Blade 400 Servo Failure!!
10-13-2008, 02:41 PM
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Blade 400 Servo Failure!!
Hello
Is anyone else having this problem?
I have been flying the Blade 400 for about 5 months, stock everything and no 3D stuff. In the last month I have had two of the servos fail. I'm not talking about stripped gears, I understand and accept the stripped gear thing, but this is an electronic faiure of the servo. Naturally both failures happened in the air. The first time, big crash, I did not even suspect a servo failure, just thought I lost control, it happened so fast. I rebuilt the heli and it wasn't until I was ready to fly it again that I found the one servo not responding. I thought it was odd that the gears would be fine, and the servo dead, but maybe the crash did that?
Yesterday, half way through a flight the heli suddenly became "almost" uncontrolabe, going places I wasn't sending it. Through nothing but dumb luck, I was abe to land it nice and soft, no damage at all. I was quickly able to identify that the only problem with the heli was one dead servo, and not the same servo that failed the first time.
Has anyone already dealt with Horizon Hobby on this issue? Do they feel this is an acceptable failure rate for these servos?
Having to buy parts because I crashed my helicopter is all part of the game. But having to buy parts because the servos keep failing, that's going to piss me off!
It's all $$$ for Horizon Hobby, so I can't imagine they would give a damn.
Is anyone else having this problem?
I have been flying the Blade 400 for about 5 months, stock everything and no 3D stuff. In the last month I have had two of the servos fail. I'm not talking about stripped gears, I understand and accept the stripped gear thing, but this is an electronic faiure of the servo. Naturally both failures happened in the air. The first time, big crash, I did not even suspect a servo failure, just thought I lost control, it happened so fast. I rebuilt the heli and it wasn't until I was ready to fly it again that I found the one servo not responding. I thought it was odd that the gears would be fine, and the servo dead, but maybe the crash did that?
Yesterday, half way through a flight the heli suddenly became "almost" uncontrolabe, going places I wasn't sending it. Through nothing but dumb luck, I was abe to land it nice and soft, no damage at all. I was quickly able to identify that the only problem with the heli was one dead servo, and not the same servo that failed the first time.
Has anyone already dealt with Horizon Hobby on this issue? Do they feel this is an acceptable failure rate for these servos?
Having to buy parts because I crashed my helicopter is all part of the game. But having to buy parts because the servos keep failing, that's going to piss me off!
It's all $$$ for Horizon Hobby, so I can't imagine they would give a damn.
10-13-2008, 03:13 PM
#2
RE: Blade 400 Servo Failure!!
Hi Woody,
I have three 400's, two flyable. I also have a drawer of stripped servos and those that just died like yours. Upon autopsy I found the motors to spin with no load or gears in them but if I touched it, it would stop! Nearly all of us have replaced our stock servos with Hitec 65 with metal gears or JR's. The Hitecs require a little dremel work and the JRs drop in but cost more. This is a fact of life my friend, stock servos will not even hold to hovering in many instances! Woody, I have plowed up the Park many times and never once had a Hitec fail me, I swear by them, but again the JRs are as good but cost more and require no extra work.
Don't feel bad, we all lived where you are now. BTW, I have never done 3D and they just failed too.
One last tip. Take the top of your motor and NOT spin it but rather rattle from side to side to check your motor bearings! Myself as well as others here have had them fail in mid air and seize, talk about damage........oh boy!
Remember Horizon will warranty everything on your heli for 12 mo. but not your damages............................
JPee
I have three 400's, two flyable. I also have a drawer of stripped servos and those that just died like yours. Upon autopsy I found the motors to spin with no load or gears in them but if I touched it, it would stop! Nearly all of us have replaced our stock servos with Hitec 65 with metal gears or JR's. The Hitecs require a little dremel work and the JRs drop in but cost more. This is a fact of life my friend, stock servos will not even hold to hovering in many instances! Woody, I have plowed up the Park many times and never once had a Hitec fail me, I swear by them, but again the JRs are as good but cost more and require no extra work.
Don't feel bad, we all lived where you are now. BTW, I have never done 3D and they just failed too.
One last tip. Take the top of your motor and NOT spin it but rather rattle from side to side to check your motor bearings! Myself as well as others here have had them fail in mid air and seize, talk about damage........oh boy!
Remember Horizon will warranty everything on your heli for 12 mo. but not your damages............................
JPee
10-13-2008, 05:59 PM
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RE: Blade 400 Servo Failure!!
Yep, Get rid of the stock servo's. I have had two that would go nuts and move rapidly about 1/4" of center. Each time it caused me to crash. I put the JR servo's in and have had no problems.
