Servo Driver/Tester
 

Hi All Wonting to know is this a good unit. (Servo X Citer EF), Precision Servo Driver/Tester. This feathers, One touch servo centering, Receiver and servo Diagnostic modes, Current sense, Record and playback functions, Center and endpoint save functions and Custom Set-up Menu. This unit was made by Vexa Control, can buy for 79.99. Also looking for links on how to set-up servo's properly.

Thanks

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

I wouldn't bother unless I was into 3D and using multiple digital servos on a single control surface and then you would need a digital programmer

Otherwise you are wasting your money

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

A Servo driver is and can be quite useful for anyone who builds or assembles (in the case of arf's) a lot of airplanes and not neccessarily just one type of airplane. That one is quite expensive especially since you posted this in the beginners forum. There are excellent drivers around out there at just over twenty bucks. I use an antique Ace that does the two functions that are most usefull to all flyers.

First and foremost a driver will center a servo for installation and set up of pushrods very easily and eliminate the need to setup the the Rx/tx and transmit everytime you want to install a servo. The other function I use on every new servo is the auto mode which will when activated continuosly drive the servo from stop to stop automatically. I let all my new servos Burn in around ten minutes before installation.

This not only can but has caught an number of bad/new/old servos before installation for me. A small number perhaps maybe around 2% but enough to save me grief and make doing the burn in's worth while.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Can you suggest a brand. I have one that only operates the servo by rotating a knob. No auto function. I like that idea

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Thanks I'm a beginner in flying, I have not ever Operated a radio before. Would like to set-up 1 radio for all my airplanes and sale or trade the others at came with my trainners. Don't know where to start on programming the radio the right way, with out starting over when I have hands on help. Have little time when off work, so I'm trying to preset-up my planes to save field time, and have more time to fly.

Thanks for the help.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

What kinds of planes, what kind of TX, RX. All this would help. BUT, not as much as a club or instructor. Trust me, I tried by myself and many Yankee green backs later, decided to seek face to face help.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Gene: I have one called TXSERVO that connects to the computer USB port and has software that gives you an indication of what the servo is doing. Not bad. The unit itself looks like a memory stick.

http://www.txservo.com/

Dick.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

This is an nice little unit for $20 delivered. Even includes a 4xAA battery holder to power it.

http://www.york-electronics.com/

It will center, manually move the servo, and automatically cycle between programmable endpoints at a programmable speed.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

The one pkh linked is popular one at our field and most likely to full fill most of our needs. Keep in mind any will requiire a 4.8v dedicated battery pack. I just use an unairworthey pack taped to my old Ace.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Thanks for the help will give it a try. The radio that I have is the Spektrum DX6i bought it at my LHS I like this raido, I'm using the AR6200 and the AR7000 receivers. The planes that have are ArtechSu27, F4U Corsair 40, Hanger 9 F6F Hellcat 60 installing a G20, Hanger 9 P-51 PTS, Nexstar Select with AFS and a Bridi Stick WS 80". I think this radio will be fine ???

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Thats a pretty eclectic collection of choices for someone who has never operated a radio before. I hope you choose to do the nexstar first and you choose to work with an instructor/mentor as well as not using the AFS.


John

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Hi I play with PLC controls for a living. Would like to have tools that will grow with you while you progress in life. Work or Play

Thanks

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Another cheap (but manual) unit is http://www.hobbylobbyrc.net/product_2156_detailed.htm

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Thanks Bruce

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

flystright,

There is no reason you can't set up your planes, on one TX, at home before going to the field. The DX6i will hold 10 planes, with all of the settings. I'm not sure what you want the servo tester/driver to do for you. Did I miss something?

Jack

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

jib is right, why aren't you just using the TX and taking your time and doing it? Assign a different "model" in the TX to each plane and get to work.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

Hi where do you start. Just learning about r/c planes but have been building models for a few years. Don't know what setting to use, for exp Throttle adjust how to set. Do you center or zero servo when you install in plane. When you center the travel ADJ would be different then when you zero or does it mater? I know that you need to center the ELEV, RUDD and Gear. Would like to keep as close to center as posiable and to help with building time. My time is limited I worked out of town 316 day's last year. Just thinking this will inprove building time.

Thanks

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

The best pleasures in life turn out to be the simple pleasures.

Surely with you having to spend your work days picking out the correct bits from sum-difference resolver outputs to use in servo motor controllers or following shift register bits across a half dozen registers by trial and error is much more sophisticated than just setting up an analog servo on the extra motel room bed using your transmitter in the middle of the night?

The two things you are interested in are the servo center and travel limit. Flick on the radio with the transmitter trims centered for a sec and it centers the servos. If you accidentally move a servo output spindle, center it again. I mechanically set up the actual travel limits of the flying controls themselves utilizing the standard limits of the servos.

It's like running electrical conduit, there are only two types of bends to make and they are a "stub out" and an "offset". Anything else is just combination of these two.

Then if I have a computer transmitter, I set up the low rates, exponential, and other programming in the transmitter.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

W8YE Thanks for the help. I will charge up my radio for the first time and do just that.

RE: Servo Driver/Tester
 

I just did my first, with a DX7. The manual is pretty good and easy to follow, just be aware that you will want to re-bind the receiver, after you are done setting it up, so don't pack it up in foam all pretty, until you are really all done.

Search in the radio section for tips and help. It's all here on the site.

Jack