View Full Version : Horizon turn-around time?
I sent my AR6100e receiver to HH and they received it a few days shy of the end of February. I sent an email a few days later to check status and it was read but never got a reply.
Anyone know the turn-around time on a re-flash?
Haven't been able to fly since I sent it off, and the weather has been outstanding lately! Argh!
sokal
03-10-2008, 04:46 PM
if your LHS is a horizon dealer u may be able to work something out with them
As it turns out, the receiver arrived today via Fedex. It has the nice little 1.6 sticker on it now and the paperwork said it was flashed at no cost, as per the bulletin.
Now I just have to hook up my SportBEC and the receiver and go flying again!
LockMD
03-11-2008, 06:14 PM
do you need the sportbec now with the updated firmware?
wonder if LHS's have the capability of flashing them ???
I figure the SportBEC is added insurance. Hopefully the SportBEC will prevent a brownout, but if it does happen, the receiver should reconnect quickly!
LockMD
03-11-2008, 10:38 PM
insurance is why I installed the sportbec, maybe if I just had the rx flashed I would not have to worry ??? oh well 1 full second could be an eternity for a heli. I will look into a LHS doing it, I cant be down that long (not even a day) :)
skigolfmike
03-12-2008, 08:39 AM
After I had the thermal shutdown (twice in 30 seconds :shock:) I got a BEC. I got the Castle ccBec and I got the Castle Link (CL) to program it. I set the voltage to 5.5V, stock is 5.1V. You have to have CL to change the output voltage.
I noticed 3 things right off the bat. The servos are a little faster and seem to be more precise in flight. The ESC stays really cool now since it's not powering the radio and servos. Lastly, I got even more run-time out the battery.
I attribute the run-time to the BEC being a switching voltage regulator. The BEC in the ESC is probably linear power supply. Switching voltage regulators are more efficient. Linear voltage regulators make a lot of heat.
Lets say the stock servos and receiver use about 1A on average to run and the ESC BEC is providing 5.0V. The battery is at 11.1V, so that's a voltage drop of 6.1V Power (Watts) = Volts * Amps (P = IR) so that's 6.1 Watts. Let's say that with upgraded digital CCPM servos and a 3400 on tail, now we're pulling 3A. Now it's 6.1*3 = 18.3 Watts. BTW, even 20 Watt light bulbs get hot.
A switching power supply will just turns the power on on off rapidly, then smooths out the signal to get a steady voltage. (Actually, it's not exactly smooth, but that's another discussion) Since it's either on or off, there is no voltage drop and less power loss. (There is some power loss is in the the smoothing circuit)
Just remember, switching power supplies make noise, linear power supplies make heat.