Down and Locked question
#1
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (40)
Down and Locked question
Helping a friend sort out a retract problem in his SM 2.6M Viperjet. All 3 gear motors work (I operated each on 4 volts individually) but the controller is shot and smells burnt.
Can I use a different make of controller, such as Electron, since Down and Locked is gone?
Thanks, Jim
Can I use a different make of controller, such as Electron, since Down and Locked is gone?
Thanks, Jim
#7
LGC 13 is old tech. No gyro. The 13 never really worked well for me. I ended up tossing it. Try the LGC 15 which is basically the same as Electon's GS200.
On another note, 4 volts just kind of stands out to me as too low of a voltage for normal operation. Hope your friend is not operating them at that voltage. That could be the cause of the original issue. Lower voltage = higher current.
On another note, 4 volts just kind of stands out to me as too low of a voltage for normal operation. Hope your friend is not operating them at that voltage. That could be the cause of the original issue. Lower voltage = higher current.
#8
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (40)
I should clarify the 4 volts test. I merely hooked up a 4 cell nicad (not freshly charged up) directly to each gear motor to verify each one would run. I did not run them to the limits.
He was flying it on a 3 cell LIFE battery and they worked great. Then the plane was crashed, all the plug-in wires were knocked out of the controller and I wanted to verify the gear worked before it was installed in a new plane.
Thanks, Jim
.
He was flying it on a 3 cell LIFE battery and they worked great. Then the plane was crashed, all the plug-in wires were knocked out of the controller and I wanted to verify the gear worked before it was installed in a new plane.
Thanks, Jim
.
#9
My Feedback: (11)
LGC 13 is old tech. No gyro. The 13 never really worked well for me. I ended up tossing it. Try the LGC 15 which is basically the same as Electon's GS200.
On another note, 4 volts just kind of stands out to me as too low of a voltage for normal operation. Hope your friend is not operating them at that voltage. That could be the cause of the original issue. Lower voltage = higher current.
On another note, 4 volts just kind of stands out to me as too low of a voltage for normal operation. Hope your friend is not operating them at that voltage. That could be the cause of the original issue. Lower voltage = higher current.
#11
I'd be opting for a Xicoy controller, you just need to know what voltage and current the motors can safely handle (at least, I think that's it) and set that up in the new controller. Otherwise there's nothing special about each brand that requires them to use the proprietary controllers.
#12
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (40)
Mike, yes these are exactly the issues I've been having with D&L. Yesterday I missed a (rare) call back from him and immediately called back, but no answer. Maybe he's just super-busy.
So regarding controllers, that's the mystery to me; what voltage is needed and at how many amps do they stop moving at? Each retract system has its own specific numbers I assume....
Seems to me if I don't get it right, we're going to have gear that may stop halfway up due to amp load, or smoke the retract cylinders because the amp load gets too high (when up against the up or down stop).
Specifically what function does the software in the controller do? Simply adjust the voltage and amp draw?
I guess I view this as a learning experience too...
Jim
So regarding controllers, that's the mystery to me; what voltage is needed and at how many amps do they stop moving at? Each retract system has its own specific numbers I assume....
Seems to me if I don't get it right, we're going to have gear that may stop halfway up due to amp load, or smoke the retract cylinders because the amp load gets too high (when up against the up or down stop).
Specifically what function does the software in the controller do? Simply adjust the voltage and amp draw?
I guess I view this as a learning experience too...
Jim
#13
My Feedback: (24)
Mike, yes these are exactly the issues I've been having with D&L. Yesterday I missed a (rare) call back from him and immediately called back, but no answer. Maybe he's just super-busy.
So regarding controllers, that's the mystery to me; what voltage is needed and at how many amps do they stop moving at? Each retract system has its own specific numbers I assume....
Seems to me if I don't get it right, we're going to have gear that may stop halfway up due to amp load, or smoke the retract cylinders because the amp load gets too high (when up against the up or down stop).
Specifically what function does the software in the controller do? Simply adjust the voltage and amp draw?
I guess I view this as a learning experience too...
Jim
So regarding controllers, that's the mystery to me; what voltage is needed and at how many amps do they stop moving at? Each retract system has its own specific numbers I assume....
Seems to me if I don't get it right, we're going to have gear that may stop halfway up due to amp load, or smoke the retract cylinders because the amp load gets too high (when up against the up or down stop).
Specifically what function does the software in the controller do? Simply adjust the voltage and amp draw?
I guess I view this as a learning experience too...
Jim
The gear motors shouldn't really care about the voltage being applied to them, as long as its not too high. I'm not sure, but if the D&L gear needs 6V, then its likely due to the controller needing that. The Xicoy controllers are set up for 2S LiPo and the D&L gear motors should be fine with that. Its the current cutoff that needs to be correct. I've set up several different gear makes on the Xicoy controllers. I just start with a low cutoff current which usually results in a gear stall before it reaches the limits. Then I increase it, a little of a time until the gear transit reliably. If the gear hang in the air, I bump it up a bit. Also, the Xicoy controllers have a "back off" time that you can set. This is a short burst of reverse current the controller applies after the gear reaches its limit. This "back off" takes the strain off of the jack screw so that the loads on the gear are taken by the up and down locks, not the jack screw.
The Xicoy gear controllers are the only ones I'll use...
Bob
Bob
#14
Seems to me if I don't get it right, we're going to have gear that may stop halfway up due to amp load, or smoke the retract cylinders because the amp load gets too high (when up against the up or down stop).
Specifically what function does the software in the controller do? Simply adjust the voltage and amp draw?
Specifically what function does the software in the controller do? Simply adjust the voltage and amp draw?
After typing all that I realized Bob already said it much better.
#18
Depending on the controller you get, you may still have to set the cutoff using the Down and Locked setup software. I believe it could differ widely depending on the gear style/size/weight, it wouldn't necessarily use the same settings for all of their actuators.
The following users liked this post:
Skunkwrks (01-28-2022)
#21
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (40)
Well Zeeb, the retracts that I am working with worked PERFECTLY and the plane owner loved them, until the plane met Terra Firma in a bad way..... just sayin.
And yes I have Electrons in my Viper. They are nice.
And yes I have Electrons in my Viper. They are nice.
Last edited by A7Bldr; 01-28-2022 at 08:04 AM. Reason: Spelling
The following users liked this post:
Skunkwrks (01-28-2022)
#23
My Feedback: (61)
I know this is an old thread but does anyone know how i can get in touch with Mitch. I have several jets still running on down and locked conversions. What i would like to ask Mitch is what is the exact specs on the N20 motor used in his gear. I have tried more than a few N20's but none of them work like the ones Mitch installed. thx