to think about is, although the technology for the 2.4 isnt a new technology, your particular set is a new boy on the block.   It hasnt ran any length of time, and you can guarantee all the teething problems havent been sorted out with it, as yet.

So, if you, or anyone else goes around opening it up and altering it, it will invalidate your warranty straight away.  Say, for arguments sake, one day something goes wrong with the softwear in side, which would have been covered by the warranty, it will be no longer covered.   Then, would it go in the bin? 

The choice is yours, as they say.

If it were me, I would sit with servos plugged into the TR. instruction book out again, and sit and work it all out, until it does what you wish it to do.     You know that the switching units are functioning correctly, you know the transmitter is functioning correctly.     It may be you are asking it to do something it cant do.

aye
john e
bluebird

[cabinboy]

Hi bluebird,
Thanks for your help and I catch your drift maybe the transmitter is asking me to do something I can’t

I have read the instructions over and over I have no idea of how to set all channels to neutral I have tried looking at the settings stored in the transmitter for my second model as all is well with that one and then setting model 1 to those same settings but alas still no joy. :( I will keep trying in the hope that I will sort things out in the end. :)

cabinboy

[Faraday's Cage]

Cabinboy,

Just a thought, but have you tried from scratch using model 3 setting. Am I right in thinking that as you haven't used this model number yet if so then will the settings will be as factory set ?

Terry.

[Colin Bishop]

Another thought - it may be worth Googling the name of the set. Instructions don't cover everything and don't always explain properly the things that they do. I bought a conventional 6EXA and found it very useful to Google it as there are a lot of comments out there which may explain things better. A lot of the stuff is aircraft orientated but you may still find it useful - this is an example: http://www.futabarc.com/faq/faq-6exa.html

[cabinboy]

Hi Colin/Terry

thanks for the replies I will look at the web link you provided Colin thanks for that.

Terry I will try some of the other model numbers and see if I can cure or get over the problem that way.

cabinboy

[BlazingPenguin]

I use a Futaba 6EXA and it works ok on the whole...
But does anyone else experiance it just changing all the settings by itself?
Servos reversed, fwd is now revers etc.
Dont know if CB is not being helped by a random flaw in some component in the tx?