Adding flaps or 6 servos

moret

Well-known member
Hope this is the correct area to ask this.

I trying to add flaps to my FT mustang, I am using a FT power pack C v2 with the 35 amp ESC, a admiral RX6006p receiver, and a spectrum DX6e.
Aircraft type is Wing, 1 Ail 1Flap
FT 9g servos, 2 for a ailerons and 2 for flaps.

Under Flap system
Pos 0 -99, (also tried -44)
Pos 1 0
Pos 2 99, also tried 44)
Switch D

Using a Y cable on the ailerons and flaps.

Plane has been used without flaps for over a month

My problem is if I have both flap servos hooked up, I add power to the plane all the servos lock up at the end of travel and buzzing. I also only get 3 tones from the ESC and no green light on the receiver. If I unplug 1 flap servo, then the esc or receiver will reset and give me the 3 tones followed by 2 tones (normal) Light on the receiver goes green and all servos go normal and work. Then I can then plug the flap servo back in and all works ok including flaps.

If 1 flap servo is unhooked (either one) the plane starts normal. If both flap servos are hooked up, then the everything is locked.

I have replaced the y cable, The servos are new but I did replace both of them.. I tried to rebind the plane but it will not with both flap servos connected.

Checking voltage at the input to the reveiver. I am getting 5 volts except if I plug in the battery with both flap servos hooked up, then I am getting 1.6 volts. Which I am sure is my problems. If I plug in servo number 6 after “boot up” my voltage is ok at 5 volts. The BEC in the ESC is rated at 3 amps.

Is this a ESC problem? Or am I trying to run to many servos (6)

Not been doing this for to long so I am lost on my next step.
I do not have a spare 35 amp ESC

Thanks
 

evranch

Well-known member
Too many servos for your ESC or you have a bad one that is drawing too much current. The 3A ESC should be more than capable of handling 6 servos, though.

Plug in the flap servos but not the ailerons. Does the same thing happen or do they work properly?
 

moret

Well-known member
Flaps hooked up, ailerons unhooked, everything (but the ailerons of course) works ok Maybe its time to order a spare ESC.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
It is possible that the "Inrush" current on the 5V rail is higher than the BEC can supply. There is a possibility that if all of the servos are travelling at the same time the total current drain could cause the 5V to drop, (even in flight). I have suffered this myself in the long distant past.

You could fit a separate UBEC for some of the servos or change out some of the servos for lighter servos that draw less current.

Just my thoughts!

Have fun!
 

moret

Well-known member
After sleeping on the problem, I do not have a 35 amp ESC but I do have a 20 amp with the B pack in a cub. ( and I don't like the cub anyway ) I have no problems with the 6 servos powering the receiver with the 20 amp ESC. I guess I will order a new 35 amp ESC.

My question, has anyone used 6 servos on the new C pack 35 amp ESC?
Both the 20 amp and 35 amp BEC's are rated 3 amps
 

evranch

Well-known member
If the 6 servos work on another 3A BEC, then it's likely your particular ESC that is sick rather than an issue with the brand. You shouldn't need anywhere near 3A to run those little servos, especially when they are all sitting idle on the bench. If you keep it, put it in something that you don't mind crashing, since it might quit completely at some point.
 

L Edge

Master member
Acording to setup, if you have 1 Ail 1 flap, setup shows 3 servos to drive syste. Sentence 3 2 ailerons
Then you are saying your using Y cable on both ailerons and flaps. Sentence 9
Doesn't jive.
 

moret

Well-known member
Acording to setup, if you have 1 Ail 1 flap, setup shows 3 servos to drive syste. Sentence 3 2 ailerons
Then you are saying your using Y cable on both ailerons and flaps. Sentence 9
Doesn't jive.
On the spektrum, you tell the transmitter that you have 1 aileron, use a Y cable to plug 2 servos into 1 port. You do the same with the flaps. you use 4 servos but 2 ports on the receiver
 

moret

Well-known member
If the 6 servos work on another 3A BEC, then it's likely your particular ESC that is sick rather than an issue with the brand. You shouldn't need anywhere near 3A to run those little servos, especially when they are all sitting idle on the bench. If you keep it, put it in something that you don't mind crashing, since it might quit completely at some point.
1 month old 35 amp ESC out of the new power pack C. I just ordered another one, Hope they don't have a problem with the BEC
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I'll check when I get home, since i have set up ailerons and flaps with my Bushwacker. This should be no different for setup...I think I set up the ailerons to each have their own separate channels so I could adjust them to be trimmed out separately, and then ran the flaps on a Y servo harness. Unfortunately, this is all from memory, so I may not remember it correctly. I know I had to turn on the flaps in the settings, and it all ran off of my DX6 before I upgraded my transmitter to an ix12, so it should be possible with the DX6e.
 

Arcfyre

Elite member
You could try setting up your mustang with flaperons instead of separate flaps. It would save you the weight of the Y cable, 2 servos, and 2 pushrods, as well as reducing your current draw for servos by 1/3. I have had great success with flaperons on the mustang. Just my 2¢.
 

Bricks

Master member
Running flaps with a Y cable did you install the servos in opposite directions? This would need to be done so they run the correct direction since you cannot reverse just one servo with Y cable. What may be happening and I say may is when the receiver initializes with 6 servos they all go to there extreme throws basically stalling all the servos and causing an overload in the ESC.. The ESC should be able to manage this so I am guessing the ESC is having a problem with the load applied and thus the ESC is weak, and not working properly.
 

moret

Well-known member
Running flaps with a Y cable did you install the servos in opposite directions? This would need to be done so they run the correct direction since you cannot reverse just one servo with Y cable. What may be happening and I say may is when the receiver initializes with 6 servos they all go to there extreme throws basically stalling all the servos and causing an overload in the ESC.. The ESC should be able to manage this so I am guessing the ESC is having a problem with the load applied and thus the ESC is weak, and not working properly.
All the servos are installed correct. If I unplug 1 servo then plug in a battery the "system" will start ok. Then I can plug that servo back in and they all work with the correct travel. Startup with 6 servos just drops the input voltage to the receiver to 1.6 volts. Using a B pack 20 amp ESC the system will start with all the servos. I was wondering if anyone has run the new 35 amp C pack ESC with 6 servos. New ESC is on order, I guess I will see If the new ESCs can handle 6 servos.
Thanks
 

moret

Well-known member
The new 35 amp C pack ESC did not fix the problem. No one here has stated that they are running 6 servos with the new 35 amp ESC. Sent a email to flite test first of the week about the problem but no answer. Maybe Flite Test had a reason to drop the number of servos to four in the new C pack v2. Bottom line if you are planning on running 6 servos, do some testing before you plan on using the C pack v2.
 

Wildthing

Legendary member
It doesn't matter what the esc is rated for, how many amps does it say it has for the bec? I have had issues running 6 servos with 3 amps, once I installed a external bec rated for 5 amps issue was gone.
 
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skymaster

Elite member
what kind of receiver do you have. if you have a 6 channel receiver them do not use a Y cable and use the aux1 channel, but you have to asign a new channel to one of your flaps . i have my simple storch set up like this, also with the DX6e you can control how fast you want your flaps to come down and how far you want them to come down.