Newbie Question about Stock Radio Reciever

[popmachineshop]

I'm upgrading my SC Lp to a brushless set up.. bought a brushless kit from CUstom RC parts which includes, motor, mount, esc , prop and such,,

but my newbie question is do I need to change my original (stock) radio equipment? will the stock receiver work with my stock Radio?..

I know I should upgrade to a new radio and receiver, but just wondering if stock will work ok with brushless setup?

also seems like original 3 wire servos should work too? correct?

Thanks
John

[jklong03]

Jul 1, 2013 22:24:46 GMT 1 popmachineshop said:

I'm upgrading my SC Lp to a brushless set up.. bought a brushless kit from CUstom RC parts which includes, motor, mount, esc , prop and such,,

but my newbie question is do I need to change my original (stock) radio equipment? will the stock receiver work with my stock Radio?..

I know I should upgrade to a new radio and receiver, but just wondering if stock will work ok with brushless setup?

also seems like original 3 wire servos should work too? correct?

Thanks
John

I changed my entire electronics since I fried my RX by nose-diving into a grass field and the throttle burned out the ESC in the RX. I did order the custom motor mount from them and expect it to arrive any day now. I went with an E-Flite Park 480 brushless setup.

But to answer your question, I am pretty sure you can plug your new ESC into the throttle slot on the stock RX. You will need to connect your power inputs for your new ESC into the same connector as your battery. You didn't say if the upgrade kit came with a new Lipo pack or not, and what kind of motor it came with. But the basics are: power from battery to new ESC, new ESC plug into throttle slot on stock RX and you should be good to go. However, don't expect much from the new motor if you are planning on using the stock Lipo batteries, really need a beefier battery pack for a brushless upgrade.

Update: I just looked at the Custom RC site, and hopefully you ordered the kit with the battery, in which case it should come with all connectors preconfigured. Not a bad price, but the Turnigy ESC they provide only has a linear (read resistor divider) BEC and with my 4 servo aileron setup, I will only go with an ESC that provides a real switch-mode BEC. But I guess many people go with linear and are fine with it, and the price for their kit isn't too bad considering the components. I personally went with a Skypower 30A ESC with a 4 amp switch-mode BEC from Heads UP RC and only paid $20 for it. So with the extra I paid for the E-Flite Park 480, the less I paid for the ESC and 2200 Mah battery pack and since I already had the props I need, I guess I went the correct route for me.

[toff]

Be very careful with using the stock Receiver with a new brushless motor. As the Rx is an all-in-one unit, you may be surprised how quickly you'll be able to turn it into a crispy paperweight! There are many Q&A sessions on the forum regarding new electronics and the use of the stock LP RX/ Esc/ Bec. Although Hobbyzone will not publish any specs as to what the all in one can do, it's generally thought that the unit has a 13 amp esc, with possibly up 18 amp burst for 60 seconds.
Read this: supercubclub.proboards.com/thread/4624/stock-motor-prop-thread-straight

Welcome to headache country! Stick with it, it took Flydiver a looong time to get it in my head, but got there in the end!!

[flydiver]

In this case I think jklong03 has it right. Most folks just scrap the stock RX/ESC. The ESC is the weak link. You should be able to use the RX as described and save some money. You are simply going around the original ESC and putting in the one you want to use. The base RX buried in there is supposedly OK.
The 3-wire stock servos will work, they are just regular servos someone makes for Hobbyzone. I'm sure they don't make them. If you do the aileron mod and go to 4 servos you are running thin on the 2A linear BEC as described.

[popmachineshop]

Thanks guys, great help so far.. I think I like this board already..
I am really new at flying,, this is my first plane and still learning all the tech parts..

I already have new batteries, bought Turnegy 2200 30 batteries a week or so ago.. my original ballooned badly.. but still work, and I have been reading all the dangers of keeping them, but just cant get myself to through them away as they fly for about 10-12 minutes each..

Just as I'm typing this this morning the postman shows up with my parts from custom RC.. so I'll open that up and see what fits..

I have thought about upgrading my radio to a DX6i, just havn't pulled the 139.00 trigger yet..

[toff]

Jul 2, 2013 14:31:50 GMT 1 popmachineshop said:

I have thought about upgrading my radio to a DX6i, just havn't pulled the 139.00 trigger yet..

Nooo!! Ebay... Do it cheap. Got mine 3 odd years ago for £60.00. Still use it, and even off ebay (UK), hard to find one for that price.
Ebay US has some real bargains! www.ebay.com/itm/dx6i-/161058344518?pt=Radio_Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257fd34e46 $50!!!

[toff]

too late......

[flydiver]

eBay is good if you know exactly WHAT you are buying. It's not a good route for newbies and unknown electrical items. You have a high liklihood of choosing wrongly or getting screwed (2nd rate lipos are not uncommon).
For a used DX6i make sure the wheel and trim tabs are OK. They are prone to breaking. So is the antenna hinge.

Re - damaged battery. You don't know what you are doing yet and I doubt you have a decent charger or suitable equipment to evaluate a lipo (newbies never do). Therefore you are operating dumb and blind in electrics.
Weigh the price of your house, your car, your wife and kids if you have them, against the price of a lipo. Think hard about that.

[jklong03]

Jul 2, 2013 7:32:31 GMT 1 flydiver said:

In this case I think jklong03 has it right. Most folks just scrap the stock RX/ESC. The ESC is the weak link. You should be able to use the RX as described and save some money. You are simply going around the original ESC and putting in the one you want to use. The base RX buried in there is supposedly OK.
The 3-wire stock servos will work, they are just regular servos someone makes for Hobbyzone. I'm sure they don't make them. If you do the aileron mod and go to 4 servos you are running thin on the 2A linear BEC as described.

Wow, I think I will print this out and hang it on my wall, my first "yup" from flydiver! I am so honored, I had no remarks prepared, so let me just thank the academy and say I love you all!


Seriously, just hand aground long enough, read all the threads you can, and you can't help but figure out a few things to be helpful to others, and that's what this forum is all about!

[popmachineshop]

Thanks Guys, I put in the all new gear, RX, ESC, motor on custom mount, prop, had to cut my Turnigy Packs and solder on ec3 connectors and Flew for the first time last night.. WOW,, what a difference..

The only thing I didn't like was that the radio controls where different.. it was flying in mode 2 which I don't believe it was in as stock? or I don't remember switching it.. so Throttle and rudder where left stick and elevator was right.

If memory serves and I think it does.. when I was flying stock throttle was left and elev/Rudder where on the right stick , which is mode 4 correct? I don't recal switching anything .. well after figuring it out and flying kinda blindly as I was not use to this setup. I was reading my manual on my DX4 and realized you can switch between mode 2 and 4 on that radio.. so cool , I switched it and this morning I flew my upgraded cub just like I learned, Mode 4 Throttle left and elev/rudder right.. and it was awesome...

SO now here is my dilemma, I want to upgrade my radio as I want to get into other planes and want/afford the dx6i , but I see it is in mode 2 only? I don't want to relearn mode 2... I want mode 4... what can I do??

THanks
John

[flydiver]

Jul 24, 2013 20:44:54 GMT 1 popmachineshop said:

I don't want to relearn mode 2... I want mode 4... what can I do??

John

WHERE are you?
Best to learn the Mode appropriate to your region. If it's the states, that's Mode 2.
Your original setup was Mode 2.

People get confused about moving the rudder to the L-stick when they progress from 3-channel and move to 4-ch with ailerons.

MAIN TURNING, in Mode 2. is the R-stick. If you ONLY have a rudder, then that's it. If you have ailerons AND a rudder, the AILERONS become the main turning force, go on the R-Stick, and the rudder moves to the left. Learn to turn with ailerons and add rudder later after you get used to them.

Do it now or get really screwed up later.
****

North America where Mode 2 is the standard.

Note that I mention Mode 2, which is marked with the * below.

Left stick ...........Right Stick .................Mode

Pitch and Yaw .......Speed and Roll ..............1 (Europe)

Speed and Yaw*......Pitch and Roll*..............2*

Pitch and Roll ..........Speed and Yaw ...........3

Speed and Roll ........Pitch and Yaw .............4

[popmachineshop]

I'm in Wisconsin.. North America, USA>.

but when I first got this plane stock , the radio was in mode 2, but Left stick was only Throttle (SPeed), Right Stick was Rudder and elevator.

I learned on this this way and I don't have ailerons as of now.

but when I put in the new RX it all switched and Yaw went to left stick with Speed and elevator was on R stick..

I then switched it to mode 4, which is back to how I learned it... and like this..

I was just hoping I don't have to relearn and hoped there was a radio, outside of the DX4 I'm using that has Mode 4?

[flydiver]

You were in Mode 2.
You want to STAY in Mode 2.
If you don't have ailerons, put the rudder connection in the aileron socket, that's where main turning is.
[The actual signal output on ALL the sticks is the same. If you hook up a servo to the throttle position and move the throttle stick the servo will move.]

Then switch BACK to Mode 2 if you've make an actual switch.
Then you'll be fine, controls will be as you were used to.

Think about it....why would a system be created where you had to shift Modes when you tried to fly a more advanced plane? Everyone would go crazy.

It would not be much fun to try to fly with the rudder on the left as your only turning control. When you do go to ailerons and switch the rudder to the L-stick you'll have enough trouble learning to use the rudder that way. Some people never do.

[popmachineshop]

Thanks you've been a great help..and I agree with you that I should learn one way..I was flipping back through the manual with the plane for stock set up and even the manual is wrong.. Page 6 shows the radio and mode 2 left stick Throttle/rudder , right stick Elevator/aileron. then you flip to page 14 and it says just the opposite when learning the tail functions.. shows the radio and rudder and Elevator on Right stick... so you can see how a newby would be confused.. I'd post a picture of the manual but don't know how, I just googled it and am looking at it as I write this..

I will most likely get my new radio and then just continue to fly Left stick throttle (aileron) when I get that far, and right stick rudder/elev. and switch the plug port to make this happen.

thanks

[jklong03]

Jul 25, 2013 15:14:44 GMT 1 popmachineshop said:

Thanks you've been a great help..and I agree with you that I should learn one way..I was flipping back through the manual with the plane for stock set up and even the manual is wrong.. Page 6 shows the radio and mode 2 left stick Throttle/rudder , right stick Elevator/aileron. then you flip to page 14 and it says just the opposite when learning the tail functions.. shows the radio and rudder and Elevator on Right stick... so you can see how a newby would be confused.. I'd post a picture of the manual but don't know how, I just googled it and am looking at it as I write this..

I will most likely get my new radio and then just continue to fly Left stick throttle (aileron) when I get that far, and right stick rudder/elev. and switch the plug port to make this happen.

thanks

Now you have me confused!

I've been following this thread and thought the advice you were given was pretty straightforward. in your excitement to install your new RX you just didn't notice that your stock setup came from the factory with the rudder servo plugged into the aileron port. That is how all of them come from the factory! Don't get too worried about the "mode" issue. Just take your new setup and plug the rudder into the aileron port on your new RX.....done!

Now if in your confusion, understandable I will admit, you somewhere flipped the dip switch on your DX4 transmitter to "Mode 4", just flip that back down to "Mode 2".

In summary...plug rudder servo into aileron port on your new RX, make sure your TX far right switch is down in "Mode 2" and you should be flying just like you learned!