On another thread I talked about setting up your electronics so they are movable between tanks. The thought being once you have acquired multiple tanks does it really make sense to have an expensive electronics package in each one.

I had a request from a customer to make this process a simple as possible for him. So I mounted a complete Battle Armor package on to a removable board. All you need to do is plug in the end devices, and you are ready to go. This set up( with the receiver attached) can be moved around and placed in any stock Heng long tank. Once you plug in everything you then have a complete IR battle tank with 15 watts of TBS sound all controlled by a Hobby grade radio. NO soldering just plug and play


Time to install this in a tank would be less then 5 minutes.

I showcased the Battle Armor stuff, but the same idea could be used in any set up.

Hi Dan the only thing you have to do for this, is wire up your tanks identically. But like you say the most expensive part of any tank is the electrics .

regards pete

Well if you are moving this around between stock Heng Longs, they are all identical. So you just move this around, and plug in the Heng long end devices . I believe you could use this set up in all the Taigen tanks as well as the end device wiring is the same ,

Hi Dan Mato Tanks sometimes have slight differences this is something to lookout for (swopping over between Shermans)But it is not hard to make them the same as Heng Long

regards pete

You are slow close to eliminating that RX-18.

Big dreams I know, especially considering different hulls, but I'd love to see that all in a case that just plugged into a multi pin header. Kinda of like the B9 Robot's power pack. I know if you went all servo turret functions (which would make sense with HL or Mato), all you would need would be ESCs, right?

Hot hot does the amp get? The 6W got pretty warm, but this one seems to have a better sink.

At this point the RX18 is only needed if you want IR battling.( The BARC 3 interfaces through the RX18 for control the reduction of speed when you are hit,) If you are not IR battling then you can use any ESC, and just use servo control on the elevation and, turret rotation. In essence your receiver becomes the tank controller.

This amp does get hot, but that is why there are heat sinks. I have found that when the amp is used the load on the BARC3 Vreg is reduced substantially and it barely gets warm.

You know the poor RX18 gets a bad rap. When it is paired up with lower ratio gears there is no issue with it and the amps it will draw. I recommend guys go with Mato 2.0 or an equivalent gear ratio box. Do that an you will have great tank control and the RX18 will be a happy camper for a long time. A most misunderstood and maligned product. For less the $25 nothing comes close to matching it for value, as long as you understand the "stalled motors = big amp draw" equation. The lower ratio gear boxes move the weak point to a mechanical point on the tank and away from the electronics. Typically you will break a track or throw a track instead of burning up the ESC.

I find that the wiring gauges found in tank electronics are pretty small and not really suitable for repeated handling. I have broken the wire at the crimpled end of my Tamiya's gun flash unit multiple times just removing the plug. But its just probably me being ham-fisted - but the Clark electronics have pretty thin wiring as well that the guys back home have quite a few reliability problems with. I think the larger JST connectors are more durable for repeated unplugging than direct board socket connections like these - of course, they will have to be color coded to prevent a disaster.

I take an exacto knife and remove the molded on locks on all the plugs. They friction fit tight enough without needing the nylon lock they all have. Tamiya especially has some solid locks that you wonder if they are meant to be unplugged

I agree some wiring on some systems is pretty light weight, and doesn't take well to too much handling

lol You know the poor RX18 gets a bad rap. For you to say that matching the RX18 with a mato or other drop ratio gearbox solves any of it's problems is flat out wrong. I will give you the possibility that it may reduce the risk some types of risk but that is in a perfect world where you drive on flat ground with no obstructions of any kind. Any rough/inclined terrain is going to increase the amp draw of your motors period, regardless of the gearbox used. The amp draw of the motors is just one issue with the RX18.
The RX18 has a bad rap because of it's reputation for failure.
Keep moving your electronics away from the RX18, Your doing the right thing by doing so.

All boards fail, do I dare ask how many TK 22 have had to be repaired.? I am just saying all boards have their weakness. A RX18 can be replaced for $25.

I am not wrong at all. You change the mechanical advantage through lower gearing and you drop the load on the motors. That is a fact. I have twisted off a brass driveshaft with an RX18 in a Metal Mato Tiger., Another fact. The issue is more with the stock gearing then it is the RX18.

Many guys in the UK run the RX18's in outdoor club settings and have no issue, as long as you look after the gearing. Very first thing you need to do is get rid of the stock gear ratio, and I don't care what board you use. You want better low speed control and better grunt through the tough stuff, lose the standard HL gear ratio.

No board is beyond failure. I am just pointing out what people can do to improve the reliability of the RX18, and maybe save themselves spending money. If you buy a stock Heng long tank with an RX18 and you want better performance buy lower ratio gears. This will give you better low speed performance, provide more torque, and save the stock electronics. IF you have zero interest in sound, IR battling, etc you can still make you stock electronics work better I have zero vested interest in people taking that approach. You don't need a BARC or a TBS, and I don't sell upgrade gears.

My advice to anyone is the first upgrade you need to do is buy a new lower ratio gearbox. It will improve the performance of you tank regardless of what electronic upgrades come later.

"You know the poor RX18 gets a bad rap. When it is paired up with lower ratio gears there is no issue with it and the amps it will draw" your words are "there is no issue with it" yet clearly there are or you would not have spoken about the amp draw problem to begin with.
I am not sure how many TK22 boards fail, I do know for a fact though I have only sent back a handful of boards but I am not making claims with regard to the TK22 though. The discussion at hand is the RX18.
I have an opinion of the RX18 and it isn't very highly regarded in any of its formats.
with regard to low speed control, it is the board that controls your speed ranges. I don't care who's electronics a tanker buys but the electronics should always be the first upgrade. You get way more bang for your buck there than anywhere else.
RX18's in any format should be scrapped at the first opportunity.

I don't share that opinion. First upgrade is the gears is my advice, and I don't sell those

Double post

Before upgrading to a "hobby grade" electronic in my H.L. Pershing; I upgraded the gearboxes from 3:1 to 4:1...
The 4:1 gearboxes gave me more control a low speed with the RX-18 and the 27 MHZ controller; allowing me to do this: http://youtu.be/3e0tEpXPh0o?list=UUoWjHTJi7Z1uGnVnrbH3GxQ

They make a difference. Thanks for the video Norm. For some guys all they want is better low speed control. The gear boxes will do that.

Oh man, I really hope those are plastic tracks on that hardwood floor.... I am still hearing crap from when I did that with my Tiger....

FreakyDude And YHR,

you Guys Are Tops in my Book...
I Commend you Both for the way in which you handle your Dissagreement!!!
Very Well Done!

Back on Topic...

Thank You YHR for showing what you came up with in regards to this Moduler Setup...
I was hoping to come up with something Similar in mind.
I'll definitely be having a Go at this setup.

I have seen a similar Clark-Benedini setup on YouTube, out of Australia I believe...

Happy Tanking

-gus

Re

Everyone has the right to an opinion, and the board is best served when we agree to respect that right


Steve is the guy you are referring to.( Probably) I set him up with the Benedini for use with his Clark board.

So... umm.... are those plastic tracks? lol. I know it is off topic but seriously... You are a brave man if not. My gf still gripes at me anytime she hears a motor running since the floor incident. It doesn't matter if it is a grounder or flies, I hear it haha.

i have run all my tanks (including metal elefant and 8kg king tigers) on both hardwood and laminate with out issues.

Those were plastic tracks, but I switched to metal tracks since then: because that's a plastic floor...

Dan (YHR), very neat setup and looks very simple in it's execution.
Thanks for sharing

And as far as running things on the flooring in the house...that has been dubbed alright, just no helicopters larger than 10" rotor span.....I got into trouble with the wife some years ago let's say for flying in the house and into walls, furniture and myself.....

I just had to know! My tanks are now banned inside since we have hardwood floors through out the house. I have to keep them in the garage now with my other toys Only the shelf queens were safe
Ha, I just got in trouble for flying my microquad and getting it tangled up in my gf's hair while her aunt was visiting. I thought it was hilarious of course, I had to take the blades off to get it out of her hair. I have yet to get in trouble with my bigger quads though, they are a lot better flyers than the mini quads. I try not to fly the 450mm size quads in the house though, 250mm and 330mm are my favorite sizes.

My Lab had enough of me and the boys learning the MSR inside. Even a few years after we stopped, he'd still get up and walk out of the room at any beep that slightly resembled the Tx.
You could be setting the microwave in the kitchen and you would hear him heading upstairs.

That is funny, mine does the exact opposite. Any kind of beep and he comes running. He has never been shot with a bb so he isnt scared of the tanks at all, and the cars he chases and picks up. The quads he mostly ignores funny enough though he will try to eat the mini if it is in range.