paco ritter

My Feedback: (51)

The following is a quote from the Futaba Web Site dealing with setting up a smoke system. I have followed these instructions to the best of my abilites, however limited that may be. I have not been able to make my smoke sytem function. I can't get he pump to run. I can put it in channel five of the receiver, assign it to switch E on the transmitter, and it works, but If I do as listed below, I get nothing. Is there something I am missing? I followed the below instructions exactly. The pump was plugged into ch 8 as suggested below, the MIX 6 set as stated with the throttle as master, the pump as slave, and assigned to switch E, with down being the on position. All percentages were as listed and in the AUX channel settings, ch 8 set to NULL. Tell me what I am missing. I would really like to control the amount of output from the smoke system as I figure as is, the pump will put out too much fluid. Thanks in advance.

"I want to create a mix which is only active if my throttle is above a certain point. For example, I only want my smoke to come on if my throttle is above 1/2 to avoid killing the engine. But I want this assigned to a switch so that I can shut this mix off at will. How can I do this?
First you will need to do a linear mix. Let's say on Mix 6, you will want to make Throttle the master and the channel you have your pump on (for this example I will use channel 8) as slave. On the first page, you will assign this to the switch you are wanting to use, and put it in the Down position. On the next page you will set your positions as follows:

Pos 1 0%
2 0%
3 +50%
4 +75%
5 +100%

You may need more or less percentages, depending on your own setup.

Then you will want to go into Aux channel in the basic menu and make the channel that you are using as your slave Null.

What you will get is: with your switch in the Up position, the smoke pump is disabled. With the switch in the down position, you will get movement of the smoke pump at about 1/4 up throttle to full 100% action at full throttle."

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

Basically, you have to make sure that the pump's amplifier circuitry is operating correctly. All the mix does is set up a curve so that the second channel works off a percentage of the first channel's stick position.

You may have to adjust the percentages so that they are all "-" numbers, you may have to have the 100 at the top and the 0 at the bottom...and so forth. The example in the FAO section is only an example, and not THE way to do it.

paco ritter

My Feedback: (51)

Bax, thanks for your answer telling me that what I am doing is not working and what the manual says is not the way to do it. NOW, somebody, somewhere out there in RC land owns a FUTABA 9CAPS radio, a SULLIVAN SKYWRITER smoke pump, and has the ability to make it all work together. I would like for one of these people to respond to my question so I am pointed in the direction I need to head. There has got to be more to it than I am doing, there are end point adjustments, etc to deal with, and I need to know what all these settings are. If you are out there and can help, it would really make my day. I think the 9CAPS is a great radio, the best I have ever owned. I think the Sullivan pump is a pump and will work, maybe. I just need the two to work together. thanks, PACO

paco ritter

My Feedback: (51)

Is there anyone else out there in the RC world that can give me a detailed explanation of how to program a Futaba 9CAPS to make a SULLIVAN SMOKEWRITER smoke pump work with the throttle controlling the amount of smoke out put at various throttle settings? (see the above post for the rest of the story) The answer Futaba gave me is that the instructions given on their web page are just generalized, not really meant to actually work. It is merely a starting point, then you have to figure out from that point what really works. Kinda like saying "well, you turn on the transmitter, and after that, you need to figure out what to do to make it work". I know someone in this world makes these two pieces of electronics work in unison as designed. If you have a clue, please feel free to let me in on it. Thanks in advance...PACO

paco ritter

My Feedback: (51)

OK folks, I have answered my own question after several hours search thru the pages of these forums, finally finding the below version of the question of how to make the 9CAPS smoke pump mixing/slaving work with the Sullivan Sky Writer smoke pump. Here is the modified version originally done by DAVE G, using a 9CAP. This is the new and improved version that works with my 9CAPS and the Sullivan Skywriter. I have made the pump work using the settings that I list below, although it may need "tweaking" to get the right amount of smoke fluid thru the pump and into the mufflers, so be prepared to change percentages on the (+) side to make it use more or less fluid to make more or less smoke. That I can't do for you, I can only turn the pump on and off with a switch and make it come on at half throttle or so by doing as I have listed. Thanks for everyone who assisted me in this endevour...PACO



In this case, I use channel 7 on my receiver to plug my smoke pump in to. I suppose you can use what ever channel you choose, (of course, assuming 1-4 are already used for standard flight controls). You must make the channel you choose to use "NULL" in the "AUG-CH" section. (my example, ch 7 is nulled) I also use switch "E" as the "ON-OFF" switch. You must use PMX-6 or PMX-7, both are linear movement channels, and you can assign it to which ever switch you choose. Also, move switch "E" forward, and you turn the power "ON", but pump does not come on until you reach about 1/2 throttle. Turn switch "E" off or "back", nothing happens to the smoke pump at any throttle setting. The switch you choose to use also can be changed if you like. Other than that, you are on your own to figure out what else will work for you.

(AUX-CH)
CH7- NULL (this is just to be sure that if the rotary knob is turned, nothing happens)

The following settings are made with switch "E" in the "BACK" or "OFF" position. If you do this, the screen on the radio will appear as listed below, so you know you are doing it correctly.

[PMIX6 CURVE] < 1/2>
(OFF)
(THRO-AUX1-)

POS- 1> +75%
POS- 2> +65%
POS- 3> +50%
POS- 4> -100%
POS- 5> -100%

[PMIX6 CURVE] <2/2>
MIX> OFF
MAS> 3: THRO
SLV> 7: AUX1
LINK-ON
SW> B
POSI> DOWN



The -100% for POS 4 and 5 is the off signal the pump needs to see before running. Be sure switch "E" is down or "off" when you turn your transmitter on or you'll end up cycling it a couple of times and opening and closing the throttle for the pump to see zero for the first time. When you're done (and on page 1 of PMIX6) you can move the throttle and see the pumps action by the stick's position, on the graph. I figured I'd never need smoke below 1/2 throttle but POS1 must be -100%.

Good luck. If all else fails, call the number inside the cover of the manual. They walked me through my fixes after only a little head scratching.

paco ritter

My Feedback: (51)

"I figured I'd never need smoke below half throttle but POS 1 must be -100%" I mis-typed this, should read " positions 4 and 5 must be -100%"