Cor I nearly crashed again

[Erfolg]

Tom

 

The battery does not get hot in 30 sec, warm, not hot.

 

Previously on landing I have never been surprised at the temperature. It could be that I did run the motor a lot more on Wednesday, as i could find no lift, just widespread sink. There were some very strong thermals, I could feel them filling, some times violently, as when a 3.5m glass job was picked up and deposited some 10 m away.

 

In many ways Wednesday was not my finest day of flying.

[Tom Wright 2]

Erfolg.

Its not about your flying I'm sure that was not the problem,all the theories and discussion on the thread is an attempt to establish a process of possibility and elimination,in this hobby virtually anything is possible.So far nothing is conclusive ,so cause and cure cannot be stated.If you are happy every thing is OK ,further flights seem to be the only option,unless some one comes up with another viable answer.

 

TW2.

 

[Erfolg]

I was hoping that a strong candidate would appear, as to a possible cause.

 

I am going to set the ESC via the card to 3.2v motor cut off, rather than the current 3.0v. I will leave the cut of, to reduce power, I am tempted to set the cut of power to "off", but recon that being able to limp back to the field on reduced power may be more prudent.

 

It has suddenly dawned on me. perhaps the cutting out was the motor hunting between reduced power and full power, could that explain the initial second launch?

Edited By Erfolg on 28/04/2011 18:33:42

[Steve W-O]

Without writing a book to repeat it all, I agree with Tim.

 

Only thing I can add is it sounds almost like a loose battery to esc connection.

 

Did you try giving it all a good pull and wiggle when you tested?

[Erfolg]

Steve

 

The connection between battery and ESC is a Dean type connection and they take some force to separate. I am pretty sure that is not the problem.

 

Though I will have another look, later this evening.

 

All the connections seem very secure and wires seem in good condition. All tough I do not consider myself the worlds best at soldering, I do put some effort into a good well wetted joint, on the connections I make, those Chinese girls are better still.

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Erfolg on 28/04/2011 18:39:30:

Steve

 

The connection between battery and ESC is a Dean type connection and they take some force to separate. I am pretty sure that is not the problem.

 

Though I will have another look, later this evening.

 

All the connections seem very secure and wires seem in good condition. All tough I do not consider myself the worlds best at soldering, I do put some effort into a good well wetted joint, on the connections I make, those Chinese girls are better still.

 

 

I have seen in past posts you are thorough, just the only thing that seemed to match the symptoms.

 

Chinese girls? Filipinas must be quite good to, I taught my wife to solder two bits of wire two days ago, and how to remove things from PCBs now she is unsoldering and soldering wires and ribbon cables on phones She always used to call me to do it for her.

 

Hope your next flight is uneventful.

[Erfolg]

Steve

 

I have had two cases of the pins in Futaba plugs push back to cause an intermittent fault. So i am certainly not immune, and only found them later, after problems.

 

Though in this case i have not found anything yet.

 

The one thing seems certain, there is an issue with something.

 

With respect to skill levels of the foreign workers. I am always a little surprised when the level of competence is queried, as by and large, the level of skill seems to match if not surpass most UK tradesman, and certainly what I can achieve. The film covering puts my own efforts to shame, as do most of the basic skills.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Hi Erfolg, I have not heard of the Weston Tango transmitter, can you expand on what that is? 35Mhz / 2.4Ghz? Is it a high quality unit or a bit of a budget model?

[Erfolg]

Chriss

 

I would certainly describe it as a budget model. It is a basic 6 channels

 

Tech spec.

 

Transmissions system FM/PPM

temperature range -10 to +55C

Rf Range 35/40/41 Hz

Intermediate frequency 455KHz

Input sensitivity 2 UV

Channel spacing 10KHz

operating Voltage 3,5 to 6.3V

current drain 10mA.

 

I had two, the first failed a range check sometime after use. This one has seemed OK. Yet i do have concerns now with respect of some drift in its tuning. Although I have suspicions, I suspect ill founded, as I have flown with it recently, at a greater distance. But then again. It was marketed by Weston Uk, as of European origin.

 

To be fair, I have had issues in the past with both Futaba and Sanwa equipment, so I guess nothing is immune.

 

I have just received a Corona Full Range Version 2 Synthesized Rx, which I am tempted to try.

 

I do feel I am clutching at straws though. No clear plan, no logical programme as to how go forward with the minimum of risk, or the greatest chances of success.

Edited By Erfolg on 28/04/2011 20:41:42

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

That looks like the spec of a receiver.

 

I had good experiences with Corona receivers when trying to eliminate 35Mhz glitching.

But to be honest it was the switch to Spektrum that cleared all radio problems for me.

 

IF your issue isn't battery or BEC related (I wondered about an overheated BEC shutting down for a while it cooled a little) then it could be a radio range or interference problem. The system working again is it got lower could be it coming down out of the interference or regaining range.

[Tom Wright 2]

Erflog.

Just in case it helps a friend of mine on 35 is a enthusiastic EP glider man ,he was constantly complaining of erratic power and glitches ,so a few months back i lent him a very cheap 2.4 set he has since flown three times a week average ,often at silly heights and distance, and has not had a single problem.

 

TW2.

[Erfolg]

Tom

 

I have a Futaba 2.4, yep it is good, my cheap version only has 6 model memory. How I wish it had at least 12 model memory.

 

With respect to 35, I have had little trouble with electric fliers, generally very few obvious glitches. Though this one was very different, it was the shear length of time that the issue appeared to last.

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Erfolg on 28/04/2011 19:40:08:

Steve

 

I have had two cases of the pins in Futaba plugs push back to cause an intermittent fault. So i am certainly not immune, and only found them later, after problems.

 

Though in this case i have not found anything yet.

 

The one thing seems certain, there is an issue with something.

 

With respect to skill levels of the foreign workers. I am always a little surprised when the level of competence is queried, as by and large, the level of skill seems to match if not surpass most UK tradesman, and certainly what I can achieve. The film covering puts my own efforts to shame, as do most of the basic skills.

 

 

Yes, I have found problems on equipment made by the "big" names, and I can't honestly say the internals of the big names look any better quality than my economy 1/10 the price TH9X's.

 

What does differ is the back up service, we constantly read how one popular make is quickly repaired, usually for free, and how happy people are with the service. There seems to be a very large number of people happy with this service

 

I agree with you on the skills levels, and their dedication to the job is fuelled by the long line of people waiting to take their place should they decide it is not the job for them.

(Don't know about tradesmen here, you can become an engineer after an hours training, and be sent out to test the on/off switch on a TV/washing machine/sat or cable box etc etc)

 

While this doesn't appear to have any connection with your problem, it could have a direct connection.

 

Take an ESC for example. The PCB will be manufactured by one company, and then they sell it to say two others. The one is a brand name, who will look the boards over, connect the wires, put the heatsink and heatshrink on and stick a nice label on it.

The other is a cheap producer, who will send the boards out to villages, where "workers" will solder the wires on, slap on the heatsink and heatshrink and no label. It will be a third the price of the one with a label.

 

If the "cottage industry" worker is good, the cheap one will be every bit as good as the expensive one.

 

If the QC on the expensive one slips, it could be as bad as a duff "cottage industry" one.

 

 

When you have an unexplained problem like yours, just because something has a good name on it, isn't a reason not to suspect it.

 

I have seen wires basically held on by shrinkwrap, and work OK, until something like a vibration at a certain RPM, or temp change stops them working. To me everything is suspect until I prove it OK.

I find it easier to prove things are OK one at a time, than to try and work out which part is faulty (usually it is obvious, but talking about cases like yours)

[Steve W-O]

Just posted a reply with reasons for worry on your TX, but the forum's site went down and it's lost

[Erfolg]

I have considered the Tx, as you must, as it is part of the system. I fly a number of models with the same Tx, I think the other models are OK.

 

I have decided to put a Futaba 136F1 Rx in the model, which seems OK.

 

In respect to electronic equipment from China. Most if not all seem to be the product of multilayer PCB, pick and place component automated machines and wave soldering. It is the finishing that will be mainly done by bench workers, the leads to pots. I found it interesting that all of the Orange Futaba Fasst compatible Rx seem totally machine produced, the aerials being clip on, via spring loaded buttons. I suspect most home work s done on airframes etc.

 

The low wages is another matter, even in the so called Halcyon times from about the 1970's up to 2009, a local firm employed people, mainly woman, on the minimum wage, making thousands of picture frames per day. Apparently the labour cost of each frame was just about £1, where as they sold for £25-30. Then it folded, for me the irony, was that the exploited people really wanted and needed those jobs.How many went onto benefits?

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Erfolg on 29/04/2011 10:39:51:

The low wages is another matter, even in the so called Halcyon times from about the 1970's up to 2009, a local firm employed people, mainly woman, on the minimum wage, making thousands of picture frames per day. Apparently the labour cost of each frame was just about £1, where as they sold for £25-30. Then it folded, for me the irony, was that the exploited people really wanted and needed those jobs.How many went onto benefits?

 

 

You've nailed the head on the hit!

 

What about where do-gooders in the west, shut down factories in the east, where it is quite likely that each worker is feeding 10 people, and there are no benefits?

 

A typical example, Mary works for Nestles, who make baby milk. The EU office of Nestles decide their employees must have a working wage. Nestles are not a charity, so the price of baby milk goes up. Elizabeth who sells rice, has to buy baby milk. To keep going, she has to increase the price of rice. As rice purchases take most of Mary's earnings, her increase is nullified, however, all the other poor people in the area now are far worse off, as the price of rice has risen making them hungry.

 

Aren't the EU offices heroes, making their image look good at a cost to the unseen unheard of poor?

 

I know it's off topic, but just replying to your comment. on a topic I have seen backfiring many times.