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Author Topic: Sound units  (Read 5965 times)

Eddy Matthews

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Sound units
« on: April 27, 2006, 08:08:19 pm »

Hi guys,

I'm trying to install some JJC Electronics sound units into my pusher tug - I have two 310 Caterpillar engine sound units, one master and one slave, and one 104 slave horn unit.... The boat is using Mtroniks Viper Marine 15 speed controllers.

The boat has twin motors with one 12v battery, ESC, and motor on each circuit - in other words totally independant with a seperate drive battery for each motor etc.

When I connect everything up, the horn doesn't work at all, and the engine sound units have a mind of their own - they go through the engine startup sound whenever they feel like it, and then give full speed sound when the throttle is at the idle position....

The master sound unit is connected to one of the drive batteries - could that be the problem, does it need a seperate power supply of it's own?

Has anyone experienced problems like this and found a solution? This is driving me nuts!

Any help or (sensible) suggestions would be appreciated...

Regards
Eddy
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Colin H

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2006, 10:06:59 pm »

Another question on JJC sound units I am about to install one and wondered if the unit required the ESC wired in to work correctly or whether I could try every thing in a `jury`rig on the bench without the ESC.

Yours Colin H.
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AlanB

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2006, 10:56:21 pm »

Eddy,

I had a similar problem which was posted on the old MB forum RIP.

I spoke to Jim at JJC and the problem was finally sourced to having the BEC on the ESC powering the receiver
and this in turm affected the sound module.

My solution would be to keep the set up as it is and try using a seperate receiver battery.

To have independant sound for each motor, you will have to have the master linked to one ESC via a Y lead and the slave sound module linked to the other ESC via another Y lead.

The master sound unit should be ok connected to the main drive battery, mine works fine.

To test the horn, plug it into the master and disconnect the half of the Y lead that connects the master to the ESC.
Plug both horn and master into the receiver and try the horn fron the corresponding channel on the TX.

Hope this helps a bit

Alan

If all else fails phone JIm at JJC, he is very helpful.
He diagnosed my problem by listening to my sound unit via my mobile phone, service or what.
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Eddy Matthews

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2006, 08:12:30 am »

Thanks Alan, I never thought of the BEC - I'll give it a try using a seperate Rx battery tomorrow and see what happens....

Regards
Eddy
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Martin (Admin)

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flag-d

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2006, 12:56:20 pm »

I'm using a master and slave sound unit for my MTB.  No problem in wiring up, but I have diabled the BEC and use a separate Rx battery.  Only problem I ever experienced was a drive battery (I'm using gel-cells) with a dud cell in it giving too low a voltage.

Mike
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Eddy Matthews

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2006, 07:00:19 pm »

My sincere thanks to AlanB - Using a seperate Rx battery pack has cured all the problems I was having!  ;D

Now I'm wondering if it's possible to increase the shut down time on the JJC sound units as the standard 10 seconds is too short for my liking - Is this possible, has anyone done it? Or will I have to resort to getting specially made units from JJC with an increased shutdown time?

Regards
Eddy
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Jim C

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2006, 09:08:58 pm »



If 10 seconds is too short for the shutdown it's not difficult to change, If the consensus is for a longer shutdown time, I'll make the modification. let me know what you want. It's only software...

regards

Jim
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Eddy Matthews

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2006, 09:14:44 pm »

Thanks for the reply Jim - much appreciated.

I'd prefer 30 seconds myself, but what about an adjustable setting allowing for 10, 20 and 30 seconds? That should please everyone!

Regards
Eddy
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Colin H

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2006, 09:48:59 pm »

Hi Chaps,

Silly question time to show how little I know can you confirm that the BEC is something to do with the red power lead from the receiver. I have my module powered from a seperate 6v gel cell and am having some similar problems to those discribed above but don't want to go disconnecting wires blind and making a hash of things.

Yours Colin H.
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Jim C

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2006, 08:40:53 am »

Fixed timings are easy to change , I'll have a think how to combine an user-defineable option....

cheers

Jim
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2006, 06:04:00 pm »

Hi Colin H
Silly question time to show how little I know can you confirm that the BEC is something to do with the red power lead from the receiver. I have my module powered from a seperate 6v gel cell and am having some similar problems to those discribed above but don't want to go disconnecting wires blind and making a hash of things.

The BEC stands for "Battery Eliminator Circuit" and in our case it is a unit intended to remove the need for a separate receiver battery.  Many receivers claim to have a BEC.  Very few tell you what supply voltage they are capable of handling, or what current, so I tend to ignore that bit.  ESC's also often have a BEC incorporated.  These usually do tell you what they can do. 
If want to use your main battery as the receiver supply, you connect it to the ESC, and plug the ESC into the receiver.  The BEC in the ESC then powers itself, the receiver and whatever else is plugged into the receiver.  Trying to use another supply as well creates a conflict between power supplies, which, as has been noted, is not good.
If you have more than one ESC, only one needs to power the receiver - all of the others can have the +ve lead (usually red) disconnected as they only need the -ve (black or brown) and the control signal wire (white or yellow) to work. 
There may be other accessories that work off the main battery and plug into the receiver which also have BECs.  These should be looked at the same way as BEC ESCs - just one in the whole set-up.
You should not normally have to cut the red wire - careful use of a pin should enable you to release the connector from the socket which can then be protected with some sleeving.  That way its ready for re-use should it ever be wanted.
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Colin H

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Re: Sound units
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2006, 10:48:29 pm »

Hi Malcolm,

Thanks for your reply I think I now understand, my ESC asks for the red wire to be disconnected and is powered from a seperate 6v battery this I have done. With regards to the sound module Jim C sent me a PM with all the answers to that problem and that to is now resolved.

As you can quess from some of my questions I have not been in the game very long and am still on a steep but very enjoyable learning curve.

I don't know what I and others like me would do without this forum and its members.

Thanks again Colin H.
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