stevekott

Ok here is what I'm guessing and others are more than free to correct me.

What it looks like is that S.bus2 is not just for telemetry devices as stated in the R7008SB Manual. I saw a hookup diagram for a R7003SB and a GYA431 gyro wher it uses the S.Bus2 output and then hooked servos to the Gyro output. Also some of the Futaba Servos are clearly listed as S.Bus2.

And I'm guessing that the SBD-1 S.Bus Decoder is also S.Bus2 compatible because it's been working fine over the last 100 flights or so. It's manual is dated 2010.

Based on my feeble research and the So far .. so good principle I'm inclined to leave everything hooked up the way that it is.

Incidentaly that GYA 431 S.Bus Gyro is really sweet for Airplane apps. It accomodates two servo outputs Left and right and picks up the gain and Left and Right servo inputs via S.Bus. (1 cable going into it vs. 3 on a Std Gyro). Plus it act as a 2 channel decoder for the 2 servo output, although the channel assignments are fixed. And it's only $80.

Happy Flying,

Steve

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Yeah, at this point I wouldn't change anything either.
I have just converted my Hawk to the 7008 rx using the 7 pwm outputs and a few mini sbus servos and two decoders. I just ordered the external voltage cable for the rx and was going to try it on the pump voltage line to have a flamout indicator. Did you this? I thought I remember in the other thread that you mentioned it.

Marty

stevekott

Yes you are right, it was me. This setup works very well on my twin P-70 setup on my YA F-Here's the link.

www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_11399981/anchors_11399981/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#11399981

For a single engine flameout detector, if you have the Jetcat I'd use the "Smoker" port. On Non-jetcat I think the fuel solenoid valve + would be good.

On thing interesting about the 18mz Ext Voltage is that it won't alarm on 0 Volts. You'll need to do a real simple voltage divider. In other words you'll show 5-6 volts when the motor is running and then maybe 2 volts when it's not and have the radio alarm at 3 volts or less.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_divider

You might neet to toss in a little switching diode to keep the voltage from back-feeding through the Fuel solenoid when it's not energized. If you need help let me know and I could probably draw up a little circuit for a single engine divider.

Happy Flying,

Steve

mick15

Futaba's next firmware update will have a 0volt alarm.

m

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Thanks Steve,
I didn't know you can't get an alarm on 0Volts although Mick seems to know something

Marty

ww2birds

My Feedback: (14)

The fuel solenoid seems to be the most logical place to sense the voltage if you need a simple indication of whether or not the ECU "thinks" the turbine is running, and the testing linked above shows it to clearly work.

I presume that if you wanted to monitor the PWM output that drives the pump, it might be quite interesting to see how it was varying with throttle and even keeping an eye on the wide open throttle value to confirm no blockages in the fuel system etc. Not knowing the specifics of the PWM signal, it might be wise to put a low pass RC filter (just one resistor in series and one capacitor to ground on the RX side of the resistor) between the pump and the RX voltage sensor, since the RX might "sample" the voltage between PWM pulses if it saw the raw signal, and the RC would smooth it to a DC value proportional to the average motor drive signal. Do the ECUs usually have one side of the pump at ground??? Hope so or the circuit gets a little more complex unless the voltage sensor is a differential amp :-)

Interesting thread, glad it's going strong.

Dave

stevekott

I've come accross a Pitot Based Airspeed Sensor for this amazing radio. It works particularly well with the new 18mz software upgrade to the Voice and Sensor capabilities. Here's the link:

www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_11461499/tm.htm

ww2birds

My Feedback: (14)

Thanks for letting us know about this, I've been in contact with Dirk and have one on the way!

Dave

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Hey Steve how does the TX treat this device? Is it fooled into thinking it is the Futaba GPS device, or does he have software for the TX?

Did you confirm this works on the handheld Robbe?

As stated great find.

ww2birds

My Feedback: (14)

Hi Matt .. Dirk's data sheet (on his site) says it emulates the stock Futaba GPS, and also says that it works with the telemetry box.

Steve may be able to confirm from his own experience... there is a nice discussion on the other thread Steve points to..

stevekott

Thats Great Dave!

I hope Dirk has enough success with this product for the 18MZ that he goes on to develop the Jetcat ECU Interface that will let us know how much fuel we still have left in the tank!

Steve

stevekott

Matt It thinks it is either the Robbe GPS or the Futaba GPS. It takes 8 slots just like the GPS does and it is user selectable to go from 8 thru 15, 16 to 23 etc ... Interfacing it takes two minutes. There a few little tricks on the 18MZ to make the Alarms and voice activations work but it's not bad. You need to have the latest 18MZ Firmware to get the Female Voice (preferred). We are all used to having women tell us what to do

That way you can still use the Futaba GPS in conjunction as the Futaba GPS is only able to use 8 thru 15. This is his second generation of software. The first spoofed an RPM Sensor. It worked well but you needed to calibrate it using the Gear Ratio function and it would call out RPM instead of speed. This version is just a lot cleaner.

I haven't tried it myself on the Robbe Box but I know that in Germany Dirk says the Robbe box is a very popular setup with FASST (not FASSTest) transmitters. Dirk says it will work concurrently with the 18MZ I just haven't tried it yet.

Happy Flying,
Steve

Skaluf

Mythbusters using the Futaba 18MZ to control the rocket car in the premier of season 10 last night. Selected for superior range, security and programming ability!

You have to love it, here is a screenshot of the Mythbusters using the Futaba 18MZ to control the rocket car in last nights 10th season premier.

Steve

Skaluf

New 18MZ software is now available from the link below.

This update includes the following new features.

Vario melody on/off switch function
Extra voltage alert change
Telemetry data logging
Altimeter display unit change
S.Bus servo features added
Support for the Robbe current sensor

You will also find a second file titled Telemetry Log Data Conversion Tool. This will allow you to convert the telemetry data into a .csv file so that you may view it in Excel or other spreadsheet programs.

Download is available here: http://www.futabarc.com/software-updates.html

Regards,

Steve Kaluf

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Nice!

Marty

stevekott

Wow, very nice! Data logging will be cool. Can't wait to see more sensors. Like a JetCat interface. Thanks Futaba for 'keeping up'

Plane Insane

My Feedback: (4)

Great news on the telemetry logging..

mick15

"Extra voltage alert change" This is as a result of my and some others request for a Zero voltage alarm. With this new facility it gives you a simple engine out alarm, by monitoring, for example the Fuel valve volts or the pump voltage. Obviously 0v.............zero engine/s.

m

Gonzalo38

Who is going to be the first one to install a Robbe Current Sensor (F1678) and see if it works as an alert for when a turbine has shut down ?

I'm currently receiving GPS information in my 18, but don't know how to connect this other sensor and make it work like a turbine alarm.

Plane Insane

My Feedback: (4)

Speaking of Robbe..  Does anyone know an online shop that sells these parts in the United States?   I'd really like to get the Telemetry Box but the "carriage costs" seem quite excessive.
http://www.robbe.de/telemetry-box-2-..._from_store=de

Gonzalo38

Try with these guys http://shop.rc-electronic.com/e-vend...&c=2403&p=2403

I bought mine from them.

FenderBean

I may not be the first but thats such a nice little easy thing to add. I will be adding them to my twins, because as we all know sometimes when your up high and out a bit by the time you notice one out it may be to late.
18mz is fantastic radio, I have the vario GPS sensor but after seeing how small and light weight the futaba one is I think I will sale the vario. Saw one at KY jets its about the size of jolly ranch candy

FenderBean

I fought this battle myself, nobody state side sales anything Robbe. I bought the robbe battery backer stuff for interaico, great service. Shipping cost me 75 dollars but it is coming from the down under, so I ordered enough stuff to setup 3 jets with sbus.

stevekott

Gonzalo you actually don't need much to get a turbine flameout alarm. Now that they have updated the software so it will alarm at 0 volts you have a few options. On Jetcat you can use the output on the "Smoker" port and run it in to the run it in to the second voltage input on the R7008SB. On any other brand you can use the voltage going to the Fuel Solenoid or the Fuel pump. When the turbine shuts off so does the Fuel Pump and Solenoid.

Now the current sensor by Robbe can be used for something else. I saw on a Jeti Thread where a current sensor was used in series with the fuel pump. It was then totaling milliamps used by the fuel pump and shown to be a direct linear relationship to the amount of fuel consumed by the turbine. An electronic Fuel Gage!

One could total the milliamps to drain the fuel tank, multiply that number by 80% and use that number to set an alarm for low fuel waning.

Happy Flying!

Steve

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

I posted this problem in the Futaba forum but no answer yet so I figure I'd ask here. Been working on setting up a new plane and noticed that when I turn the radio on the "bling" tone is gone and no beep when turning it off? All other tones and beeps seem to be working fine and the radio itself seems to be functioning fine. I'm running the latest update and as far as I can remember it was working fine after that.