Spoiler

I had the misfortune to suffer a total servo failure of a JR 591 servo recently. It nearly cost me the plane. This is the first time ever for me. Just wanted to see how prevalent the problem is. Any suggestions on how to prevent such incidents would also be appreciated.

redfox435cat

I've had is happen a couple times, one retract servo failed and also failed to cut off so it nearly drained my battery.

A flap servo failed on me, wasn't much of a problem other than the landing didn't look very pretty, same plane, my sea fury, kinda of leary about the futaba digitals now

A throttle servo stuck on on my viper tower 53, basically a futaba 3003. Who whould of though you's get 13 minutes on a 6 oz tank. that thing hauled ass when it started getting empty

had an aileron fail on my cub. luckly it has alot of rudder and dual aileron servos so I got it back.

I lost one on my zagi wing to, though I'm not sure if it was the servo failed or just let loose from seriouse abuse on my part, I beat the living pucky out of that model, still do
I'm sure my number will be up at somepoint but never acualy lost a model due to this yet. radio hits and crystal failure I've lost models on

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

Did you intend "at least once" to be "only once"?

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

I voted.... at least once.
But - geez - you may as well poll 'Have you ever had a crash?' .....

You play this game long enough - you will experience at least one failure of practically everything.

rmh

what time does the noon balloon go up?

Spoiler

It doesn't, it was replaced with a Gun years ago!

I know it is obvious but still interesting to me. Most people claim RC stuff is far more reliable than it used to be. That may be, but from the sound of it, many people continue to suffer servo falures. Understandable, but when it happens with absolutely no warning, very frustrating...

onewasp

The times when a servo gives a warning of impending failure is some place between damn seldom and never!

It always has been that way. Full scale too (control boosters).

Apparently you are relatively new to the hobby as the improvements in life, accuracy, durability, RFI rejection ------ it goes on seemingly forever ------ are legion.

Try to anticipate having to tune your equipment at the field at least every day-------we were there once.
Not only that but of the five of us ------ that used to constitute a flying club in a major city ----- if we had ONE guy go home with his A/C intact it was unusual.
We considered it a successful week end if the pieces were large enough to get back together for the next week end.

You entered well, after the middle of the "movie" and are making comparisons that are totally invalid. Even the poor equipment of today is light years ahead of where we were at the beginning.

Eight years may seem like a long time to you but may I assure you it is not even close to 'seasoned'.

Spoiler

Hey onewasp, I think you bit off the wrong end of the stick here. This was not a p&ssing contest. Is it okay to assume that you are what I'd call an "old timer"? Is it okay to make that assumption, just as you have made some rather enormous assumptions about me? And I haven't checked your profile yet! When was "the beginning" as far as you are concerned?

In fact, I started out in the early 80's with sailplanes. I graduated from a Futaba 27mhz 3 channel to a 4 channel OS Cougar. After a break of a couple of decades I bought an XP 662 and then a JR 9x2 (9303), so should be reasonably well aware of the improvements in RC technology wouldn't you say, or would I have needed to use the first proprtional radio ever made to have an opinion? The difference between an '05 9x and an '83 OS is pretty obvious I think. I don't think this is a "totally invalid comparison". Do you still think so?

Funny thing is, despite using that outdated equipment on the field and off the slope, and subjecting it to all kinds of abuse, I never had a servo go completely dead on me. In fact, some of the 27mhz equipment still functions fine.

To continue with the movie metaphor, maybe you need to read the credits at the end before dashing off a response like you did. And for the record, I'd far rather be under seasoned than hard boiled!

Parkerm

My Feedback: (6)

I've had three out of the box failures lately. Servos that wouldn't work on the bench before any installation. Not good.[sm=48_48.gif]

onewasp

Spoiler,

I read the credits. First.

I started Pattern in 1961.
I started Propo in the sixties (Simple Simul--schematics by John Worth). I quickly went to Reeds.

Try Bramco Five. Then CG, F&M, Orbit, then digital propo--Orbit 6-12IC, then Kraft through the Sig Series (first one sold BTW still have it SN19 ( the first 10 were test/development sets then the sponsored Pattern guys then #19) Knew Phil, Cliff, Steve Helms, Jim Kimbro, Doug Spreng, Don Mathis, Chick Hayes, Marty Barry, Don Lutz, Jim Martin-------then there is (was) the foreign contingent.
After the Sig Series came the JR Unlimited eight, then JR through the 10X and now Spektrum.

Flew on six for over thirty years (Gen. Class)-------2.4GHz is great and I've been flying it since December.

I'm 'in line' for their X9303. The 12X left me cold but we'll see what they come out with as a final offering.

I still fly with some of the old time Pattern guys but the numbers are getting thin.

I had one servo failure in all that time----a Bonner Transmite --- brand new first flight, procedure turn and no return------turned out to be a resin joint. That is the only servo failure I've had in all those years and through all that equipment!
---------and I fly a bunch-----though lately things have been slowing down vs the past.

Edit addition:
BTW your "R/C Dossier for: SPOILER" says you have been building for eight years and flying for eight years and are an intermediate pilot.
That means you 'started' in '99-------'99 + 8 = 07. Where the 'early '80s' comes in I don't know as the two entries don't seem to match at all ??????????
Unless you are 'neting' the time started-time away-time back---could be.

camss69

My Feedback: (46)

I've had 3 fail, 2 JR531's I think (whatever the "standard" servo was) but I must admit that they were probably (ok they were) my fault, I had them on a throttle for a gas engine that I didn't remove the throttle spring. The third servo on that plane has been going strong ever since.

The other servo I had fail was a Hitec "standard" something, I can't remember which, it just all out failed for no apparent reason, I think it was a $15 servo though so I think that's a case of you get what you pay for.

nigel1

I have read somewhere that it is possiable to reset standard servos even so called dead ones I will try to source it and plant it here.

dmcmike

My Feedback: (14)

I forgot to wind the escapement once... does that count?

00airman

Only on my homemade airboats, the servos would get wet and quit/lockup, but i have gotten better at sealing them. I mostly fly and have for years, never had a servo fail yet.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I had an aileron servo lock up in a fully down position on a 3M sailplane that was 1000 feet up and 3000 feet out. It went into a spiral from which I could not recover. When we found the weck, all servos were intact and worked fine except the right wing aileron servo which was frozen at one extreme. Gears were fine, so I presume it was an electrical failure. Cost me the plane.

jerdavis

My Feedback: (3)

In 30+ years of R/C flying, I've had 4 Futaba s130s stop with no warning (not at the same time).

I've had two JR 507s stop. One with no warning, one "glitched" for two flights then stopped. I scrapped my remaining 507s after that.

The other dozen or so servos that have become unairworthy over the years just slow down or become twitchy or jerky, especially under vibration.

Then of course there are those that stop working after a high speed impact with the ground.

JD

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)