ORIGINAL: Highflight-RCU
ORIGINAL: MikeL
It's pretty unrealistic to suggest that going down to 3v on a pack is in any way viable.
Of course. A 4.8v pack that reads 3v is toast. And I know it's not likely that a healthy 4.8v pack would be drawn down to 3v by a temporary servo load either.
What I'm getting at is that I'd simply like to see a situation where the receiver is the last to ''check out'' in a low voltage situation.
So to correct my off-the-cuff low voltage point, it would probably be more practical if I were to hope for a 4.0v voltage seen by the 2.4ghz receiver before it drops.
For all I know, the Hitec RX's might work that low, but I haven't done enough research to know that, or whatever their lowest voltage variation is.
Hi, Highflight -RCU,
The issues you refer to were blown up by guys who liked ....WHATEVER...brand better than Spektrum and started some hype on it. The receiver IS the last to check out. The servos are made to work on no voltage lower than 3.8, so at that point they're already not working right. The first thing that fails is always the pilot. The pilot blaming the receiver for blacking out because he failed to properly monitor and charge his batteries.....it doesn't hold up. The Spektrums "reboot" when the voltage drops below 3.5, a full half-volt below 4.0, which is already WAY-WAY-WAY too low to be flying. Obviously, already unsafe. I do not know what the Aurora has for its reset voltage. We've had field chargers for 20 years now. There are no excuses for run-down batteries being up in the air these days.
Your inclination to use 6-Volt packs is the best idea to start with. I use nothing smaller than 2700 in NiMh, I get them reasonably priced from RadicalRC.com. Keeping your system modest and using low-draw servos, always a good, prudent move. If your system design increases to where the draws are high, then you could look at bigger systems. Rather than that, my next step up is to add a another battery into a "Y" in the rudder or elevator servo lines so that servo can use the extra pack for direct amperage draw. Simple and effective, keeps good voltage going at the Receiver. Beyond that, then I would look at LiPos and regulators and all that stuff. But to be honest, that's where I draw the line, I just don't have a need for a plane with a system as aggressive as that. If I want to fly something too complicated to enjoy any recreational benefits I'll just buy a few helicopters!
Use your common sense, you seem to be doing fine already. I incorporate weight issues into mine. Need a little more weight up front? Great, I order in a beefy 5-Cell NiMh 6-volt pack and tuck 'er in there!
~ Jim ~