Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) Gents, Have you first hand experience with powering Savöx 6V servos with unregulated 2s Life battery? I came across this at https://www.savoxusa.com/pages/faq : "Our 6V rated servos can handle power from a fully charged 2S LiFe pack without any issues. However, you will need a regulator for 2S LiPo operation." -> However, not really knowing if the product range is the same in the USA vs. Europe I asked the the topic from Steve Webb (servoshop.co.uk) This is what I was answered: "Savox 4.8-6V servos are not designed for use with a 6.6V LiFe battery, you would need to use an in-line regulator to reduce the voltage to 6V." Well, I find this a bit confusing.. ? Anyways, I can, of course, forget the whole matter and use a sub-c 5s NIMH battery pack but it weights around 300g and a similar capacity Life pack weighs maybe 100g less. Also, I believe I do not need to maintenance cycle a Life battery pack but instead I can just charge it full and leave it there when I'm not flying (winter time) without any issues in terms of ruining the battery pack. Or, I could buy a crazy expensive "safety switch" with build-in regulator. Yet I have flown years using just good quality HD switch(es) in conjunction with quality battery packs. So I think the optimum setup for me would be just a quality HD switch and a Life battery powering directly (unregulated) the Savöx standard 6V servos to avoid any complicated issues. So, can I use the Savöx servos with unregulated 2s Life? What do you think? Any first hand experience? thanks! 🙂 Artto Edited March 9, 2023 by Artto Ilmanen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wills 2 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) Yes I have used savox with direct Life packs no problems. The voltage of a 6.6V life is lower than a freshly charged 5 cell nimh anyway. Edited March 9, 2023 by Richard Wills 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Yes you can. Good switch, LiFe battery, sorted. As good as it gets. I had a couple of Panics using that setup, both broken, but I was in control until the ground intervened. I have the battery from one, it’s bent at 45°. Still does the servo tester, it works, and reminds me that inverted passes can get too low. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve too Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I have a couple of models where I power Savox 0252's off 2S LiFe packs. No issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 1 minute ago, Richard Wills 2 said: Yes I have used savox with direct Life packs no problems. The voltage of a 6.6V life is lower than a freshly charged 5 cell nimh anyway. Thanks Richard, This is what I have been thinking, too. But isn’it so that a 5 cell NiMh battery voltage drops very quick below 6V when loaded while a Life pack stays above 6v for most of its capacity, even when loaded? Is this something to consider ? Or am I wrong and thinking too complicated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 thanks for you all, From what you write it seems it’s ok and should not cause any premature servo failures. I think the counter-argument I have heard is based on the LiFE battery being able to maintaint the voltage better than a Nimh pack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Artto, you have two conflicting statements. 1. Shop assistant in Steve Webb. 2. Manufacturer. your choice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Always believed Life and Nimh had similar characteristics re voltage, Nicads a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 By the way, it seems the genuine Futaba HD switch that I used to use is discontinued. Ant hints for a good quality HD switch? ( I happen to be preparing an order at servoshop.uk.co so I might add few switches to my order) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 3 minutes ago, Don Fry said: Artto, you have two conflicting statements. 1. Shop assistant in Steve Webb. 2. Manufacturer. your choice. Don, Very true - I just do not know if the product range is the same here and in the USA: hence my hesitation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 2 minutes ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said: Always believed Life and Nimh had similar characteristics re voltage, Nicads a different story. John, you may be right - I’m happy to stand corrected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wills 2 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I swapped to the Hitec HD switch once the Futaba one was discontinued, happy with them so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 8 minutes ago, Richard Wills 2 said: I swapped to the Hitec HD switch once the Futaba one was discontinued, happy with them so far. Thanks Richard, is this what you are using? The Futaba HD switch is capable to handle quite much current - and is very reliable Is this similar? https://servoshop.co.uk/index.php?pid=JP22954407&area=Accs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wills 2 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 thats the one. It's doesn't seem as HD as the Futaba, but quality seems good and has worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 Thanks, Richard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Artto Ilmanen said: Don, Very true - I just do not know if the product range is the same here and in the USA: hence my hesitation. Ask the manufacturer. I suspect very strongly the answer might be polite, when the thought process will be “why on earth produce two products to do the same job, in the same aircraft, same air, on different sides of a puddle” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 7 minutes ago, Don Fry said: Ask the manufacturer. I suspect very strongly the answer might be polite, when the thought process will be “why on earth produce two products to do the same job, in the same aircraft, same air, on different sides of a puddle” This is what one thinks - yet I have experienced this fenomenon when I was looking at some boating accessories. Don't recall any more the details, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Lewis 3 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I've used nothing but LiFe packs in all of my planes for the last ten years (at least until I switched to HV 2 Cell LiPo tolerate servos's), all sorts of makes from the cheapest 9 gram HXT's, various Savox, Futaba, Bluebird and many others. I have never had a s ervo fail yet. I think you will find the voltage pretty quickly falls to about 6V under any sort of load at all if you measure it. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artto Ilmanen Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 Thanks Phil - this all confirms what is said earlier: safe to use unregulated Life with standard 6V servos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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