WRX

My Feedback: (1)

So this weekend I am flying my wattage cessna (Norvel .061). The next thing I notice is a glow coming from inside the plane. What the @#% is that. (is my pilot toking up?) This is when I notice that I no longer have throttle control. I was at a little under one half throttle. I flop the plane on the grass and run over there and there is smoke coming out from under my wing[X(]. I fumble with the screw driver to get the wing off. The plume of acrid ozone smelling smoke wafts out. Wishing I had my fire extinguisher that is strapped to my cars roll cage now, but the parking lot is about 70 yards away. My throttle servo had caught on fire! Burned a hole right through the side of the servo. Turned the switch off on the battery and blew the fire out.

There was no real damage, but it could have been catastrophic had a fuel line caught fire.

Tim Wiltse-RCU

I'll bring the Marshmellows next time No really I had a Rx burn up on me once. It was in a 8 cell hydroplane I was building for the US speed record. I was makeing a couple of test runs and it stopped dead in the water and then smoke started pouring out of it. It made it through the bottom of the haul till water came in and wetted it down! I guess your servo shorted out so something, do you have any ideas what happened? Glad it's not to bad.


Later,
Tim

mclintock

My Feedback: (3)

I think it's amazing that the little gws rx could pass the current to smoke a servo, and still the other two worked. WHat kind of throttle servo was that?

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

When I started back in rc, I bought a GWS parkflyer..the guy I bought it from was having a sale on batteries so I bought 3 for $20,, wrong connector,, so I shaved down the side so they'd fit my charger and painted the positive side with white paint....well, one time at the schoolyard I plugged in a pak backwards...........2 seconds,,horrible burnt smell, $45 (for a new rx) later I can fly again in a week,, that was an expensive/fast mistake..Rog

WRX

My Feedback: (1)

The plane had a GWS RX and the servo that smoked is a GWS Pico.
There was a 6 v battery attached for the flight

I assume Tim that you were talking of an outrigger. When it comes to boats and speed the outrigger is the only boat.

XJet

I've lost a couple of control-line and free flight models to fire. Never prime one of those old open-port Cox 049s with the plug clip connected -- the first sign you're on fire is usually the smell of burning hair or the bubling of the paint :-)

jessiej

Many years ago I was starting an inverted, fully cowled Fox 35 in a CL stunter when I heard a "Whumph!" As you say, the sound was followed by the smell of burning hair and the blackening and bubbling of the finish around the exhaust port. Fortunately I had a towel at hand to wrap around the nose and smother those invisible alcohol flames.

jess