by jrflorida » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:33 pm
Ok, I have joined the Spektrum group, I got one for my Soling 1M (gasp) which I have just for practice. I have not finished building the S1M so of course I installed the receiver in my EC12. Took the boat to the pond and sailed about 10 minutes or so and it then went across the lake without any control. I walked around and even a few feet away it would not respond, so I turned off the boat, and then turned it back on again ane we were in business once again. Happened again in another short time, and same thing, walk around the pond, etc. About then the miserable 600 mA battery ran down (I was experimenting the day before without recharging), so that was it for the day.
I called Horizon and after some discussion the tech said I must have a faulty reciever so send it back. I had gotten another reciever, needed one for each boat, so I put it in the boat. I didn't have time to go to the pond, so I thought if I turned on the boat and walked around the house while I was doing things, the reciever wouldn't know I wasn't sailing. No shutdowns, but I found if I wiggled the rudder back and forth, you know, sculling, (illegal, but I wasn't racing) suddenly the RMG would pull in to half way and then let back out. I was shocked, amazed and bewildered. So, of course, I wrote to Rob ar RMG. He had some thoughts but the most unique was the following: (I will quote his email as I know he reads a lot of this stuff - Hi Rob!): Just remembered, I have heard of similar problem before. On one occasion it was cured by connecting a large capacitor into a spare rx channel. This give the rx a power supply buffer and protects against brown out. I wonder if that wasn't what happened to your other rx. Brown out is where the rx micro controller goes out of control and won't come back till the power supply is cycled. Spektrum actually has a capacitor available for this purpose.
OK, now I have talked to Horizon twice, and no mention of this capacitor, but I will be asking tomorrow. I tried my land test on the first receiver and the servos I am going to use on the S1M, including a heavy duty sail servo with a Y connector that seems to act like the SMG alternate wiring setup, which I use, and no problems.
Long note, but those of you have the Spektrum, any situations like this? I have the receiver velcroed against the deck with the alternate RMG wiring, a 6 volt battery in the boat, and have never had any problems with the JR radio that seems to be the father of this Spektrum, they look identical.
Thanks for any comments, John Rowley