Adios, Hitec
 

I've had a bunch of radios in my life. Mostly Futaba. Airtronics wasn't bad either. So when I bought the latest 3 ch Hitec for a small plane to buzz around empty cornfields, I thought is was ok enough. So I bought another. This is when revelations, and seeing burning bushes happens. The Laser 4, eh, it has it's points. But I have learned the hard way. Never attempt to change anything. A radio set from Hitec is written in stone. There will be no switching servos or receivers. So you'd best be completely satisfied with what you've got. But you won't.

And I quote the Hitec manual-

Uh huh, 3 popped servos later... I can tell youthat's BULL! That 05MG I bought, cooked them in a millisecond. Because Hitec very thoughtfully didn't polarize or label jack sh*(t. Now, even if you could get the blooming contraption to work, don't bother. This is when I learn that the way to fix those jittering servos Hitec can't seem to resolve, is to put JR servos on instead! Nice. Real... nice.

I'll invite everyone to do some research on Hitec before they buy. But you'll be like me, back to Futaba. Speaking of.. I took what's left of my radio budget for the next 10 years (after dealing with Hitec), and bought a Futaba 6 ch computer radio off of ebay. I opened up this used radio and receiver, turn it on and it fired up. I plugged in every servo that 7 ch receiver could handle. Oh wow! It WORKS! How come used old stuff works better than Hitec new out of the box? I download the manual on this T6XA. Holy crap! A REAL manual! 64 pages long. That's 63 pages longer than anything I have ever downloaded from Hitec.

Hitecyou suck! With you, it's money money money. And nothing ever works.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e8W194ETDY[/youtube]

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Sorry to hear you have had an issue but there may have been other factors involved.
None of the manyHitec, Futaba nor JR hard cased receivers held have any markings as to polarity, the slots being molded to match the shape of servo plugs.
Hitec USA provide a number of product support information pages, e.g.
General Receiver FAQ's
General Servo FAQ's
Hitec receiver servo plug sockets are polarised, in the same manner as other major brands and products. Check the shape of the plugs and sockets before inserting. Hitec receiver cases for some time have also had a slot to accept the locating tab of a Futaba "J" plug. Those tabs are now snap off and the opposite side of plug shaped to match the common S-01 plug as used by Hitec, JR and almost every other manufacturer. The only Hitec receivers which are not hard cased with polarised slots are the original Feather 4ch and the Micro 05MS which are clearly labelled on the side as to polarity.
A servo plug can be forced in wrong way around, this will not hurt the receiver nor servo (unless it is a very old black wired Sanwa/Airtronics servo with reversed polarity), the servo simply will not work. Plug and play
<u><font color="#00265e">Servo - Compatibility between age and brands </font></u>
Battery pack in use was not mentioned.
Servo Operating Voltage Range
If an EPmodel, very few standard ESC/BEC could manage the servos. Those high voltage HS-7950 servos would most likely not havebeen getting enough power for good operation.
HS-7950TH Ultra Torque HV input 6.0v - 7.4v.
However, the JR servos do operate at the lower ESC/BEC output butuse cautionunder load.
<u><font color="#00265e">JR Servos - Warranty void most JR servos used above 4.8V - Do not use above 6.0v fixed.</font></u>

<dt>Electronic Speed Control - Why BEC and LVC cause most EP RX problems. may assist.

21Nov10: pictures attached.

Regards
Alan T.
<u><font color="#00265e">Alan's Hobby, Model &amp; RC FAQ Web Links</font></u>

</dt>

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

I have owned and still use many different types of Hitec, JR, and Futaba servos. In most cases, I could only plug the connectors into the extensions or Rx's in one way, because of the polarized shape of the connector and port. In some cases, I modified the Futaba connector and shaved off the polarity fin. On occasion, I have plugged in the modified connector the wrong way, at times. Doing this has not harmed the servo or the Rx. The servo just does not work until it is plugged in correctly.

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Right now I have an airplane with a Hitec Receiver, Futaba servos, using a JR transmitter and all works fine. It even has a very old Quadra 35 gas engine with no problems.

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

I assume you know that older Airtronic servo plug (pre-Z serie)had the polarity reversed from everybody else. Signal/negative/positive instead of Signal/positive/negative like Futaba,Hitec,JR and the rest of the world! The quickest way to blow a servo[8D]

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Were you pluging the servos in with the receiver on? Positive is wired to the center connector so having the connector plugged in backwards should cause no harm, it just won't work. This is true for JR, Hitec, Futaba and newer Airtronics brand receivers.
John

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

I use Hitec with all brands of servos, no problem except to use a Futaba servo you need to remove the little flange on the side of the connector in order to get it into the receiver. It is impossible to ruin any modern three wire servo by plugging it in reversed. To do what the originator of this post says, he had to be doing something extremely unusual or outright rewiring of the servo connectors themselves. Perhaps he though he could reverse the red and black leads in the servo connector to reverse servo direction. If he did that, yes the servo will fry in any receiver. The only other way was to try to use the old style Airtronics servo but that would have been impossible without physically working over the connector to reduce it's width. My experience with Hitec service has been outstandingly good, better than any of the other major brands.

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

2boys must be on holiday!

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

He hasn't logged in since he posted it. Personally I think it was more rant than looking for any advice. His mind is already made up on how bad Hitec is.

The fact that I and plenty of others have been using Hitec without any problems for many years is immaterial. You cannot blow out a servo by plugging it in backwards. If you have the power on perhaps. I've used a Hitec Laser 6 for 4 years on many different planes as my beater radio with absolutely zero problems.

John

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Only two possible things that could do what the OP claims AFAIK. Since the micro receiver in question is not a fully cased design, he well may have plugged in one or more servos one pin off, I have seen this happen to others, but of course I've never done that[:o]. The other possibility is that he well may have applied reverse polarity power to the receiver without realizing it, the receivers are usually reverse polarity protected, but servos are not[:-].
Pete

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Thanks for the eye opening. That's plausible.
John

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

As per post #2, the HFS-05MG is a fully cased receiver with the slots molded to the shape of a standard S-01 plug with additional keyway to accept the Futaba J plug. It is the HFS-05MS micro which has exposed pins and a soft case on which is clearly printed, in line with respective pins, (S), (+) &amp;(-) as on other similar receivers with exposed pins.

21Nov10: added better jpg of HFS-05MS

Regards
Alan T.
Alan's Hobby, Model &amp; RC FAQ Web Links

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Then he obviously managed to reverse polarity feed the receiver[:-]
Or maybe he was just blowing smoke, rather than his servos:)
Pete

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Got me then. :eek: It's puzzling. Thanks for the pictures Alan.
John

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Me thinks 2boys might be able to tear up thyne anvil with ye rubber mallet... and a special talent that is.

RE: Adios, Hitec
 

Brian, my father used to say that about my brothers and I. He was probably right...