pcsol

My Feedback: (2)

The regulator alone will not fail that way. Trust me.
In hind sight my system was not redundant enough for plane of that size. However, that regulator was clearly cooked.

Bob_S

It isn't a 100% true claim. They may be talking about "if part x fails...". If the voltage regulator chip gets too hot or fails for some other reason it simply stops delivering power. The fact that MPI claims they fail in an "on" postion makes me wary about their other claims. You can't make a truthful statement claiming that you will always deliver power in a failure. Same goes for switches with the exception of designs like the "Smart Switch".

That being said I'm sure there are hundreds of properly function MPI regs out there that will never fail. Failures will happen with any brand. What has to be questioned is the failure rates. Is brand x more likely to fail than other brands? I suspect that a properly loaded and cooled MPI reg is no more likely to fail than any other brand.

But take the "Miracle Switch" reg from MPI. Because the reg is contained within the heat shrink it may require a lot more air flow over it than a reg with an exposed heat sink. Castle Creations experienced over heated regs on their speed controllers and ended up redesigning the thing with a heat sink.

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

About 7 years ago I had one DOA-NIP. That was when I ran regulators on 5 cell packs. I quit using regulators shortly after that, but I don't use Li-anything since one starting smoking in the back of my Explorer leaving the field.

yarom

My Feedback: (82)

On the other hand, it is exactly when someone collects several testimonies, with the brand name attached, that people can relate and can be more careful going forward.

I am not saying that the MPI regulators are necessarily all bad. But based on what I am reading, I am inclined to add a redundant battery to all my systems (even a small Li-Po) and thus a second regulator in the equation. An extra little 600Mah of added battery weight can make the difference between losing that plane or not.

I recently picked up some Fromeco regulators. They are larger, programable and large scale people seem very satisfied with them and with the switches they make. I am also hearing good things about product from smartFly, so I picked up theur Battshare module, their ingnition cutoff and their servo matchers.

I am not an electronics wizard and do not understand the differeces between regualtors. I am just in this hobby for fun and good feedback from my peers on RCU is what I go by usually.

babflyer

My Feedback: (2)

AJF--2 I am begining to think as you do and just go back to regular old 4.8v. nicads. About 6 months ago when I researched the topic of regs on the net It seemed to me at that time that smartfly was bad, MPI good. Now it appears the oppossite, go figure?

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

I am one of those fools that keep the RC world going. For many years I had to have the absolute latest and greatest-- I was the first in the area with Durilites-- I owned a BME when nobody heard of one--and everybody wanted to know who made a red Multiplex servo-- and I remember when I flew my AeroWorks Edge for the first time, people wanted to know what kind of plane was called an "Edge"? Well, I have learned an expensive lesson (not that I am going to change of course) The newest gadget/invention is not always the best thing. After 17 years I am back to 5 cell NiCads to supply the needed power to my 5945s. It has been a long expensive road.

pcsol

My Feedback: (2)

Amen to that brother !!!!!
Only in my case it has been more like twenty five years, so I have wasted even more money on gadgetry than you !!

budgetdude

My Feedback: (6)

My post was regaurding the fact that I run MPI regs sucessfully, I dont know why you deleted it.

babflyer

My Feedback: (2)

A interesting thought crossed my mind last night. I remembered I had a voltage regulator go bad in a 1987 250x fourwheeler. the symptoms were blown headlight and eratic engine rpms, almost like the rev limiter was kicking in if you are familiar with quads. I also lost 2! yes 2 regulators in one year on my first snowmobile about 10 years ago, symptom was blown headlight. I have come to the conclusion that all voltage regulators might be made of something that just barely gets the job done and is prone to failure. I do not know or really care to find out what the differences are at this point. My next approach is going to be checking into lipo unregulated but most likely I am going to try 6v. unregulated as that is a more widely accepted practice. In most cases a blown headlight isnt that big a deal but in our planes loss of power means a pile of junk in most cases. Maybe I am wrong and there is a huge difference in how an rc regulator is made and one for a snowmobile or quad but After remembering this last night I wont trust any regulator enough to feel confident.

rmh

If you want to use the MPI regulator -and are concerned with how it operates --
get a Whattmeter and hook up a batt-reg then the Whattmeter - then the load (I like to use an electric motor and prop for testing all batteries)
The idea is to run a load thru the rg comparable to what is possible in the model
The electric motor can be adjusted thru it's speed controller
The Whattmeter will tell you what the volts amps and watts are coming from the batt reg.
Frankly I find no reason to use regs and Li power in any airborne setup-other than just because you want to -
the new NiMh batts available from places like Cheap Batteries are light - simple -have huge discharge capabilities and can be quickly recharged on site -if needed .
My ignition pack for single cyl ignition weighs under 3 ozs -works for min of 6 flights with reve in the 9000 rpm range - this rpm uses a lot of current (power used on an ignition is directly related to numbe of times fired)

BTerry

My Feedback: (8)

I think many of the servos can handle higher voltages, but the receivers are limited in voltage.

rmh

That is not a hard fix - the are all regulated anyway
the new ignitions by a number of engine guys will work on a two cell (?) two paks of Lithium power-
The issues tho is-- to what end?
a NiMh batt -a really good one -weighs under 3 ozs - is simple to charge n operate -low safety risk and will fly a single cyl setup for 6-8 flights -it all depends on number of times fired
spark density does not improve so unless one is simply into Lithium ---why?

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

If they are using lion on the receiver, then it might be easier to keep them both lion for ease of charging... but perhpas mostly because if you can have more mah at a higher consistent voltage for bascially the same weight... why wouldn't you?

I use NiMH on my ignitions too because they don't support a higher voltage at this time, but will certainly switch to them on igniton when they do. But ont he planes I do use a reg and Lion on, it's nice to know that on the 6thpr 7th flight that I'm not at the "end" of my battery.

NiMH will lose charge stitting in the hangar, Lion loss is negligible.

These are enough advantages for me to like them.. perhaps not enough for others...

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

With my ignition able to handle LiPo's, I chose the same for RX on regulator. I like the new technology, but the big factor for my decision was weight, as I saved about 4oz. With both on LiPo my charge routine is now standard, not a big issue, but simplified. 30 minutes fly time consumes about 1/4 battery capacity. All works well to date, knock on wood, with the one big drawback being I won't use them in under 40 degree weather. Time will tell, but do I have time on my side with the MPI adjustable reg? Joe

rmh

There is an upside and a downside to these little packages of power
we use the very latest TP packs on our electrics and in this chilly weather -even these are duds -unless you first put em on the dash and let the Nipponese defrosters warm em up .
Are they in any of my gassers ?

Not until summer weather conditions can be built into them
This business of constant voltage -plays nice on paper -
but read em under load on a Whattmeter - cold - then tell me how they work
It is all a trade off.
I like high tech (my computers run into a fibre optics line into my home ) . My engines are all on steroids - but these Li packs for servo power just don't make it for me . Too many trade offs .

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

Good points... I never took that into account because I don't care to fly the bigun's when the weather is cold enough to make a difference. Somethin' about them cold fingers...

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

It was a sunny, beautiful June flying day. My NEARLY new Aeroworks Edge and I tried to do our thing....getting it trimmed pretty well... about 25 flights or so. The ZDZ 40 was even RUNNING... Man! It was gonna be a GOOD day.

Takeoff, climb, bank, start the departure - couple of "holds" - BAM. Edge destroyed.

Of course - EVERYTHING worked fine - until I tapped on things a bit.
Then GUESS what was ***INTERMITTENT*** ???????

Yep - my MaxxProd MPI super-duty regulator. That was 2002. Ain't touched one since. Ain't gonna.

The MaxxProd HD switches are terrific, as are many other things.... but their REGULATORS absolutely SUCK.
This thread certainly has proven more gripes than compliments, anyway.

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

With the use of the term 'was' three times in the first four sentences, I knew this would not be good news. I'm getting more concerned with every post. My MPI has app. 100 flights on it and am now wondering as to how much time its got left on it. Don't want to toss good equippment, but on the same note, don't want to lose a plane either. Now I'm left with, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it', as opposed to, 'if it fails fix everything'. Joe

swk550

My Feedback: (76)

I have a new MPI miracle switch with regulator and TBM 2800 LiIon I was going to use for the ignition on a DA50. It seems the adjustable regulator is in question. How about the standard regulator that comes with the miracle switch.

Thanks,

Steve

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

I can't - in fairness - comment on either the adjustable or the miracle regulators. Those are "new" since my fiasco 3 years back. Sorry.

John Murdoch

My Feedback: (11)

Okay.. Now my $.02 worth. Redundant Miracle Switches on a Composite-Arf 2.6 Extra. Had quite a few flights on it until one day.. and that's all I have to say about that. Pull any more than 5 amps on one of those babies and you're rolling the dice. Needless to say, the only thing I'll use a miracle switch on is for regulated ignition. Not too much of a draw and everything is in one neat little package.

Other than that, this thread somehow indicates there have been issues with the MPI stuff, doesn't it? There's too many other manufacturers out there that provide quality stuff to take a chance, don't you think?

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

I'm just curious as to the elimination of any screw ups as opposed to longevity. I pull the batteries to charge, so no fear of charging through the reg or switches. Stock, heavy guage wire on the TP liPo with Deans plug, same, heavy guage wire on the reg. The lightest wire on the system is the switch wire, which I don't understand why JR would use heavier guage wire on servos and then step down on a switch harness. I like to think that I buy quality products as I can't see skimping on a component that will ensure safety and longevity of a model. So you make a decision to the best of ability, spend some cash and in a few months find that your homework is incomplete. Joe

ben beyer

My Feedback: (23)

I'm using an MPI regulator on my Funtana 40, but that just has 4 standard servos and a mini. I might need to replace one of the servos, and if so it'll be 3 standards, a mini, and a digital because that's what I have laying around. Plus, a Funtana could always use to torque of a Hitec 5945 on rudder, right?[sm=lol.gif]

baxternick

My Feedback: (19)

I have about 75 flights on my mpi miracle switches with tbm liion's. I had one miracle switch fail at one point about a year ago and it was hot and melted the shrink wrap. TBM assured me it was probally a fluke so I just replaced it. To be honest they have been great to me ever since, but this thread has scared the crap out of me. So now when I wake up tommorrow my first goal of the day is to spend money I was sure I didn't need to! lol Going to call airwild and order the smartfly with the tubro regulator. I guess I never have pulled enough current through mine to mess them up since that day. I will just keep these for my throw around planes!

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

It appears the stock MPI reg (non adjustable) and the Miracle switch reg are one and the same... heatsink is completely covered and therefore an oven instead of cooling fins. They a overrated by the manufacturer and cannot sustain what they say. I cannot stress enough that using these on giant scale aircraft is simply playing Russian Roulette. Even when using two into a receiver, don't think you are safer... one is supplying the majority if the power and therefore taking the greatest load. I'd only use these in smaller, standard servo aircraft.

Seems the adjustable regs are better (was the design PowerFlite batteries used) better heat sink, exposed, but still the lower end regulator chip and single receiver connectors reducing valuable volatge under load. These are probably more reliable, but again only smaller aircraft because of the single connector causing voltage drop under load. Bought you some great, strong, fast digital servos? great you just dumbed it down by providing them less voltage. Yeah I know it doesn't make sense because the reg is 6 volt... that's the whole idea. But the connector at the receiver is a bottleneck... you have a gallon of batter being poured too fast into a 1/2 gallon funnel... you just can't pump it all through there when you need it.

The SmartFLy and Fromeco regs use large heatsinks, MUCH better reg chips, and offer 2+ leads for the receiver providing more systainable voltage under load. TWICE+ the capability of a single connector.


Consider this... you take two GS digital servos and put them on a "Y" each one is capable of drawing over 3 amp EACH under full load. Together they draw over 7 amp in a hard snap for instance... that current cannot pass through the 3 amp connector and the voltage drops from 6 volt to maybe 5 volt... now your 6 volt rated servso are operating at the 4.8 volt specs... because you used a "y". Not a real issue on these big dog servos because they are foten enough... BUT enough guys are using "minimal" servos for surfaces and rely n the "6 volts" to get the proper power. And they ain't getting it. False pretense.


My opint is that the reliability factor is in question... MORE than enough people have reported the failures to make that a given, add to that the much better power provided to you system with a quality reg and you more than enough justify the SAME PRICE as the "better MPI reg" and only $15 more than the cheap one.

Seems to me $15 is PLENTY fair price for a better reg and increased servo performance. Don't you guys? (This is all with the assumption of using Lions or Lipoly no real need to use them on NiMH or NiCDs)