5.3v Regulator causing voltage drop & failsafe, Maybe?

[Degzie]

Hello Guys.

I have 3 helis running the 5.3 volt set-up, all of them have suffered at one time or another incidents causing the rx to go into failsafe & the net result being a violent decent of the heli for a fraction of a second then everything is ok, if.....you have enough altitude.

I lost a Fury Tempest & almost lost a Hirobo Chinook, my R50SE only escaped by an inch.

I have heard of several other incidents of this happening to other guys helicopters & wanted to know if there is anybody else suffering the same strange seemingly unexplainable incidents.

Before you all jump to conclusions & say that it is my transmitter, I fly a raptor 90, the oldest of my collection & that has a Ni-cd pack installed, never had a single incident with it.

So now over to you guys, please don't post to tell me your set-up is great etc etc, I need to know if anybody has experienced problems like those described above.

[furywife04]

Are you running the reg to close to your reciever

[Degzie]

I don't think so, the reg is a good eight inches away from the rx on my Chinook.

[WillJames]

I have run plenty of DL Regulators right next to my RX with no problems. The regulator on my Ion-X is about 3/4 inch from my 5014 RX and over 200 flights with no problems.

Can you test the voltage using a loaded volt meter like the DL checker and see if it drops low enough to FS. I would bet your Gyro would reset way before the machine goes into FS if it was a low voltage issue.

Did you strain relieve your wires that attach to the regulator? You may also try to wiggel the wires when you ahve a load on it to see if there is a continuity issue.

[Degzie]

Done all of that, remember the high ambient temperatures here, close to 46c, in the summer, plus humidity of 70% plus.

I just think the reg overheats and quits, I've ordered some Arizona regs to cure this problem, only time will tell.

[WillJames]

Did your Gyro's ever reset before the FS? This summer has been very hot and for instance 2 weeks ago we were flying the Ion in 103+ degree temps with 100% humidity and no overheat problems. Can air get to the regulator? You are flying at 114f so that IS super hot. I thought we had a hot summer!! WOW!!

I have had some binding servos on two different gas machines when I was new to push pull linkage drain down a pack and the gyro always reset 401 & 601 before FS on low voltage, is why I am asking. I have never had the DL regulators overheat, but I guess it is certainly possible in 114 degree temps, the Arizona does have a LARGE heat sink, so maybe it will help.

[Degzie]

No, I've never had a gyro re-set, I'm using GY611/9256 all around, I've also put holes in the canopy to get more air flow over the reg, but I'm guessing they just get too hot.

Reading Curtis' comments on the DL reg he says time & time again most failiures are caused by overheating keep it away from the RX & never cover the ends.

Lets see in a few weeks when the three Arizonas arrive......!

[WillJames]

Let us know how it goes. If it fixes the problem maybe Jack would make a DL regulator with a huge heatsink for the guys flying in the high temps like you. It will be very interesting to see if the large heatsink on the arizona fixes the problem. :?:

[DavidH]

I don't think so, the reg is a good eight inches away from the rx on my Chinook.

How do you get the regulator 8 inches from the rx? Duralite regulator only has like a 4 inch lead that hooks into the receiver.
Are you using a extension of some type?

David

[roy voss]

when i ordered my 5.3 setups, i ask jack to make the leed longer. he gladly did it at no extra charge. grear service from duralite.


roy

[Bell Bloke]

Degzie, I've just read your post about your regulator problems, I've just come over to this forum from Runryder as I mainly post in the turbine section and many of my old chums have now defacted over to here.
I have been having all kinds of strange lockouts identical to the ones you have described since using the duralite regulators. However not making the connection and getting rid of them I blamed the radio. Not wanting to chance my Turbine machine which has done over 60 hours of trouble free flying I purchased a complete new set of radio, servos and reciever giro and tail servo. And guess what? Within 2 flights my Turbine did the same as yours it dropped 3 foot in the hover but came back before it went in.
When I landed and shut down I could see it going in and out of failsafe with nothing running, it was then that I realised it was the regulator, I have now trashed them and have flown many more hours on ni-cads and all my glitches are gone.
I have read of many other of issues with these regulators from other people and I would now be very cautious about flying with regulators until they have been more thourouly developed.
The good news is that I didn't quite stuff my $10,000 turbine because of this and my old radio now has a clean bill of health. Glad I didn't throw it away.........Every Cloud Has.............Eh! :D

[DavidH]

I would now be very cautious about flying with regulators until they have been more thourouly developed.


How more throughly developed can they be/ I have been using Regulators since 1994. Never had any problems with any of them and I have used them in all types of models.
Only one I ever had any problem with was the MPI one several years ago. Was not on my model,but someone elses. That particular reg would shut down completely with about 2 amp load. Don't know how the MPI regs work today.

David

[Bell Bloke]

Hi David, I have found that many regulators cause interference, the worst I've used was the Robbie unit whch shortened the range dramatically, however at least it was easily measurable with a range check.
The Duralites give full range but they seem to produce this intermitant fault that cuts into the recieving signal, both of my units are doing it and I know 2 other people personally who have had the same problem. This could be down to a bad 'Batch' but since we purchased them at differant times and from differant parts of the country this seem unlikely.
I know many people say that they have had no issues with them and this is puzzeling. I don't know the answer only that there is a problem with ones I have come across.
The remark ' underdeveloped' maybe is a little harsh as these units are only built by hobbyists for a hobbyists market but for some this is not enough.
I found and still find that most speed controllers and BECs on electric helicopters can cause lock outs which can be easily stopped with an inexspensive circuit yet many people fly without this and get away with it or put up with the odd glitch thinking that that is the nature of the beast.
What the makers should do is build this circuit into the unit when they sell it so as to eliminate the problem, but that's another story.
Anyway I didn't notice any prblems with my Duralites until I did sustained hovering because the locking out is so brief that in normal flight it is possible to miss it. But you can spot it more easily in the hover and that can't be good.
However now I'm back on old nicads the problem has gone away, so I'm happy now.