Dx8 still has problems
Be aware, the problems still are there with the DX 8. I got one in March. After seven brown outs and two lost planes I'm cutting my losses. After waiting 2 hours for support HH wants me to send it in, wait 3 weeks and then maybe it will be fixed? Goodbye Spectrum forever. Hello Futaba.
Brownouts are strictly related to Receiver power issues. The model of Transmitter used does not have anything to do with Brownouts.
Were your crashes all do to Brownouts?
Were they on different receivers?
Were there any issues attributable to the DX8 Transmitter?
Just as a side note, Brownouts can happen to any manufacturer's radio.
The post may be genuine (who knows?) but the info in it simply does not make sense.
For example - if one experiences a brownout or a couple -the cause should be fairly easy to pinpoint.
Seven? odd to say the least
Afraid I will have to file this one in the "never happened" file
Let me assure you "RMH" As mush as I hate to say it, My DX8 has problems and I'm upset with how HH wants to try to sweep these DX8 problems under the rug. I'm sure not all DX8s have issues but mine does. OK you asked, heres the whole story of the times I've had problems.
1, Parkzone T28 bind and fly ar600 receiver.
I was flying on a bit of a windy day. 2nd flight I had been up for about 1 minute when all of the sudden, NO control. I was lucky It went into the the ground but no major damage. I tried for weeks to figure that one out. Battery and all connections were good. I thought it must have been something with the plane or the wind.
About a month laterand about 30 flights later
2, A Glo engine plane with a AR7010 receiver
re"> I had just charged the battery the night before on the 2nd flight of the day a few minutes into the flight, NO control. I hopelessly watched as the plane nosed dived to the ground off into the distance in a swampy area. I was never was able to find to do full investigation from the wreckage. The battery in this plane was a few years old so I thought, that could have been it.
LOST PLANE!
About another few weeks later
3, Flying my Glo P51 mustang with a Orange DSM2 receiver.
After experience #2 I installed battery meters on every Glo plane so I can see a full charge before I fly. I also use only new 2000 mAH 5 cell batteries. I was experimenting with the flaps on the plane. Just after I flipped the switch to turn the flaps on NO control. As in horror I switched the flaps back off, the soon after I regained control. I tested it on the ground after and everything looked and worked fine. I was new to flaps so I thought it was me. I also thought it may have been the Orange receiver so I changed it out with a spectrum 7610. I since used the flaps with no problems.
2 months later
4, Parkzone T28 bind and fly.
again it was a little windy ~6 to 8. No response for about 5 seconds. This one I still can't be sure of because of the wind. I thought It could have been just me.
5,
Later that day.
I had a friend checking out my F22 hanger 9 raptor as I just replaced the Engine on it with a new OS55. Just after takeoff I'm horrified to here him say "Oh no, I'm not doing that" as I hear the plane go full throttle heading down into the swamp. I knew the fail safe throttle setting needed to be reset before this flight but I thought I'll fix that later.
CRAP! PLANE LOST.
6,
Again that same day.
Flying my Hanger 9 ultra stick with a 7610 receiver.
I was at the fly field and boy I wanted to fly bad. So I though I'll try my trusty Ulta stick. Battery full charge. about 2 minutes into the flight AGAIN NO CONTROL. Luckily it only lasted for maybe 5 seconds and I was able to land. This was a plane I flew a lot this time I was sure it was not me or this plane.
7,
That night
After two hours of testing that night I was finely able to recreate the problem in my shop. I sat moving the radio stick every few minutes waiting to hear if and when the throttle would go to fail-safe mode. Finally I saw it. NO control and my 7610 receiver is in fail-safe.
After turning the DX8 off and back on it came back.
That was it. now I'm mad. I called HH and after a lengthy hold time and a call back 2 hours later. I was told to send it back and they'd investigate and get back to me. In the mean time I found online where I wasn't the only one having problems with the DX8. I asked about a drop shipment so I wouldn't have to wait three weeks for them to test my radio. No deal.
FINE! HH and spectrum, I've had it with you.
I'm pulling out all my Spectrum receivers. I will never be able to trust Spectrum with by babies in the sky anyway.
The problems were apparantly of a nature which you were not able to figure out
FWIW - many 5 cell NIMH are simply of extremely low current capability
they will drop current easily yet show a high state of charged when checked - I am not making this up.
You are obviously frustrated at the problems but I saw nothing in your answer to lead me to think there was a tx or rx problem.
too many other possibiliies which are more apt to be the culprit.
I really hope you have better luck with future flying.
You may want to research power setups and testing procedures .
I've worked in the Electrical field for 30 years, so I do know a great deal about electronics. I was highly skeptical that my problem was in the radio until the testing I described in me # 7 event. That was the reason I continued to fly with the DX8 even after I lost my first plane. I do agree the voltage to the receiver will drop a little during the moving of servos, but not from 6.5 to below 3.? During my shop testing my meter on the RX voltage never dipped below 4VDC.
Even if It did drop enough to kill the RX why did resetting the DX8 fix the problem as I described.
My 6 volt setups under max test loadings on servos in model typicall yrun from a max of say 6.3 to 6.1 under load.
Yourdescripion of crashes describes a typical low voltage failure - which will often after test , a close to nominal level of charge ' what is NOT shown is the severe depression which occurs a few minutes into a flight - for whatever reason - servo loading etc.. This is a basic battery choice issue
I have flown too many different Spektrum setups to believe the failures as you describe them are due to a basic tx /rx problem
Power and reciever setups seem far more likely.
You mention 5c 2000mAh. Are these sub-C cells, or AA format? It's a VERY important difference - high capacity AA cells are NOT for the currents you typically get in a modern model. You really need to be using a short, fat cell rather than a tall, thin one. The low voltage (assuming 4V was the lowest you saw) would also be indicative of a poor cell choice, or perhaps of inadequate wire gauge, or poor connectors or switch. I think Dick was being very generous on the 5V - I would have said 5.5V is a more realistic expectable low voltage. Please check the wire gauge, cell type, connectors, and switch. Apply Ohms law - pull a high current through them and measure the voltage on both sides.
If you fly in wind or gusts, it's not uncommon to hit "pockets" where your plane is moving relative to the ground but has little/no airspeed and thus no control. I planted a Stryker last weekend for this same reason, flying downwind into turbulence and the roller just meant I had no control even though all the surfaces were moving just fine.
I'm sorry to hear about your lost P-51. Not setting failsafe is a sure way to jinx yourself, like saying "one last flight before I go home..."
It is still possible that you have a DX8 that needs to be serviced, but I think you ought to check these other areas first.
Andy
Unfortunately there are members around here who jump to the defense of hardware almost in a knee jerk manner.
Aside from that comment, the remainder of your paragraph is good advice. Photos help, explanations of what was done help. Thanks for making those requests.
Andy
I still think you have not provided a cause/effect scenario
having setup a half dozen of these - and having zero feedback problems - I can't buy your evaluation
have they had problems absolutely but as you describe your issues - I don't see any cause and effect
Nooooooooooooooo, Problems with a Spektrum Radio? I Don't Believe that!!! When will you people learn? Oh I know, when you crash your planes!! Get a Futaba radio System and solve your radio problems once and for all!!
No bind and fly with Futaba!
I know you are having trouble and I know a guy that had a lot of issues with his DX8 radio. I feel for your loss. I field charge my DX8 before I fly.
Maybe he does have that one lemon unit but I'd be willing to bet this is user error. Spektrum will fix any radio they sell with little to NO argument. I sure as hell wouldn't be into crash # 7 if I had a Spektrum DX1000 (no they aren't out yet)
I still fly 72 Mhz, and after what you described, I would have sent the TX in for repair after #3 or outright replaced it. No way would I have continued to use it
I watched a guy put in three planes one day at the field I fly at, not only all on the same TX, BUT THE SAME RX! 1st one was his fault, lost it in the sun. First flight of a new plane too. The rest? The infamous "I don't got it..." syndrome.
Good luck!
Bill S.
PS: Im a fan of Futaba
John T.
You may own the one thats bad...
Bill S.