wc524

On my 25% Wildhare Yak I am running a DX7, and I have all my slots in the receiver filled up.

I am running dual-redundant batteries and split elevators and ailerons in the Aux 1 and Aux 2 with the second battery in the "Gear" channel. Only one option comes to mind.

Option:

1. Getting a Smartfly Power Regulator (Super Reg) so I can get both batteries into one channel ($70.00)


Is there any other way to get around buying a power regulator. I really hate to spend 70 dollars on something that I could avoid.

Help is much appreciated.

- Parker

wyldman

My Feedback: (1)

Put a Y harness in the gear channel 5 and plug the kill servo or switch into one side of the Y harness and the battery into the other side of Y harness. Program and use Channel 5 for the kill switch

Wyldman

mtwister

Maybe I'm wrong, but if you set it up that way, wouldn't you have a battery voltage input on one side of the Y, and a receiver signal out on the other side of the Y, all trying to run into the same channel?

mtwister

No offense, but why run dual batteries on a plane this size? It really isn't necessary. Most of us don't run redundants even on our 35%'s.

BaldEagel

There is a programme on the DX7 that allows for throttle cut at low throttle and trim, if I remember correctly you set it up on the trim lever and the Tx remembers the cut setting.

Mike

wyldman

My Feedback: (1)

the control signal is coming out on the white ( orange for JR) wire and going to the kill switch there should be no white( Orange for JR)wire going into the battery pack.
Only red + and black - ( red and Brown for JR) coming out of the battery so at the point where you plug the switch for the battery into the Y harness only red and black are making a connection there should not be a signal wire connection to the battery, so the signal will stop at the plug. On the other side of the Y harness you will have the kill switch that uses all three wires.
If you want you can remove the signal wire connector from the plug on the switch/battery side of the Y harness and cap off the signal wire so only positive and negative wire connections remain and then plug in your switch/battery.
I make my own servo's leads so when I make a power Y I remove the signal wire, in your case I would remove the signal wire on the switch/battery side and leave it on the kill switch side.

But I have to agree with mtwister why have duel batteries, maybe duel switches in case one fails, but not duel batteries.
Wyldman

wc524

I think I will give 1 battery and a Y-harness a try. The only reason I have run two batteries is in case of when I get larger airplanes like the 33-35% which I will run dual batteries only for my sanity (I like to be secure).

Still, my only worry is that I am running 7.4 Li-Ion batteries through a 6v regulator and all those connections with the Y-harness and such just seems to add more things to fail. What planes do you guys have that set-up on to give me some confidence.

wyldman

My Feedback: (1)

I have this setup on my 33% hanger 9 extra 330 with a ZDZ 80 for over 6 months.
If the Y harness really bothers you then get the power regulator it's only 70 dollars and if you ever have a radio failure you will always think it's the Y harness. you can save money on some things like cheaper wheels or wooden prop but NEVER try to save a buck on radio gear or piece of mind.
get the smart fly power regulator so you will feel confident about your setup.
WYLDMAN

wc524

Thanks Wyldman. My peace of mind is more important to me than getting a cheap priced part, that I would blame if I had a power failure. Power Regulator it is.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Use that Gear channel for a servo-operated choke. Gives you an immediate "kill", if needed. Also, as others suggested, use a short, HD "Y" in the Gear slot, plugging in the servo to one leg, and battery to the other. I have three airplanes setup this way on AR7000, Spektrums. Works just fine.

Redundant batteries are cheap insurance, and great peace of mind that you won't drive that AR 7000 into it's "sleep" mode from loading the battery pack. I recommend, and use, dual batteries, and dual switches on all my aircraft, all the time.

wc524

Thanks guys for all your input. I used a HD Y-harness I had laying around and hooked up my output from the regulator to the opposite end of the Y and removed the white signal wire. I then plugged in my choke servo and everything seems to be working fine. Gives me peace of mind with dual redundancy and I also have a failsafe in case of emergency. Thanks again!

-Parker

cliff600

My Feedback: (3)

I am kinda experimenting with my set ups and DX7. I have a 35% Yak with one 4000 Mah li-ion battery that runs all the servos and rx. Before I got a DX7 I did run dual batteries , but like everyone else, I found there was no real easy/good place to plut in a second pack, so I thought I would try it with just one. I have flown 4 times in one day without recharging and my pack has never tested too low to fly again. I don't know exactly how many times I can fly, but I know 4 is well within it's capacity. I set my first plane up with redundancy all over it and then I had a failure and crashed my plane. Now I am using the K.I.S.S method Keep It Simple Stupid. Until I find a problem with this set up or someone explaines to me why I should change, this is how it will be. Just my 2 cents worth.

BaldEagel

[/quote]

Agree with aerobob in an emergency you may have to use the choke, but the choke is designed as a starting device and to keep an engine running prior to it getting up to operating temprature, it does this by enabaling excess fuel to get into the engine ie choking the air flow whilst leaving the jets open, putting excess fuel into the engine at tick over is not a good idea, it can hydro lock and bend a con rod, yes I have it happen on a two stroke motorcycle, ask any manufacturer if they think its a good idea to stop an engine with the choke as a matter of course its not a good idea to have this as your only cut off option.

Mike

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Exactly correct, Mike. I *only* used the choke to stop the engine if it is an emergency. Otherwise, I use my throttle>throttle "cutoff" mix to pull the throttle completely closed. When I have spare channels, I have a Hitec HS55 with a lever-microswitch mounted to it, and the microswitch has male/female power leads that insert between the ignition battery and the ignition. That then is installed in a channel, and the servo actually opens the power lead circuit when activated, completely mechanically independent of anything on the engine.