DX6i Electric throttle cut

[gangster]

I am a strong advocate of having a throttle cut on electric models for safety reasons.

A friend of mine recently asked how to do this on a DX6i

I assumed this would be easy using the usual tricks, switch assignment, throttle with throttle mix etc Not having a transmitter of any flavour availble (I was on holiday) I resorted to the web and the on line handbook.

I failed to find an answer, indeed the same question had been asked on many forums without an answer, my freind had already written to Horizon and they had told him it was not possible and indeed P17 of the book re throttle mixes suggested the usual tricks would not work.

Is it possible to plug the esc into a different channel and set up a mix that way?

Bearing in mind that the DX6i is probably the most popular TX in use ,BNF models etc. It seems bad that such a safety feature is unavailable I do not posess such a TX to play with, its easy on my DX8 and even easier on my Futaba.

My reaction is a toggle switch but not everyone is as ready as I am to wield a hot iron in their TX

So guys and gals what have I overlooked, or is it a laccy band job

[simon barr]

I think it appears that the lower end spec radios can't do this.... We have just had the same discussion at my club, and it seem that with the higher end spec, both Spectrum and Futaba, it is possible and easy to do, but not the lower end spec. I can't do it with my FF9 for example, but easy with my 14SG.

Maybe the newer DX6 can do it, I don't know, I only fly Futaba.

[Phil Brooks]

I did offer one possible solution in THIS thread several years ago. As you'll see from the resulting discussion, there are other options!

[brfc7]

Posted by simon barr on 07/05/2015 09:02:10:

. I can't do it with my FF9 for example, but easy with my 14SG.

Maybe the newer DX6 can do it, I don't know, I only fly Futaba.

I've got throttle holds assigned to a switch on both my Futaba 7c and 9c. Done mixing channel 3 master and channel 3 slave and playing with % and offset.

Baz

[gangster]

Phil yes your approach would be what I might use but not everyone likes to alter their gear for several valid reasons

some of the approaches suggested work with other makes but looking at the manual suggests you cannot mix throttle with throttle on the 6i or even use throttle as slave (page 17) it doesn't let you assign the switch elsewhere

I do not have a Dx6i I did have one but didn't like it. My fault I bought too cheap for what I wanted so flogged it straight away and bought a dx8 which I love

what this does suggest is that bearing in mind that it is probably the most popular TX for electric fliers there must be a lot of fliers using no safety catch

[Delta Foxtrot]

I have not found a way to do this through mixes on the dx6i, but it is straightforward on the dx7.

You could use the rubber band trick to help avoid accidentally advancing the throttle, low tech but simple.

[GrahamWh]

Phil's idea works well and is easy enough. I did the same on mine and my son's, and my brother did it on his. One thing to watch though is that some escs don't like it if you start the plane up with the throttle cut activated. When it is de-activated the esc has the prop still running when the throttle is on zero, like an ic engine on idle. You have to disconnect and re-start with the throttle cut de-activated then all is okay. Some escs are fine with it though.

Edited By GrahamWh on 09/05/2015 21:24:42

[MR P]

Am I missing something here?

Surely just lower the throttle lever?

I've always used the throttle cut purely for i.c. whih saves a lot of messing about and still leaves the engine on tickover at low throttle. Not the case with electric as it cuts the motor.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

They are talking about a throttle safety switch, Mr P...

[gangster]

Just to clarify Mr T

Yes its a great facility for IC cos you can cut the engine without messing up your tickover trim as you said.

With electric however knocking the throttle lever will ,unlike an rc, start the motor It is so easy to forget that the model could be armed.

The throttle cut being a spring loaded button, as soon as you release it it goes back to the idle, or wherever the stick has been left and the throttle stick remains active

For what we want to achieve we need a switch that will stay where it was left,independant of the throttle.

On most radios this can be achieved with either a mix with another function or itself or the allocation of a switch, pot or lever to throttle cut. This radio does not allow an appropriate mix with throttle and does not appear to have the facility to reallocate the switches

. Replacing with a toggle switch, or fitting an addition switch is a good option provided you are prepared to modify your radio, many people are not either because it is an area they are not confident in,or it would invalidate guarantee or distributor support and as well as that we have read on this very forum concerns about insurance implications by changing the type approval.

I certainly would not want the switch change option if I used the same TX for both ic and electric, the last thing I would enjoy is going for flaps,rates gear etc and killing the motor. Them ics dont restart !

[GerardC]

I’ve replaced the push button throttle cut with a toggle switch, configured it and viola!