mfin Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hi all, can anyone tell me if it is possible to somehow reverse the direction of a Hitec HS475-HB servo?? I have a pair used for elevators, and everything is perfectly symetrical. At the moment they take up two channels but I want them just to take up channel 2. Do I have to use a Y-Lead and then run a Servo Reverser to one of the servos or is there another way? If I do have to do the above will it work 100% right and the reverser react properly to any End Point Adjustments and so on, at the moment I'm running both extremes at 120%... I ask because I saw a setup where someone was running a Y-Lead and Servo Reverser before and it was twitching around for some reason. On paper of course it will work. If people do this all the time then do makes of reverser vary, did this chap just have a crap one? Can anyone suggest a perfect one to buy from one of the main RC Stores online perhaps as I'm nowhere near a shop. OR... any good clear instructions on modiifying my servo, soldering iron heating up right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 What radio are you using? I had twin elevator servos on a model with a Futaba FF10 and used the ailevator function to hook up the servos on channels 2 and 8. Zero'ise the aileron mix part and then the elevators operate in harmony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 hello mfin---depend's what radio gear your using ----- i use futaba and ---normally i would plug in channel 2 and 6----2 will work one servo ok and 6 will normally have to be reversed to work the correct way---up..down..............then it's a case of end point adjusting each servo so they both move the correct amount--also in futaba set's set's you have mix's avalable to use for such a set up---never had/needed to use a servo reverser---i don't know if this is comming over ok--sound's more complicated than it is-other radio set's will be similar..................... ken anderson....................switch off the s/iron p.s.----trying setting off a timbo alert----he'll probably tell you what i've posted is a load of how's your father stuff--but it's not far from the mark........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Ireland Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 If your radio can't do it then you can buy a cheap "Reversing Y-Lead" from most of the larger model shops. I used one for some time on my CAP 232G until I bought a new radio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfin Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Thanks all so far.... I can't do it with my radio, I have a Hitec Optic 6. I have two aileron servos on 1 and 6 and two elevator servos on 2 and 5. I want channel 5 back free to use for another function (it can be used for a switch function normally) and if I just 'y-leaded' the elevator servos to free up ch5 then one will be working the wrong way. My only other option is to use a reverser I suppose... or... rewire the servo in some way... I know if it was digital I could re-program it to be reversed but its not thats why I was asking cos, one I'd have to buy a reverser, I can see people also do Y-leads with a reverser built in for 'one side' ...and secondly Id seen someone else's plane misbehaving on the ground with a reverser but I guess they do their job properly and he was just unlucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Richards Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Mfin, would it be possible to tun one of the servos over so they are mirror image of each other. This is how all my models are set up. Hope this helps Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 hello mfin-y-lead both elevator servo's in to one--plug into no 2---bingo---what model aircraft have you got?? ken anderson................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 You could try and rewire the servo motor ( assuming its a simple brushed motor ) - swop the wires over and it should run in reverse direction? You may have to reverse the end wires on the pot too - cant remember TBH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfin Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Bruce - na, they are totally mirror image, thats the problem, so they're opposite. I have another plane where I offset them so I could have one horn pointing down and the other up if you know what I mean but this way it doesn't work ....I had to stand next to it and turn both clockwise for a second and look which way each elevator went to double check I wasn't being a dunce! Ken - No, one will operate backwards, see above. Timbo - Yeah, now I'm thinking its not actually that easy (not like just swapping black and red on the lead for example). All - I think my friend must have had a bad experience with a reverser... they wouldn't make them if they weren't reliable and doing a proper job. I'm going to order a JP servo Y-lead Reverser all-in-one and give it a go, only £7.50. Reason I'd asked is £7.50 is still £7.50 and p&p to add too and I have to wait for a couple of days, nevermind, I'll get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Why do you say that mfin - I am pretty sure I recall doing this to an old servo many years back before the days of computer TX - logic says it should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank killan Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I do not understand why a servo reverser is required when using a "Y" lead . I have always put the servo arms on so that both servos either push or pull when operating elevators, or am I missing something. Frank killan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfin Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Timbo - sorry are you saying that you can just swap black and red wires 'to the servo' cos I heard you should not do that so thats why I didn't try it. I don't know why but I heard it makes servos burn out? If you were refering to your original suggestion of 'rewiring of both the pot and the motor' then yes I agree it should work BUT the motor is soldered directly to the pcb you see, so there's no nice and easy wires to swap. Um, frank.... here you go, a photo of each side, imagine the servo going clockwise and you'll see it'll so the opposite effect on each one. I could 'flip the arm over' but mechanically it won't be identical and symetrical and at the moment it is absolutely dead on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 No definately do NOT just swop the main servo wires over as this will indeed likely fry the PCB stuff. I meant swop the wires on the motor and the internal potentiometer..... As the design is one that mounts the motor directly to the PCB then its probably not worth the hassle TBH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 mfin--can't you take one servo out and mount it with the horn/arm near the front--will that not cure your prob? ken anderson............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfin Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 No... think about it, if you're looking down on it and you spin the servo 'around the arm' it will still spin the same way as nothing will have changed. If I pulled the arm off and turned it round 180 degrees then yes it would work, but mechanically it would be ever so slightly different. Ive done this in another plane but I offset the servos in height up the fuselage to compensate and negate the slight mechanical difference, but with this model I wanted it totally the same and never considered that I might want the channel used by the second elevator servos for something else. The model flies perfectly, I just have both servos on two channels (2 and 5) but I want channel 5 back for something else so I want them both running off a Y-lead on channel 2. If you follow then one of the servos has to be reversed. So a Y-Lead with Reverser built in seems like the only easy bet. Otherwise if a simple answer had come back I woulfd have modified one of them and then used an ordinary Y-lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfin Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Well, I've got a Y Lead Reverser ordered now! Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank killan Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Thanks mfin, I understand now. Im afraid Iam a bit old fashioned Ive never mounted servos in the fuselage side like that, always inside near the CofG .Thanks for enlightening me. Frank Killan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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