HotelSierra

My Feedback: (9)

Okay guys I'm building an old school 1/8 scale Tamjets F-16 with 8 moderate torque servos. There are 8 servos and are mainly JR 3421, 9411 and 168. These servos are not made to handle over 6V so I'm needing to run a voltage regulator to keep the servos from burning out. Because my current fleet of jets all use high voltage servos I intend to use a 6.6V LiFE or 7.4V LiPo receiver packs. And I will be running a dual battery receiver setup.

I have researched RC voltage regulators and found all types and specs. My question is how do I determine the proper continuous amperage and peak amperage rating I should look for in a voltage regulator to safely operate this jet?

Thanks for the help!

DelGatoGrande

My Feedback: (23)

https://www.powerbox-systems.com/pro...evolution.html


my2c

Steve Collins

My Feedback: (8)

My 2 cents worth. You don't need any sort of voltage regulator. A 6.6 Life is just fine for 6 volt rated servos. I use them in all my jets and I don't own any voltage regulators! Just another potential point of failure in my opinion. Dual battery? Be honest. Have you ever had an onboard battery fail? In 38 years, I have never seen this happen. Dual batteries is just overkill; again, my opinion. I have never used or even considered using a dual battery setup.

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (359)

Opposite experience for me- I run the A123's from Electrodynamics. I tried them at first with some of my older, similiar model servos like you have. I burned up the motors on several of them before I added a simple Powerbox 5.9 volt regulator. Not one problem since. Just not worth the chance in my opinion.
Remember, the A123s settle down to about 6.6 volts, but can come off the charger a bit higher than that, which in some cases, is a bit too much for the older servos.
This is just my experience-as they say, your mileage may vary...
Mike O.

Vincent

My Feedback: (61)

I have been running 6.6v 123batteries for at least 10yrs without any voltage regulators never had a servo burn out due to the 6.6 voltage.

JackD

My Feedback: (4)

In my experience, 9411 and 3421 will take LiFes no prob. Not sure about the other one, but you can add a cheap MKS in line reg (aeropanda and Soaringusa carry them )

http://www.mksservosusa.com/product....11&cat=&page=1

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

I use two 2S Lipos and the Smartfly Turbo Reg (https://www.smart-fly.com/turboreg) in all my jets. Its been totally reliable, AND in my jets with electric gear, I tap directly off of one battery to power the gear. The regulator keeps the batteries balanced and the power stable even when the gear is operating.

Bob

ravill

My Feedback: (11)

John, I have been using smartfly turbo regs for years too.

Dave Wilshere

He asked about current rating and you all went off like a firework in different directions!

You want something over 10A, total. ( Continuous) all regs will have a higher few seconds peak. A Powerbox Gemini II would be the minimum, run two batteries not because one might fail, more because a connection might!

PB have a new power supply called Source that would be the Ultimate.

Dave

Jannica

Jeti has a good voltage regulator that I use in combination with old style servos. If you also use a Jeti TX you get all kinds of telemetri information right back to your TX. MAX BEC 2D Plus EX: JETI model s. r. o.

David Gladwin

Easy, just use a Powerbox Sensor switch and dual batteries. 5.9 volts.

Been using 9411s in my BobCats, and others for years, without a single problem and a very high degree of safety.

Using my Weatronics system, the amperage for an Airworld Hawk with lots of powerful servos averages around 3 with spikes of around 8. .A PST revision with 8 servos around 2 with spikes around 4.

Dual batteries, never fly a jet without them!

Dave Wilshere

Sensor switch is not sufficient for this application with an all flying tail. Hence Gemini II at double the current capability.
Still 5.9v but 12A and not 5A.

David Gladwin

Dont agree, Dave flew my F15, all flying stab with that set up, no problems !

I spent a lot of time analysing current draws and voltages v control surface deflection, including all moving stabs. at various deflections at various GPS speeds using my Weatronics equipment, ( which measures current, voltage, servo positions and gps speed,) aerodynamically balanced stabs. no problem, the big currents were drawn, as one might expect, was flaps moving to landing position, until servo arm pushrods were aligned.

I dont know if Jeti measures current but I hope it will become a feature of Core in due course. Its an invaluable measurement.

Yes its my view, but one based on empirical data.

ravill

My Feedback: (11)

Well, I flew that EXACT same F-16 with a smart-fly turbo reg.

We love Jeti, so maybe today that’s what I’d try.

That little F-16 doesn’t have ailerons or flaps.

Dave Wilshere

How do you know he has balanced stabs? Swept back F-18 tails are quite different to the F-15.

I work on my normal system of experience. I’ve sold hundreds and hundreds of Sensor switches and have seen heat sinks melted off the regs!

David Gladwin

I dont know any more Dave, all I can say is that I have NEVER had a problem on any of my 10 sensors or seen any currents, even on my three Hawks with slab. Tailplanes which would be a problem for a sensor, including on my Mig 29 on which the stab planform and hinge points are quite different to the F15. Its a device in which I have complete confidence, based on using at least 10 over many years to power mainly the tiny Weatronics 12 ch tx.

Goodness knows what guys are doing to melt them!

The proof, of course, is to measure the inflight currents as I have done but I THINK only the Weatronics system has that capability. ( at the moment) .

Ill leave it at that and get back to painting my Sea Fury with dual batteries feeding the Mercury and Core receivers !!

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

Yes Jeti measures Current

HotelSierra

My Feedback: (9)

Thank you to all for the what you've contributed to this thread. I have learned a lot and really appreciate a forum that allows a healthy exchange of differing experiences and opinions. I took a several year break from the hobby and lost a jet on my inaugural flight back.....due to wrong battery voltage with older servos. The lesson learned is that the hobby has advanced so much that a lot of the new technology is not compatible with the older. Unfortunately, I still have a large inventory of brand new, early JR and early Spektrum servos and receivers. My current jets are guided by Jeti and are all high voltage installations. Since the pandemic shelter in place, I've decided it's time to build all my older kits that I've collected over the years and get them flying. I want to be a good steward and use what I have from the same era. I understand people will have different decisions and motivations.

Never the less, everybody stay healthy and safe. Keep following your passions, build, and fly!!!

Dave Wilshere

Nothing wrong with your equipment, JR early servos are what are in 99% of my models, using 2s Li-Po batteries through Powerbox switches of various types set to 5.9v (default on most stuff they make)

JackD

My Feedback: (4)

Because there is no need to add a reg if using lifes on 9411’s 3421’s

why complicate things?

ExFokkerFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Jon,

Have same issue with some of the stuff I have. Got a plane recently with smartfly reg and that's fine, but very clunky by todays standards. Asked on the Facebook Jeti page what I should use and the MAX BEC 2D Plus EX: JETI model s. r. o. was recommended. Ordered that and some batteries from Aeropanda, should get them next week.

My Tam F-16, which I've resurrected to fly again maybe on monday, does not run a regulator. The rudder and nose wheel and rudder servo run just fine on a LiFe battery, have for 50-60 flights. But another airplane I tried this mix on burned up several of the older servos, mostly micro for actuating valves etc. So, not a bad idea to run a reg in these cases.

The other benefit of the Jeti device is that you can get the telemetry of the input batteries. If you run lipos, you can get a good idea on how much is left on them but not so much with LiFe.

Tom M