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[DBS88]

I have an old Futaba sky sport 6 40 MHz transmitter and receiver fitted in a boat that’s at least 20 years old. If I buy a 2.4 transmitter and receiver will they work with the old servos? Is there anything that I need to be aware off or change as well I literally know next to nothing about rc controls thank you

[Martin (Admin)]

 Usually, watch out for digital servos.....

[derekwarner]

I am in the same boat [ ] with two standard JR NES-537 servos encased or disguised in deck timber boxes ..[which cannot be removed]


...along the way I was hoping to upgrade to 2.4 gHz....[TX/RX] ....and assumed the servos would be compatible/functional


[each of the 3 x JR -537 servos being controlled by an ACTion P96 servomorph  ][size=78%] [/size]


Am I barking up the wrong tree? 


Derek



 

[edinsteve]

I am using 2 old Futaba servos with a new 2.4 ghz transmitter and receiver and they work fine.

[DaveM]

Gents
You should have no problems with the servos you have. The JR servos have Brown/Red/Orange leads instead of the Futaba Black/Red/White but the plugs are identical (cut the web off the Futaba ones if necessary) and the neutral signal pulsewidth is 1.5ms - or as near as makes no difference. The change in radio frequency only affects the system up as far as the decoder in the receiver; after that the rules are the same.
DaveM

[JimG]

Old servos will all be compatible with new 2.4GHz receivers, however old Sanwa servos used a different wiring in their plugs, the +ve and -ve wires were swapped from the more common Futaba/Jr arrangement. Swapping them over will allow you to use the servo although the plug might need trimmed to fit. (Very old servos might give problems as they generally used different plugs although they might work if you change the plug. Don't bother trying however if they are really old and use a 5 wire connection as these used a centre tapped battery.)
Jim

[roycv]

All goodstuff.  If it helps I am using a 45+ year old servo as a sailwinch and it works nicely.
Out of interest is anyone using RC older than this?
Roy

[derekwarner]

Thanks DaveM .....we may have discussed this a few years back?.......but is appreciated to get a  ..... as encasing the JR Servos was a job & a 1/2


Derek


[PS....the ACTion P96 controllers provide superb low speed & accurate point to point control]

[tr7v8]

Old servos will all be compatable with new 2.4GHz receivers, however old Sanwa servos used a different wiring in their plugs, the +ve and -ve wires were swapped from the more common Futaba/Jr arrangement. Swopping them over will allow you to use the servo although the plug might need trimmed to fit. (Very old servos might give problems as they generally used different plugs although they might work if you change the plug. Dont bother trying however if they are really old and use a 5 wire connection as these used a center tapped battery.)
Jim

Used to be a big Sanwa user & smoked more than one or two when I converted to JR!

[DaveM]

Fleet servos were the same i.e. Negative = Centre wire. Later Sanwa (Airtronics) servos reverted to the industry standard, although I think they use a Blue wire for the signal. Had a Sanwa Vanguard 6 set once; didn't like it much; sold it on.
Note to P96 users - they don't work with "digital" servos.

DM

[roycv]

Hi I have a couple of boats fittted out with Fleet Rx and servos.  I just leave them in place, everything works and the Fleet connectors are bright blue so very obvious.  Will work from any compatible TX. 

regards
Roy

[DBS88]

Thank you for the prompt replies, that’s great news, very reassuring, will go ahead and source a 2.4 transmitter and receiver

[justboatonic]

Used to be a big Sanwa user & smoked more than one or two when I converted to JR!

Hehe, I used to fly Sanwa gear, called Airtronics in the States, I think!? Sanwa was good gear and every bit as good, if not better than Futaba back in the day.

Im still with JR XG8 & 14 radio for my helis. After the Japan business went bump there was a bit of disruption but they're now up and running again by Dee Force Aviation (DFA). I wouldnt change my XG radios not even for Jeti.

[Big Ada]

I have an old Futaba sky sport 6 40 MHz transmitter and receiver fitted in a boat that’s at least 20 years old. If I buy a 2.4 transmitter and receiver will they work with the old servos? Is there anything that I need to be aware off or change as well I literally know next to nothing about rc controls thank you

Interesting subject.

Len.

[malcolmfrary]

A lot depends on how ol "old" is.  Some very early ones had 4 pins.  Little chance of them working.  My first radio outfit had very chunky plugs, but on the "standard" 0.1 inch spacing.  As mentioned, some manufacturers had their wires connected in a different order, some liked to have a polarising web on their plug moulding.
All of the 3 pin ones use the same signal standards, so once the wiring order is confirmed as being OK and any required trimming of the plastic plug housing is done, they will work with any modern radio.  Provided that they are plugged in both the right way round and on, rather than in between, the radio pins.
Futaba did like to be a bit different with their signal standards.  While everybody else used 1.5mS as the center, Futaba preferred 1.25.  They also preferred to reverse the signal logic - Rest of world, forward was a longer pulse, reverse was shorter, Futaba the opposite.  Going from a Futaba transmitter to a different one will probably involve recalibration of ESCs and taking off of servo horns and resiting them in the right place.

[DaveM]

On reflection I wonder about the state of 20 year-old servos - specifically the pot tracks. These will become dirty and/or worn with use over time and with the relative cheapness of new servos it's probably wise to replace the lot, unless your installation is like Derek's!
DaveM

[roycv]

All interesting stuff.  As far as wear goes maybe in aircraft there is more wear but I suggest most model boats run for no more than 1 or 2 % of their life. 
The servos I have discarded are mainly electrical failures, I used to repair them but no longer bother.  The servo motors get removed and the plug and wire cut off for later use.
I do recall way back that standard servos could be left and right handed, always worth checking on the bench first.  Now that the gear is plentiful most models have dedicated RC so I am always looking for extra servos.
regards
Roy

[DBS88]

Thank you I am learning a lot from the feedback, the five servos are working well at the moment, which is as well, since one is built into the structure and it would require major surgery to replace it.

[malcolmfrary]

Thank you I am learning a lot from the feedback, the five servos are working well at the moment, which is as well, since one is built into the structure and it would require major surgery to replace it.

The buried one is likely to fall foul of being set up to work to the signal from a Futaba transmitter, it might be possible to program out the difference depending on the capabilities of the new transmitter.  Any others, it is just a case of removing the servo arm, using the radio to tell it to be at its center point, and refitting the arm in the right position, then operating the servo F/R slider to suit.  Or programming equivalent.