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[red181]

Ill throw this out to see what any eleccy experts think.

 I'm using a DX6i with a number of models. The tx is in pretty much regular use, its been bullet proof no issues. Pretty much all of my models have clone or orange receivers, except one, my Huntsman. This has a genuine spectrum with satellite receiver. I run a separate 6v supply, esc bec disconnected due to cell count, and has an inline switch to power up the receiver as I cant quite get to the receiver location without a lot of fiddling, so the supply pack can be left connected, and the switch is then used to power up. Once the rx is lit, I can then connect the main batteries, all is good.

Yesterday the Huntsman had an outing, luckily on a small lake, lucky as it wasn't a long distance away, and wasn't going fast. I had performed a range test prior to sailing, and had a voltage meter on the rx battery supply, all good at 6v. In a turn, I lost control, motor was running, but northing from the tx (5.5volts). It was only a split second, but enough to graze the side wall of the lake. Straight away it happened again, I'm now thinking the boat is just going to carry on running smashing itself into the walls until it sinks, or stops, probably the first, its pointing towards me, still running, but no rudder or motor control, so I have the brainwave to try and catch it , luckily, fo some reason, the motor stops, and I can rescue out of the lake with virtually no damage, just a massively dented ego!

On the bench, the rx light is out, so nothing there. The rudder servo is right over, suggesting some sort of signal loss. Tx is still on. I turn all off, wait a moment, turn all back on, its fine, but not going to risk another run.

Today I have the rx on the bench with same battery supply. All power is good and tested, all wires are sound, nothing wet etc, never has been, so I spend 1/2 just turning on and off over and over, in different orders, so tx off with rx still powered, lights go off as they should (failsafe mode)  and so on, then, once or twice, with tx off, the rx main board stays lit up, but the rx satellite goes off. Sometimes the satellite blinks on and off, sometimes its in blocks of 3 flashes, something strange is going on,

I know this is really vague, has anybody got any ideas? Its not the water and 2.4 thing, the receiver is high, its been this way since 2009 and never had an issue. I am thinking of sending the tx and rx to horizon hobby to test as I don't want to risk losing any of my models.

Any input welcome

Thanks

Paul

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

How old is the battery pack for the Receiver?
Could it be show a good voltage but dropping quickly once a load is put to it?

If the power is spiking, It could cause the receiver to reset and momentary loss of control.

[red181]

pretty much freshly charged Umi, its a 5 cell 1.2v per cell rechargeable AA battery pack, with voltage monitor so I know what's going on with it

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Found this,....


Rapid flashing = Binding
 SLow flashing = Brownout on dsm2 receiver/remote.

[red181]

thanks umi
im back on the boat now and might have narrowed things down. ive plugged a servo in and sometimes the rx goes off or the servo malfunctions.  tried different channels and two different servos so coukd be poining to the rx. so much for buying genui e expensive!  All the cheap clone orange work perfectly!

[Sub driver]

Hi.
Looks like a failed rx .....but you say you have a remote power switch for the rx and been this way since 2009 and you leave the batts connected.......have you ever heard of black wire corrosion ? Normally on the neg side and it starts at one end of a wire and slowly creeps down it especially when batts are left connected..i would check all wires to see only way is to remove some sleeving and see if the copper wire is still good if its black then the whole wire needs renewing.
Worth a look.
Good luck.
Sub.

[red181]

well maybe not the rx!

a short video for your late night enjoyment, well there isn't anything on the telly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy_-jL2Pabo

So, back in the boat, with a slave servo all seems ok. I tried 3 different receivers, two genuine spectrum, 1 orange. Then connected back up the rudder servo in the boat, which is a metal gear digital, right away you can see when operating it draws a lot of current and caused the receiver lights to blink. My understanding of this is the receiver has lost signal, then reset, which could be the receiver voltage dropping too low, so maybe this servo is faulty? I changed the receiver battery supply to fresh cells, and the voltage meter shows they are ok

The problem appears to be the same with all receivers, so I think the receiver is eliminated.

I would not have thought a faulty servo could cause the loss of signal which I experienced, anybody got any thoughts on this?

Thanks

PS...Sorry sub I have mislead you, the receiver pack isn't left connected all the time, just when the boat is in use, it stops me messing around plugging into the receiver all the time as I cant access the receiver very easily, A job now on the "list to do", make receiver more accessible!

[PeachyPM]

I had a similar problem with a genuine spectrum RX that I put in my club 500. it kept "dropping out/re setting itself" I checked power, wiring, servo etc, but when I removed the satellite unit the problem just disappeared..... It's not really needed, I just used it because I had it!

[grasshopper]

Not sure on this but I've heard that digital servos draw a higher current than others plus with the metal gears is it a high torque type that's pulling the voltage down when under Load, causing the Rx to drop out?
Could there be some binding in your linkages/ rudder that's causing a higher than normal current during use?

[tigertiger]

How cold is the weather?

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Disconnect the ESC red wire, or leave the BEC off, and try a separate battery pack.
That will tell you if the BEC is being over taxed, and unable to supply enough amperage to the system.


I have a Voith Schneider driven model, and the four servos are too much for the BEC.

[PeachyPM]

Disconnect the ESC red wire, or leave the BEC off, and try a separate battery pack.
That will tell you if the BEC is being over taxed, and unable to supply enough amperage to the system.


I have a Voith Schneider driven model, and the four servos are too much for the BEC.

Original post states he's not using a BEC

[red181]

12 degrees tiger  then bench test was indoors. ive ysed this boat ib minus defrees before you cant beat dogiing ice  at speed!

no bec umi remember its a seoeeate rx supply

thanks

[inertia]

It does sound like brown-out, and that voltage can drop down and back up so quickly as not to register on a digital voltage monitor. It's possibly down to a faulty cell in the Rx pack so I suggest you try another pack or maybe a bench power supply for further testing.
Digital servos do take a lot more current and personally I would not fit one in a model boat. I would question whether you need all of that torque and speed. After all, a standard Futaba servo (pre M-Series) was good enough for the rudder on the original 47" I/C powered H31 - and in 1972 they were horrible, big, slow, brown bricks with five wires and plastic gears!
Dave M

[red181]

good call dave the servo has been there a few years but has maybe failed as although digital and metal gear its a towerpro so probably a limited lifespan

it was over engineered as usual!

I tried a different set of charged batteries it appeared to be the same so the cheapest and easiest option is swop out the servo. i have some big hitec unused somewhere

[chumphon]

Sounds like  a brown out
too be honest  Spectrum seem to suffer them or shall i say more prone to them than the cheap stuff IMHO


i use a storm transmitter  (OEM orange transmitters cheap and available here in thailand 60$ ) and rec in my 3x1 Stockmaritime sailboat
On a visit home i bought a spectrum marine receiver , must be good its marine spectrum and expensive!


what a disaster brown outs every few mins when sailing and as i sail in the ocean i nearly had brown outs personally!
Yes i did not use a BEC, as to be honest with the other system i didn't need to and still don't!


As you can guess i sold the spectrum receiver and carried on as normal another year on no problems whatsoever

[Netleyned]

I use a DX6i and orange receivers in all my yachts and have no problems.
All my battery packs are AAA or AA 6V packs from Comp Shop.
My Marblehead has a Whirlwind winch which is rated at 6V so all my
packs are 6V so I can mix and match.
Maybe a 6V pack would solve the problem if not already in use.
Ned

[inertia]

Ned
The original post says that the supply is already 6v.
DM

[Netleyned]

OOPS 
Was going to scroll back and check, but I couldn't remember a voltage being mentioned
so I just went ahead.


Memo to myself:-
Read before rambling 


Ned

[inertia]

Ned
At least you remembered Forum Rule 1:
"Never read any post older than the latest one".

Take a Gold Star, boy! 
DM

[HMS Invisible]

good call dave the servo has been there a few years but has maybe failed as although digital and metal gear its a towerpro so probably a limited lifespan

it was over engineered as usual!

I tried a different set of charged batteries it appeared to be the same so the cheapest and easiest option is swop out the servo. i have some big hitec unused somewhere

Paul, that auto sub trim, as you called it, would have flagged up a failing servo with its yellow light. The very same "LV detect" feature has been used in my speed controllers since 2011. It is in both devices for a reason.

[red181]

digital servo removed, and bench testing seems to indicate no more problems, I tried a hitec but it appeared too slow, this futaba is nice and quick, and the voltage isn't dropping anywhere near as much. It will be a nervous test when it happens!

Whilst It was getting worked on, its been a long time since this (my favourite by a mile) boat has had any love, it just gets taken out once every 6 months, thrashed, cleaned, and put back, so it was time to finally get the nav lights and mast light working again, and tidy up all the wiring. The receiver needs remounting to a better position, more accessible, and I want to be able to see the led on both receiver and satellite receiver so I can tell its bound correctly.

Some more tidying up, (and having to make a window frame that has gone missing ) and then  the decision as to change to twin motor, twin screw, one motor twin screw, or just put it back in the box for next year and think about it all over again