Hello,

I am looking for opinions on all of these items for use in jets. I am looking for one of these distribution units that has built in regulators. I have looked at the Emcotec DPSI RV Mini, Duralite Powerbox, and the Smartfly PowerExpander Pro. I like the looks of the Smartfly version because you can mount the receiver right on top of the unit for tight installations but i am unclear if it has built in regulators? I would just like any opinions of these items from people who have actually used them.

Thanks!

hello
i'am a happy Emcotec user.

i use, in my jets, a "selection" from Emcotec .
i have a couple of DPSI 2001 in my roos
one DPSI RV mini in my e-sport
and in another i use the BIC.

Actually the ones i love less are the 2001, why they are not regulated, (when i buyed them, they where almost the only on the market.) but i think now are out of market, and there is the 2001 RV. The plus point, you can use a third battery only for the receiver, and 10 channels go trough. Never had a single issue with.

The RV mini is a jewel: you can choose the output voltage to the servo, wich battery you use (Nimh or lipo), and is very light and small.

The bic is somehow different. the Servos are connected to the receiver, not like the others, but the BIC give a stabilised voltage of 5.5 V, also using NiMH or LIPO.
The grat is the small display: he gives you the voltage of the batteries, the max, average and actual current, the energy (mAh) used...
so you can monitor live the status of the batteries! i higly recommend it!

I would certainly add the Weatronics Pt 2 dualband receiver to your list..

Reviewed in the latest issue on RC jet International, page 12.
This is something we have waited for.

I`m in...

Smart-Fly doesn't have built in voltage regulator.

But the Weatronics RX has.

Emcotec's design and engineering is aerospace grade, IMHO. No stone left unturned.


I have no experience with the other brands you have noted.

Good luck in your choice,

I am very happy with the Emcotec box. I have 3 of them and have never had a problem. A few of the guys are using the Powerbox as well. The switch mechanism is very simple and effective. The Powerbox switches are quite big and require quite a bit of space to install.

Zane

I have used the Powerbox and Smartfly configurations, both are great and haven't found any problems.

Michel

Hello,

I have them all,

I would seriously recommend the emcotec with longgo lipo batt., perfect. Desert Aircraft where I bought mine from.

the Weatronic is still in the box since it needs programing and i need to get familiar with. But you need to differentiate between $200 emcotec mini6 and $600 to $800 weatronic.

I think your selection should be based on the application that you need to use it for, if it is needed for few servos then emcotec mini6 , but if it requires many servos 10-24...., then the big emcotec or the weatronic or the competition/champion powerbox ( I recoment international aircraft powerbox + powerbox 2800 lipo batt.

FYI, I am not a dealer or have any interest or link with any of the aforementioned manufacturers or suppliers.

Cheers

OK, i am leaning towards the Emcotec Mini 6 unit. The next question i have is about the switch and battery setup. Do the batteries plug directly into the unit or do they plug into a switch and then the switch plugs into the unit? I have never owned any of these and i am just trying to learn as much about it before i buy. The ease of installation is important because of the tight spaces in the airplane! Any help would be appreciated...

no, the batteries goes direct in the unit. The Unit switch is used to switch-on and off. (fully electronical, no mechanical part involved other than the pin, that even if he fall out, nothing happen)
you can, if wanted add a switch, but is your choice, and he is not needed. He is just a point more of failure

Ok, so the unit itself has a switch built in to it in the fashion of a pin?

the photo is how i installed a RV mini in my e-sport, and in the middle you see the "switch"
to switch-on, you have to put a pin (the one with the red cap) in one hole, and this give the ON command.
Now, if you remove the pin, the unit stay ON, until you put the pin in the OFF hole..

Oh ok i see now. I didn't see anywhere in the description of this unit where it really explained the whole switch situation. So i take it the switch is included with the unit?

Oh ok i see now. I didn't see anywhere in the description of this unit where it really explained the whole switch situation. So i take it the switch is included with the unit?

Disregard this post, i see now the the switch must be purchased separately. Still looks like a good unit!

The switch comes with the unit. The mini 6 would not work without the switch. It is some sort of electronic switch and once switched on, I beleive that you can unplug the switch and the unit will remain switched on. The batteries come with balancing sockets and they also supply a balancer to match the batteries (recommended buy).

After many years of going KISS on my bats and switches....i.e. no regulator, 5 cell NiCad packs, and dual switches....I have decided to try the Emcotec DSPI Twin......2 independent 10 channel RX with failsafe switchover......on my UltraBandit which will be using 8-8611A's and dual 955 RXs......I fly the ham bands only......

I noted on the Emcotec website that they offer nicely packaged (JR plug and mount) bypass capacitors to help in quenching spikes from either static or voltage spikes on the power bus line produced by sudden current surges to the servos.....plugs in directly or thru a Y connector anywhere in the RX power bus......sounds like a good idea in view of all the recent posts about static and/or spikes "latching" RX and ECU.....although personally, I have never experienced the phenomenom.......

These might just be duplicating internal bypass capacitors in the RX or ECU, but even so, they do provide a backup....

Desert Aircraft has them in stock......about $15.00 or so a piece.....

Tom

Hi All,
be careful with the Emcotecs- this are not redundant systems. The only thing which is double with this box are your two batteries and 2 connectors. Only one regulator and one controller, no voltage control. Also the output current is only 4A - to less in my opinion. The design of the switch is also very simple- a cheap conductor of metal to start the box. Also the DPSI is heavier and larger than the Powerbox Evolution. The DPSI Switch(Connector) is not much smaller than the powerbox switch with real buttons.

The same thing about the weatronic: Everything is only single - no redundant parts inside. One large controller manages all function! There are 4 regulators inside. But 1 regulator is for 1 bank of servos, if this part stressed by current and temperatur fails, a complete bank is down! The weatronic has further more a other problem: The second battery is only a backupbattery, so the whole current comes only from 1 battery. 1 battery half power of 2 batteries. And the most important thing: if the 1st battery fails there is a delay caused by the processor to switch to the second. This causes a reset at Jets ECU´s , door sequencers and a couple of digital servos! You will crash in this case!
Also I heard from some failsafe and range problems with this units

I don´t want to start a great discussion about brands - the above informations are facts. I have this information from other forums and magazines where block diagramms where printed!

So everybody has to decide for himselve what he uses. I´m sure that all products work fine under normal operation. But a failure of one part may cause a real problem for our planes! The only products which gives a security profit are the powerboxes cause the are absolutely redundant.

Maanex:

I think your comments about Emcotec are somewhat misleading.....

I would refer anyone who has questions about performance specs of the DSPI RV or DSPI Twin go to the Emcotec Website at www.rc-electronic.com and download the Instruction Manuals for these 2 units which also include complete specifications and operating logic......

Tom

I have the Emcotec DPSI Twin with computer interface, two 5000mAh Longgo LiPo batts, the ICE display and filter capacitors for both receivers. The switch design is simple and confidence inspiring: it will not switch off unless you physically move the pin from one hole to the other. The Emcotec stuff is extremely high quality, well designed and well made. I highly recommend it.

nick

Hi,
@seattle and Tom: I don´t say that the units doesn´t work fine under normal conditions, I said:

when you want a real security system the Emcotec doesn´t pay. If you have a failure in your plane(servo short circuit or something else which draws more current) the single regulator in the DPSI maybe to weak! Also the missing redundancy of the unit itself doesn´t bring more security. The only thing it´s helps is when one battery fails. But the DPSI itself is a single point of failure, so the disadvantage clears the advantage!

As I told you before, I don´t want to discuss. I simple want to throw liht on a big weakness of some products. This are also facts so a discussion makes no sense!

No, a discussion makes fine sense, since RCU and about a million other forums exist for only that purpose.

While you may be right about a remotely 'possible' point of failure in the non redundant components of the Emcotec system, it doesn't concern me since the intrinsic quality of the components from the start is so high that the chance of failure seems extremely low. It is not a "big weakness." I have never once heard anyone claim a failure of any Emcotec component. If it has happened, it must be extremely rare. Can you point me to a discussion of Emcotec failures?

Maanex, come clean, do you work for Powerbox?

nick

I am a BIG EMCOTEC fan
Use the 2001 on BIG gliders, and tugs, although I now use extra Schottky diodes to cut max voltage of freshly charged batteries. Had an elevator servo burn through because of too high voltages after charging, which caused a pricey($$$) hole in mother Earth.....
Service is awesome from EMCOTEC, however, I fly in European skies...which gives more speedy postage.
My two jets are fed currents by two RV6es, the optional voltage(to servos) one can choose is a big benefit.

Yeah, Weatronic sounds OK, but I love to see other caps do the Beta testing with THEIR models, it's all too new for me, although I might install one in a Year or so, if it stays quiet in this scene.

Hi Nick:

I also enjoy the discussion.......just received my TWIN from DA today.....very nice stuff.....I have dropped an email to Emcotec, hoping to clarify some of the points raised by (PowerBox) Maanex......

I also have the nicely packaged Longgo Lipos(5000 maH), and the ICE.....

Where did you get the K\RS232 Interface......Desert Aircraft does not stock them.....? directly from Emcotec?

Regards....Tom

Hi Tom,

Yes, I got it directly from Emcotec. At the time I ordered this stuff, DA did not yet stock the then new 2005 series Longgo batts or the PC interface.

Did DA mention if they plan on stocking it at some point?

nick