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[RallyeSport]

Hello,


Ive recently finished converting Caldercrafts Imara to Perseverance.


I’m at the point of going crazy, having spent several hours now trying to work out what’s going wrong?


I bought a Spektrum DX6e Transmitter (6 channel) and its receiver AR610, this setup is an air setup, but I prefer stick controls.  I prefer to use Mode 3, I did try mode 4 (used to this mode from years ago with basic 2 channel radios).  I also have the sticks in the sprung centred position, if I’m in either mode 3 or 4.


I have a Component Shop P94 (2x 20amp) mixer/speed controller installed in the boat, as I’m lead to believe these are the best for tugs to turn in their own length (unless someone can recommend me different).  This was purchased after buying the Spektrum DX6e nearly 2 years ago, and only having the time now to try to pair/bind them together, I’m experiencing problems!


I power on the Transmitter as normal, then turn on the boat, the component shop P94 does what it calls an ‘auto test’ (it does this every time the boat is turned on), you wait for the clicks to finish and that’s where I’d hope the Decaperm motors would sit idle, unfortunately not, these then power up to a reasonably slow spin in a forward throttle offset and will sit there until you move the stick enough to bring the motors back to rest, this can be alleviated by setting the sub trim on throttle.  All is well with this offset sub trim setting, UNTIL you turn the boat and transmitter off as you usually would.


In my mind I’d of hoped that this setting would be remembered by having bound this originally, but no, as soon as the P94 does its clicking, the decaperms start back up again!, this can go on and on and you can chase this offset with the sub trims several times, which is ridiculous!


I thought yesterday after having thought about everything, that it might be something to do with the failsafe settings and the like, that the transmitter is capable of offsetting, I’ve tried that in various forms, you can either set ‘smartsafe + hold last failsafe’ OR ’Preset failsafe’, I’ve tried that this evening for about 2 hours, sometimes with it binding successfully and sometimes not, either way the motor at idle once the P94 has ’clicked’ disappears and the decaperms start up again.


I had a friend from the boat club pop round with a DX6i and everything worked as it should, every time and after numerous turn off and ons with the boat and transmitter.  Which again blew my mind!


Ive phoned Logic RC in Hertfordshire, and the guy there isn’t sure why it shouldn’t work.


I rang the component shop yesterday, who said they were not sure either, but they did say that the Futaba 6J or the 2.4GHz Skysport radios, I asked them why this was, but their reply was that they didn’t know, which I find hard to believe, they said phone back to Ian the main guy there (electronic engineer) on Monday.


Can anyone help me please, or suggest a direction I might go in?


The DX6e is capable of mixing itself, but to do that I’d have to be an expert, which I’m clearly not.


In the meantime, I’m using the boat on a Planet 6, which I’ve borrowed off my dad.


I bought the DX6e new, at a great cost, so as you might expect I’m gutted I cant get it to work.  If it doesn’t and there’s no clear fix, I intend to sell the DX6e, and buy something which will work with the P94.  On the other hand the component shop guy I phoned yesterday, said he would give us a refund on the P94, not sure that would be valid as we bought it a few months ago?






Thanks in advance


Dean

[coch y bonddu]

Message DaveM on here he used to own ACTion if anyone knows the PROPER ans it ill be him




Stav

[DaveM]

I've contacted Dean and given him the benefit of what I know about this, which isn't a lot! To explain, P94 has an autoset facility which senses the signal pulses being transmitted from the throttle and rudder channels and sets them as the default neutral for that session. If the Tx settings are changed while the Rx is off then P94 will reset the neutrals to the new settings when you switch it on again. This should cater not only for interim changes to the Tx settings but for any set whch doesn't have the industry-standard 1.5mS pulse length as neutral. Well, that's the theory and it works with all of the sets I've used (with the exception of Futaba 6J and Skysport - but they are a whole different problem altogether).
It seems that Dean's DX6E is somehow drifting slightly away from the throttle neutral signal which P94 detects on autoset. Quite why this should happen is a mystery but the fact that it behaves properly with a DX6i confirms that P94 is working OK. I've not encountered this before with any other radio.

Dean has asked me which radio he might replace the DX6E with. I use Hitec radio but the supply situation with those is erratic, and all of the other 2G4 sets I've used are now out of production (Planet T5, Spektrum DX5E and Futaba 6EX). The obvious answer is for him to buy a DX6i like his friend's set, but are there any other P94 users out there with a different suggestion based upon their own experiences? Please don't just pitch in with your favourite radio unless you are using it with a P94 and have no problems with the setup.

Dave M

[Taranis]

Hi Dave
I can confirm that the P94 in my tug and Spektrum DX6 have always worked without fault together   

[DaveM]

Hi Dave
I can confirm that the P94 in my tug and Spektrum DX6 have always worked without fault together   

Thanks for that, Andy - but Spektrum have produced nearly as many versions of the Dx6 as I've built Fairey models! Dean's mate has a Dx6i which works fine while his own Dx6e doesn't. It might be useful if anyone who owns a current model Dx6e could say that P94 does work with his set. That way we could isolate the problem down to Dean's particular set rather than just the brand and model number. As an aside, I really do wish that radio manufacturers wouldn't muck about with the specifications of their radios so much while giving them almost identical names. Other noted criminals are Futaba e.g. 6EX, 6J, 6T, T6K.
Dave M

[Taranis]

DX6 3rd generation bottom left but also works with the previous models also pictured which are G2

[Taranis]

Damn thing won’t post right way up 
This is why I normally host my own pictures

[DaveM]

Andy
QED, I think. Your photos show two different (but identically-labelled) versions and yet none of those three Tx's is labelled Dx6E or Dx6i! How do you know which one to pick up when you go sailing? 
Dave M

[Taranis]

Simples Dave. Non of them are E or I
They are all DX6.  The one with blue sleeve on a switch is a G3 or latest version. The other two are DX6 G2


Like this but I paid LOADS LESS prior to original service agent pulling out https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/260679/?gclid=CjwKCAiAjMHwBRAVEiwAzdLWGK7MwimZ4MMPRjepoQavc2Q6OM8c3EoEouNaNGdLSz_8_nDWrhki2xoC-8wQAvD_BwE


I paid £40 for one of those G2 from a shop selling on eBay. It just needed a factory reset and good as new, of course they did not know that.

[malcolmfrary]

It seems that Dean's DX6E is somehow drifting slightly away from the throttle neutral signal which P94 detects on autoset. Quite why this should happen is a mystery but the fact that it behaves properly with a DX6i confirms that P94 is working OK. I've not encountered this before with any other radio.

...

Dave M

One way to check would be to use a spare servo via a Y lead with a nice long wire on the arm as a "meter" to check the pulse width consistncy.  If it dithers about unexpectedly without moving the stick, that could be a clue.

[unbuiltnautilus]

One way to check would be to use a spare servo via a Y lead with a nice long wire on the arm as a "meter" to check the pulse width consistncy.  If it dithers about unexpectedly without moving the stick, that could be a clue.

Now, that is another very good idea. I do like this thread, if only for flagging up original fixes for problems. Looking forward to the report about the servo trick in channel 1. I am patient.....

[ivorthediver]

Better late than never it would seem .


I use two identical Spektrum DX6i TX RX setups over five models currently two of which use this ESC and never once had a problem with these units .


ALL my electrical systems are from Action and I cant think of anything from this stable that has let me down , except on one occasion when I bought a Genuine Spektrum RX from EBAT which went berserk and sank my tug along with over a grands gear in [ fortunately covered by home policy ]


The only current issue I have is with a P80 and 80's which is being resolved I hope,  but that is not a Spektrum problem and I still have total faith in this set up and Action products