Spectrum 9100 Slow Blinking Lights
08-29-2013, 05:26 AM
#1
Spectrum 9100 Slow Blinking Lights
I just lost my Aeroworks Freestyle 260 QBL. I lost the connection between the Tx and The Rx .
For the past week or so when I bound the two together I would occasionally get slow blinking lights of the Rx. Now this means a low voltage situation and so each time I check the full charged battery ( under a load 1.5 amps) and the battery was always above 6 volts. I would then repeat the process and it would be fine. No slow blinking lights.
But sometimes when on the ground minutes after binding I would see the rx drop into the slow blinking mode. Again I shut everything down and started again. This , I think , is new to me. Dropping into slow blinking mode minutes after successful bind.
So i called Horizon . They said it could be a failing servo that is hanging up and thus drawing enough current to put the rx into a low voltage condition. Thus the slow blinking lights.
I test all the servos - all operate properly - no binding or glitching ( Hitec 645 MG).
Now the day before the crash , I noticed the following . Upon powering up and binding the plane to the TX , the right elevator (on its own servo ) is one half inch up from neutral.
I think a control rod has moved inside one of the two cleaves. I check one end is soldered and the other threaded. No movement. Using the Tx I set the servo back to neutral and fly.
No problems.
The next day again a spate of slow blink lights resolved by repeating the bind process. This was clearly an error as I seen the plane drop into slow blink mode by itself after successful binding while on the ground. It clearly could and then it did do it in the air.
Before and after the crash I cannot induce that servo or any other in that plane to behave erratically.
I am assembling a new Freestyle Extra and going to Hitec digitals replacing the analog 645 mgs.
I am told I could be having a pot failure in one of the 645. The Hitec 5645 digital have more robust pots.
Anyone with any wisdom thoughts and advice on the situation - I am all ears.
For the past week or so when I bound the two together I would occasionally get slow blinking lights of the Rx. Now this means a low voltage situation and so each time I check the full charged battery ( under a load 1.5 amps) and the battery was always above 6 volts. I would then repeat the process and it would be fine. No slow blinking lights.
But sometimes when on the ground minutes after binding I would see the rx drop into the slow blinking mode. Again I shut everything down and started again. This , I think , is new to me. Dropping into slow blinking mode minutes after successful bind.
So i called Horizon . They said it could be a failing servo that is hanging up and thus drawing enough current to put the rx into a low voltage condition. Thus the slow blinking lights.
I test all the servos - all operate properly - no binding or glitching ( Hitec 645 MG).
Now the day before the crash , I noticed the following . Upon powering up and binding the plane to the TX , the right elevator (on its own servo ) is one half inch up from neutral.
I think a control rod has moved inside one of the two cleaves. I check one end is soldered and the other threaded. No movement. Using the Tx I set the servo back to neutral and fly.
No problems.
The next day again a spate of slow blink lights resolved by repeating the bind process. This was clearly an error as I seen the plane drop into slow blink mode by itself after successful binding while on the ground. It clearly could and then it did do it in the air.
Before and after the crash I cannot induce that servo or any other in that plane to behave erratically.
I am assembling a new Freestyle Extra and going to Hitec digitals replacing the analog 645 mgs.
I am told I could be having a pot failure in one of the 645. The Hitec 5645 digital have more robust pots.
Anyone with any wisdom thoughts and advice on the situation - I am all ears.
09-12-2013, 10:36 PM
#2
Senior Member
"Upon powering up and binding the plane to the TX , the right elevator (on its own servo ) is one half inch up from neutral"
Is a possible clue- I'd have (in hindsight) replaced the servo.
Other possibilities
Poor connections between the power source and RX.
I had a NICAD battery pack that, when used, caused intermittent problems similar to yours.
Turned out to be a poor crimp on one of the battery connector pins.
You did not mention what you are using for RX and servo power.
Be aware that digital servos can draw higher peak currents that the typical analog servos.
(~ 1A to 2A per servo for mini and standard.)
I also had one digital servo fail with an odd symptom -
going in one direction, everything looked normal (Speed, Current draw, etc.)
In the other, speed was much slower, and the current draw jumped to about 1 1/2 A with the plane static on the ground stand.
Is a possible clue- I'd have (in hindsight) replaced the servo.
Other possibilities
Poor connections between the power source and RX.
I had a NICAD battery pack that, when used, caused intermittent problems similar to yours.
Turned out to be a poor crimp on one of the battery connector pins.
You did not mention what you are using for RX and servo power.
Be aware that digital servos can draw higher peak currents that the typical analog servos.
(~ 1A to 2A per servo for mini and standard.)
I also had one digital servo fail with an odd symptom -
going in one direction, everything looked normal (Speed, Current draw, etc.)
In the other, speed was much slower, and the current draw jumped to about 1 1/2 A with the plane static on the ground stand.
