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[sunnybob]

I've finished the hull, wired everything up, and it dont work. >:(
it did work, and I'm positive I've put all the wires back corectly, so I'm after advice please.

I have 2 electronize 545 motors, controlled by 1 electronize speed controller powered from an ACTion distribution board.

theres also 1 steering servo.
the servo and t/x are Graupner.

when I turn the power on without the t/x on, the servo hunts (which I believe is good)
The speed controller gives a loud fairly fast clicking noise, and both motors hunt at random speeds and directions.

when I turn the T/X on, the servo goes still, but it does not move whatever control or trim I alter.
The speed controller just goes on clicking loudly, but the motors stop hunting, and do not respond to any movement on the T/X.

Ive checked there is 6 volts (nominal) from the board to the R/X. I've checked there is 6 volts on the outlet pins of the R/X.
thats as far as I can go. Help desperately needed please.

[DickyD]

Are your plugs in your Rx in the right sockets and the right way round ?

[sunnybob]

I've checked and double checked.
because the graupner servo came with the R/X, I've fitted the others in the same  direction.

more please. :)

[DickyD]

Have you tried turning the Tx on before the Rx ?

[barriew]

The correct sequence is Tx on, Rx on. Dont think doing it the other way would have this effect, but you never know

The other thing is are the crystals correct - same channel in Tx and Rx, correct crystals etc.

Barrie

I see Dicky got in before me on  the first point :(

[barriew]

Another thought - have you tried with just the rudder servo? Disconnect the ESC

Barrie

[DickyD]

I have several Esc that set themselves up and you need to turn the Tx on first or they get confused Barrie.

[sunnybob]

The crystals are the same. only set I have. they did work, now they dont.
I've tried the servo on its own, the esc on its own, and every combination of the two.

Doesnt matter if I switch the T/X on first or last, exactly the same thing happens. once they are both on, the servo is dead, and the esc is clicking like mad.

I'm thinking about swapping the R/X leads end to end, but will that cause more damage? Would an electronize lead be wired completely the opposite of a graupner lead?

[John W E]

hi ya there

Daft questions first;  :)

1.  You do have a full charge in your transmitter?

Ensure that the batteries are fully charged in your transmitter.


2.  Have you removed your crystals from your transmitter and receiver?

If so, have you put them back correctly?    The transmitter crystals are usually marked with a TX before the frequency number - the same with the RX.    If you have got the crystals mixed up; on some transmitters it just does not want to know.

If you have answered YES to the above - then the next step I personally would suggest is:-

You connect an independent power pack to your RX, disconnecting the ACTion power board completely, along with one servo; and see if that works.  At this moment, I would NOT tamper with any of the wiring on your speed controller.

Normally, when the relay clicks in and out, it is indicating that the power is there, but, no signal.

I suggest you try the above first of all, and, if no results come back to us.

Hope this helps you.

aye
John e
bluebird

[FullLeatherJacket]

Bob

This isn't another case of two BECs fighting in the same sack, is it? Check that your ESC has its BEC disabled if you're using either the 5v take-off from the P92 or a separate Rx pack.

Graupner servo plugs are, in my experience, wired the same way around as Electronize - and pretty much everything else except Fleet and old Sanwa sets i.e. positive is the centre lead. The black (ground) lead almost always plugs onto the pins on the outside of the PCB. If your servo/ESC have Futaba type plug shells then the white lead is nearest the webbed side.

I have no idea what you mean about swapping the Rx leads end-to-end, but if it worked before then don't muck about with pins inside plugs. My money is on either a BEC problem, flat batteries or a bum connection.

Remedies for all three are easy. Take your time and don't panic (a glass in hand works best for me!)

FLJ (Written while Bloobs stuck his coin in the slot; CBA to change it!)

[destroyer42]

May sound silly. But have you cheched your crystals ie AM/FM. I have in the past in a hurry to get to lake put AM cyrstals into FM RX/ TX & vice versa.

Destroyer42

[sunnybob]

Bluebird first....
only one t/x. only one r/x. crystals not swapped. T/x battery fully charged, and rechearged just to make sure.
I've tried an independant 6 volt supply direct into the r/x, and still no change.

I agree, the relay and servo appear to have no signal, BUT, the motors and servo dont hunt when the T/x is turned on, but do when its turned off. To me that indicates that the esc IS getting at least part of a signal?

FLJ.... I saw you at shepton on Sunday, loitered around a couple of times to speak to you, but you were too busy selling for me to interupt  :) :)
I dont know what a bec is. My system is this... battery direct to your board (inline switch on live). r/x connected direct to your board. esc power from your board, esc control wire and servo direct to r/x.

the esc is a non-bec type (it says on the instructions). regarding the plugs to the servo, i mean just turning them round, not moving wires inside the plug.

Like I say above, I have stripped the entire system to a battery pack, r/x, and servo. STILL, the servo will hunt if the T/X is off, but be absolutely motionless if the T/X is on. Even moving the servo plug to each of the 7 sockets on the r/x makes no difference.

Bob, (searching for a bottle opener) :(

[John W E]

hi ya there Marra

Have you tried just connecting one servo to the RX and the battery pack, and, seeing if the servo works on its own with nothing else connected.

If this fails; have you a spare RX you can try?   If you dont - then there may be something physically wrong with the RX.   One of my thoughts is that the aerial fully extended and/or has it become disconnected at the circuit board??   If it has, you should still get some response when you bring your TX very close to your RX.

What type of Electronize speed controller do you have???? because, if it has been connected round the wrong way, which is quite easy, because the plug does not have a tab on the side like Futaba - it has 2 chamfers  on the sides - and this can easily be inserted the wrong way round.

see how you get on with that and let us know.

aye
john e
bluebird

[sunnybob]

The servo does not respond to the T/X, whatever way I connect it.

The esc is an electronise fr30hx. The plugs orientation caused me problems which I aired here previously. I fitted the rx plugs by following the colours of the wires on the graupner servo plug.

I have no spare r/x or t/x. I've taken the t/x back off, all wires are connected, no sign of any damge to any part of the pcb. the r/x appears to be sealed.

Its frustrating because I set all this up and it worked perfectly 2 months ago.
It was all laid carefully in a box while the hull was rebuilt, and now it dont work

I'll have to go back and just try swapping everything again. :(

[John W E]

Hi there

When you plug your battery pack in to the RX can it be plugged into any socket on the RX - or - is a specific socket which the RX battery pack must fit into?  Can the plug be fitted in only one way???  Check the pins - in your RX - make sure they have not been bent out of alignment.

The ensure that you have the plug inserted the correct way round - I know this sounds as though I am being a bit 'over the top' but I have done similar myself - and to overcome this I normally put a white paint mark on the side of the plug to indicate positive side.    At the moment I am frantically going through catalogues to see if I can get an illustration of your RX and TX so I can identify the plug layout.

aye
john e
bluebird

[sunnybob]

I've found it.

I started testing voltages while the thing was (supposed to be) working. The t/x battery suddenly showed ONE volt.

I recharged (and it recharged up to 9 volts in only a couple of minutes), but when i turned the charger off, the voltage started dropping at an amazing rate, even with the T/X turned off.

I took it off the t/x, and it dropped another 2 volts in a few minutes, but it has now stabilised at 7 volts.

Now I need to find out if its the battery itself, or a short in the T/X. (and I know NOTHING about t/X's)
I'll scout around the odds and sodds drwaer, and make up a dry cell 9 volt pack to test it.

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll let you know.
Bob :(

[malcolmfrary]

If the TX battery seemed recharged so quickly, it is more than likely that although it registered voltage, there was nothing actually stored.  Try leaving it on charge overnight. 
It might be that the battery is goosed - usually a cell will fail by growing an internal short which causes a one-cell drop in voltage, then it tries charging in reverse, and applies a counter emf so the voltage drops further, but what you have measured sounds like either a very deeply discharged battery or something has failed by going high resistance (mother nature has created a component, not to your benefit.)

[FullLeatherJacket]

Mother nature has created a component, not to your benefit.

Yes - nasty things grow inside batteries and on wires if you leave them alone for too long. If it's a Nickel Cadmium pack the culprit could be cadmium crystals in one or more of the cells. I've seen various shock-treatments which are supposed to fix these (e.g. hitting the pack with a mallet - honest!!) but IMHO the best treatment is to take the pack on a one-way trip to your local disposal site.
Then there's the dreaded Black Wire Rot which gradually eats away at negatively-grounded wires. Problem is that you have to pull back the insulation from a wire to see if it's affected, thereby nadgering up the wire anyway. Avoid by storing yout Tx without its battery pack, and keep batteries warm and dry over winter.

Works for me; suit yourself.

FLJ

[AlanP]

This is just a thought that I had after reading the thread, Could the problem be interference, say from fluorescent lights, television, radio or any appliance working on 50 cycles.
Just my thoughts and it's probably been solved by now.

Alan

[sunnybob]

Its sorted now thanks,
it was a charger / battery mismatch. i was sold the wrong charger and it was not putting enough into the battery.

Working well.