Hey Ryan, Not sure where you got your information on the current limits and .5 volt drop from. Best person to talk to is Robert (Bob) Ritchey from Smart-Fly. "That" dude knows his stuff....!! I have been using the SF boards for quite some time now and the best thing about them is this: Redundant battery supply completely isolated from each other. If one fails, the other takes over and the bad one is totally eliminated from the equation. Only the receiver receives 5.0 volt, (+/- .1 volt) while your servos receive exactly what is plugged into the board. I use my 9 channel Optima rec. on the boards and I still have enough slots for plenty of servo connections. Even after I split control surfaces left from right, etc. I absolutely will not do a set up now with out SF. Now that being said, As "Aero" said, (I have been using Futaba for a long time (since '81) and can say I have never had a radio issue that I did not cause.) I can totally and 100% agree with him. Except.... I have most recently seen some issues with my older previous Hitec Aurora 9 that absolutely were "NOT" cause of me or setup. Turned out to be compatibility issue with ignition system. Totally unrelated to set up...I too used Futaba years ago, actually when I first entered this great hobby. I loved my Futaba radios. I also had some very nice Airtronics radios that were awesome for the time. I really miss my Futaba 8UAF and as a matter of fact, I 2.4gig'd it with the module. When I later updated all my systems, I chose to go to a new radio all the way around. Getting back to the exact topic, Radio suggestions.... Futaba makes an "OUTSTANDING" system. As do JR, and now even HITEC. The choice really should be as Xpress stated. Hit the clubs, check out your buddies radios. Hold them...fondle them...play with their...umm, knobs....turn them on.... (almost "X" rated suggestions) What works best for one may not work for another. Battery redundancy is most definitely a technology "ALL" the manufacturers area taking into serious consideration. Which ever way you go, keep in mind... the selling keys are this: Does it do what you want and need it to do? And, does it make you all warm and fuzzy inside when you hold itryan_m said
I've had several lipos where one cell fails. I definitely want the isolation function of the two batteries. Don't want to just plug both in parallel style. The smart fly boards isolate batteries, and the spektrum and JR powersafe rx's all do it for a reason I figure. Just makes good sense in my head to have the batteries isolated from each other.Real world it may not be worth it, but I like the idea of it. So whether it's via a smart fly board (futaba/jeti), or the powersafe/power bus style receivers on the XG series JR,
The smartfly bat-share device is also an option, but the current limits on it and the .5 volt voltage drop aren't my ideal method to get that isolation done. That's part of why I liked the JR XG series, the power bus rx.
I've heard nothing but good things about the Futaba radios, but have also heard lots of good things on the JR XG series running DMSS protocols.
I also like that all the JR DMSS rx's will give rx voltage readouts right on the tx without separate telemetry add on units. Haven't read whether Futaba also does this yet. Still researching.
Do you need two batteries in a 50cc airplane?ryan_m said
I'm swapping out of my current radio system (Spektrum) for various reasons that aren't important here. (Don't wanna start radio wars!)
Considering Futaba 14SG, possibly Jeti DS14, or more likely a JR XG14 DMSS or XG11 DMSS.
In my giant scale planes in the past I've always used the Spektrum Powersafe RX's. These made things easy as they did battery isolation, allowed for dual batts powering the rx and used 14 gauge wires for both batteries. Made power easy. No separate systems or power distribution setups.
So I'm clueless about how best to power a 50-60cc plane using high voltage servos if you can't use these powersafe type rx's. What's the easiest, most reliable way without spending a fortune? I'd like to have dual power feeding the rx, and then use a tech-aero IBEC to power the ignition.
And secondly, does anybody have anything good or bad to say about the above radios in use for giant scale? Either in features, or lack of them, or especially for reliability reasons?
From here: https://www.smart-fly.com/Products/BatShare/batshare.htmstangflyer said Hey Ryan, Not sure where you got your information on the current limits and .5 volt drop from.
ryan_m said
stangflyer said Hey Ryan, Not sure where you got your information on the current limits and .5 volt drop from.