[userzero]

Hello all,

I have a bad glitch that I can't seem to isolate on my 450SA and I need help cause it ended in a crash today. Here's all the info :

Futaba 9C super with synthetizer, works great with an E-Flite receiver on my Blade CP Pro, very solid performance, absolutely no glitches, good range.
Brand new Futaba R148DF FM receiver.
Brand new and completely stock T-Rex 450SA, with align 35amp ESC and 3550kv 430L brushless motor.
Futaba GY 401 gyro and Futaba 9650 digital servo for the tail
Hitec HS65MG servos for the swash plate

I did everything I know and I also followed Finless Bob's advice from his videos. The battery and ESC are forward of the motor, the power wires are as far as possible from the BEC cable, and the Rx is behind, along with all the extra wires neatly tucked beside the Rx. Everything very neat, lots of plastic ties. The antenna exits the frame on the right through a large opening, then goes straight to the vertical fin and back up front in the antenna tube. It is as far from the frame as possible, and never crosses itself. I tried with the gyro on top to make sure it is as far from the power package as possible. I thought it was swamping, but making the antenna shorter made it worse, and I lost control at about 100 yards in a very light EM environment.

I need help guys, so any comment is appreciated.

Regards
Georges

[murp]

A couple things to try if you haven't already.

> braid all your servo, esc, gyro wires - it takes a bit of time but a loose braid will improve its immunity to picking up external interference
> add a toroid (ferrite ring) to your ESC wire at the ESC end
> BEC should far from the receiver as well (I usually put mine near my ESC)
> keep the antenna wire as far from the frame as you can (make sure there are no nicks in the antenna wire).

Good luck, let us know how you make out.

[userzero]

Hello Murp and thanks for replying,

I'll try braiding the servo wires. I have been into RC for more than 25 years and have never heard that one. But it makes sense. Back when I had my first car people said that ignition would be stronger if spark plug wires were crossing each other randomly instead of cleanly going parallel.

Can I use a ferrite ring from an old computer monitor, or do I need a special ring. How big are the ones used in RC?

As for the antenna, it is as far as possible from the frame, but since the Rx is IN the frame, it's kinda hard, you know.



Happy flying!
Georges

[Heli3dflyr]

Any ferrite ring will do, I used them (before going to Spektrum) on my ESC line as well as the BEC going to the RX That should clear things up

[murp]

If you only install one ferrite ring put it on the ESC, this is the worst offender. I personally have not installed them on the BEC, but it won't hurt anything to do it.

When you braid the wires it doesn't have to be too tight, at least one braid per 0.5inch is more than adequate.

You can get some rings from rcflightstore.com for pretty cheap if you can't find any laying around.

Cheers.

[Oshawapilot]

I read somewhere that "#6" (I think it was) ferrite rings were the best for our application. I found some at a local Ham Radio shop and along with a Berg RX it solved a major glitching issue I was having.

[sliderx]

Had a bad glitch with my Futaba exhp with a ppm receiver and switched to a Berg 7P receiver and put it in the front of the Heli and have had no glitches again.

[OICU812]

SPEKTRUM

[userzero]

Yeah I will order a conversion unit for my Futaba 9C as soon as they are available.

And the ferrite ring really got rid of the glitch. Absolutely no shivering, 100% stable even when I touch various parts of the helicopter with a piece of metal. I cannibalized a toroid out of a computer cable (what they call the FCC lump), removed the plastic housing at the end of the ESC plug, passed the wires through the hole, did a loop around and through the hole again, and put it back together. Works great. A shame that the one-way-bearing was stripped in the crash and I have to wait for a replacement.

Thank you all for the help!
Georges

[murp]

I am also waiting on the FASST upgrade - I hope the costs are reasonable. I really like my 9C and I just got it last year - it will be great to be able to keep using it.

Glad you were able to sort out youir glitches.