Toasted Tower Pro 945s?

[SeanD]

I've been running Tower Pro 945s since last summer - in front and rear with a modded TQ3.

My first one started acting up a few weeks after I bought it. It would lock in one direction and stay that way for several seconds and then eventually return to center. Sometimes I would have to blip the other servo in order to make it release. Sometimes it would release when I stopped and started. I replaced that one with another TP 945.

The second replacement is now acting up as well. Sometimes it has no power whatsoever when turning in one direction. It responds slowly and sometimes will stick in one direction as well. I now have it on the rear and try not to use it. Sometimes when I turn the front wheels the rear servo will glitch and twitch.

The servo I now have on the front is not very reliable either - it is slow to respond and sometimes takes a while to return to cente.

For the record, I have no binding issues and I've tried a few Hitecs with my setup and there are no such issues. It does not appear to be a TX or ESC (Moped) problem. I've tested it on full batteries as well. All three servos have always had major slop too (you move the horn from side to side as there is considerable play in the gears) . They are also reallyu noisy when compared to a Hitec 5645

I am assuming that my servos are toast but I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions as to why they act this way and maybe, just maybe, there is something that can be done. I liek the torque but I can't bring myself to order another one of these - yet!!!

Sean

 

[cartronicshn]

Have you tried running a rx pack or external bec with voltage regulator for the servos?

 

[SeanD]

No, I'm pretty sure the Moped can handle the two servos - I could be wrong though. Besides these problems were not always there - they just appeared over time - a matter of months in most cases.

I know a lot of people have had good luck with their Tower Pros (and so did I for a while) but I guess my luck ran out!! :-(

Thanks,
Sean

 

[rdtshaw]

I'm not saying the Tower pros are great or not, never used one, but what moped are you using? the VR16 esc is a 5V/3A bec. 2 of those tower servos are drawing more than 3A. Regardless of how it worked before, your are completely maxing out the esc's BEC. Have you tried just running one of them as opposed to both? Also have you tried them with no load. Just pull one out of the truck and plug it in and see how it behaves.

I would spend the 20 bucks and get a CC BEC. Even if it doesn't fix this problem, your servos will perform much better.

 

[cartronicshn]

I have about 6 mopeds, and 2 are installed in my supers with 2 servo each, at first when recently installed i thought they worked great, but as time passed by i noticed that when in a bind the other servo would barely move until i released the steering that was in a bind, then i installed a 3 servo for the motor digs and i realized that i needed an external bec

 

[SeanD]

Sounds good - but I have the same problem even with only one servo hooked up for testing. It also did it way back when I only had front wheel steering. In the meantime I've done the whole range of testing - with load, no load, channels reversed, trim settings, full battery, low battery etc etc.

Also, when the servos lock in a direction, they are held there by power, in other words they cannot be moved by hand until the "glitch" is over.

I've noticd the servos getting warm - somthieng I never paid much attention to before.

I'm running the VR16 with 5.0 volt 3 amp BEC. I found numerous instances of people on this board using this ESC with 4WS. For information purposes, I'm running a single 55t lathe.

If its the ESC, I really don't plan on running an external pack for the servos. I am going to test it again tonight with the Hitec 5645 to to see if it works well under loads.

Thanks again,
Sean

 

[SeanD]

Have you tried running a rx pack or external bec with voltage regulator for the servos?

I've been doing a bit of reading on this so correct me if I off base.

Basically an external BEC draws power directly from the battery, regulates it to specific voltage (safe for the servos) and feeds it into the battery circuit on the receiver?

While it may not solve my current servo problems, the CC External BEC found here:

http://holmeshobbies.com/product.php?productid=120&cat=13&page=1

would be a good idea anyway as I am running two servos on my MOPED?

Sean

 

[cartronicshn]

Yup, you got it"thumbsup", you will not beleive how well your servos work after you put one of those bec in, and no better person to get them from also8)

 

[SeanD]

Here's an update for anybody interested.

I removed the whacky Tower Pro (the one that was glitching, no power, locking in one direction) and replaced it with a Hitec 5645. Problem solved!!

Now both the Hitec and the remaining Tower Pro are working flawlessly (knock on wood). There is no glitching, plenty of power (well, as much as to be expected from the Hitec) and both are respoding properly to the TX.

I think I'll pop the Hitec in the rear steer and move the Tower Pro back up front and see if they both remain as smooth. Better to have more power in the front than the rear "thumbsup"

I guess the fualty Tower Pro was throwing everything out of whack!!!