Robert,

I have been reviewing your site to try and formulate a power solution for my Composite arf 2.6 extra. I would like to use the following setup:

Two Formeco 7.4 2400 Lipos and two SuperswitcheHD for redundant power. I was going to use two regulators and your Batshare and go directly to my Futaba receiver. I then started to look at your power expander and got even more confused.

I am not trying to be cheap, just trying to build a dependable power supply as inexpensively as possible.

What do I need if I want to use two lipo batteries?? Should I use your power expander for sport 3D flying?

Plane will have 8 Digital Hitec Servos and 2 standard Futaba for throttle and smoke (10) total

Please help, thanks in advance for your guidance.

Tim Stagg

Tim,
I have put the PowerExpander in both my 35% planes. First, I don't think your first setup will quite work. The BatShare introduces a 0.5V drop so you will not get the output voltage of your regulators to your receiver if you put a BatShare in between. Also, regulators in general do not play well together when you connect their outputs together. One will try to handle most of the load and you will consequently drain one battery quicker than the other. If you want to go with redudant batteries then you should use the Fromeco batteries with standard DSC switches and the Batshare and an Adjustable Regulator. If you want to use the PowerExpander then you would use the same setup but change the BatShare to a BatShareHD and the Adjustable Regulator to an Adjustable RegulatorHD. This will plug directly into the PowerExpander. On the PowerExpander page there is a link to typical setups. This may help explain things. Please let me know if I can help further.

Thanks Robert,

Another question, am I correct in understanding that the power expander eliminate the need to "Y Harnesses" on the ailerons, elevator and rudder assuming i will use 4 on aileron servos, 2 on elevator, and 2 on rudder?

Tim

Tim,
That depends. If you need to do matching of the servos then you will also need to use Equalizers to do that. If you are using Hitec programmables and feel you can match them through programming then you would not need any "Y"s, all the connections you would need are on the PowerExpander.

Thanks Robert,

Hopefully the Hitec's can be matched through programming, however I have yet to try that either. I will be placing an order soon, thanks for your help

TIm