Digital servos, help me not hate them.

MrGravey

Senior Member
I have had very little experience with digital servos. In that experience I just can't stand them and maybe it is just because I don't understand something about them. Everything I have built so far has used 9 gram analog servos.

I owned a Edge 540 QQ from Horizon until the 3.5 gram digital servo on the rudder literally exploded in the model. I replaced that servo and the new one was bad out of the box. Just no movement from it at all. That plan now lives in someone else's hanger. I could have kept it but I was ticked off with it and a buddy was willing to pay for it and repair it.

The same buddy picked up his first balsa plane and they recommended 7.5 gram digital servos again from eflight. 2 of the 4 failed out of the box, one of them in the air.

So, is there something we are doing wrong? I know I haven't provided information on installation and such because we just lined them up and put them in like we would analog servos. In all cases they were installed in the way the instructions for the plane suggested. So is there just some general thing to watch out for with these things?

I have a balsa plane I want to put together, and I don't mind spending the money on these servos but I just can't see the point if they are this much trouble. I picked up the Twist 3D 480 and to this point plan to put the same cheap 9 grams I have always used in it just because spending near $20 on digital stuff seems to lead to tears only. Help me please!
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I love digital servos. It really doesn't matter if they're digital or analog, they can still blow up on you. You will get better resolution an d smoother operation with digital. I personally use metal gear analog servos and I LOVE them. The T-pro MG90S are the best servos you can buy anywhere near the price. Fast, metal gear, relatively strong and durable as anything.

http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/5packtpmg90smetalgearservo-p-1405.html

Ask around and you won't hear a bad thing about them. I have used them in planes and my Blade 400 helicopter and through many crashes I have yet to have a problem with any of them.

With a Twist 480 size plane you won't notice the extra weight.
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
If you want to have a little edge and precision in your controls, go for metal gear servos. MG-90's are a good place to start. $5 a pop, strong, and precise. I use one in my tricopter and it has worked fine so far. A friend uses them in his Bixler as well, no problems.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
I will help you to hate them :) Makes a lot of noice most of the time. A good analog servo is a lot quiter.
 

aiidanwings

Senior Member
My small Decathlon has a Tpro digital on the left aileron and a $1.99 Leaders 9 gram on the right. I see no difference other than the Tpro is noisy. Of course these are both cheapies.
 

johanjonker

New member
Digital servo's are awesome, coreless motors and high resolution is the only noticeable on tricopters or as heli tail servo's.. And believe me, you will not use an analog servo for a tail servo again!.. but on a little foam plane or even a 46 size balsa plane, I dont think you need to worry to much..