Odd timer problem, DX6i

[zeeflyboy]

Hey guys, any ideas here?

My DX6i has started doing something odd... My timer is set for 4 mins count down, but will randomly change itself to count up from 4 mins with no rhyme or reason.

I have to change it back to down, and reset to 4 mins (it defaults to 6 mins when I change it back to "down".

Cheers for any help

[texasclouds]

mine has done that to me twice. my dx6i also rebooted one of my model memories (twice).

horizon told me to send it in for them to look at, but i don't want to waste the time/money for something that doesn't cause any real issues.

[zeeflyboy]

hmmm, so no easy fix then...

really odd. Cheers for the reply!

[Rotorbroke]

I have run into that alot and asked the question here with no response and in the SR 120 forum with multiple similarities. I thought I had it figured out by after every flight, resetting the timer to the start before switching it off. I really thought this did it and went a couple months with no issue, last week it hit again out of the blue. Not related to any specific slot or model. Happens across the boards. Really throws me for a loop when I pay lose (not close) attention and suddenly see the timer at up 4:00 and I have to think hard if I could have been flying 10:00 and searching for a bailout lz. I haven't found a fix....

[texasclouds]

i've contacted horizon, who said they would 'look at it'. however, if they would tell me 'yes, we know of the problem and can fix it'...i would be more willing to send the radio in.

[aerocal]

Many times the freaky memory problems are from weak and/or dirty contacts in the battery tray.Clean the contacts.And bend or stretch the springs a bit so the contacts stay tight.If you use rechargables clean the ends of the cells also.
Use contact cleaner and dont touch the surfaces with your fingers.
Clean and tight.

One of the reasons I dont like spring loaded battery holders.2 more points of failure for every cell.

It could be an actual problem with the radio but alot of the time this clears it up.

[Woody_99]

There's some kind of bug in the firmware for that count down timer. Seems to be tied to the timer completing the countdown and being reset rather than turned off.
Several of us have messed with it with limited success at really isolating the steps that change it's timer.

Personally, I didn't have the problem when I used the throttle cut for the timer, but when I went to using the trainer switch, the problem started. Back to throttle cut, problem doesn't recur.

[foom_xiong]

I have the same experience on my DX6i. I found that this happens when I toggle to another model memory and don't let the selected model initialize/boot up correctly by tuning off the transmitter. This problem is not persistant; though, I was able to duplicate it several times. Let me know if this is what everyone is experiencing?

[zeeflyboy]

Well, I've been resetting the timer each timer before turning off the radio now and I haven't had the problem turn up again. Well, once, but I forgot to reset the timer.

Seems like that mostly fixes the problem for me.... cheers for the suggestion.

Odd that it just suddenly turned up though.

I was hoping for an excuse to upgrade to a dx8 though.....

[Rotorbroke]

Oh I didn't mean to hold you back from an upgrade. I have used the DX8 method also, and that seems to have cured the timer on my DX6i, which sure looks lonely just hanging there. I swore the other day when I was walking out the door I heard it say "I'll be good".? :-)

[zeeflyboy]

Hah....

How are you liking the DX8? Worthwhile improvement? I suppose keeping the dx6i around is a good way to let your friends have a go buddy box style....

[b0lders]

I posted a comment of this problem before so rather than repeat myself I will just point to the thread

https://www.helifreak.com/showpost.p...64&postcount=4

Make sure you re-set your timer before switching off the radio or changing model and you should not get the problem - at least this is what I have found.

[Rotorbroke]

I like the upgrade to the dx8. It feels good, it's backlit, the programing is as intuintive as the dx6, and for the terminally lazy --->me<--- you can download the programing for blade and PZ most popular acft and make adjustments from there. It just feels good in my hands. Took awhile to get used to the timer vibration. It has more options than I will ever be able to forget how to use, nevermind learn.....

[crashmore]

Originally Posted by Woody_99

Personally, I didn't have the problem when I used the throttle cut for the timer, but when I went to using the trainer switch, the problem started. Back to throttle cut, problem doesn't recur.

I always use Throttle Cut for the timer but this problem is happening more and more often.

My tx batteries are getting kind of old and the voltage was almost to the warning level at end of session. I am NOT happy about this--ran an expensive battery all the way to LVC today when it decided to count up and not down.

Maybe resetting all of the memories and then starting from scratch will help cast out the demons?

I called Horizon Hobby today about this and they said they'd get back to me with more info. I'll post if I hear anything interesting.

[texasclouds]

after bending out my battery contactors a little, then replacing my 2 yr old AA batteries...i haven't had any more problems out of my dx6i.

when i had the memory problem...horizon told me that i should send the radio in for them to look at. i didn't want to waste the time/money messing with that goose chase...

[crashmore]

Battery replacement and working on the contacts sounds like good advice...

[efflandt]

Is it actually switching to an UP timer, or just that it has already counted DOWN without being reset, at which point it starts counting up?

I had one model end up as an UP timer, but I thought that I probably just dumb thumbed it on wrong field while switching length of time, because sometimes the roller will roll a little before clicking. Since I learned about the Rx LED and why it was blinking after changing batteries (brownout detection), I always turn off the DX6i briefly before switching batteries or models, and that seems to reset the timer even if I did not cancel it.

Not sure if the timer cancels if you switch models and switch back without turning off the DX6i, but maybe that was after I had already accidentally set that one to UP.

[b0lders]

Originally Posted by efflandt

Is it actually switching to an UP timer, or just that it has already counted DOWN without being reset, at which point it starts counting up?

I had one model end up as an UP timer, but I thought that I probably just dumb thumbed it on wrong field while switching length of time, because sometimes the roller will roll a little before clicking. Since I learned about the Rx LED and why it was blinking after changing batteries (brownout detection), I always turn off the DX6i briefly before switching batteries or models, and that seems to reset the timer even if I did not cancel it.

Not sure if the timer cancels if you switch models and switch back without turning off the DX6i, but maybe that was after I had already accidentally set that one to UP.

For me it occurs (sometimes) if I turn off my TX when it has gone through the down counter and is in the up-count mode. Sometimes after powering the TX on and off it will reset the counter in down mode other times it will reset the counter in the up mode. However the actual time (5mins for my 450) always stays the same.

[matthewcornell]

I've been having this problem too, and it was making me think I have Alzheimer's! Glad I came across your suggestions - I'll try them out. Thanks -- matt

[crashmore]

Originally Posted by efflandt

Is it actually switching to an UP timer, or just that it has already counted DOWN without being reset, at which point it starts counting up?

Possible. That would be embarrasing though.