erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

Hey i just finished installing a Sullivan skywriter today in my aircraft, and i hooked it all up and flipped the switch, and it worked, but then slowed down and quit...... i tried reversing the lines cause i read in another forum that the directions are wrong (in the instructions), but that didn't help... all i could hear is a little whine when i turned it on- like its jammed now and wont turn... thought i might be able to free it up by opening it up and looking at it, but all of those parts are concealed and glued to each other, so you can't do anything but look at it... i tried a different battery, or even just running it without lines and i just get the whine from the motor.. so i know its getting power, but that its not pumping... SO frusterating after all the work and excitement. i left a message on the sullivan products answering machine... Anybody else had a problem with this pump? i've done everything i can think of

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

Yup, word has it they are not good at all. A couple here have failed too. Try to get your money back and go with a Slimline or Tec Supersmoke. That's the "Pits". MM

Steve

My Feedback: (54)

If you are running a 4.8 volt battery, don't. They need at least 6 volts to get them going. A 7.2 is the best, or 7.4. These pumps can run up to 12 volts and 4.8 just isn't enough.

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

ok, so i was using a 4.8 BUT it was brand new, with a full charge... i tried one other 4.8 and nothing happened... so do ya think i just need more power? they really need to fix that on their instructions then, as well as the pump direction, its labeled wrong on their instructions... GRRRR

randy racer

My Feedback: (3)

i installed one and it wouldn't start to pump every time so i sent it back, the said the pump was to tight, fixed and sent back. seems to work great on a 4.8 although i plan to use a 7.2v.

randy

Steve

My Feedback: (54)

Use more power.

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

alright, i just bought an 8.4v 800 mah pack, this better DO IT!

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

nope, it didn't work.... I can understand an occasional defective product, but the guy on the phone was NO help at all... So i'm on the phone talking with him, and in desperation I ask him if theres anything else i can do, and he says: "do you have a hammer" like it was funny... he never even apologized, or sympathized for it being broken. now i have to wait 1-2 more weeks... yeah, life will go on, but when you pay a lot of money for something, its always nice when it works. Oh well this is the hobby I have chosen.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

9.6V--no good. Mine won't work either. Worked for 5 minutes.

POS

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

so they let me know that they do supposedly test run them twice on the bench, and once before they're sent out... but whats the defination of test? anyway they need to test em better....

bluestratos

Mine works fine on 9.6 volts, I guess like most products there are a few lemons in the batch. I was having a problem with some wierd feed back causing my servos to be jerky when ever the battery 9.6 volt pack was plugged into the pump. The fellow at Sullivan was very nice and helpful and offered to make me custom filter for no charge. As it turns out it, it was more related to my 6 volt battery that runs the servos.. fully charged it causes the servos to be jerky when I move them. I tried a 4.8 pack and they seem to work much better so I will add 6 volt regulator to keep the fresh pack from putting 7+ volts into the system. What confused me was that when I disconnected the smoke pump, the jerkyness got better.. go figure.. lol

Regards,
Randy

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

jerkyness got better as in not as bad?

bluestratos

At first it was very obvious, the surfaces would move in steps and the dual elevators servos did not even move in sync. Now every thing is smooth and sync'd. Still feel there is a bit of "stepping" as if the servos move in miniture steps when I move the sticks very slowly but it could be that I am not use to digitals and the surfaces are so large it could be normal.

Best regards,
Randy

deputydog

Fresh 6v packs are known to make your servos jitter as if something is wrong. Usually let the plane sit a few minutes with everything on and it smooths out.

Oh, and I had to send both my sullivan and Slimline back with issues. I was one of the first to own them. Now they are collecting dust.

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

why don't u use them anymore?

Swat Cop

My Feedback: (11)

I have six of these smoke pumps and they work fantastic when they work but they have weak solder joints. I think I have had to resolder nearly all of them. I had one that just quit working and had to be sent back. They did have a very quick turn around time, I think I got it back in about a week. I have used both 4.8 and 6 volt batteries with no problem.

pcsol

My Feedback: (2)

Swat wrote:
I think I have had to resolder nearly all of them.


Ditto for me.
I had one completely quit on the second flight, motor just did not spin. Assuming it was vibration related I hacked the thing open and found a broken lead (very light duty wiring). Re soldered and zoom zoom zoom.. smokin like a champ again. And btw six volts does make a huge difference in performance.

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

cool, nice to hear i'm not the only one.... maybe i should make my own smoke pump and sell it!

mustangflyboy

My Feedback: (2)

I tried my sullivan skywriter this weekend. Yeah, had to switch the plumbing around too. I'm running 6 volt packs. IT smoked great for the two flights I used it .......BUT, it won't completey shut off the oil flow once it has started; like the muffler pressure is syphoning the oil through the pump. It sounds like it is shutting off while on the ground but I can't really tell when the engine is running.
Do you think the pump is bad? Does it seem strange that there would be a vacuum in the muffler?
i was told the TME pumps have problems leaking, and the Sullivans were the ones to get. This is my first smoker, it sure adds a cool effect to the flight.

Steve

My Feedback: (54)

try putting a loop in your feed line and see if it helps.

erikpmort

My Feedback: (52)

thats a good idea...... i just got mine back today via snail mail.....