RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em?  
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Beginners >> RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em?
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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/20/2008 10:43:39 PM   
bruce88123


 

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Joined: 11/26/2004
From: Memphis, TN, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Missileman


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wild Foamy

"Brokeback Mountain" springs to mind...

Woah, wait a minute there, your mind seems to be painting with a bit wider brush than most
quote:

ORIGINAL: Wild Foamy

a lot of you say that you use the $10 voltwatchers and that it would be too expensive to kit out all your planes, well go on ebay and you can find chinese copys for about $2 each (they are £3 over here) so you could get 3x as more units than you would with a voltwatch. and they actually work!

If you think about it, even $10 for a Voltwatch isn't all that much compared to the $500 or more people sink in to alot of their planes and realistically you only need a voltwatch on the airplanes your are flying. The $2 or $3 copies that you mention make it even more of a "why aren't you using them?" situation.

The cheap ones are probably the REJECTS from the Voltwatch production line. They're called "floor sweepings".

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/20/2008 11:45:32 PM   
gaRCfield


 

Posts: 635
Joined: 5/20/2008
From: Burlington, VT, USA
Status: online 		So it's o.k. to "y-off" a servo with a voltwatch? I was wondering what you do if you need all the channels in the receive for servos; I have an 8 channel receiver, and one channel is used for the battery, and I intend to (way in the future!) fill those 7 spots with servos.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/21/2008 12:08:26 AM   
Missileman



Posts: 2536
Joined: 2/14/2006
From: Algonac, MI, USA
Status: offline 		Yes, you can Y just about anything. In fact you can Y the battery in too and still use all 8 channels.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/21/2008 12:15:09 AM   
CGRetired



Posts: 4029
Joined: 9/14/2004
From: Galloway, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		All the Y does is expand the slots in the receiver. And all the voltwatch connects to is the battery supply + and - . So, you can connect to that anywhere as long as it's in the circuit (which means NOT the charge jack because when the switch is turned on (presuming you use a switch), the charge jack is OUT of the battery circuit.

So, a Y, paired with a servo is just fine. Heck, you can also parallel up a second battery that way, again, through a second switch is best.

CGr.

< Message edited by CGRetired -- 3/21/2008 12:16:13 AM >

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/21/2008 3:28:23 AM   
TCrafty



Posts: 423
Joined: 2/25/2006
From: Lakeland, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I check with a volt meter each flight. Don't know why some are complaining about having to do that. To me, it's just like fueling the plane, just something you must do before you fly.


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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/21/2008 11:02:29 AM   
CGRetired



Posts: 4029
Joined: 9/14/2004
From: Galloway, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Nobody is complaining, just making suggestions to make it easier to do and simple to remember. That's all. Hey, if you are disciplined enough to do that then knock yer'self out.

CGr.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/21/2008 11:38:48 AM   
TCrafty



Posts: 423
Joined: 2/25/2006
From: Lakeland, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I feel that it's cheap insurance. Even at that, you're not guaranteed that something else might go wrong. I was just referring to the post a few pages back where a gentleman was saying that his club requires checking at each flight. He mentioned that luckily, they've not enforced it yet. I'm not a prude and I'm definitely not narrow minded but I could fit in there (at least in this situation) without much heartburn on my part. Not poking with sticks here, just saying that to me, that rule would be a non-issue.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/21/2008 11:56:37 AM   
CGRetired



Posts: 4029
Joined: 9/14/2004
From: Galloway, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		Oh, no, I didn't mean to imply that. I just wanted to let you know that there are easier methods, and it simply helps people do something that should be done on every flight. I have both an ESV and use voltwatch.. as Justin Wilson (the cajun cook) says, "Always wear a belt AND suspenders!!".

Many of the posters, well, perhaps quite a few, are self taught. They have probably experienced more crashes than most of us 'formal' trained RC'ers have. Those of us that HAVE had 'formal' training, were, hopefully, introduced to the "Pre-Flight Inspection". Part of that is to check the battery (plural if more than one on the plane) before flying for the first time, then, hopefully, at least before each and every flight (I do it before AND AFTER each flight.. again, belt AND suspenders). The self taught never had that bit of information passed on to them by their instructors and are pretty much stuck with blaming inexperience on their crashes. Although not checking batteries may be included in the 'inexperience' factor, they do not understand that and attribute crashes to their lack of hand-eye coordination and the basics of flight, let alone what can happen if that battery is borderline.

And my comments were in no way intended to be disruptive. I admire someone that has the discipline to do what you do. That implies someone that is probably more organized than I am..

CGr.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/24/2008 10:21:21 PM   
waynemia


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 1/14/2008
From: Springtown, TX, USA
Status: offline 		All the arguments about loaded and unloaded voltages are correct. If you measure the votage with with the system on and servos moving, you will see loaded voltage. The loaded meters are easier for this and usually have a go/nogo indication based on the settings of the meter.

My suggestion is to check the batteries with your load meter when you fuel the plane. Make it part of your flight preparation. You should also check linkages, etc. I am a Private Pilot and the FAA requires pilots to use a pre-flight checklist to ensure the plane is ready. RC pilots would be wise to do the same thing. Range checks, landing gear, motor mounts, battery voltages, servo throws should be done a lot more than what I typically see at the field.

A lot of people check everything at home. I do a lot of hangar work too. The transportation of the plane provides opportunities for failures and a field check it best.

Batteries are another issue all together. I have been involved in engineering battery powered equipment for a long time. The real problem with NiCads and battery testers is the discharge curve. These batteries have a very sharp knee. This means that the voltage is relatively constant with only a slight decrease in voltage for most of the charge. When they hit the dicharged level, you are typically done! When we design battery indicators, the low battery level is really unreliable be cause you just do not have enough warning between the low level and the discharged level.

If you really want to know, measure the current used by the plane during normal operation. Normal depends on the kind of flying you do. You can measure the current by placeing an ammeter inline with the battery.

Now look at your battery. It has a mAh rating. This is the amount of current the battery is rated for if discharged in one hour. If you have a 600mAh battery and your current is 125mA for example, you should expect the battery to be good for 4.8 hours. Now for safety, only expect to use 90% of the capacity. 4.32 hours or round down to 4 hours. This is just a for instance. Manage your battery time at the field by keeping the plane turned off when you are not using it. If you don't think you have enough time for a day at the field, you can take a charger or get a bigger (heavier) battery.

You should also have a cycler and cycle your NiCads periodically. This will reduce worries about memory issues. A lot of the chargers have this as built-in feature.

Give your batteries as much attention as you to the engine and the rest of your planes and you probably don't need to spend money on a meter for every plane.

Good Luck.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/24/2008 10:43:17 PM   
YUKONFLYR



Posts: 206
Joined: 4/18/2007
From: WHITEHORSE, YT, CANADA
Status: offline 		I cycle my batteries prior to going to the field. I check the battery voltage each flight and range check at the beginning of the day. When I get home I discharge them on the cycler to see what is left. The voltmeter reading is only a guide for me in the field. If I have any doubts, I will swap out the pack with a fresh one and then check the voltage again.



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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/25/2008 12:58:48 AM   
kid chuckles


 

Posts: 611
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Granbury, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Well i charge my battery's on Fri. night to prepare for Sat. But have flown for a couple weeks on a 600 4.8 pulling 5 servos, all DS821'2 and had no problems. I put a Voltwatch on mine just because i think they are cool looking. Late in the evenings espesially. The little lights bilinking across when
you turn on the switch, is really bling for me but it also lets me know when i need recharging If i get down to third light i go home lol. But mine has only gotten that low once.

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RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/25/2008 1:05:01 AM   
Campgems


 

Posts: 1559
Joined: 2/18/2006
From: Arroyo Grande, CA, USA
Status: online 		The other option is a field charger. I have gotten to the point that I almost never charge my batteries at home. I get to the field 20 minutes or so before I want to fly and the first thing I do is to charge my Receiver battery. I am still flying Ni-cads in the plane and I use 1000mah packs. Usually after three flights and then setting for a couple days before the next trip to the field, the pack is usually down about three lights on the voltwatch. This is still in the safe range, but I top it off prior to flying. I get a much better charge this way as my field charger is an intellegent charger that can tell when the battery is topped off. Neither the wall wart or the Accucyle charger can tell when the battery if topped off. With the wall wart it isn't to much of an issue as the current is very low. I have blown a new Ni-Mh transmitter pack on the Accucycle topping it off overnight. It was showing great voltage at the start of my first flight and within about three minutes, the transmitter alarm was going off. One cell had "vented" as they say. The field charger recognizes when peak charge has been achieved and gives you an alarm to let you know it's finished.

One thing about the Ni-cads is that they fall off peak just setting. If you fully charge one and then check it 12 hours later, there is a noticable drop in voltage. After 24 hours, I wouldn't try to fly without topping off again.

Don


(in reply to YUKONFLYR)
       Post #: 87

RE: Voltwatch, you all use 'em? - 3/27/2008 12:25:28 PM   
kid chuckles


 

Posts: 611
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Granbury, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Man my charger when i take it to the field and it runs off my truck batt. it takes seems like forever for it to charge anything. It takes it while to charge plugged into wall but not nearly as long as at the field. Maybe it is because I have nothing to kill time and just notice it more. Very seldom do I even take it anymore as i keep my batteries pretty much charged all the time. Most times i start charging again as soon as i get home. But there have been times i have not charged in over a week and still fly with no problems. But the Voltwatch keeps me in the know enough not to worry to much. If batteries do adapt memory mine should really never go down lol. The should remember they are charged up and stay that way rofl.

(in reply to Campgems)