UMX PT-17 problem: IS this just low battery?

[unixrevolution]

Hey all,

I have finally done it and gone and got myself a four channel airplane after flying multirotors and the Inum since January.

I didn't obey some basic flight rules, however, when I tried to fly it in my backyard. It is the UMX PT-17 from Horizon Hobby, so it actually is small and slow enough...but only if you're good. I wasn't. I ended up jamming the ailerons.

I ordered a new servo and wing set and just put it back together, and she flies! But I ran into a curious problem. Using the Spektrum 4-channel cheapie controller that came with a multirotor, I had problems like:

Signal cuts out even from adjacent to the plane

At full throttle the motor stutters (and at lesser throttle too)

I'm thinking this means my flight batteries just need a fresh charge. Does that make sense?

I'll open up a whole new can of worms later when I try to bind this to the FrSky Taranis/DM9 combo. But I want to know I didn't screw something up with those symptoms.

 

[Spastickitten]

Is the motor studdering when you have a fesh battery or isit after a bit of flight?

 

[quorneng]

Unixrevolution
The problem "I ended up jamming the ailerons" is rather odd.
I would not expect this sort of fault on its own but rather the result of a major crash that trashed the rest of the wing at the same time in which case I would expect you would have described such a crash.
Jammed ailerons on their own would suggest something is not right with the electrics which might well lead to the sort of issues you are currently having.
What exactly happened to jam the ailerons?

 

[razor02097]

Hi unixrevolution!

Sorry to hear about the problems with your plane... Crashing is part of the hobby though, I'm glad you put it back together!


When you replaced your servo did you use a micro linear servo? Do the ailerons work after you replaced the servo? Have you tried to replace the batteries in your transmitter?

If the flight battery has insufficient charge the plane will not have any power to climb and eventually the LVCO will disallow motor operation when the battery is critically low. The problems you have sound like either a link issue or an electrical issue.

 

[unixrevolution]

Unixrevolution
The problem "I ended up jamming the ailerons" is rather odd.
I would not expect this sort of fault on its own but rather the result of a major crash that trashed the rest of the wing at the same time in which case I would expect you would have described such a crash.
Jammed ailerons on their own would suggest something is not right with the electrics which might well lead to the sort of issues you are currently having.
What exactly happened to jam the ailerons?

I don't think it was a major crash, but a series of minor ones, but yes, it was crash damage. The post the aileron control horn is mounted on split and caused there to be too much resistance for it to move. I replaced both the servo and the lower wing. When I disconnected the old servo from the aileron control horn, it worked flawlessly, but i replaced it anyway. Now there is no part of the old aileron system left at all. And now, when I lose control to the plane, it's everything. Throttle, alieron, elevator, rudder.

 

[unixrevolution]

Hi unixrevolution!

Sorry to hear about the problems with your plane... Crashing is part of the hobby though, I'm glad you put it back together!


When you replaced your servo did you use a micro linear servo? Do the ailerons work after you replaced the servo? Have you tried to replace the batteries in your transmitter?

If the flight battery has insufficient charge the plane will not have any power to climb and eventually the LVCO will disallow motor operation when the battery is critically low. The problems you have sound like either a link issue or an electrical issue.

that it is. You gotta keep flyin'!

I used the exact model of micro servo that came out of the plane. A call to Horizon Hobby made sure I got the right one. They even replaced it for free, though I told them they didn't have to.

The ailerons now work because I have replaced both the servo and the lower wing, with the aileron control horn and post. I did replace the transmitter batteries, and tried again, with the same issue.

THe flight batteries were charged fresh a couple weeks ago when I first got the plane, but as I had not flown the plane in that long, they were never recharged before use. After my test flights yesterday I charged them and I will try another test flight today to see if that was the issue all along

I have also been using a cheap 4-channel controller that came with an RTF Blade Quadcopter. I will eventually link this to my Taranis, but I just got a new spektrum DM9 module for that after my OrangeRX died mysteriously, so trying to make it all work at once would be undesireable for eliminating variables in my problem.

 

[quorneng]

If you have no control at all then an poor electric contact from the battery to the ESC is most likely unless of course the battery really is very discharged in which case it is likely to be damaged.
Most likely it is a poor connection from the battery to the ESC. It could be the ESC or the radio but most electronic components either work or they don't. They tend not to do 'intermittent'.

 

[unixrevolution]

If you have no control at all then an poor electric contact from the battery to the ESC is most likely unless of course the battery really is very discharged in which case it is likely to be damaged.
Most likely it is a poor connection from the battery to the ESC. It could be the ESC or the radio but most electronic components either work or they don't. They tend not to do 'intermittent'.

I tried my PT-17 yesterday with freshly charged batteries, and it was 100% fine. I think my batteries were just low. I flew for a good few minutes, and then go the stutter again when the batteries were very low, whereupon I landed.

I need a voltage checker for those little 1s ultra-micro batteries, and to check the manual for flight time and set a timer on my Taranis for the flight.

EDIT: Well, it was fine till I clipped a tree and broke the motor loose. More gluing. But it was my first time in a good open field with a 4-channel and I had a blast. I was doing loops and hammerheads before I packed it in for the day. I think I may have some degree of natural talent for flying a plane

 

[ruud]

Flying until LVC every time is the fastest way to kill your batteries, by the way. Measure how long it takes to get to LVC and set your timer to about 75% of that time.

 

[airhawk]

about the ailerons jamming it may be a bad servo or locked gears with the motor shutter its most likely batteries try taxing with a new battery if you hear the stuttering then it could be a bad motor
signal cuts its either a bad Rx or your TX isn't suited for that range but try binding 6 feet away from the plane for best results
i really hope this helps
-Airhawk

 

[unixrevolution]

Flying until LVC every time is the fastest way to kill your batteries, by the way. Measure how long it takes to get to LVC and set your timer to about 75% of that time.

Thanks for the warning...I was going to set my transmitter to warn me at the 75-80% mark according to the manual's flight time. I know LiPos don't like running that close to dead, and I am really not trying to do that.

about the ailerons jamming it may be a bad servo or locked gears with the motor shutter its most likely batteries try taxing with a new battery if you hear the stuttering then it could be a bad motor
signal cuts its either a bad Rx or your TX isn't suited for that range but try binding 6 feet away from the plane for best results
i really hope this helps
-Airhawk

It was a bad spindle for the aileron bellcrank. I completely replaced the spindle, crank, and servo, along with the bottom wings. It works fine now.

 

[airhawk]

Thanks for the warning...I was going to set my transmitter to warn me at the 75-80% mark according to the manual's flight time. I know LiPos don't like running that close to dead, and I am really not trying to do that.



It was a bad spindle for the aileron bellcrank. I completely replaced the spindle, crank, and servo, along with the bottom wings. It works fine now.

great to hear sir