Radio/servo problems
 

I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I am new to this sport, and I am preparing to pu my radio gear in. But for some reason when I check my receiver with each servo, the servos i am using will work one minute and not next. For instance, the servo will work fine outside the airplane, than when I place it inside the airplane (not hooking any rods or anything to the arms) the servo will not respond at all. I am thinking I choose poorly when I tried to save a few bucks with my radio system and ordering the tower S3000 and all tower servos. I think I am paying the price for going cheap, any insight into my problem, or anyone use the tower radio reciver, because i would hate to be flying and have this problem occur in the air. Thanks guys!
-Tony

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Your Tower radio gear is actually manufactured by Futaba and should prove to be very high quality. Are you using a Tower Hobbies transmitter, or did you just purchase a Tower Hobbies flight pack to use with a transmitter you already owned?

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

anntene streched out on the reciever? biged makes a good point,, the crystals have to match!

i had a tower system and it worked great for my first 3 years of flying.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Yeah I purchased the tower transmitter. I did not know it was made by futaba, my mistake. I will plug the battery into the receiver and power up the radio and usually when I plug a servo in it will usually position itself in the proper idle posotion, but nothing. So I try to plug the servo in than turn the radio on, still nothing. I purchased 8 servos for my model, and I would say at best half would work at one time. And its to that point where i would not trust four of them with my life. The crystals are the same. 72.830. SHould just scrap them, and order some new ones.
-Tony

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

I'm skeptical that the Tower equipment you have is junk, unless you bought it used. If it's a new radio system, you shouldn't be having this kind of trouble.

Make sure you have a good, solid 16 hour charge on both the transmitter and receiver NiCds. Make sure the antannae are fully extended on both the transmitter and the receiver pack while you're testing them.

You need the receiver battery charged and plugged into the receiver to power the servos. Connect it through the power switch, and use the switch to turn the receiver and servos on/off as needed. You need to always, always, always turn your transmitter on first and shut it off last. Your receiver and servos should always be turned on last and turned off first.

If you have eight servos hooked up and you're using a Tower Hobbies transmitter, only four to six of the servos will move by default. Tower only makes a 4-channel and a 6-channel transmitter.

If you've charged up your transmitter and receiver packs fully and none of this is helping, you probably need to check the receiver battery with a voltmeter to make sure it hasn't gone bad. If the battery checks out, I'd remove the receiver crystal and then reinstall it while checking for a good, solid connection.

If none of this helps and you bought the radio system new from Tower, send it back for an exchange. If you bought it used, I'd recommend trying a replacement receiver and crystal as a first place to try isolating the problem.

As always, your fellow R/C pilots are going to be your best source of help and inspiration with your modelling projects. Try contacting the Sun Valley Fliers and I'm certain a club member in your area will be happy to help you figure out what the problem is.

SUN VALLEY FLIERS
District: X
NUmber: 921
Type: Multi Interest
Contact Information:Contact: GENE PETERSON
Phone: 480-563-9694
Email: Email
Address: PO BOX 31816
PHOENIX, AZ 85046-1816
Website: www.sunvalleyfliers.com
Has Intro Pilots: Yes

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Hi!
Have you checked the voltage on the receiver battery pack? It should be 5,1-5,2V when pack is fully charged.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Thank you for trying to solve my dillema. I will give it a full charge tonight, I am sure this is the problem that is causing all this. Thanks guys!

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Hello pirodeck,
I fly electrics and for the last eight months I have used the following radio gear without any problems:
1. TowerHobbies System 3000, 6XM TX
2. TowerHobbies System 3000 FM, Dual Conversion, 7 Cnannel Rx
3. TowerHobbies System 3000, STD TS-53 Servos

I fully charge my NiCa's and LiPo's the night before flying and also top them off in the morning. I discharge my NiCad's about once a month.

I hope you solve your problems,
Sailplane

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Hi

When you install it in your plane are you connecting the battery through the switch. and directly to the reciever outside?

If so the switch may be faulty.

have all the leads which come from the switch got the wires to the plugs the right way round?

Simon

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

I gave the battery on both my radio and reciever battery a full nights charge and still same problem of servo not working. I plug the servo in, and turn the power on to everything, and when I place the servo close to my ear i hear a low buzz sound, very faint, but noticable if you have it right up to your ear. Not sure what it means, or if someone has heard this before. I also had the wiring go through an on/off switch, and still same thing. I think I am going to just scrap these servos and order new ones from tower. If anyone has an ideas that would be great! Thanks guys!
-Tony

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Take a couple of close up photos of how you have things connected and post them here for us to see. You may be making a mistake that is obvious to the trained eye, but hard to spot or describe when you're new.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Do you have the battery and servo leads plugged into the reciever correctly, not reversed polarity? Are tx and reciever antenna extended? Rare new equipment won't work on the bench.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

MikeL- I am at work and will take some pics when I get home later tonight.
k3 valley flyer- The servo leads only go in one direction into the receiver. The antenea is extended and the work bench is made of wood. The low humming noise is very strange. I am not affiliated with an R/C group yet, and actually am looking to get into one right now or else i would be asking them these questions.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

when you put it outside the airplane everything works.... when you put it INSIDE the airplane nothing works? that is just peculiar!!!

i would take it out and see if it still works then. there is absolutely nothing that can explain that unless of course, your plane is a tin can.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Servos often hum a little, that alone is not a problem if they are moving with the tx stick and not binding.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Is this perhaps a 4 channel TX with a 6 channel RX and the servos are being plugged into sockets that are unused when used with 4 channel TX?


Have you tried operating the retract switch if it is a 6channel TX?

How did you test the servos outside of the plane? With the same receiver & battery?

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

I just read this guy's other posts and I am wondering if he is just trolling?

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Hi

Servos make a humming noise when there stalled or when the polarity is reversed usually followed by smoke as i said in my last post, but hopfully this is clearer are the 3 wires to each plug the right way round?

Particuarly the switch, are you connecting it through the switch when trying it outside the plane?

If you are using the switch both times are you connecting the charge lead to the rx when it dosn't work and the other lead when it does?

Simon

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Not sure what "trolling" means, but I assure you my intentions are sincere. I am just trying to learn from the people who know this hobby the best as I am still learning.
-Tony

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

while i think this guy may not be trolling (it's just not that interesting a thread :-), i do think he is in for another round of friendly advice.

piro - if you are a beginner, the TF is not for you! you should start out with a high wing trainer. i'm glad your radio is giving you problems right now. i'm sure that if it didn't you'd not have a radio, plane or engine left!!! not to mention how dangerous it can be.

my two cents.

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

Oh no my intentions were never to fly the arrow first, I knew if I did I would be sorry, I wanted this to be my first build becuase I did real flight training in it, I have since purchased a high wing tower trainer, this is the model that is giving me trobule and the model I want to fly first once I find a suitable club close to me.
-Tony

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

I am beggning to think this is just user error. I am going to work it out on my own and with the club I get situated in. I ordered a few more servos incase these are just faulty. Thanks for all your help guys! -Tony

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

I peronally love tower recievers for their low price and excellent reliability
Check this
Are you plugging in the servo's backwards into there channel on the reciever? (some servos will allow you to do this)
Is the switch bad?
Is the battery charged?
Is the right plug from the switch going into the reciever?
Is your transmitter charged?

RE: Radio/servo problems
 

and now for the real stupid question. are you sure you are moving the right stick for the individual servo that you are testing. the reason I ask this is because since you are now working in the plane instead of on an open surface you might not be plugging things in where you think you are.