Revell Type VII Build advice

[Albion]

Is this an older ADF? What RX are you using, there was some incompatibility with the early ADF and some RX

[trout]

I can possibly offer a solution to the rear planes not adjusting. While setting the ADF up, when it asks for you to set full rise, are you doing your bow plane command? It is actually referring to the planes that are controlled by the ADF, not (in my case) the bow planes. I kept setting it up and misunderstanding the instructions and nothing would move. As it was explained to me by Kevin, when you are setting the neutral and full rise it is setting the range that the plane will move. I was moving the bow plane, the ADF did not see any difference in neutral to full rise on the aft planes therefore its range was zero.
Let me know if I was clear as mud and if this helps at all.
Peace,
Tom

[Avera]

Just a quick reply to some of the responses as I won't have time to really look into it until this weekend. The RX and the TX were just purchase from Caswell, the RX is the 6 channel Lepton receiver. As for the Lipo Guard, I first get two green lights indicating a 2S battery then all four lights go on. I think I made a mistake in the programing and will play with it this weekend and advise. My only concern is that the ballast servo should run when I move the left control on the TX. It used to, before I did the programming which is why I think the solution lies there.

[Avera]

Had a chance to play with the SD and electronics and here is what I observed:

1) The ballast functions, but intermittently. As long as it chatters (the transmitter command for the ballast is in neutral and the servo pulses back and fourth but not touching the valve) I know that I can manually control the ballast. When it stops chattering, transmitter commands does not move the ballast servo. If I turn off the transmitter, the failsafe kicks in and the ballast blows but again only the servo is active (chattering).

2) The throttle (a little sensitive - if the joystick moves just a bit the motors start up; trying to give ballast commands often triggers a change in throttle)

3) Rudder and front planes servos work with TX commands, but I do not get any movement from the rear plane servo as I pitch the SD up down or give it up/down plane command. The knob for channel 6 does not do a thing either. Mind you I am only working with the SD on my table and I calibrated it to zero bubble.

Not sure what to make of all the this. At least the air pump works and I can live with a partial operating ballast tank. It is the rear plane that bothers me.

Extra info: My lipo guard shows 3 green and 1 red light. The ADF shows a solid green. All the equipment was recently bought at the same time, the only issue with the equipment is that the crystal in the Lepton 6 channel receiver is from the WFly receiver as the Lepton cyrstal shipped was the wrong one.

I have not yet installed the SD in the sub and still have to make the pin and attach the strap before I can trim the boat. Just want to make sure that the electronics work before going to the next step.

As for the placement of the SD, how snug should the dog bones be between the SD and the prop shafts?

Thanks for any input,

Andrew

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Stop right there!

You have the wrong crystal in the receiver. The Lepton-6 (Sombra labs product) receiver has a single-conversion front-end -- that WFly crystal is the wrong crystal as it a dual conversion type.

I'm amazed that your receiver is working at all!

You gotta get the right crystal. Go to this page and read my post, the sixth one down from the top of the page http://forum.sub-driver.com/showthre...hlight=crystal

And read the whole thread -- a comedy of errors to be sure.

Though you may buy some of these receivers from Caswell and they have the WFly crystal, don't use that crystal -- the receiver should not come with a crystal, it's something you have to buy separate. It was a screw up at the packaging department -- they meant well by putting those WFly crystals in with the Lepton-6, but it was an error. Sorry about that.

David

[Avera]

HI David,

Thanks for the reply.

There are 30 crystals (Channel 61-90) listed on that link, from what I understand anyone should work as there are all 75 Mhz. Anyone better suited than the other?

Andrew

[H2Ohaze]

Ask anyone you sail (sailboat/powerboat/sub) with, or maybe car/truck clubs if they' ve channels assigned to their members, if 75 band. If your going to be near any of these folks get a different channel. Don't get 69...its sort of a default channel. Flyboys don't count, they're on 72 band. The Neptune sub I know is sold in USA on only a small subset of channels choices, I don't know what ones (my Neptune is channel 87). If Neptunes are popular near you, look into this. Channel choice is not a big deal these days as everyone is going to 2.4 Ghz and leaving 75 band.

I had a related problem, after your crystal/Lepton is fixed you might check your ESC...

With a Polk radio and and SL-8 Sombra Labs Rx, everything was fine. I had set up my Micro Viper 10, telling it where neutral was, etc. Then one day I decided to limit the EPA on the throttle since my Holland was going too fast both forward and reverse. I cut the EPA to about 40% forward, 30% reverse.

Suddenly the Rx started picking up chatter. The servos were going crazy. I returned the EPA to 100% Still chatter. I changed Rx- still chatter.

Finally, I guessed that the Micro Viper was also chattering, but it wasn't the symptom, but the cause. It would have the two lights (red/green) flicker at neutral, not be constantly on. The prop would sometimes give small little jumps, but mainly the lights were the first warnings that the ESC was sending out little low level erratic blips. These blips--->motor caused interference with the Rx or servos or something. All I had to do was reset the Viper, telling it neutral, and endpoints again.

This is a matter of degree. When calibrated the Viper will flicker those lights a tiny bit anyway, that's normal. The flickering was more than "normal".

I have a question related to WFLY modules, since the talk has turned to crystals. Can I take modules out of the back of WFLY radios as sold and have them work in a Futaba 9C Tx/ SL-8 Rx ? What I'm wondering is buying a few that people have discarded in favor of the Spectra Synthesized 75 Mhz. So I would buy up a few of the WFLY modules and have single 75 band frequency channel modules.

Edit: HHmm, I think the WFLY radios all come with channel 69 modules only...?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

HI David,

Thanks for the reply.

There are 30 crystals (Channel 61-90) listed on that link, from what I understand anyone should work as there are all 75 Mhz. Anyone better suited than the other?

Andrew

It has to be on the 75mHz band (USA), of the UM-1 type (mini size), single-conversion, FM, and PPM capable.

Wouldn't it be easier, toss in the extra coin and get Aroosh's SL-8 with its synthetic crystal, so you don't have to go through all this bull-****?

David

[Avera]

Hi David,

Are you referring to the yellow SL-8 receiver sold by Caswell for $64? If not, please point me in the right directions (which model and website) and I'll pick it up. Bear in mind that I have the 6 channel WFly transmitter; I don't think using an 8 channel receiver will be an issue with a 6 channel transmitter.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Yes, the yellow boxed receiver from Sombra Labs is the SL-8. No issue at all with the transmitter you mentioned.

[Avera]

Its true that a boat is nothing but a hole that you dump money into either real or model.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Undeniable truth there.

David

[Avera]

Hi Folks,

Got the new 8 Channel RX, works a lot better. In the process of adding foam and doing the trim. In the meantime, I think the ADF2 is not functioning well. I removed the Lipo Guard from the servo connections so only the ADF2 is attached to the servos this way of reducing the variables. I went through the programming several times. Channel 4 is my ballast and that appears to work by TX control and as failsafe. When I turn off the TX, the ballast is automatically blown. The problem is the pitch controller. That does not work via the ADF2. The servo works if wired directly to the RX channel 6 and can be controlled via the knob. When plugged to the ADF the servo does nothing. Cannot control it by knob on the TX and if I pitch up or down the equipment tray, nothing. No movement to the servo. However, if I try to manually push the servo arm, I get resistance. Note that the orientation of the AFD is sideways attached via double side tape to the metal bracket holding the servos. I checked the polarity on the connections and they seem to be correct.

It is my understanding that the ADF2 should be adjusting the rear planes as the submarine pitches up/down to level it, I tried to simulate a dive by orienting the equipment tray down while commanding the TX to dive, but there is just no movement coming from the rear plane servo.

Any ideas or suggestions.

[trout]

I had something very similar happen, I was adjusting the wrong plan on setup. I was adjusting my bow plane and not the stern plan. Resulting in zero plan movement.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Trout's experience may be yours, Avera.

Or ... maybe you're not giving the ADF time to run through its start-up protocol when you turn on the mission switch?

David