Thanks jbkiwi for the info on the BEC on the RX. I never knew what it was intended for and your explanation made it clear. Len

Re the BEC in the RX, these were an idea in the days of FM before the later ESCs which had the BECs built in. They were made for electric planes or cars (up to around 2010) in the days of nicad batteries to save carrying the weight of a 4 cell RX pack. You plugged a lead from your main battery ( think the max input was around 18v,- depending on the RX make) to the RX battery port and it reduced the voltage to 4.8v for the RX. You could also plug a normal 4.8v RX pack or UBEC into them for normal IC use like I did.

JB

Thank you Colin for your nice words however I consider the insides quite messy. I should have put more thought into organizing the cables.
As for the varnish I put 2 coats. I used the international and I must say it levels very nicely. Shame it goes off once you open the tin.

Andy that's a very tidy setup which looks quite accessible.
And your Varnish deck is fantastic, how many coats to achieve that beautiful finish.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Andy, try uploading the video to your YouTube channel (there shouldn't be any problems) and then attach the link.
Anyway, I'm glad you got everything sorted out.

Little update here.
I decided to use Lipo and power everything through esc. Seems to work fine.

I attached a video as per Colin's request. Cound't upload as the file's too big. Sorry. Dropbox link instead☹️
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xpqt3w1osba06dvwm4u9o/VID_20240316_165831.mp4?rlkey=cmnd49espyicy6blur6n7g6gf&dl=0


Thanks again guys.

Roy, I think we spoke about the process of making this kit before, didn't we?
There was something about compromising the accuracy for the benefit of transporting the model.

Love Dortmund. My wives family came from n some still live there toy shows fun there

Its an odd build, I met the salesman for Robbe who had the first Valdivia with him and he let me run her. It was at the Dortmund exhibition, my German was a little better then!

I sort of interviewed him for an article for International Boat modeler magazine prior to the build review of model.
He was the one who suggested the model was done by Robbe as he had been aboard for a while and had loads of photos.
One of the things was, I asked him how he moved the model around. He said that as the masts dropped down it would all fit into his Clio car!

Was that OK as a reminisce Andy?
Roy

Dear, Colin.
Firstly, thank you for those words of wisdom, secondly I'd love to show the photos of the set up but since it's Valdivia, everything is hidden by the deck. That's one of the odd things Robbe did. To mount everything on the underside of the deck is borderline insane.

When I put all the pieces together and inside I'll attempt to make a video. Can't however guarantee you'll see everything clearly enough😔

Photos of your setup would have helped a great deal, and still would be very interesting.
Cheers Colin.

I'm sorry dear builders but, as much I enjoy reminiscing old times and appreciating the good old quality (unlike these days), I have to share my great joy. The set up is finally working properly, not even a tiniest noise. Red wired separated👍
Huge thanks to all of you for helping me navigate this journey through my discovery of ESC machinations😀

Well, we learn throughout our lives and still die stupid.
Let's then reduce our ignorance more and more every day, shall we?

Just a quick word, my speed controller gives out 6V through bec but in spite of that I had problem with the receiver before removing red wire. Very odd

Hi Colin, the Fleet Tx's are lovely to look at just like the brushed alluminium Futaba M3 Tx.
Beautiful piece of design and so nicely balanced.
I have a Futaba 27Mhtz FM 4 ch set as well as 3 off 6ch Micron 27,FM rx.s. Terry used to do kits so these were all home built and worked straight away, needed no tuning.

I also built his very nice 6ch Tx with a centre loaded aerial, got a small fault on it at the moment but as I have all the circuit drawings I can fix it myself. Way back in the days of 16 pin (DILIC) chips and transistors.
Micron now specialize in RC for model railways.

You can't poke a boat with 2.4Ghtz!
Roy

I do enjoy looking at the vintage stuff especially electric motors. I was up at the Warwick boat show some years ago and there was an old bang bang system connected to a Graupner Kinematic electric motor driver.

I picked up the Tx. and started running it very much to the surprise of the guy minding. I think it was a chap called Needham.
I had one as well in the past, mine was bought in Germany in 1958 used it then but proportional came along.
So it was not in use but I took it to work to show to a colleague and overnight someone stole it!
It could only have been our security guards!

Roy

Roy, still have my FLEET SYSTEMS setup complete in original box from 1972. Transmitter, reciever and 4 servos.
Good solid bit of kit that still works, now only used for display at vintage shows.
Cheers Colin.

With Doug's remark, 'call me Fleet'. Triggered off a thought about Fleet and Sanwa radio control equipment.
They have non-standard servo wiring as the red and black wires are swapped over.
I forgot that once before and wrote off a Fleet Rx.
If you swap them over everything works OK.
regards
Roy

Hi had to do something similar removing a red wire as I was running a pair of esc's.

I decided not to do this to the esc, but used an extension servo lead and simply cut the red wire. Then connected the extension lead between the rx. and esc.

I buy extension leads in 10's from Ali... very cheap!
Roy

AndyN. That's a lovely old reciever, it's like a lot of my vintage ones from the 1970's and 80's. But if using with an esc that has 3 wires to the reciever, then either remove the red power wire from that set and plug your reciever battery onto the battery socket.
If only using one battery to power everything then ignore the battery socket. Most ESC's give 5 or 6 volts but check the output voltage.
Hope this helps you, cheers Colin.

The old receiver with BEC stamped on it may have allowed you to power the receiver from any port via an ESC, not exclusively via the marked battery pins?? But certainly it wouldn't like the higher voltages it would be a 4.8v/6v system four AA type of RX pack

Ross, I bought my first receiver over 15 years ago so let's say 17😉

Welcome to the club of sailors without a compass, Doug😜

AndyN,

How old would that little beast be??

Ross

Well, I'll go t' foot of our stairs😮🤕
My ghast is absolutely flabbered!
Can't imagine what they meant by that as it obviously has a socket for the battery input.
Yours Puzzled, Doug😎

How about this?

Nice to meet you Doug.

I did have one rx with BEC years ago. I can't remember the brand but it was specifically written on the body.
Now I'm really confused😂

Hi Andy,
(You may call me Doug. FLEET is also OK😁)
Glad to help.
Especially with problems with electrical gubbins I do try to explain the full story, to help prevent disappointments or possible production of the 'magic smoke' 🔥😭

Never heard of a receiver with a BEC!
Can't imagine why, or how that would work.
Cheers, Doug😎

Well, RNinMunich consider me enlightened. Thank you very much for yet another comprehensive explanation.

Speaking of BEC I thought it's a thing of the past. Receivers used to be marked (or not) as equipped with BEC but nowadays they are not as that feature is no longer being used. I think I read it somewhere.

Hi AndyN,
Re "Can anybody confirm is speed controllers send the voltage to reciever? "
Yes most modern ESCs do!
Via an internal circuit called a Battery Eliminator Circuit, BEC.
They do not pass on the full drive battery voltage.
They reduce it to 5 or 6V, with a current usually from 1 to 5Amps. Check the specs of your ESC against the current needed by the servos/winches connected to your RX.
As indicated by the name BEC they are intended to eliminate the need for a separate battery for the receiver (RX). They should not both be connected to the RX at the same time coz they will fight each and may cause damage to the RX or the ESC or both. The kind of instability that you have suffered is also a symptom🤔 Colin was dead right👍
I only use the BEC on 2 or 3 channel boats where the load on the RX is light.
For bigger boats/ships with 6 or more channels for auxiliary equipment; winches, cranes, gun turrets, water pumps, smokers, sound modules etc etc, a separate RX battery is preferable to supply the additional current needed. Then disconnect the BEC by removing the red lead pin of the ESC from the plug and taping it back out of the way.
Hope this helps to 'demystify' things for you.
Cheers, Doug😎

Just been looking on the web. Spektrum receiver input voltage range appears to be 3.5 to 9.6 volts. Checked spektrum, Futaba and Savox servos depending on the type and product number some have an input voltage range of 4.8 to 6volt and some 6 to 8.4 volts. When I started RC flying in the 80s, standard receiver and servos ran at 4.8 to 7 volt as the latest battery technology was Nicad
Now with the latest Life and Lipos need to be more careful in my election of battery and servo ratings. To be honest I hadn’t really given it much thought until reading this thread.

Totally agree with ColinH

That is an amazing advice. Thank you so much.
I have to admit, this is the first time I'm using a motor in a boat.

Yes agreed you need to pick your RX supply disconnect the red wire insulate it thus separating drive and RX power

I use 7.4 2s lipos all the time through Spektrum systems, typically? But certain things dictate what can be done hence why BEC, battery eliminator circuit, which reduces your receiver voltage nowadays typically 6v but in certain cases for instance running a gyro it may need to be limited all things have parameters so instructions need to be read, mixing systems up from different manufacturers is always tricky

Andy, if you have dedicated battery supply to esc and another to rx you must remove the red wire from the esc to rx as you will still be pushing extra power to the reciever.
Cheers Colin.

Hey guys.

I received an unexpected reply from spectrum. The guy wasn't that helpful but at least I got a reply.
In conclusion it seems like the servos can't be power with more than 6V. One thing the support guy said doesn't make my sleep any better. Apparently the esc sends the voltage to the receiver. Why, oh why since it's being powered by a separate source. Maybe that's why my servos started acting weird after I plugged my esc (powered by 7.2V).

Can anybody confirm is speed controllers send the voltage to reciever? If so how can anybody use Lipo batt with voltage 3.7V (seems low) or the next up- 7.4? That is, to my recent discoveries, way to high for most servos.

LewZ, my esc is carson dragster brushed 70A

Seem to recall servos and Rxs work best between 4.5 and rather less that 6v. Think you have just proved it!
Sounds like they were overpowered and, then, odd things happen

Maybe I missed it but what kind (brand/model) of ESC do you have?
Lew
Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Hello, guys.
I have an update for everybody.
After couple of tries I kind of solved the problem. I disconnected the motor controller and switched the 6cells/7.2 batt to 5cells/6V and the problem was gone(it's very odd as I use 7.2v on my other 6V servos with no issues). However after reconnecting the speed controller (with a dedicated 7.2v battery) and playing with the set up for a couple of minutes the other problem occurred. The servos started making ticking noise in equal intervals. I was able to control all the servos but they ALL became very sluggish. I then quickly disconnected the speed controller but it didn't change anything. The receiver was blinking btw, as in every previous scenario.

Do you think connecting another 6V battery directly to the speed controller may solve the problem?

Ok it's true, it's crazy.
But after the tests that are already scheduled, please replace the servo that you normally put on channel 4 with a servo that you are sure works well (even if borrowed from a friend).
If the problem occurs when you insert him, he should be the main suspect.

Thank you all for the suggestions.
Let's go back to the beginning. The transmitter and receiver are both spectrum and they both came as a set. The sail winch servo on CH1 is analogue the one on CH4 looks like analogue too as it's a cheap one from china. CH2 operates the rudder, CH3 - motor controller. I am using 6 cells Ni-MH pack.

I am going to test my other set from futaba with those 2 servos and see if the problem occurs.

Wow - loads of different ideas -- Good luck and Let us know how you fix this!!

DG

hi there

I think the problem here is to do with the pulse width - being slightly different - if you are using a servo, let us say from a well known auction site which comes from China - these servos are a bit notorious for glitching because the electronics tend to look for the centre 'off' position, and this causes them to oscillate back and forwards slightly as they are looking for this signal. I have a Hi Tec sail winch servo which does exactly the same thing when I use it on Futaba set-up transmitter and receiver. However, when I use it on the Hi Tec transmitter and receiver it works perfectly. If you have another spare transmitter and receiver of a different make to the one you are using, it may be worth giving it a try to see what happens to see if the servo still glitches.

John

Thanks for all the great tips, and the ferrite rings are also an option. . . Cool!!
Michel-C.

I have used Spektrum for many years and have had a couple of technical issues which have been resolved by a company in Hertfordshire called Logic RC Ltd. They are a Spektrum service Center. On both occasions I have sent transmitter to them and they have been fixed and returned in about a week at a reasonable cost.
I’ve always rung them up first before sending. There details are on the web

We, a few fellow modellers, had an issue like the one you described. We bought some ferrite rings and looped the the servo wire through the ferrite ring 3 times. This stopped the interference in our case. You end up with a short servo lead however.

Check whether they are Digital or analogue servos, Transmitter check whether it's using 11 or 22 speeds, rebind the system.

Are all your components Spektrum?
I use some cheaper servos from Soch sails but they are not Digital I gave a friend one who had problems with erratic behavior because he didn't realize it was analogue.

A lot of good replies here. But, I am confused. What, exactly, is your radio set up? You refer to channels 1 and 2, then also to #4. How many channels are you using? How are you powering your radio system?
I was always taught to start at the battery. What voltage is it? Are you using a BEC to power your radio?
There are many possible causes to your issue.
The transmitter can be too close to the receiver
The main battery could be too low a voltage, say 7.2 lithium, to support the BEC with high current winches/servos.
Bad connections to the servos.
ECT, ect.
The more you can tell us about your set up, the more we can help.
😊😊

Hi Hhager2 I bought my servo testers (I use them for turnouts on a model railway) from Ali........ at $2 each with a minimal postage.
They are blue in colour and can drive 3 servos through auto, manual etc.

ESC's for up to about 10 amps, I bought 4 for £14 including postage, and mixers cheap as well. 9 gram servos £1.

They all work and no disappointments.

Roy

I found in past transmitter too close to receiver. I bought a cheap servo tester it lets u set up servo without radio. If it works there it isn’t servo. I think on eBay about $20-25 bucks. It’s a small package with a knob n switches Basically oc board with a plastic wrap. I use 4 AA batteries plug it in then servos n can zero them n test its movement. Had mine for years. Also Spektrum has a capacitor noise reducer plug in but never found it needed.

Have used a shared power supply on several models. Usually also fit a voltage regulator to reduce cell voltage to RX.
Works well for me and saves weight and complexity