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All Forums >> Radios, Batteries, Clubhouse and more >> RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros >> Radio Manufacturer Direct Support >> Hitec/MultiPlex Radios- Ask Hitec Customer Service >> Quality Issues with Hitec Servos?
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Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/10/2004 1:58:05 PM   
WilsonFlyer


 

Posts: 522
Joined: 8/11/2003
From: Wilson, NC, USA
Status: offline 		I just saw a post in Giant Scale by a guy that says he's been using Hitecs in his giant scales for years with numerous accounts of failures through the years. He goes on to say that he's now finished with Hitec. This is not the first I've heard of these issues.

This is not a "bash Hitec" type of post. I would never do that and especially not in Mike's forum. I don't personally have any bad experiences but I just started flying 6 months ago (RC. Been flying real planes for 20 years). This leads me to my SINCERE questions and concerns though...

I have built SEVERAL giant scale birds over the last few months, none of which have flown yet. For EVERY one of these birds I have purchased Hitec servos. Mostly 5645's and 5625's with some 605's and 645's mixed in in appropriate places. I did this for economics reasons. Supposedly, high quality servos at an affordable price. I like that but all this reading about failures scares me to death to be honest with you.

I have THOUSANDS of dollars invested in these scale planes, engines and radio equipment (Futaba receivers/transmitters). After spending hundreds (actually well into a thousand now that I think about it), of dollars with Hitec, I think I deserves a "warm and fuzzy" pat on the back telling me that I've made the right investment by buying Hitec servos because I sure am reading a lot quite the contrary in a lot of other places.

What gives Mike? Seriously. I'm getting gunshy and I haven't even put one of these planes up yet (waiting on spring). What about all the failures documented on the 56xx series? What can I do to insure I have adequate hardware? I bought the programmer (had to for my application) and I think I've done everything I can to reasonably assure that I've done my part but again, I'm getting scared. What about the 6xx series of analogs? Are they OK? The 605's (arguably, one of the most popular high end analog servos ever sold) have been recently discontinued. Ouch! Is this a simple marketing move as it appears or is there more going on here than I know.

I have a lot invested here and I think I deserve some explanation of why all these rumors are flying. I never hear these rumors about JR or Futaba servos ($$$). I'd like to know why I do hear them about Hitec.

Please give me a detailed list of what I can do to assure that my servos are programmed right (the digital ones) and even for my old analog ones, to make sure I minimize the chance of servo failures. I don't mind losing my planes to my thumbs. After all, they're just airplanes. What I do mind is losing my planes to inferior equipment where saving a few dollars costs me thousands.

I can't believe that the Hitec servo product line is as inferior as some of these guys want me to believe.

Help me feel better about my support of Hitec.

Let's make this a reference thread of the what to do's and what not to do's with Hitec servos.

< Message edited by MikeMayberry -- 1/16/2004 10:14:22 PM >
       Post #: 1

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/10/2004 8:01:44 PM   
DERF-54



Posts: 618
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: niagara falls, NY, USA
Status: offline 		If you are flying giant scale planes then you should be using a servo that is desinged for the job like the 5925,5945, ore the 925,945 servos. I think the 56** series servos are good servos as well I just dont think they belong in giant powered aircraft.
I use all hitec servos and recievers and do not have a problem with them.
Fred

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(in reply to WilsonFlyer)
       Post #: 2

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/10/2004 8:14:48 PM   
WilsonFlyer


 

Posts: 522
Joined: 8/11/2003
From: Wilson, NC, USA
Status: offline 		I would like to hear someone from Hitec say that then because that's the first I've ever heard of it. Unless I am mistaken and have been given a LOT of bad information, the 56xx series was Hitec's giant scale solution until the 59xx series was introduced just recently.

With all due respect, I'm not looking opinions here. I can get those from my local flyers and hobby shop. I want facts. I have too much invested to deal with speculations and inuendos.

(in reply to DERF-54)
       Post #: 3

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/10/2004 8:29:50 PM   
WilsonFlyer


 

Posts: 522
Joined: 8/11/2003
From: Wilson, NC, USA
Status: offline 		I really don't want this to turn into a witch-hunt but Hitec needs to read this thread: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Giving_up_on_Hitec_%2D_FYI/m_1417640/tm.htm (which ultimately provoked this one).

I'm getting understandably (from my perspective anyway) concerned. I'm just wondering if I should just sell everything I've bought at a loss and just look for another solution from another manufacturer.

Maybe in all fairness to Hitec, I should wait for some official response from Mike. I've got this funny feeling that all this can't be true. How could hitec stay in business if it was (rhetorical question)? There's got to be rational answers to all of this. I sure hope so!

< Message edited by LearningMan -- 1/10/2004 3:31:59 PM >

(in reply to WilsonFlyer)
       Post #: 4

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/11/2004 3:49:37 PM   
ScottK



Posts: 187
Joined: 4/15/2002
From: Plant City, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Everyone has an opinion - some are more noisy with theirs.

I fly Hitec servos exclusively now, but in years past I've flown JR, Futaba, FMA, Command, and GWS, etc. ad nauseum...

In that time, I've experienced at least one failure from every brand of servo I've used. Upon close inspection/analysis, I believe all of the failures were my fault - usually by overloading a surface with 3D deflection/high loads or from excessive vibration.

I don't believe Hitecs have any higher risk of manufacturer defect (that anyone can back up with statistics) than other servo brands. Servos don't usually kill servos - people kill servos.



I like Hitec performance. I like Hitec price. I like Hitec service.

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(in reply to WilsonFlyer)
       Post #: 5

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/12/2004 11:09:14 PM   
WilsonFlyer


 

Posts: 522
Joined: 8/11/2003
From: Wilson, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Anybody listening?

This is sincere people. I have genuine concerns. This ain't a **** thread. I'd like to have some answers.

(in reply to ScottK)
       Post #: 6

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/12/2004 11:45:41 PM   
Geistware



Posts: 12946
Joined: 4/9/2002
From: Locust Grove, GA, USA
Status: offline 		I use Hitec servos and have not had any problems. I do notice that at times the 605 servo may not center properly, but other than that, the servos have worked great.

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(in reply to WilsonFlyer)
       Post #: 7

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/13/2004 4:25:11 PM   
famousdave


 

Posts: 2263
Joined: 9/16/2003
From: Bradenton , FL, USA
Status: offline 		I have flown JR exclusively for years. As my planes grew in size, so did the requirement for larger loading and more servos. The JR solution (with matchboxes, etx) is ludicrous. Way too much to go wrong. I tried one plane with this setup and found it to be a royal hassle and way too much money, not to mention all the weight added and wiring nightmare. No Thanks.

I have since switched to Hitec. With the volume of servos I was going through there was no way I could overlook the price difference. People for whom I have built planes for agreed too, and so now unless someone wants JR, I use Hitecs.

I have had no failures. I build to the way a person intends to fly. If they fly pure scale, I will use servos up to 75% of their rated load. If they fly IMAC or Pattern - 65%. 3D, I will never go more than 50% of rated load no matter what the a/c maker says. In some cases that means stronger servos or multiple servos on each surface. I did this with JR and I do it now with Hitech. In most cases, this does not add a lot more servos. Only occasionally do I have to add above what the plane is designed for.

That said, nearly all failures are due to overloading, overheating, vibration or too high of an operating voltage (some Nimh packs run "hot" and over their voltage ratings). In all the years of flying, I have not once had a servo fail "just because". Each time I traced it back to a root cause that I could have controlled.

The failure rate on modern high end-servos is in the 6-sigma range or 3 failures in 1 million.. or 3 PPM.

Here is my failure log over the past 3 years

JR 507 (Throttle) gears stripped, throttle jammed stalled servo - no crash
JR 8411 (Rudder) hardover, installed too tightly in servo tray, vibration caused pot failure - no crash
JR 8231 (Aileron) gear stripped, aileron surface impacted on ground during handling - no crash, caught on ground
Hitec 645MG (Rudder) horn screw backed out, loss of rudder and resulting extreme flutter, tail came apart - crashed
Hitec 5945MG (Rudder) poor centering, chatter at idle - cables strung too tight as airframe expanded in heat
Hitech 5945MG (Aileron) quit. Improperly centered by operator, working against other servos on surface

Root Cause of every failure - installation or handling.
I will stand by Hitec, I think they make a great product.

As far as transmitters and receivers.. I will never fly anything but JR!

DP

(in reply to Geistware)
       Post #: 8

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/13/2004 9:08:23 PM   
WilsonFlyer


 

Posts: 522
Joined: 8/11/2003
From: Wilson, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Talking to myself...

You know what bothers me the most? It bothers me most that this seems to be a situation that Hitec seems oblidged to simply ignore (this thread) merely hoping it will go away. It will. So will I as a customer and others with me if their idea of providing excellent customer support after the sale is to handle the easy questions and ignore the tough ones. That's not the way I treat my customers and I certainly don't expect to be treated that way either.

I prepared myself for the "canned response" when I composed my initial challenge in this thread. "No problems. User errors. We make a great product. Ask 10,000 others. 10,000 people can't be wrong. Blah, blah, blah" While I certainly hoped for more (some reasons these apparent high rates of failure might be occuring) and possibly some things to do to AVOID them happening at all; I think the least I expected was to at least have the common courtesy of the canned company line handed back to me.

I'm very disappointed at this point. Maybe other vendors are worth investigating after all (as I sit here holding countless $100s worth of Hitec Servos/equipment). I'm not risking $20k worth of airplanes to a company that obviously (no response yet) doesn't even seem to care.

I can't believe it's come to this but I was a believer in Hitec and now I'm turning into one of the nay-sayers. At least I didn't have to lose a $3500 airplane to learn my lesson. Thank God for that.

(in reply to famousdave)
       Post #: 9

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/13/2004 9:45:26 PM   
Highflight-RCU


 

Posts: 597
Joined: 2/28/2003
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		When an individual seems to have a lot of problems of the same sort over and over, I think one might want to take a closer look at how that person is using the equipment; especially considering that the vast majority of other people who use that same equipment DON'T experience those kind of problems to any significant level other than the usual statistical failure rates of ANY product of that nature.
While I sure can't speak for Hitec, I'd surmise that the company would encourage you to switch brands completely if you are not happy with their product. Then you can pull the same rants on JR, Futaba, etc.

Highflight

< Message edited by Highflight-RCU -- 1/13/2004 4:45:40 PM >

(in reply to WilsonFlyer)
       Post #: 10

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/13/2004 10:10:20 PM   
tiggerinmk



Posts: 1527
Joined: 12/30/2002
From: Milton Keynes, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		I put a thread in this forum a while back which got totally ignored. My issue is at the other end of the spectrum though, HS-81's.

I currently have 7 of these in use in 2 small planes, 3 of which have gone 'glitchy' and have needed to be replaced. I've got several more of these for a couple of projects and I too am worried about their reliability...

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then you probably haven't completely understood the seriousnes

(in reply to Highflight-RCU)
       Post #: 11

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/14/2004 12:23:59 AM   
MikeMayberry



Posts: 2864
Joined: 1/15/2002
From: Poway, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I really think that our reputaion speaks for itself here and is backed up by many of you (Thanks!) The fact is that there are many possible reasons that a servo would fail. You also need to keep in mind the application they are in and the level of servo.

People are quick to lump all Hitec servos, especially digitals, into one category but in reality we make servos at all different levels. I will challenge anyone to tell me that there is a better servo on the market than the HS-5945MG!

The bottom line is that Hitec sells more servos than anyone else, so when you consider that there are literally hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Hitec servos in use, seeing some that fail for what ever reason does not mean they are low quality.

Mike.

(in reply to tiggerinmk)
       Post #: 12

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/14/2004 5:54:39 AM   
jnjacksn



Posts: 250
Joined: 3/11/2002
From: Cleveland, MS,
Status: offline 		LearningMan...

Now I fully understand your concern. I recently purchased 10 HS-5945MG servos for a 33% airplane. I did this knowing other flyers I currently fly with have lost large scale aircraft using this servo. After considering each application, I felt comfortable that with the precautions I would be taking to ensure that I would not experience the same failures.

My results... 2 failures in 12 flights.

Within the group I fly in, we are experiencing a 10% to 15% failure rate with the HS-5945MG servo. Similar aircraft with similar setups using different brand servos do have failures, but no were near the 10% to 15% range. I personally am no longer comfortable using this servo in an aircraft with this much money invested. I am willing to pay a little more just to make myself feel better.

Good luck with your decision.

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(in reply to MikeMayberry)
       Post #: 13

RE: Quality Issues with Hitec Servos? - 1/14/2004 12:04:16 PM   
Highflight-RCU


 

Posts: 597
Joined: 2/28/2003
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: jnjacksn

I personally am no longer comfortable using this servo in an aircraft with this much money invested. I am willing to pay a little more just to make myself feel better.

Good luck with your decision.


My complaints run in a different direction; I'm just plain tired of paying almost $100 for a single servo (of any brand). I have recently been using GWS S06-2BB servos (119oz. @ $19) and have had no problems in my giants when used with one per aileron and split elevator (I use their 200+oz. giant servos for rudder and flaps).
And the reason I tried them in the first place is because others in my club have bought them and liked them as well (and have had no problems).

The point is, all servos have to meet basic quality and performance requirements if people are going to keep using them. Hitec makes great servos, and so does JR, and Futaba, and... etc. But some of each are going to break or wear out and it's up to the user to make sure they use them the right way in the right application.

There most certainly are people who feel they "need" a fast, digital, $100 servo. And then there are those who just fly around doing the usual manuevers and don't care about 3D, jets or helicoptors which is the kind of flying that DOES need the high dollar stuff. However, I've had no worse failure rates from GWS (and FMA) servos than I've had from the Futaba, JR or Hitec servos I've used.
Personally, my theory is that there are probably only a couple companies that make all the different brands anyway.

Highflight

(in reply to jnjacksn)
       Post #: 14

RE: Quality Issu