balsabuster2003

I have a few on some of my planes. I sometimes use one when setting up end-points for servo travel. If the servo runs into a bind (control surface maxed out), the voltwatch will take a dump, indicating that I need to set a lower end-point.

RICMOD5634

I Started using them last year and wish I had started long ago , but didn't like the price till I found these. They work just great and some time you can even see the LED on a slow fly by. Check it out 3.97 is a lot better than 10.00.

http://www.unitedhobbies.com/UNITEDH...idProduct=2038

Rich

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I agree, in part, with what Ken said. Yes, the extended scale voltmeters do a great job of monioring what is going on with the battery. And, when used properly, and at the times when it should be used, it is an invaluable tool. Many do not use an ESV. Why, I don't know. I have one in spite of my use of the Voltwatch. And use it, even though my planes have voltwatch installed. Why? Because there is nothing like a 'second opinion". Hey, if you had a diagnosis of fatal cancer, would you accept it as is or would you search out another doctor to give you a 'second opinion'? I know I would.. thus the ESV and Voltwatch.

Cost is another factor. The brand name "VOLTWATCH" sells for $10.99. I see someone found a 'knockoff' at $3.99. If it works... go for it!! I use this one:

(Tower Hobbies http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHDJ2&P=ML.

And I can fully understand why some may not want to put his in ever one of their planes. Hey, not a problem. I don't have that issue because I don't have that many planes. So, I just install them in each of my new planes and just forget about it. If I had 10 or 15 planes, that means $110 - $160 for a load of voltwatch devices for installation on each plane. That's a lot of loose change for most people. And I totally appreciate that.

My point is simple. The simple fact of the matter is that they are in the circuit and give you a quasi accurate accounting of receiver battery condition. Hey, it's not a "raceable source" calibrated voltmeter. but is 'in the ballpark'. So, it gives you a pretty close estimation of what the battery is doing at any given time, UNDER LOAD. And the load is the current load that the battery "sees".

Don't disregard it as a fad. It is a useful tool and has applications that are well suited for just about every flyer. If you have any questions or any apprehensions about you battery condition, invest your $10.99 (plus shipping and handling.. and get one.

CGr.

Missileman

There is another way.
I mount my Voltwatch's with velcro, if you can't afford a voltwatch on each model just get a couple and put them on whatever you are taking to the field that day.

Warbird Joe

There is no reason to not have the voltwatch on your plane IMO. You spent a lot of money and time on your plane. You should put a meter on it to protect it. I find them the most benefincial in the winter time when that cold knocks the heck out the battery. I get five, nine minute flights on each of my planes batteries in the summer time. When winter time is here I get about three nine minute flights. Granted I haven't hit yellow yet but when it shows safe I take it you are safe to put it up or get another battery. As long as the voltwatches are around my planes will have them.

Campgems

Great point. I'm about deaf and using a screwdriver as a stecthescope on servos is a rough way to tell when you are stalling them out.

Don

tlgibson97

I have seen differnt opinions on which way is more reliable so I will ask this question. Has anyone here using a voltwatch or a loaded voltmeter ever gone in because of low battery power? If the users of either have never had an accident because of low voltage wouldn't that make them both equally effective? I have a voltwatch on one plane and don't own a loaded voltmeter. My other 3 planes I just fly with charged batteries. I think as long as you have some way to easily check power levels, loaded or unloaded, it is still better than not having anything at all.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I have been preaching about the use of voltwatch for quite some time now. Each time it comes up, I usually discuss reasons why. I will reiterate one, and it is just what you brought up. I check my voltwatch before and after each flight. That way, I know going in what the battery voltage is. I am not saying that this cannot be done with an ESV, no quite the contrary. What I am saying is that I check mine before and after each flight, that's all. How an RC'er would do this is totally up to that person. But I highly recommend this practice.

In my case, though, I do have voltwatch on my planes, so it's easy just to glance down, wiggle the transmitter sticks, and watch the reaction on the voltwatch. If it's in the mid green area, and stays in the green with wags of the stick, then I am ok for another flight. If it goes into the red, I recharge.

You can get the same thing from an ESV, by the way. I just prefer the convenience of the voltwatch. And I can see what's going on all the time (on the ground, obviously).

I have a Great Planes Venus II pattery plane. It has an OS 1.20 AX engine, the DX7 radio system, and a pair of 1200 mah NiMH batteries on board. Each battery is plugged into a separate channel port on the RX and each has it's own switch. The way I check the voltage is to operate one switch to on, check the voltwatch (wag the sticks), then turn it off. Then I turn the second one on and do the same thing. If either one shows signs of needing recharge, I recharge both.

I saved my Venus this way one day. I flew three flights, and, after the third flight, I put the plane on the bench in the pits. I checked battery 1, it showed well in the green, with no excursions into the yellow. Good battery. I turned it off and turned the second one on. It was in the red. I cycled it, and it was STILL in the red. So, I grabbed my ESV and checked it that way. It read 1.1 volts, flashed, then went blank. What's going on here? So, I borrowed an ESV from one of the other flyers and checked it again. Same thing. Whoa!!

I removed that battery and put a spare in (Yeah, I keep spare batteries with me when flying), and put both on the charger to equalize them both.

I checked the battery that I took out, and it had a dead cell!!! Two + flights and it was fine. It checked good before the third flight (or I would not have flown) but failed in flight. Probably due to vibration, I don't know, all I know is that it failed.

Saved that plane with voltwatch and ESV.

So, yep, I use voltwatch.

One more quick point. I have also preached, in numerous posts, about the benefits of using the voltwatch for initial assembly of RTF's, ARF's and kit building. You can immediately tell if you have a binding linkage for any control using voltwatch and fix it right then. Binds can also happen after the initial build. If you bump the rudder, or elevator in transit, you could have chipped or broken a tooth on the gears in the servo. This could bind up during operation and you will see that using voltwatch by a jump in the LED's during the stick wagging prior to flight.

CGr.

cruzomatic

My Feedback: (17)

All great responses and very interesting points. Voltwatch's are the way to go it seems. I'll pick some up and begin to outfit all my planes with them.

I'm currently building a GP Revolver and the LED's are jumping all over when moving the throttle. An abvious bind that I need to correct.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

There ya go! You found a potential battery drainer there. Good going!!

CGr.

Warbird Joe

The voltwatch is actually doing two jobs like you and CGR said. You check your voltage and can find binds that you may not hear out at the field. My point again. $300+ into a plane what is $9 to make sure you keep it?

cruzomatic

My Feedback: (17)

I see. So only one LED on at a time? Anything else, then there's a problem??

Warbird Joe

Yes. Of course you see more when you wiggle the sticks but not when they are stationary. If you do then you have a bind somewhere.

Missileman

And what he means is stationary at full throw, great way to check.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Only one LED is lit at one time... seeing more is an illusion because they move from one to the other rather quickly. If the far green one is lit and stays lit, then you're just fine. Even if other green ones (one at a time as you say), and stays lit, it's just fine. As the greens approach the yellow, it's giving you an indication that you probably have one or two flights left, but should be thinking of a re-charge pretty soon. It's when that thing goes from the far green (or any green for that matter) to the red when you wag the sticks is when you really ought to be looking for something before flying. It indicates that something is drawing way to much current and drawing the battery voltage down with it.

It's an ohm's law thing, current, resistance, and voltage. I won't go into that except to say that the voltage of a battery will go directly with the current. Low voltage means low current available. Voltage is the 'water pressure' and the current is the amount of water coming out the spigot. Open the spigot wide and the water does not go as far.. the pressure is reduced as all that water comes out of the uncontrolled spigot. I don't want to oversimpify here, but the analogy is a good one.

CGr.

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

I like the Voltwatch myself and have 4 planes but only 1 voltwatch. Here's what I did with mine. I cut the off the lead that plugs into the reciever and soldered on a female connection from a spare servo extension. That way I can plug it into the charge connector that I have hanging outside of the plane. If I want to know where my battery charge is at I just plug it in there and check it and I only have to have one Voltwatch for all my planes.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah.. that's cool. That works just fine. Just don't forget to switch that voltage switch if you use a different voltage battery pack on one of your planes. (6 vs 4.8 or vice versa).

CGr.

-pkh-

My Feedback: (2)

I use a Voltwatch in all my RC planes and helis. It's always there and always on when I power up the plane. I check it before and after every flight. I've not had a receiver battery related crash to date.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I think I just discovered a flaw in this logic. The battery charge jack is out of the circuit when the switch is turned on, so you must be doing this when the switch is turned off. In this case, you are NOT getting the right reading, it is an un-loaded reading.. from your voltwatch if used in this particular method.

Your method works with an ESV because the ESV provides the load. The voltwatch does not. It relies on the plane's internal load which is not in the circuit when the switch is turned off and you have access to the battery via the charge jack. SO, you are only looking at the non-loaded battery. Please be careful with this because you will get a false sense of security out of this method!!!

CGr.

balsabuster2003

Good point!!

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

I should have mentioned that I'm only using it to read the battery not the load.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Ok, fine.. however, you may already know this, maybe not.. but you are getting absolutely no good information out of that. A bad battery pack can STILL give you a good no-load voltage reading. That's why there is so much talk about ESV's and testing under load.

Batteries have an 'internal resistance' that develops a no load voltage. With no load, there is no current, and you are basically measuring an open circuit voltage which may or may not be accurate. Good batteries will of course give you a good reading. Bad batteries may also give you a good no-load voltage, but the battery is still bad!

The only way to accurately test a battery pack is to do it under load with either an ESV or with a voltwatch connected as designed, into a vacant RX channel (or you can use a Y connector and do it that way into a channel occupied by a servo) and with the switch on.

I just don't want you to post in the crash forum about losing that nice plane after you thought you had a good battery!!!! [:@] That would not be a good read at all!!!

CGr

hungryandbroke

I don't need them.

I've never had a crash due to low batteries.

And even if it does crash, oh well, I'll just fly another one.

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

Point well taken

hungryandbroke

In all honesty, I've Never seen anyones plane crash due to low batteries. I Have seen several crashes from a wing flying off in mid-air though.

So to sum it all up, they should invest the $10 in a roll of Duck Tape to secure the wing on rather than spend the $10 on the Voltwatch.

And that's all I have to say about that!