Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

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lanerover
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Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by lanerover »

I was flying my AXN after setting up a new model on my Taranis. As soon as I launched I realised control was extremely erratic, eventually I cut the throttle and the model came down about 1km away luckily with only slight damage. On checking I found the right aileron movement was fine ,giving full movement with the stick fully right, however, the left aileron is moving to full deflection with only about 3/4 mm of stick movement, I'be tried using DRs and expo which makes no difference. I've read all the info but can find no mention of the problem. Hope someone can help. Kevin

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dvogonen
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Re: Sv: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by dvogonen »

I have an AXN. I have had to change both aileron servos. They both broke and became unreliable. That may or may not be what you are seeing.

Start by establishing if the problem has to do with the servos or the signal to the servos. Switch servo leads for the aileron servos. If the problem switches side the servo is OK.
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ShowMaster
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

Are the servos in a Y cable or on individual channels?
Trying any good servo in place of the suspect one should sort it out fast.
I've been buying more planes with servos included/mounted and have had them fail within the first 5 flights. Fortunately not an elevator yet. I have had the control horns break in flight and now upgrade right off.
My answer is to burn in the servos on the bench for 30min. I bought an inexpensive servo tester with a sweep function and built up a 4 position servo cable. I plug my servos into as many connectors as needed and with a fresh battery just let them run a sweep under load as installed for 30 min or more if I forget.
I've had new HS-55 servos actually burn up and turn the blue case black after 15 min. Other brands or no names start to jitter or skip.
After seeing this happen I now cycle/burn in all my new servos and planes with pre mounted servos.
The servo tester was 3 for $10 at a hobby show and I'm buying more next show to give to close friends.
Of course er9x and opentx FW equipped radios have a servo/range test mix but the servo tester is quick and easy.
lanerover
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by lanerover »

Servos all working OK, curiously I swapped the aileron connectors and the problem remains on the left aileron as if nothing had been changed.
lanerover
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by lanerover »

Sorted, sticks needed re-calibrating.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

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ShowMaster
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

Good news. I'm breaking in some servos right now on a new HK plane I got yesterday in the mail as a precaution.
lanerover
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by lanerover »

Ditto show master I have a phoenix 2000 from HK with pre-fitted servo's but I'm about to remove them and use 2 for the flaps after testing. I usually soak test for 15 mins, maybe I should up it to 30 min!
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ShowMaster
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

I basically let them go for the 15min and see and listen to them. If they all sound the same still I may stop. It's all about feeling lucky ha ha.
I also do the sd me to planes with servos I've stored or not used for several years, or older servos not used. The caps in the older servos can dry up as well as the feedback pots being dirty from non use.
I had a whole series of high end 15 year old servos all fail due to bad caps. They all failed after 15 min of testing and the failure was to slam to one end, hang and start working. I thought it was the tester but just powering them from a rec pack after that caused the same condition. Their in a land fill now.
The real lesson is to test any new servos on the bench or ones you've stored for years.
It could save your plane.
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Flaps 30
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by Flaps 30 »

ShowMaster wrote:I had a whole series of high end 15 year old servos all fail due to bad caps.
I take it the capacitors were electrolytic types rather than Tantalum capacitors?
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ShowMaster
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Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

Must have been electrolytic? To be honest I assumed the semiconductors wouldn't age and being silicon not germanium wouldn't get leaky over time. I threw them away. Not much left but the 1 shot or comparator circuit and any coupling or bypass caps. I think most in the last 20 years use mostly direct coupled totem circuits to drive the motor. All in one IC now.
In any case, running them under load if new or retired could save your next plane their in.
Since buying Chinese planes with pre mounted ($1 servos) supplied servos I've at some point had a bad one that I swapped out. That's to be expected because of the price. Doing a burn in test is insurance against first few flight failure.
We don't always realize that the $200 plane has $1-2 servos.
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MikeB
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by MikeB »

Electrolytic caps tend to dry out over time and lose their function. The are actually often only rated for a few thousand hours use anyway.

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The impossible takes a little longer!
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ShowMaster
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

A little off topic but I wanted to share my reckless use of older RC gear.

So true about cap life Mike. I flew a sportster biplane I started building in 1982 yesterday. I installed JR core less servos in it in 1995, new at the time. I finally finished it this week. In any case I was scared of the servos and put them on the servo cycler for an hour before deciding to take a chance. They passed and I flew it. I have a Spektrum 7000 DSM2 receiver in it I installed 7 years ago and flew it with my 7 year old Dx7.
I decided it was time to stop building on it and fly it to have closure.
Bottom line it flew great but I had visions of plane construction or engine failure as well as aging parts and DSM2 link loss gong thru my head.
After 31 years of waiting it was time to fly it.
I'm going to cycle the servos again and install a new but test flown D8R receiver in it now.
Added to the excitement the flyer next to me was flying a brand new scale plane using a dx6i and a x receiver of some version. He suddenly announced heads up I've lost bind, his words, and his plane made a low pass at all of us flying and headed for a crash 200 meters away.
Of course it could have been anything failing but it did add to my first flight excitement with my collection of hodgepodge electronics I was flying along with dsm2.
I got lucky this time it would seem.

My new pulse jet engine arrives today, now what do I fly it in ? Humm .
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jhsa
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by jhsa »

You don't?? :mrgreen:

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dvogonen
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Re: Sv: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by dvogonen »

You could always use it to make a nice cup of tea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBw618g ... ata_player
:lol:
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by GeoffSleath »

Flaps 30 wrote:
ShowMaster wrote:I had a whole series of high end 15 year old servos all fail due to bad caps.
I take it the capacitors were electrolytic types rather than Tantalum capacitors?
Actually, tantalum capacitors are electrolytic in that they are polarised. They are usually solid with sintered electrodes and are very reliable. I think you mean aluminium electrolytics which can dry out and are much less robust.

What concerns me slightly about the aileron problem is why the transmitter sticks needed re-calibrating. I would have thought (and hoped) that once done the calibration remains unless any work is done on the transmitter.

Geoff
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Kilrah
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by Kilrah »

Probably erased the calibration by mistake while playing with C9x :)
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by mpjf01 »

ShowMaster wrote:
My new pulse jet engine arrives today, now what do I fly it in ? Humm .
A desert.
lanerover
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by lanerover »

Geoff, all I remember is, when I changed from a previous model the calibration screen came up on the transmitter never thought anything of it and just hit exit which returned me the correct model. Guess I should have checked. :oops:
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ShowMaster
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

jhsa wrote:You don't?? :mrgreen:

João

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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by jhsa »

There's even a video on YouTube of a guy making tea using a mini pulse jet :D

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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by martin111 »

my aileron stick seems to be malfunctioning. Full right throw happens when the stick is only half way over. There are no offsets applied to the ailerons. Has anyone had this problem?
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by martin111 »

In case any of you are wondering, yes, I've tried the recalibration routine and many times. Its just the aileron stick on the right hand side that won't co -operate. Half the stick movement remains redundant I'm afraid. I've reflashed, and the problem remains exactly as before. My next step is to open up and have a look under the hood, but the feel of the sticks all seem normal so I don't know what I'm looking for. My best guess is that there's something wrong with the potentiometer involved with the stick movement side to side. Anyone had this happen? If it's something to do with resisters, then I think I understand. I might find a dry solder joint involving a resister. I'll report back but it will be about three weeks from now I'm afraid.
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jhsa
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by jhsa »

Check that you don't uave broken wires on the pot.. t happened before.
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ShowMaster
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ShowMaster »

Also push firmly on the stick connectors to make sure they're seated. Can't hurt doing it to all of them while your there.
Yes, a broken pot wire has happened to some.
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by martin111 »

Thanks folks, when I get home I'll try. Let you know then.
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by martin111 »

hi everyone, back again!!

Tried all of those and still no change. I will describe the problem better. When I move the aileron stick to the right I only need to go half way over with the stick to get full right deflection. I have tried soft ware changes and have checked the plugs. Seems fine.
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Kilrah
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by Kilrah »

Please post your eeprom file, will be easier.
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by martin111 »

Hi Kilrah, thanks for replying. I don't know how to attach a file in this forum. Also, it may not be a software problem as I have the same result when I changed software to the version called ersky9xr_rom.bin . Also I have the same problem when I choose new model. It can't be fixed by editing curves. As far as I know at this point, it must be a faulty pot. Agreed?
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jhsa
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by jhsa »

faulty pot, broken wires, bad connection or, wired wrong
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Re: Ailerons not responding equally to stick movement

Post by ReSt »

Measure the voltages on the poti pins of the pot in question and compare them with the voltages of a known good stick poti. (But don't trust wire colors)

Reinhard

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