Futaba 14MZ "Backup error" - should I be worried?
06-21-2016, 04:50 PM
#1
Futaba 14MZ "Backup error" - should I be worried?
Hi,
I was out flying today and changed the battery and then turned On my Futaba 14MZ transmitter.
But then it throw a "Backup error" on the screen and the model that was selected (for well over a month) is listed as model "2: Backup error"
I'm not sure what happend but I have used this transmitter for over 8 years and never seen this before.
I Googled some on the problem and it seems it can happen if the transmitter is not fully shut down and the battery is taken out. It may be possible that it is the case here, but I have turned Off the transmitter and changed battery a couple of hundred times during the 8 years usage so... but Murphy's law say that everyting that can go wrong will eventually go wrong.
I have selected now a backup of my model, "Galactika EP" and all seems to work fine now again.
Should I be concerned about this Backup error that happened?
Any advice appreciated.
I think I will call the Futaba service guy in my country tomorrow just to hear his opinion.
Maybe it is a sign that it is time for a new transmitter, but I really like my 14MZ.
/Bo
I was out flying today and changed the battery and then turned On my Futaba 14MZ transmitter.
But then it throw a "Backup error" on the screen and the model that was selected (for well over a month) is listed as model "2: Backup error"
I'm not sure what happend but I have used this transmitter for over 8 years and never seen this before.
I Googled some on the problem and it seems it can happen if the transmitter is not fully shut down and the battery is taken out. It may be possible that it is the case here, but I have turned Off the transmitter and changed battery a couple of hundred times during the 8 years usage so... but Murphy's law say that everyting that can go wrong will eventually go wrong.
I have selected now a backup of my model, "Galactika EP" and all seems to work fine now again.
Should I be concerned about this Backup error that happened?
Any advice appreciated.
I think I will call the Futaba service guy in my country tomorrow just to hear his opinion.
Maybe it is a sign that it is time for a new transmitter, but I really like my 14MZ.
/Bo
06-22-2016, 04:48 PM
#3
Hi,
I talked to the Futaba Service guy here in Sweden and he would contact Futaba in Japan to get some more advice about this Backup error. He had never heard of a Backup error on 14MZ.
So would You advice me to not use my 14MZ anymore? Can it happen anything while the transmitter is On, if it has started properly without any problem (a normal startup without any problem)?
Can a model be corrupted while the transmitter just sits there On? If Yes, that mean it could, at least in theory, happen when flying?
I suppose if it is a problem with the procerssor or memory chips the whole motherboard need to be replaced in my 14MZ?
If yes that is probably an expensive repair.
I had my 14MZ On whole day today and also receiver. No porblem at all. I turned Off the transmitter about 15 times during the day and it was no problem to start the transmitter after each shut down. I replaced the Futaba LT2F2200 battery each time (I have 5 such batteries) after each shut down. No problem could be obvserved.
Could the Backup error cause be that the internal 3 volt CR2032 battery that is soldered to the motherboard is weak (It has never been replaced on my 8 years old 14MZ)?
/Bo
I talked to the Futaba Service guy here in Sweden and he would contact Futaba in Japan to get some more advice about this Backup error. He had never heard of a Backup error on 14MZ.
So would You advice me to not use my 14MZ anymore? Can it happen anything while the transmitter is On, if it has started properly without any problem (a normal startup without any problem)?
Can a model be corrupted while the transmitter just sits there On? If Yes, that mean it could, at least in theory, happen when flying?
I suppose if it is a problem with the procerssor or memory chips the whole motherboard need to be replaced in my 14MZ?
If yes that is probably an expensive repair.
I had my 14MZ On whole day today and also receiver. No porblem at all. I turned Off the transmitter about 15 times during the day and it was no problem to start the transmitter after each shut down. I replaced the Futaba LT2F2200 battery each time (I have 5 such batteries) after each shut down. No problem could be obvserved.
Could the Backup error cause be that the internal 3 volt CR2032 battery that is soldered to the motherboard is weak (It has never been replaced on my 8 years old 14MZ)?
/Bo
Last edited by bem; 06-22-2016 at 04:57 PM.
06-22-2016, 06:11 PM
#4
My Feedback: (14)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Noblesville,
IN
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I may, I had this happen 2 weeks ago. Sent to the service center and it is the internal lithium battery. Futaba replaced mine and was able to save all my model memories. They advised me, to avoid this, have the internal battery replaced every 3-4 years.
steve
sorry Bax
steve
sorry Bax
06-23-2016, 12:48 AM
#5
Hi Steve,
Then it is two situations it can be "Backup error" on 14MZ:
1) Internal 3 volt litium battery (CR2032) weak or empty, as in Your case.
2) If the main Futaba LT2F2200 battery is taken out too quickly before the transmitter has fully shut down:
Never take out the battery from the T14MZ
transmitter while the LED monitor is blinking
yellow after turning off the power the T14MZ
transmitter.
* Internal devices such as memories may have been destroyed.
* If there is any problem, the message "Backup Error" will
be shown the next time when you turn on the power of the
transmitter. Do not use the transmitter as it is, send it back
for a check to the Futaba Service Center.
Source:
http://manuals.hobbico.com/fut/14mz-comp-manual-v1.pdf
(page 20)
I'm not sure if it is 1) or 2) above that is the cause in my case, or any other cause.
I have now tested my 14MZ On for two days (about 16 hours) and changed Futaba LT2F2200 battery many times during that time and not a single problem.
If it was the internal litium battery that was weak I would expect the transmitter to throw a Backup error during that 16 hours I have the transmitter On now as test.
/Bo
Then it is two situations it can be "Backup error" on 14MZ:
1) Internal 3 volt litium battery (CR2032) weak or empty, as in Your case.
2) If the main Futaba LT2F2200 battery is taken out too quickly before the transmitter has fully shut down:
Never take out the battery from the T14MZ
transmitter while the LED monitor is blinking
yellow after turning off the power the T14MZ
transmitter.
* Internal devices such as memories may have been destroyed.
* If there is any problem, the message "Backup Error" will
be shown the next time when you turn on the power of the
transmitter. Do not use the transmitter as it is, send it back
for a check to the Futaba Service Center.
Source:
http://manuals.hobbico.com/fut/14mz-comp-manual-v1.pdf
(page 20)
I'm not sure if it is 1) or 2) above that is the cause in my case, or any other cause.
I have now tested my 14MZ On for two days (about 16 hours) and changed Futaba LT2F2200 battery many times during that time and not a single problem.
If it was the internal litium battery that was weak I would expect the transmitter to throw a Backup error during that 16 hours I have the transmitter On now as test.
/Bo
Last edited by bem; 06-23-2016 at 02:05 AM.
06-23-2016, 07:52 AM
#6
Hi,
I got some answers over at Electric Pattern Aircraft forum here at RCU and two people had got the Backup error on their 14MZ. For both of them it seems to be a one time problem and after change to a new model in Model Select or just restarted the transmitter the Backup error went away and never came back.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/elec...i-worried.html
So maybe it is not so unusual to get a Backup error, at least it is not super rare problem.
/Bo
I got some answers over at Electric Pattern Aircraft forum here at RCU and two people had got the Backup error on their 14MZ. For both of them it seems to be a one time problem and after change to a new model in Model Select or just restarted the transmitter the Backup error went away and never came back.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/elec...i-worried.html
So maybe it is not so unusual to get a Backup error, at least it is not super rare problem.
/Bo
