Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

I would like to locate the diode in the charger circuit so I can use the ACE Super Smart Charger to charge the battery. I've worked on electronics most of my life but I did not see the diode on the main board. I'm having to take the battery out to charge it with the ACE SSC. Same question for the 7UAF.

Thanks,
Ken

flatfour

My Feedback: (8)

http://www.siriuselectronics.com/services.htm

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Jim, that is exactly the information that I needed. Thank you very much.

Ken

JDHammer

My Feedback: (1)

Great post and answer! I've been searching for an easy way to check my tx batteries for a long time. Those readings are critical and should not be buried the way they are now.

Do all brands made today have that darn diode?

Happy Flying, JD

Robotech

My Feedback: (9)

I believe at least all of the computer radios have them. The Mfg's were afraid someone would plug in a charger from our polarity impaired ( Barrel of plug positive ) friends at JR.

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

Big_bird,
I have some GREAT news for you.

Normally you would get to listen to a rant from me right now about why you SHOULD NOT jump your diode....

well you still shouldnt, however, instead of "jumping it" which removes all protection from your radio, you can send it to the service center and have the new poliswitch, used in the 9C, put in place instead. this still gives your radio the protection it needs -- from power spikes, reverse polarity (like plugging your leads in wrong to your charger), etc, and doesn't risk frying your radio, but also allows you to read voltage and discharge your battery in your radio.

The charge to install the poliswitch in place of the diode is $25 including return shipping.

JDHammer

My Feedback: (1)

AM-That sounds pretty good. Can the switch also be installed in a Futaba Conquest radio?

Also, you've probably written this 1000 times before but what is the exact address we can send our radios to in order to have this work done and about how long is the turn around time?

Thanks for your post, never knew that switch was available!

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

Hi JD! It's brand new, the newest step forward with the 9C.


http://www.hobbyservices.com/techsup...orm-futaba.pdf

turn around time is typically 5-7 business days.

flatfour

My Feedback: (8)

Ann Marie, do you happen to know the current rating of the polyswitch?

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

AnnMarie, thanks for the info.

Ken

Balsa Duster

The "polarity impared" jr radios can be discharged through the charge jack.
they use a fuse instead of a diod. whenyou plug the charge leads in backwards the fuse just blows
ask me how I know
I replaced it with a fuse of the same rating

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

Flat, Sorry I don't know off hand.

Balsa, yes, the fuse blows and other damage can also occur if the spike is significant enough to "hop" past the fuse prior to blowing it. (Ask me how I know -- a former JR owner..) :-)

relentless

Anna Marie

Do you happen to know of a Canadian Service Center
that can handle this

RDL

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

sorry, RDL, i don't know of any Canadian service centers. We are the exclusive US/Canada/Mexico Futaba-certified service facility. (There are several other facilities which do repair futaba in the US.)

Ladyflyer

My Feedback: (2)

The FUSE is FINE. AMC, the very same "BUMPS" that go thru fuses can go thru the DIODE , for even LONGER periods and do MORE damage. Fuses OPEN, Diodes can either OPEN or SHORT when they fail and very often they do indeed SHORT.
BUT rest assured NEITHER is likely.
I do have both JR and FUTABA radios , I never use the wall wart chargers supplied. I simply rewired the JR to matck Futaba polarity and use the same connectors for both.
If for some reason I were intending to use the wall wart it is just as simple to reverse the polarity on the JR charger as well.

cassidy

My Feedback: (5)

Ms Cross this is a great feature. Could you list for all of us Futaba TX users the models that this can be applied to. For example will it go into an 5uap?
As usual thanks for your help

amcross

My Feedback: (2)

Cassidy,
It can be done on any Futaba radio.

Ladyflier -- respectfully, I have personally had 2 JR radios that were "popped" (ie expensive internal damage, the fuse was blown but so was a lot else) by letting someone else try to charge for me and they crossed the leads to my charger. (Yes fool me twice, i know....). I have also talked with numerous other modelers who have gone through the same problem.

In my 3 years with the service center now I have NEVER seen a diode protected Futaba suffer any such damage.

Why? I'm not an electronics expert and I won't pretend to argue it. Perhaps the JR fuse is too high an amperage and waits too long to blow to avoid 'false failures" and having to service more radios? I haven't a clue. All I know is the empirical of what I've seen.