DX6i dry cells?

[kc]

On considering whether to buy a  Futaba 6EXP or Spektrum DX6i  I have been informed that the Spektrum DX 6i uses dry batteries.  And only 4 cells. Has anybody found this a problem?  And why does it use dry cells when NiMH are quite cheap?   I know the current consumption is low on this trans. But why such a retrograde step?
…..

All previous info from years gone by said that a welded TX pack was essential and individual cells were not suitable even for aircraft TX use due to corrosion or  vibration causing loss of signal.  Even the stud connectors were disliked and I have had to clean the connectors  in the past.  Whats changed?


( what is the currant consumption with all the sticky buns that someone keeps mentioning? )……

Edited By kc on 29/07/2009 18:08:29

[Merlin spit]

i use sanyo enelopp batteries they last ages in my dx6i about 16hrs flying time with them their always ready to which is great

Edited By austen rover on 29/07/2009 18:32:32

[Tim Mackey]

The 4 cell system is absolutely fine - Spektrum have done an absolute miracle with power consumption on this thing....

The manual states that the alarm will sound when "the battery drops below 4.3V "
and you should not fly if the battery is below 4.3V. My alarm activates at 4.1V and the display panel then flashes to warn you. The Tx keeps working for quite a long time after the alarm, although this may well depend on the quality of your battery, mine for instance continued for over 20 minutes, at which point the Tx meter was showing 3.9V.  I think a good safety margin is to stop flying when the meter reads around 4.5V which means the cells are at 1.12V each, just below nominal voltage. This also allows a little margin for inevitable meter errors, and the voltage drops off quite quickly when you are down to these levels.

 

Due to its exceptionally low power consumption, the DX6i has an excellent battery life.

I measured just 87 m/a consumption - even after fitting a power indicator display, compare this to the DX7 which is 280 m/a ( with the standard linear regulator ) and I reckon you are good for many many hours of flying with the DX6i.

 

PS I too use the sanyo eneloops  /or vapex Instants, which are a drop in re-chargeable replacement

Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 29/07/2009 19:09:01

[kc]

Thanks for your comments.

4 dry cells would be nominal 6 volts while 4 Nicads are 4.8 volts  What are the Sanyo Eneloops or Vapex instants?  Are both rechargeable?

[Tim Mackey]

NiMHs - and they are , as stated, just fine in the Tx ken.

HERE

[kc]

What I don't understand is if the Eneloops etc are suitable why aren't they fitted as standard and in a welded pack like any other TX?

 

 

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

You can also get some called uniross hybrios, we use them in our receiver packs as well, havent had to charge them for ages!!! 21000mAh! they can be recognised cause they have the positive end is red(2100mah version) or blue(2500mah version) and the negative end is green, we have not had any problems what so ever with non soldered ones, if you really feel that bad, solder them together and hard wire them in...

 

EDIT: you will find the hybrios in wilkinsons

Edited By Peter Savage on 30/07/2009 00:17:31

[BB]

kc

Eneloop packs here;

www.component-shop.co.uk

 

or p.111 ad in RCM&e

 

 

BB

 

Edited By Basildon Biggles on 30/07/2009 00:25:56

Edited By Basildon Biggles on 30/07/2009 00:27:04

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Peter Savage on 30/07/2009 00:15:40:

You can also get some called uniross hybrios, we use them in our receiver packs as well, havent had to charge them for ages!!! 21000mAh! they can be recognised cause they have the positive end is red(2100mah version) or blue(2500mah version) and the negative end is green, we have not had any problems what so ever with non soldered ones, if you really feel that bad, solder them together and hard wire them in...

 

EDIT: you will find the hybrios in wilkinsons

Edited By Peter Savage on 30/07/2009 00:17:31

 You should never use non soldered / welded packs in airborne batteries though

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

That is something i have never done

 

I know my soldering skills are of adequate quality, as long as the solder flows into all the gaps, it will be a good joint, me and my dad use that solder absorbing wick to join batteries, its great stuff!

[Tim Mackey]

Yes I use solder wick for that too Peter!

Flattened out Co-Axial  cable screen is also another.

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

great minds think alike

[John Cole]

Much easier to buy tagged cells and just solder the tags.  The tags are spot-welded on, which is more reliable than soldering to the cell case.

[kc]

All the comments were helpful, thanks.  All positive info too.

 

My idea was to make the equip more reliable but I think  my soldering would decrease the reliability!

 

Actually i am familiar with this type of improved NiMH because I bought a set of Kodak brand last year for my digital camera.  A vast improvement on the ordinary NiMH which I also use in the same camera.   I just didn't realise the Eneloop were only the same as the Kodak etc.

 

But I still think not supplying NiMH with the Dx6i makes Spektrum seem 'cheap jack'  compared to others.  Cannot add to their reputation. 

 

Can I assume that the DX6i set ( not combo ) includes RX NiMH and a charger which charges the TX too if ftted with Eneloop etc?

Edited By kc on 30/07/2009 15:28:11

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by John Cole on 30/07/2009 13:47:17:

Much easier to buy tagged cells and just solder the tags.  The tags are spot-welded on, which is more reliable than soldering to the cell case.

 Indeed, but until eneloops or instants come with such tags, thats a non starter.

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by kc on 30/07/2009 15:25:17:

All the comments were helpful, thanks.  All positive info too.

 

My idea was to make the equip more reliable but I think  my soldering would decrease the reliability!

 

Actually i am familiar with this type of improved NiMH because I bought a set of Kodak brand last year for my digital camera.  A vast improvement on the ordinary NiMH which I also use in the same camera.   I just didn't realise the Eneloop were only the same as the Kodak etc.

 

But I still think not supplying NiMH with the Dx6i makes Spektrum seem 'cheap jack'  compared to others.  Cannot add to their reputation. 

 

Can I assume that the DX6i set ( not combo ) includes RX NiMH and a charger which charges the TX too if ftted with Eneloop etc?

Edited By kc on 30/07/2009 15:28:11

 Dont know is the honest answer ken, but wouldnt think you get a charger - thats not even included in the DX7 full set ( but it is in the US ) never mind the budget DX6i

 

I guess part of the strategy on the battery thing is that because the set is so frugal on power consumption, they expect it to last ages on dry cells, and people could just carry a spare set of cheapy AAs as a back up when eventually needed. They also  expect "serious" modellers to replace them with rechargeables themselves - which indeed most of us have done... but those using the sets on the "toy" market like vapor and blade MCX users will be used to regular dry cells. Just my thoughts...

Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 30/07/2009 16:16:47

[kc]

A phone call to Horizon UK confirmed that when you buy a DX6i ' set ' all you get is what for at least 25 years has always been called a ' combo' in RC equip ads.  That is just TX and RX  and not even a switch.   Why call it a set when it should be called a combo.  At least one dealer has the decency to describe it as a combo, but the others mislead us if they call it a set. 

One dealer who advertises on this site calls the Spektrum  a ' set ' while just below calling the Futaba 6EX  sold with just TX and Rx and Nicadswith charger a combo.   In their same page a Futaba ' set ' includes servos, switch NImh & charger.   So their SpektrumDX6i looks about 30 pounds cheaper than a Futaba 6EX, but its not!

  If one buys a Futaba 'set'  you get 4 servos , charger, switch,  RX Nimh and TX Nimh.  All these are extras with Spektrum and add about 50 pounds to the cost to get a 'set' so the Futaba is actually cheaper.   Well it is until you buy an extra receiver.

 

We have had clear terminology for decades in RC ads-- 

a set is TX,Rx, servos (usually4) & switch

a rechargeable or Nicad set also include Nicad/Nimh and charger

a combo is just Tx and Rx and probably a switch

a rechargeable combo is a set just minus servos

 

So why do Spektrum ignore this convention and mislead us?

 

 Quite frankly if Futaba didn't charge so much for an extra 2.4 Rx ( as revealed on this site- thank you ) I wouldn.t even have thought about changing from Futaba and would have just bought a 6EX 2.4.   However the Ripmax extra Rx price policy made me look around.  I found the Spektrum seperate rate switches an advantage and the different throttle cut switch position better probably.

On balance the Spektrum has a slight technical advantage to me but this is countered by a slight lack of interchangability with existing Futaba stuff.

 

 

Edited By kc on 31/07/2009 18:09:41

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

I think the reason these 'sets' don't come with servos is that there are so many different sized servos, they don't know what size to put in.

 

I also don't like the idea of calling a £100 a 'budget' transmitter, it is still the most expensive part of any of my models, i just think they are using it as an excuse, taking the frankly terribly designed trim tabs that will break atleast once in the transmitters life, you would say, why did you do this so badly, then they say, it is only a budget transmitter, if you are going to use that as an excuse, look at those old futaba challengers, you can get them in a whole set, and they even come with a set of trims that will not break and they cost about £20 these days

 

Rant over

 

I still like the DX6i, i just get my dad to reinforce the trim tabs with glass fibre :D

Edited By Peter Savage on 31/07/2009 18:18:22

[kc]

If they are to be called sets then it should include standard servos and a switch   If it is just a TX and RX then it should be called a combo, not a set.

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

Maybe so but it is still a bit silly to buy something without seeing what you actually get, instead of relying on a word that could possibly have mixed definitions

Edited By Peter Savage on 01/08/2009 01:04:28

[kc]

That's the whole point!  You don't see the contents before buying with mail order.  It never occurred to me that a charger, Rx Nimh and switch would not be included if I bought the DX6i 'set'.  It was only asking about dry cells that revealed this.

For decades a set included all those items, now the mail order companies are using the term when it doesn't include those items with one make but does include with Futaba!  The same firm calls this scope of supply a combo with Futaba but it is called a set with Spektrum!

Has RCME ever mentioned the reduced scope of supply in any review of Spektrum? 

I wonder how many mail order customers have been disappointed when they received their Spektrum 'set'.

[John Cole]

The Horizon website description makes clear that what you get in the box is a Tx and Rx.  Look at bottom-right for the 2 (modes 1 and 2) product codes and descriptions.

Spektrum DX6i on the Horizon UK website

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

well maybe you should send these mail order people an email or something asking them to call it a combo...

[John Cole]

Tagged Instants ARE available from VapexTech, but they're not listed - perhaps because they offer such a wide range of made-up packs.  I emailed them and this is their reply.  The price refers to AA 2100 mAH cells, as that's what I asked about in my Email:

 

Hi,

Yes we do do tagged instants but they are not listed.  if you ring us on
01474 850552 you can order and pay by credit card.  They are around
£1.40 each plus postage depending on how many you require.

thanks
paddy

Edited By John Cole on 03/08/2009 12:20:24

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

Well what i do is i electrical tape 4 together in a line with the order:

+-+-

-+-+

 

I then file and sratch the surface with a file or a stanley knife to make the solder stick easier, then i tin each individual contact then bridge the connections with solder wick, using electrical tape to cover up the other connections to avoid shorting, then solder the battery plug onto the +tive & -tive connections at the end, after this i pull on the solder joints a bit to make sure they are reliable then i either bind them with electrical tape or if i have some suitable heat shrink i will heat shrink them