teresos

I hope the answer will be public so the rest of us know what to do if we strike the same problem - please.

George

MAC540513

Thank you for your prompt reply, I emailed you my phone number.

Merv

MX240

My Feedback: (4)

I have seen these safety "things" kill two twins this past flying seaon.
Nothing wrong with the engines but the system got a hic-up and cut back both engines for a dead stick in rough ground. One was because of a magnet moveing out of place.

orcrest

MX240

While not belittling your experience it would be helpful if you could provide some more detailed explanation of how you think it was the system that "killed" the planes and provide some evidence of your investigations. What aircraft were they installed in? Were they glow, gas or electric motors? What radio systems were being used? Which version of the Twinsync was being used? There are many questions that may be asked to help determine the causes and understand the factors that may have contributed to the engines failing.

A magnet coming out is a potential problem/weakness of the Twinsync, no system is perfect and components fail all the time just ask the NTSB. But it is more of an installation and maintenance issue rather than the fault of the system itself.

How did the Twinsync stop both engines running? The system is designed to bring the good engine back to IDLE, which is usually set through the transmitter or mechanically. My understanding/experience is that the Twinsync will only bring the good engine back to the pre-determined idle as set in the transmitter, so it will be good to know how it cut the good and/or both engines.

I have had perfectly good engines run fine on the bench and on the ground that die in the air. They usually run perfectly when I put them back on the bench as well. Engines die for many reasons like over-heating, poor fuel line installation, excessive vibration/foaming of fuel, pinhole leaks in fuel lines, bad plugs etc.

Any outfield landing in rough ground will not have good results, it relies on pilot skill, timing and a huge dose of luck! While it is regretful that the twinsync MAY have contributed to the demise of two models, the majority experience has been that it has saved many more.

Please provide some more detailed information so everyone here can benefit from your experience and IF there is some problem I am certain that Bill will do everything he can to solve it.

Cheers

Da Orc

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

All,

I talked to MAC540513 tonight. He bought a used C310 with an old TwinSync in it. The rotary switch was not working. All LEDs flashed three times when in position "0" which indicated a programming mode and not is run/fly mode. He is sending it back for repair (no cost I am taking care of it under warranty even though it is > 2yrs old).

Bill

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

The TwinSync is not a "Safety thing". It is an engine synchronizer. Properly set up it will never "kill" an engine. I will be glad to help anyone set it up properly and use it correctly and it will only make your twin engine airplane a better sounding, better flying, and safer airplane. It was most likely not setup correctly. If it was set up correctly then the only possible answer is "pilot error". But many have a hard time admitting that.

BTW...if the magnets are installed per the instructions they "can not move". It would take a sledge hammer to make them come loose.

I need the facts rather than speculation and conjecture. I think that if one of my customer's airplane had an issue because of it I would hear about it. One plane about a year ago got banged up a little with a flame out on take-off. But he will admit he was probably better off going down in the tall weeds with one off and the other at idle rather than a snap roll with one dead and the other at full on take off. That is the only damage I know of as a result of a TwinSync.

Provide facts or don't comment. You can always use a "Y" cable.

highside

Hiya,

Well we're still messing with the setup in the C130 - problems with the tank positions governed by the shape of the nacelle. But we are nearly there I think.

Rather than us send the IC back to the US, doubling the postal delay, how much would you charge to just send us a processor with upgraded firmware? That way we can keep using the unit as is until the new IC arrives.

Cheers,

HS (UK)

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

Are you sure you need an update? There has not been any updates in a long time. Chips are $10 ea. plus postage.

Mustang51

My Feedback: (25)

Hi Bill,
Having a problem. Trying to reverse the throttle servos via the Twin Sync and it is not holding the setting. I have tried everything i can think of including returning the selector switch back to "0" before power down, and powering down then returning the selector to "0". I have been able to reverse the servos and it works fine...the right way. When I switch off then back on, the servos have reversed again.I am runing the Futaba 14mz and the servo reverse is set to "normal" opperation.

Thanks,

Dave West

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

Power on in position "7". After leds stop blinking push buttons until servo direction is correct. Then move rotary back to "0". Wait about 5-10 seconds. Power it off and then back on and direction should be set.

Mustang51

My Feedback: (25)

Didn't work Bill, same result. ?

Dave

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

email me your phone number to [email protected]. Something is wrong - or broken with your unit. Do all the leds flash on power up when in position "0"? If so rotary is not working...

highside

Well...this was the only suggestion you had for why we can't set the servo centres (positions 1 & 2 on the programming switch) but everything else seems OK. It's been a good couple of years since we bought the twinsync.

I'm happy to pay the $10 rather than mess around shipping the chip back to the US. Can you point me at a webpage or similar where I can order/give you my card details?

Cheers,

HS.

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

Just send paypal to me "[email protected]". $10 each plug $3 for first class or $13 for international priority mail.

MAC540513

HI Bill,

I appreciated your prompt resonse to my problem with the twin sync and your support over the phone even on a Sunday. Great service!!. I have sent the unit to you on Monday, you should receive it in a day or two.

Thanks again for your prompt support.

Merv

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

An idiotic post by someone who clearly doesn't own a TwinSync that serves no purpose but to unfairly disparage a great product with outstanding support and service after the sale.

n6iap

Bill,

I posted some of the particulars of my installation of the Twin Sync on the Top Flite Cessna 310 link.

Posts 3030 and 3034
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9208336

Could you talk a look and tell me what you would do different?

Thanks,

jimm

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

Looks great... I like the mount better than using JB weld to the case. Should be fine though since it is zip-tied in addition to JB weld. My experience with JB weld is that it either comes loose after 10 minutes or so or lasts 30 years. I like the less permanant approach of sensor mounts to the engine mount but over all very nice looking setup that should work fine. Hatch is a nice piece of work too.

fordster39

My Feedback: (3)

Need some help please,
New Twinsync 12/28/09, hardware version 2.4 as stamped on the board, Futaba 7c 2.4, 2 RCV 58 CD four strokes on test stand. Mechanical throws are set up for 125% in both directions.  I have followed the manual pre letter and can not get Twinsync to work,  Sync point will not program, and when i try to restore the board back to factory defaults by setting the selector switch to "7" while holding down both buttons and turning on the twinsync, all the LEDs flash than stop but the two yellows LEDs will never stop flashing.  Maybe i am doing something wrong.
Thanks
Gil

fordster39

My Feedback: (3)

sorry should be 10/28/09 not 12/2809

Gil

fordster39

My Feedback: (3)

Problem solved.. TBM sent two manuals a 20 page manual and a 3 page quickstart manual with the order. The Quickstart manual included in the 20 page manual is incorrect on step 11 on which button to push to program the board, However the correct method was on the 3 page quickstart  manual . A big thanks to Bill for finding this. Great customer service !!!!!

Gutaaaooo

Hey guys, just ordered my first twinsync to go on my TF b25, and there is only one thing that is bothering me here: what would the star procedure be, since I believe that when I flip the propeller to pull fuel,
the glow plug will be lit? I'll be using 2 OS 81 pumped, if that matters any, and I really am not a fan of using electric starters, on this plane mostly because they will mess the paint on the prop hubs. I know I can
use the aux on mode 5 to chose when to turn the glow driver on, but it would give me some piece of mind if the glow plug was based on RPM, and I really wanted to be able to use it to mode 2 or 3 instead! and flip my propeller by hand SAFELLY! !!!!

Edit: On another note, I think it's been over a year since I last used a NiCd, or NiMh battery on any of my helis or planes, I've gone regulated lipo and never looked back, 40 minutes charge time, and longer flight times, etc really sold me on it.
Is there any way to use a single cell lipo to power both glow drivers, like both in series with a diode? I would just tap on one of the lipos i'll use to regulate for the servos by the balancing tap. would be one (or 2) less batteries to have to take care of on this plane. Maybe you could make a glow driver that can take up to 4.2v? Iwould by a customs one from you, $ not a problem! :P
Even a 3.3v~=4.2v => 1.5v regulator?

Gutaaaooo

Hey guys, no reply???

n6iap

I have been using a voltage regulator circuit that I built with an LM317, 3 terminal regulator in a TO-220 package on my Cessna 310. I have only a few flights and still not confident with it. Maybe this next week I'll get my testing done and be ready to post the photos and schematics. I had another person already post on that tread that I should consider using a different package (TO-3) to get 5 AMP capability in the regulator. I want to have about 10 - 10 minute constant load tests before I say it works. All I have so far are a few run ups and flights; and yes, I should have done the testing first but didn't think about it until it came time to share.

jimm

yl5295

My Feedback: (1)

Sorry for the delayed response... the web site is supposed to email me when some one posts on this thread and it didn't. You can use RPM mode on the glow drivers when only cranking by hand. The glow drivers turn on if memory serves correct at somewhere between 1000 and 1500 rpm for 20-30 seconds and then turn off above 3500 rpm. So what you do is wiggle the prop and they will come on and give you enough time to start by hand. Play with it on a bench a few times wile you can see the green and red leds and you will get the feel quickly as to how to turn them on for hand starting.