RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz*

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz*
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RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 6:24:36 PM

gaRCfield

Posts: 1701
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online

I just won a pattern contest with this radio

No problems whatsoever, but after reading this thread I did charge my battery a bit more often.

Thanks Airtronics, and Mike! You guys got a real keeper, and for only $229 with two receivers!

_____________________________

..this hobby is doing weird things to me...

(in reply to zertsman)

Post #: 1026

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 6:41:42 PM

crazy8s

Posts: 96
Joined: 4/20/2005
From: Somewhere, PA, USA
Status: offline

It is a very cool radio, isn't it?? And what you get for the price is mind bending compared to the other manufacturers. Plus, except for a couple of reported situations <unfortunately airplanes were lost> we don't seem to have any of the weird problems that have cropped up for the other manufactuers. Airtronics has delivered exactly what they told us it would be. Btw, this is my first Airtronics radio and I am very impressed with how easy it is to use the intuitive programming.

< Message edited by crazy8s -- 9/10/2008 6:42:33 PM >

(in reply to gaRCfield)

Post #: 1027

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 8:10:17 PM

djlyon

Posts: 1991
Joined: 12/10/2001
From: Castaic, CA, USA
Status: offline

Per my previous post (977) I made a comparison of the no load decay characteristics of the 700mah battery in one of my RDS8000 and old 600mah battery from one of my RD6000s. In this comparison I only used the RDS8000 to check voltage and the empty/full bar for the first 72 hrs. Both batteries were fully to start with the Airtronics wall charger that came with the RDS8000

600mah battery 700mah battery
start 11.1v F 10.8v F
2.5 hrs 10.7v F 10.2v F
24hrs 10.4v F 9.7v 3/5F
36hrs 10.4v F 9.8v 4/5F
52hrs 10.3v F 9.6v 3/4F
72hrs 10.3v F 9.5v 2/5F

Load tested at approximately 250ma. The RDS8000 draws 190ma

10.5v 9.4v

Discharged both batteries on a Triton charger at 300ma down to 8v, 1v per cell. The remaining capacity was

535mah 128mah

I have never observed nicds to have such a short charge storage life. I haven't observed batteries doing this since the nimhs of 20 to 25 years ago.
I did not test the battery from my other RDS8000 because my son is using it while his RDS8000 is at Airtronics being repaired. However during my use of it, it seemed to me that it's battery had the same quick charge decay while not in use.
The RDS 8000 operator manuel says the low voltage alarm will turn on when the battery drops below 9.5 volts. I tested this on my transmitter and found that it came on below 9.2volts. It turned on when the voltage went in one step from 9.2 to 9.0. Before running the decay test I checked the 700 mah battery for capacity 2hrs after fully charging it. Capacity was 650 mah

Again I am not saying these batteries are defective. But they are very different.

I should add that in June I used this transmitter and battery pack in a pylon race. It had been removed from the charger about 12 hrs before I flew the first heat. After 10 heats that day the voltage had just dropped to 9.6 volts.

Denis

Geez I wish this forum wouldn't take all my spaces out. Hope you can read it.

< Message edited by djlyon -- 9/10/2008 8:18:09 PM >

_____________________________

I never met an engine I didn't like.
Of the things I've lost I miss my mind the most.

(in reply to crazy8s)

Post #: 1028

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 8:16:13 PM

djlyon

Posts: 1991
Joined: 12/10/2001
From: Castaic, CA, USA
Status: offline

I have these receivers installed in 5 pylon racers with Velcro to 1/4 in. firm foam and that in turn Velcro'ed to the bottom of the fuselage. This is a serious vibration environment with the engines turning 19500 on the ground to 21000 in the air. Absolutely no problems and rock solid performance with lots and lots of flights.

Denis

_____________________________

I never met an engine I didn't like.
Of the things I've lost I miss my mind the most.

(in reply to MikeGreenshields)

Post #: 1029

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 8:27:38 PM

MikeGreenshields

Posts: 172
Joined: 3/15/2005
From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
Status: offline

Dennis. THANK YOU! for that effort. Obviously you put a lot of time and effort into understanding and educating everyone here. I like it a lot!

The batteries do not retain their charge in storage like some other batteries. I experienced that too.

I am very glad to see, however, that when charged the night before, they are working properly at the field. We use the radio daily in Customer service and have found so far that we have not had to replace any packs. We have 3 radios..

And again, if you feel your battery is not holding a charge, send it back. There is a warranty and we have it so that you never feel unsupported.

gaRCfield: Congratuations. Can you email me a picture of you with your radio and plane and the who what when of the contest? mikegreenshields@globalhobby.net??

Crazy8's. and everyone.. You guys make my day. I have to say. I forwarded your comments to the President and Vice President of our company. Those comments are really really appreciated. THANK YOU.

Mike

_____________________________

Mike Greenshields
Product Manager

(in reply to djlyon)

Post #: 1030

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 8:30:01 PM

Fishin Geezer

Posts: 223
Joined: 10/4/2007
From: Grants Pass, OR, USA
Status: offline

Thanks, Mike. I'll continue to focus more on vibration isolation than on temperature.

Keep trying, zertsman. Some good will eventually come of it

.

(in reply to zertsman)

Post #: 1031

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 8:31:38 PM

RCGeckoman

Posts: 16
Joined: 6/30/2006
From: Cary, NC, USA
Status: offline

Sounds good. I looked at my Tx on Saturday, having not charged it since the previousSunday, the voltage was 10.1v. Charged it on the standard wall wart charger to 11.3v for Sunday. Flew two flights and some ground work for setup before the flights, came home with 10.3v once more. I'll look again tonight to see what the voltage has dropped to.

Whatever is in my tx seems to hold it's charge ok over time. No worse than any of my other radios anyway, Futaba and Airtronics.

(in reply to djlyon)

Post #: 1032

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 10:34:41 PM

Pete737

Posts: 477
Joined: 5/14/2006
From: Rumford, RI, USA
Status: offline

Mike,

I received my TX today. The rudder is fine thank you. I am still however having an issue with my elevator. On certain models I don't have any control with stick input. Only switching my CMIX switch moves the surface from full up to full down. I included in my letter this problem, I'm curious as to why it was not addressed.

Right now all models except 1, 3 and 4 behave this way. I was on the phone with Jack today and he's looking into it.

All of my Cmixes are zeroed out.... Any ideas?

Pete

_____________________________

Don''t just fly a scale model..
Fly the model scale.

(in reply to bigedmustafa)

Post #: 1033

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 11:39:52 PM

MikeGreenshields

Posts: 172
Joined: 3/15/2005
From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
Status: offline

It doesn't make sense to have two people walking through it with you. Jack knows more about the radio than anyone so if it is a program that is simply turned on, he can walk through the programming with you to make sure everything is off. There's lots of different ways to turn off a function like epa, dual rate, one of the pre-programmed mixes like throttle/elev or elev/flap. Maybe one of those was turned on while Minh was checking the radio.

When Minh checks the radios he checks all the channels for basic operation. He's human so I guess he could of made a mistake but since he's a technician with 20 years experience it certainly isn't due to lack of knowledge.

Mike

_____________________________

Mike Greenshields
Product Manager

(in reply to Pete737)

Post #: 1034

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/10/2008 11:48:54 PM

Pete737

Posts: 477
Joined: 5/14/2006
From: Rumford, RI, USA
Status: offline

Ok.

I played around with it with Jack on the phone assisting. I have found a multitude of different problems.

Only certain models work (or seem to) properly. I am randomly running into unresponsive commands. I cannot adjust elevator EPA for any models. The throttle channel will not reverse. CMIX switching sporadically moves the elevator surface. Rudder also ran away to the left during aileron commands. These are only a few of the contingencies that I took note of. There were several others. He and I are convinced this unit is "buggy".

I no longer trust this (particular) radio. Jack recommends a replacement radio......... I expect one.

I will ship back to you tonight. Please do not send this unit back to me.

Pete

_____________________________

Don''t just fly a scale model..
Fly the model scale.

(in reply to Pete737)

Post #: 1035

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/11/2008 12:59:22 AM

MikeGreenshields

Posts: 172
Joined: 3/15/2005
From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
Status: offline

I sent you an email about it. But clearly it's not "buggy", it has suffered some sort of computer problem. Just like any computer there's programming in it and if something goes wrong somewhere else in the radio, it can cause the computer problems. Essentially the programming is corrupted.

So, if they initially messed up a wire or pot or something or one failed prematurely that resulted in a short on the pot or PC board, that's a wire that essentially is connected directly to the computer. Shorting anything on a pc board that is connected to a computer is typically "bad" (which is why you need to be really careful and make sure the battery is disconnected if you ever need to pop the case open.)

Anyway, it does seem that this has happened and if so, the only safe solution, as you said, is to replace the radio.

I will be looking at it with Minh when it gets back.

Mike

< Message edited by MikeGreenshields -- 9/11/2008 1:00:02 AM >

_____________________________

Mike Greenshields
Product Manager

(in reply to Pete737)

Post #: 1036

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/11/2008 2:35:16 AM

Rod_Hart

Posts: 27
Joined: 9/9/2003
From: colorado springs, CO, USA
Status: offline

I am also having some battery problems as well. I swaped to a new larger NiMh pack. If the transmitter is off the charge the new pack goes down to the alarm in about three days. I am wondering if the wall wart is not completely charging the pack and also if thier is some currnet being drawn with the transmitter off. The new pack test fine with my triton charger (multiple cycles). Also I have never seen any voltage above about 10.5 with two different wall warts. I have a couple of older airtraonic radios.

I am planning on hooking a my wattmeter between the battery and the transmitter to see about current draw both on and off. The new pack is the same I have used in my Futuba and Hitech. These packs last months if not used. THis is a strange problem. Is it possible that the diode in the charging circuit is bad and not letting the the full voltage from the wall wart charge the battery?

BTW I really like the radio witht he exception of the battery issue.

Rod

(in reply to MikeGreenshields)

Post #: 1037

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/11/2008 5:38:44 AM

djlyon

Posts: 1991
Joined: 12/10/2001
From: Castaic, CA, USA
Status: offline

The results I reported above are with the battery not installed in the radio accept during the few seconds to get the numbers. But I had previously established that the rapid decay was not associated with being installed in the radio. Also I had previously established before running this test that it was not associated with the wall wart, or rapid charging. It is the battery and may be associated with changes in battery chemistry to help the environment but I don't know nor pretend too. Just make sure your battery is freshly charged 12 hrs before going and doing a full day of pylon racing. Good enough as long as you are aware.

Denis

_____________________________

I never met an engine I didn't like.
Of the things I've lost I miss my mind the most.

(in reply to Rod_Hart)

Post #: 1038

RE: *Airtronics RD8000 2.4 GHz* - 9/11/2008 8:14:03 AM

ltfrug

Posts: 13
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: San Ramon, CA, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: djlyon

Battery issues

Out of 5 RDS 8000s I know about, the battery packs will not hold a charge. After being fully charged they will decay down to about 9.6 volts in 3 or 4 days. This happens whether they are fast charged or slow charged in the transmitter or out of the transmitter. 2 of the radios are mine. Also mine cannot be reliably fast charged with either a Cirrus or Triton charger. They don't peak detect 4 out of 5 times. With a Hobbico field charger they peak detect fine. If the batterys are capacity tested within a short time after being charged (same day) their capacity is as rated, 700 milliamp hrs.

Has anyone else experienced this. Maybe this is the result of a battery chemistry change