8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
05-01-2002, 03:01 PM
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You guys are scaring the heck out of me!!
Shake a transmitter in the pits or in the shop or at the factory to test it???
I, too, had a great loss with my 8UAPS. I lost a beautifully detailed Top Flight DC-3 (had about $1400 in it, not including the radio). As a matter of fact, I got the Super 8 just for this plane, and I of course now use it for all my planes. Only on the DC-3 did I use a PCM receiver. All my other planes use PPM and I've never had a problem. But on the DC-3's tenth or so circuit around the field, I lost it... I'm pretty sure it went into failsafe mode by what the plane did. After the crash (total loss except for the wankels), I tested all the radio gear and it all worked fine.
I don't know if I should be wary of PCM or Futaba, but sheeeesh, don't tell me about intermittent issues with solder joints!!!
Shapiro, please post your results after discussing with Futaba. I'll echo what someone else mentioned already. I paid good money for this TX, and can't/won't tolerate issues with internal soldering, if this is truly an issue with this radio. Thanks for the post.
Regards,
George
I, too, had a great loss with my 8UAPS. I lost a beautifully detailed Top Flight DC-3 (had about $1400 in it, not including the radio). As a matter of fact, I got the Super 8 just for this plane, and I of course now use it for all my planes. Only on the DC-3 did I use a PCM receiver. All my other planes use PPM and I've never had a problem. But on the DC-3's tenth or so circuit around the field, I lost it... I'm pretty sure it went into failsafe mode by what the plane did. After the crash (total loss except for the wankels), I tested all the radio gear and it all worked fine.
I don't know if I should be wary of PCM or Futaba, but sheeeesh, don't tell me about intermittent issues with solder joints!!!
Shapiro, please post your results after discussing with Futaba. I'll echo what someone else mentioned already. I paid good money for this TX, and can't/won't tolerate issues with internal soldering, if this is truly an issue with this radio. Thanks for the post.
Regards,
George
05-01-2002, 07:34 PM
#27
8UAPS status
Gentelmen, Here's the status so far. Futaba was sympathetic but has not made any promises one way or the other. They did direct me to their website so that I could fill out their service request form and mail it in with the Transmitter. In addition, I also sent them a two page letter specifying in detail the history of the transmitter, as well as what transpired on the latest event with my giant extra. One of my thoughts in the letter expressed my apprehension in using this particular transmitter again in light of the VERY costly crash resulting from the Tx problem. I also told them that modelers on RCUniverse forum had expressed their thoughts on similar experiences.
Tx went out FedEx on Monday. Now we wait and see. I'll keep you guys posted. By the way, is it just me or does it seem a bit ridiculous to have to worry, just before takeoff, about solder joints comming loose in a top of the line Tx? I build them, and fly them. . . electronics I leave to the engineers; of which I am not!
Tx went out FedEx on Monday. Now we wait and see. I'll keep you guys posted. By the way, is it just me or does it seem a bit ridiculous to have to worry, just before takeoff, about solder joints comming loose in a top of the line Tx? I build them, and fly them. . . electronics I leave to the engineers; of which I am not!
05-01-2002, 08:10 PM
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8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
Mark, I feel the same way as you do. We're not supposed to have to worry about this kind of problem but I guess we have to live with it since it happens sometimes.
I was luckier than you since I found the problem before I crashed an airplane but it was time for me to get the information cause at least two pins solders were completely cracked when someone told me about this problem with 8ua.
Even if I got informed before a tragedy would happen, I was upset with this situation and it took many many flights after this to regain confidence in my tx.
Fortunately, I can tell you that after a tech friend of mine fixed it 2 or 3 years ago, I never got another problem and I really like this radio.
Like you I fly giants and Jets(DF) and I'm sorry that you had to learn this problem the hard way but if it can help your moral, I'm convinced that now that you know where the weakness is, you'll have great satisfaction with this very good radio except for this serious weakness.
I was luckier than you since I found the problem before I crashed an airplane but it was time for me to get the information cause at least two pins solders were completely cracked when someone told me about this problem with 8ua.
Even if I got informed before a tragedy would happen, I was upset with this situation and it took many many flights after this to regain confidence in my tx.
Fortunately, I can tell you that after a tech friend of mine fixed it 2 or 3 years ago, I never got another problem and I really like this radio.
Like you I fly giants and Jets(DF) and I'm sorry that you had to learn this problem the hard way but if it can help your moral, I'm convinced that now that you know where the weakness is, you'll have great satisfaction with this very good radio except for this serious weakness.
05-01-2002, 11:29 PM
#29
8UAPS
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Cowboy. I'm sure that Futaba will make things right. I really do like the 8UAPS. It is a very sophisticated radio with many many features and capabilities. You're right, a couple of successful flights and I'm sure my confidence in the Tx will be restored.
05-01-2002, 11:42 PM
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8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
Mark, you should've opened it up and inspected the connector yourself.... Somehow I don't think they're going to admit to this problem (if it really is the connector) again.
Too late now, though.........
Too late now, though.........
05-02-2002, 12:11 AM
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8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
[QUOTE]Originally posted by INJUN_EAR
[B]I've been an engineer for close to thirty years, and I can tell you it's not good engineering practice to do something like this. Almost all connectors have a mechanical means of support, making use of "ears" and screws and other hardware. This connector made use of the solder to support it.
The primary purpose of the solder joints in an electronic unit are to make reliable electrical connection, and NOT for mechanical support of the component itself.
QUOTE]
I design Printed Circuit Boards for a living. Been doing for many years. Believe it or not, but many, many connectors are designed and meant to be supported by the solder connections. Typically these types of connectors are considered for low cost and minimal number of connector removal and insertions, both of which satisfy our radio's requirements.
The issue for the connectors is really simply, the soldering process and quality control! If the process is'nt correct, neither is the product. We demand super radios at a super price. Unfortunately, we get this at a reduced labor and quality rate. Guess where our radios are constructed? Guess why? Cost! Also, buying the most expensive radio is'nt necessarily going to mean you get good quality, you just get more features with the same quality. A $20 servo is most likely to be made by the same person in the same factory as the $150 servo.
We must accept the fact that we will never get a perfect product unless we conduct dish out NASA like bucks!
Cheers!
[B]I've been an engineer for close to thirty years, and I can tell you it's not good engineering practice to do something like this. Almost all connectors have a mechanical means of support, making use of "ears" and screws and other hardware. This connector made use of the solder to support it.
The primary purpose of the solder joints in an electronic unit are to make reliable electrical connection, and NOT for mechanical support of the component itself.
QUOTE]
I design Printed Circuit Boards for a living. Been doing for many years. Believe it or not, but many, many connectors are designed and meant to be supported by the solder connections. Typically these types of connectors are considered for low cost and minimal number of connector removal and insertions, both of which satisfy our radio's requirements.
The issue for the connectors is really simply, the soldering process and quality control! If the process is'nt correct, neither is the product. We demand super radios at a super price. Unfortunately, we get this at a reduced labor and quality rate. Guess where our radios are constructed? Guess why? Cost! Also, buying the most expensive radio is'nt necessarily going to mean you get good quality, you just get more features with the same quality. A $20 servo is most likely to be made by the same person in the same factory as the $150 servo.
We must accept the fact that we will never get a perfect product unless we conduct dish out NASA like bucks!
Cheers!
05-02-2002, 12:27 AM
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8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
You are obviously talking about header connectors that have nothing more than a ribbon cable attached to it.
This connector is of the Header Typer, .1inch/center and has the Frequency module attached to it. The pins are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long.
The module, as it is inserted into the cavity of the transmitter back places lateral (back and forth) motions on the connector every time you either remove or insert it, or just handle the transmitter by sliding it around on the table.
It's the wrong connector for this application.
It requires mechanical support to prevent lateral motions, applied through leverage, sometimes amplified by shocks due to inadvertant G-forces as we handle the transmitter, from breaking the solder loose from the board. The length of the pins just serve to add leverage and increase the lateral stress.
We never, never, never, rely on the solder connections to support components unless the component weight, and subsequent lateral forces on the connection are negligable. At least we don't in the aerospace industry....... This design would never have gotten my approval, not even in the dog-eat-dog world of cheap electronics, that's for sure! This is the kind of thing that's critical to the quality, and most importantly, the reliability of the product. I believe it's just a simple engineering snafu.........
Supporting the connector is critical in designs that are expected to vibrate, or are subjected to any knd of G-forces. Our transmitters sometimes get knocked around, and this is to be expected in normal use. That's how mine was broken loose. I inadvertantly caught the RF module on a nail that protruded from a picnic bench whilst sliding the transmitter. It was enough to break the connector from the pc board.
This connector is of the Header Typer, .1inch/center and has the Frequency module attached to it. The pins are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long.
The module, as it is inserted into the cavity of the transmitter back places lateral (back and forth) motions on the connector every time you either remove or insert it, or just handle the transmitter by sliding it around on the table.
It's the wrong connector for this application.
It requires mechanical support to prevent lateral motions, applied through leverage, sometimes amplified by shocks due to inadvertant G-forces as we handle the transmitter, from breaking the solder loose from the board. The length of the pins just serve to add leverage and increase the lateral stress.
We never, never, never, rely on the solder connections to support components unless the component weight, and subsequent lateral forces on the connection are negligable. At least we don't in the aerospace industry....... This design would never have gotten my approval, not even in the dog-eat-dog world of cheap electronics, that's for sure! This is the kind of thing that's critical to the quality, and most importantly, the reliability of the product. I believe it's just a simple engineering snafu.........
Supporting the connector is critical in designs that are expected to vibrate, or are subjected to any knd of G-forces. Our transmitters sometimes get knocked around, and this is to be expected in normal use. That's how mine was broken loose. I inadvertantly caught the RF module on a nail that protruded from a picnic bench whilst sliding the transmitter. It was enough to break the connector from the pc board.
05-02-2002, 01:36 AM
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It got someones approval, and they made quite a bit of money from it. I believe the engineers responsible, made sacrifices in reliability for some circumstances such as ripping the module with a nail on a picnic table, 
etc. in the name of production costs. I've been involved with consumer product design for 4 years a while ago, and you know what they say?? "This product can only cost this much to produce, because we want to be able to sell it for this much, because the competition has it for this much....." It's all a marketing problem that the consumer bears. If they did'nt have competition, we might see a better product, but we'd also see a much higher cost.
Back to the connector. This would be a very bad application in the aerospace business, but guess what? We're in the hobby business. Unless we refuse to buy the product, they will keep giving us the crap we pay for. Even then, if the crap were to improve, the price would surly sky rocket. Right into aerospace!!
Cheers!
etc. in the name of production costs. I've been involved with consumer product design for 4 years a while ago, and you know what they say?? "This product can only cost this much to produce, because we want to be able to sell it for this much, because the competition has it for this much....." It's all a marketing problem that the consumer bears. If they did'nt have competition, we might see a better product, but we'd also see a much higher cost.Back to the connector. This would be a very bad application in the aerospace business, but guess what? We're in the hobby business. Unless we refuse to buy the product, they will keep giving us the crap we pay for. Even then, if the crap were to improve, the price would surly sky rocket. Right into aerospace!!
Cheers!
05-02-2002, 01:50 AM
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8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
Originally posted by Tiger
It got someones approval, and they made quite a bit of money from it. I believe the engineers responsible, made sacrifices in reliability for some circumstances such as ripping the module with a nail on a picnic table, etc. in the name of production costs. I've been involved with consumer product design for 4 years a while ago, and you know what they say?? "This product can only cost this much to produce, because we want to be able to sell it for this much, because the competition has it for this much....." It's all a marketing problem that the consumer bears. If they did'nt have competition, we might see a better product, but we'd also see a much higher cost.
Back to the connector. This would be a very bad application in the aerospace business, but guess what? We're in the hobby business. Unless we refuse to buy the product, they will keep giving us the crap we pay for. Even then, if the crap were to improve, the price would surly sky rocket. Right into aerospace!!
Cheers!
It got someones approval, and they made quite a bit of money from it. I believe the engineers responsible, made sacrifices in reliability for some circumstances such as ripping the module with a nail on a picnic table,
etc. in the name of production costs. I've been involved with consumer product design for 4 years a while ago, and you know what they say?? "This product can only cost this much to produce, because we want to be able to sell it for this much, because the competition has it for this much....." It's all a marketing problem that the consumer bears. If they did'nt have competition, we might see a better product, but we'd also see a much higher cost.Back to the connector. This would be a very bad application in the aerospace business, but guess what? We're in the hobby business. Unless we refuse to buy the product, they will keep giving us the crap we pay for. Even then, if the crap were to improve, the price would surly sky rocket. Right into aerospace!!
Cheers!
Sorry, I don't buy it as a conscious decision....They'd be fools to compromise their reputation for a possible difference of 2$ per transmitter.... Remember, you're talking about a company that markets servos that cost a couple of hundred dollars each. I don't think economy would win over in this circumstance.
Nope, it was indeed a packaging and design snafu, and I believe it was unintentional..... They didn't forsee the stresses placed on the connector, regardless of what the circumstance involved to cause the solder to fracture. Fact is, this was a very prevalent mode of failure a couple of years ago, so if you want to poke fun at my circumstance that induced the failure to occur, would you care to speculate on the other mechanisms that caused the same failure to occur on other peoples transmitters?
Bet they won't make a similar mistake in the future! Aerospace or not, this is just sloppy packaging.
As a matter of fact, they denied ever having a problem for a long time until surrounded by those of us over on RCO, and in the newsgroups, submitting evidence in the form of photos, etc....
Too bad Mark didn't open his up to take a look! I'd like to see if their hot glue fix works (assuming Mark has the 8Ua super)....
05-02-2002, 02:14 AM
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Maybe,... Maybe.
However, $2 extra in production costs does 2 things. Increases the cost of the product of course, but over a year of production, that adds up very fast. Also, the markup of the final product increases to cover the costs. Don't miss-understand this point. They don't just add $2 to consumers price to cover this increase production cost. If only they would. They only calculate the price point after total production costs. This could mean an extra $20 to what ever dollars more to the consumer in the end. If another manufacturer has a similar product at a price point, the company needs to reduce production costs to be competitive.
The fact that they denied the problem really means nothing. These are big company's whose left hand knows not what the right hand is doing. They might also may just want to shut up the few people who are having problems so they don't really feel the need to fix the problem. This is a stretch. Most company's want customer loyalty, but only if it's cheap. I can spout off hundreds of valid product issues company's have had and said were nothing. Many even life threatening! Only after public or government outrage, do they change their tune. Just food for thought.
You may very well be right Injun-ear, as a matter of fact, I hope you are. However, I do know how consumer products are designed and marketed. It's not a pretty picture. I just want to show the possible "Other Side" to this issue.
However, $2 extra in production costs does 2 things. Increases the cost of the product of course, but over a year of production, that adds up very fast. Also, the markup of the final product increases to cover the costs. Don't miss-understand this point. They don't just add $2 to consumers price to cover this increase production cost. If only they would.
They only calculate the price point after total production costs. This could mean an extra $20 to what ever dollars more to the consumer in the end. If another manufacturer has a similar product at a price point, the company needs to reduce production costs to be competitive.The fact that they denied the problem really means nothing. These are big company's whose left hand knows not what the right hand is doing. They might also may just want to shut up the few people who are having problems so they don't really feel the need to fix the problem. This is a stretch. Most company's want customer loyalty, but only if it's cheap.
I can spout off hundreds of valid product issues company's have had and said were nothing. Many even life threatening! Only after public or government outrage, do they change their tune. Just food for thought.You may very well be right Injun-ear, as a matter of fact, I hope you are. However, I do know how consumer products are designed and marketed. It's not a pretty picture. I just want to show the possible "Other Side" to this issue.
05-02-2002, 02:38 AM
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Nope, I still don't buy it. A radio, such as a 8Ua has a very limited, and very narrow niche of the hobby market, and it's the high end user they're selling these things to.
Let's put this into perspective....if they sold 10K of these things a year, that would be a stellar year!
Let's face it, we're not exactly "the" mass consumer market.
Nope, it was just sloppy packaging. Their fix was hot glue support in the 8Ua super.
Their snafu, and subsequent fix, has nothing to do with economies of design, and subsequent savings in mass production...
There isn't any mass production of r/c equipment.
And you didn't answer my question...Would you care to speculate on the circumstances, and the mechanisms that cuase the fracture of the solder joints?
Please be specific.... If this is not defective packaging, then why the failures???
Let's put this into perspective....if they sold 10K of these things a year, that would be a stellar year!
Let's face it, we're not exactly "the" mass consumer market.
Nope, it was just sloppy packaging. Their fix was hot glue support in the 8Ua super.
Their snafu, and subsequent fix, has nothing to do with economies of design, and subsequent savings in mass production...
There isn't any mass production of r/c equipment.
And you didn't answer my question...Would you care to speculate on the circumstances, and the mechanisms that cuase the fracture of the solder joints?
Please be specific.... If this is not defective packaging, then why the failures???
05-02-2002, 02:04 PM
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8UAPS Failure-33% Extra Total Loss!
I already told you. Bad quality control in the factories. If the solder used is old, Flux used old or wrong type, heat insufficient, poor wetting of the solder joint, contamination of either the PCB pads or component leads.....etc. Any of these conditions will cause a very weak solder joint prone to failure. This is probably the reason we have heard of this problem only a few times. Quality control!!!
I'm not here to slap faces and draw pistols. Just to show the other side of the story.
I'm done with this conversation. Some like it black, some like it white.
Cheers!
I'm not here to slap faces and draw pistols. Just to show the other side of the story.
I'm done with this conversation. Some like it black, some like it white.
Cheers!
05-02-2002, 02:35 PM
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No need to get huffy. It has nothing to do with cold solder, quality control, or economies of design.
If it had anything to do with economies of the design, then the connector they selected wouldn't have gold plated pins.
I guess there is a very good reason why pc board designers are subordinate to EE's....
Once again, 1) wrong connector for this application.
2) Packaging-poor design practice-(no mechanical support)
If it had anything to do with economies of the design, then the connector they selected wouldn't have gold plated pins.
I guess there is a very good reason why pc board designers are subordinate to EE's....
Once again, 1) wrong connector for this application.
2) Packaging-poor design practice-(no mechanical support)
05-02-2002, 03:00 PM
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I guess there is a very good reason why pc board designers are subordinate to EE's....
Well, well, well..... This was a little low.
I wonder why the connector is an issue??? Jeez, did an EE design that thing??? Figures! If the mechanics were left to the PCB Designer, he/she would have put the right part in for the job! You can tell an engineer, but you can't tell him much!
BTW, I have worked for four different company's, very large multi billion dollar company's, and have never been a subordinate to an EE in the company's view. Only to a few EE's who had there head up their a**! I make more than alot of EE's because of my skills. I'm also an electronics engineering technologist, but few know this tid bit.
Now I'm done. Keep the bashing clear. Nobody needs to Liston to this.
Cheers!
Well, well, well..... This was a little low.
I wonder why the connector is an issue??? Jeez, did an EE design that thing??? Figures!
If the mechanics were left to the PCB Designer, he/she would have put the right part in for the job! You can tell an engineer, but you can't tell him much! BTW, I have worked for four different company's, very large multi billion dollar company's, and have never been a subordinate to an EE in the company's view. Only to a few EE's who had there head up their a**! I make more than alot of EE's because of my skills. I'm also an electronics engineering technologist, but few know this tid bit.
Now I'm done. Keep the bashing clear. Nobody needs to Liston to this.
Cheers!
05-02-2002, 03:13 PM
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Tiger...let me ask you this. Have you yourself observed this failure, the fractured solder; the connector mounting, etc. ?
Well sir, I have!
And one more thing, if the mode of failure is a result of poor quality control on the production line as you postulate, then why is FUTABA hot gluing the body of the connector to the pc board as a "fix" for this problem?
Don't they know it's just bad soldering?
Well sir, I have!
And one more thing, if the mode of failure is a result of poor quality control on the production line as you postulate, then why is FUTABA hot gluing the body of the connector to the pc board as a "fix" for this problem?
Don't they know it's just bad soldering?
05-02-2002, 03:40 PM
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We cannot begin to assume what's going on in quality control. You nor I can really say for sure what they are thinking during the course of this problem. The hot glue was obviously a cheap fix! Maybe as a backup to the support of the connector because of continuing quality control problems. Maybe because of a poor design decision that they don't want to put more money into than that to fix. Kinda goes with what I've been saying all along. Cheap quality.
BTW; I have seen these types of failures in other products many times. Causes are due to many factors including cost cuts and poor design decisions.
I fly giant scale and some of my birds are worth a lot of cash. I fear every time I fly about a failure. But it does'nt stop me. I love the hobby that much. Once in a while it's going to bite. I just had a 1/4 scale ARF pull itself apart on the weekend because of poor design and quality. Lost $1000 on that one. It hurt, but I know the risks and except them. They are low but do exist. I feel really bad for the gentleman who lost his plane due to this issue, and wish it did'nt have to happen. But this is always a risk that can come around. Thats why the space shuttle has so many backup systems. Failures occur. Plain and simple! Why they occur is human nature.
Lets please end this thread. It's going no where. Just keep on Futaba's butt about quality and they'll sure to come around.
BTW; I have seen these types of failures in other products many times. Causes are due to many factors including cost cuts and poor design decisions.
I fly giant scale and some of my birds are worth a lot of cash. I fear every time I fly about a failure. But it does'nt stop me. I love the hobby that much. Once in a while it's going to bite. I just had a 1/4 scale ARF pull itself apart on the weekend because of poor design and quality. Lost $1000 on that one. It hurt, but I know the risks and except them. They are low but do exist. I feel really bad for the gentleman who lost his plane due to this issue, and wish it did'nt have to happen. But this is always a risk that can come around. Thats why the space shuttle has so many backup systems. Failures occur. Plain and simple! Why they occur is human nature.
Lets please end this thread. It's going no where. Just keep on Futaba's butt about quality and they'll sure to come around.
05-03-2002, 12:43 AM
#42
8UAPS
Gentelmen, gentlemen. . . I had no idea that my Tx's failure would spur such a lively debate between two obviously knowledgable guys. On the other hand, I think such debates are exactly what these forums are for (among other things). In any event, I too wish that I had opened the back of the Tx to look inside, but my fear was that Futaba might somehow blame me for fiddling with something while it was opened, causing the problem that I ultimatley complained of. In any event, do either of you know if the soldering joints on the new 9CAP is improved over the 8UAPS? BTW, this whole incident, as well as the replies to this forum, make me wonder why Futaba has discontinued the 8UAPS? Have any of you guys heard any reasons for the discontinuation?
05-03-2002, 01:15 AM
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Nope, I don't know about the 9CAP...I doubt they would repeat the same snafu.
The effectivity of the problem with the connector, and solder fractures was really only a "First generation" 8UA problem.
I really haven't heard of this problem in a couple of years, possibly three years. There was plenty of activity on the news groups around that time with users inspecting their own radios and identifying the problem by visually inspecting the solder joints.
When mine had the problem, it wasn't a complete catastrophic event, but rather it was a constant beep of the transmitter indicating that the RF module was either not installed, or bad......
Lucky for me, after a week or two, I got curious as to what the warning was and played with the transmitter. I found that by nudging the RF module I could make the symptom disappear.
That prompted me to open the back of the transmitter up. I found that all five or six pins of the connector had fractured the solder and were no longer reliably connected to the circuitry. I then recalled that i had slid the transmitter on a park bench with a nail head protruding from the surface that had snagged the plastic lip of the RF module.
Keep in mind that I already had used this radio for at least a couple of years, as it was bought the first year it was offered (1994?).....
I still have the same radio and still use it with no problem.
This was indeed a problem discovered by others over a short period of time, as reported in numerous postings on the internet.
I believe that Futaba would not acknowledge the failure, probably for fear of liability, but acted to remedy it quickly. I read in the newsgroups that buyers were inspecting the "super" version and the connector was now firmly hot glued to the surface of the PC board.
I fixed mine in a similar manner using PFM. The problem with the connector was that the plastic body did not contact the flat surface of the PC board, but was elevated off the board. This put all the lateral stresses on the pins, and the solder joints.
Filling the gap between the body of the connector and the board added additional resistance to lateral (back and forth) forces imposed on the connector when removing/inserting the RF Module, or just sliding the xmitter case on a surface that would cause the module to move laterally within the cavity.
This was the FUTABA fix for the problem...
The effectivity of the problem with the connector, and solder fractures was really only a "First generation" 8UA problem.
I really haven't heard of this problem in a couple of years, possibly three years. There was plenty of activity on the news groups around that time with users inspecting their own radios and identifying the problem by visually inspecting the solder joints.
When mine had the problem, it wasn't a complete catastrophic event, but rather it was a constant beep of the transmitter indicating that the RF module was either not installed, or bad......
Lucky for me, after a week or two, I got curious as to what the warning was and played with the transmitter. I found that by nudging the RF module I could make the symptom disappear.
That prompted me to open the back of the transmitter up. I found that all five or six pins of the connector had fractured the solder and were no longer reliably connected to the circuitry. I then recalled that i had slid the transmitter on a park bench with a nail head protruding from the surface that had snagged the plastic lip of the RF module.
Keep in mind that I already had used this radio for at least a couple of years, as it was bought the first year it was offered (1994?).....
I still have the same radio and still use it with no problem.
This was indeed a problem discovered by others over a short period of time, as reported in numerous postings on the internet.
I believe that Futaba would not acknowledge the failure, probably for fear of liability, but acted to remedy it quickly. I read in the newsgroups that buyers were inspecting the "super" version and the connector was now firmly hot glued to the surface of the PC board.
I fixed mine in a similar manner using PFM. The problem with the connector was that the plastic body did not contact the flat surface of the PC board, but was elevated off the board. This put all the lateral stresses on the pins, and the solder joints.
Filling the gap between the body of the connector and the board added additional resistance to lateral (back and forth) forces imposed on the connector when removing/inserting the RF Module, or just sliding the xmitter case on a surface that would cause the module to move laterally within the cavity.
This was the FUTABA fix for the problem...
05-03-2002, 02:38 AM
#44
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Gentlemen,
All this means nothing if you dont work for Futaba and know
whats going on.
Keep guessing and write another 10 pages!!!!!! Keep yourselves entertained and lost.
Anyone work for Futaba willing to shed some light? We promise not to give your I.D. away. We need facts only.
Mark , you have to understand products are constantly discontinued and updated. You know , new and improved. Dont worry, take a look at all other products, they are constantly being disc and updated. Doesnt mean they are bad.
BTW, Ask futaba if you can get a detailed report from the tech working on the Radio. We will translate the technical jargon for you.
All this means nothing if you dont work for Futaba and know
whats going on.
Keep guessing and write another 10 pages!!!!!! Keep yourselves entertained and lost.
Anyone work for Futaba willing to shed some light? We promise not to give your I.D. away. We need facts only.
Mark , you have to understand products are constantly discontinued and updated. You know , new and improved. Dont worry, take a look at all other products, they are constantly being disc and updated. Doesnt mean they are bad.
BTW, Ask futaba if you can get a detailed report from the tech working on the Radio. We will translate the technical jargon for you.
05-03-2002, 02:45 AM
#45
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Sey wot????
This "problem" isn't an issue with the 8UA Super....I haven't heard of this problem, and BTW we don't know if this was MARK's problem, for at least three years...
So MARK. How old is your radio?
Just an observation...Some people read ALL the previous posts before commenting.....
This "problem" isn't an issue with the 8UA Super....I haven't heard of this problem, and BTW we don't know if this was MARK's problem, for at least three years...
So MARK. How old is your radio?
Just an observation...Some people read ALL the previous posts before commenting.....
05-03-2002, 12:05 PM
#46
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Just for your info, hot glue (or something like it) is used quite a bit on electronics. It keeps the components from high frequency vibrating which cause cold solder joints
05-03-2002, 01:14 PM
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From what I remember of this issue, probably 5-6 years ago when the 8UA first came out, there was a problem with the module connector on the circuit board. Futaba published a list of the affected serial numbers and they were from a specific plant - Taiwan or China. Ask Anne Marie on the manufacturers form. Futaba was repairing them free of charge at the time. I checked mine at the time and it was not on the list. I didn't see this posted in my quick scan of this thread, so if it repeticous, I apologise. This wasn't a problem that I am aware of on the 8UAS.
Good luck.
Hall
Good luck.
Hall
05-03-2002, 01:15 PM
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Smallfly, Actually Cold solder joints are created during the soldering process. True the glue can be used to help support components from stress damage, including broken solder joints, but the words "Cold Solder Joint" is just a jargon word for a poor soldering process issue.
Just a small lingo correction. You are absolutely correct in what you meant to say though.
Take care.
Just a small lingo correction. You are absolutely correct in what you meant to say though.
Take care.
05-04-2002, 01:38 AM
#50
8UAPS
Hey NAVCOM, good idea about the detailed report. Futaba is supposed to call me with a repair estimate prior to working on the Tx. I'll ask the tech at that time for the detailed report. Also, INJUN_EAR, I got my radio in November, 1999.