Hi y'all - help please

[Bassboy]

I've been making static boat models for years and I've just bought a type 42 destroyer to do up which is rigged for RC. The radio gear is a few years old but I'm assured it's all working well.

But...it don't work!

I've changed the batts for Ni Cad rechargeables,checked every connect and wire I can find and I'm told the internal batt works OK. The motors a small electric job but I can't see what rating it is and there's no markings on the batt.

I'm probably doing - or not doing - something wrong.

Hope you can help out as I'd love to get it sailing.

[Fluid]

BB, you have not given us nearly enough information about your setup to help you. If you could answer the following we will have better luck:

* What brand and model is the radio? How many channels?

* How old is "a few years old"? 2000 - 1990 - 1980 - 1970??

* How long ago did the radio actually work?

* What doesn't work - the steering servo, the drive motor, both, neither?

* Does the light on the transmitter come on when you turn it on (if it has one)?

* There are transmitter, receiver and drive batteries....exactly which batteries did you change?

* Are all the batteries NiCds?

* By "internal battery" I assume you mean the drive motor battery - how do you know it works? How have you charged it?

* What kind of charger do you have for the batteries - exactly?

* A photo of your setup would help.

* Do you have someone in your area who runs R/C boats who could help you diagnose the problem?

If you can answer the above we can begin to help.... :cool:

[Bassboy]

Ha! See what I mean about being a novice!

OK - It's a Futaba 4 ch radio - I believe about 20 years old , as is all the system but I'm assured it was working well up til a year ago when it was last used. Only 2 ch are in use - prop and rudder. No indicator light sadly.
I changed all the batts in it for Ni Cads I charged myself.

The drive batt has 6 cells in that shrinky wrappy stuff and not a name , number , or any indication of what it is whatsoever. I was told it works OK but is getting past it's best and may need replacing though it 'should' be charged.

The rec batts are in a placcy box - unlike other rec batt boxes I've seen. They're completely enclosed and the box doesn't look like it wants to come apart. Feels like it'll crack if I force it. It has a screw on the bottom for + or _- polarity.

Other than that there's a switch which is marked in red paint - presumably indicating the on position though I've tried both.

I've no RC enthusiast mates to ask unfortunately - I bought it as the seller was moving house and needed the space,mainly as a static to do up but seems a shame not to have it sailing which I'm assured it's capable of.

[Fluid]

Okay, a dual stick transmitter, 20 years old. Each stick controls two channels, so it is possible you are trying to move the wrong stick. Which stick controls which functions depends on which sockets in the receiver you plug the servos into. Make certain that all the transmitter cells are fully charged and inserted the correct way (correct polarity) into the battery tray.

I assume that nothing works when you turn the radio system on - is that correct? What kind of charger are you using? :confused:

The receiver will need a new battery. I don't know if the cells in the box are rechargeable or not, but fresh/charged cells will be needed. Either open the box (the screw on the box bottom doesn't adjust polarity, it can be removed to separate the box halves if it is a factory Futaba box) or get a new box from the hobby store. Put in new cells. The switch sometimes fails, particularly if it has gotten wet at one time. Plug the receiver battery directly into the BATT socket in the receiver to eliminate that potential problem.

It is hard to tell about the drive battery, it may be salvageable, or it may not be. It must be charged before each use - how have you charged it? If it has been years since it was charged, then it will need to be cycled a few times to determine if it is useable. Charge fully, discharge by hooking it to a 12-volt auto tail light bulb until the light goes out, then charge again, cycling 2-3 times. You should charge the drive battery at 3 to 5 amps.

Other problems could be faulty servos, a bad crystal (you do have crystals in both the transmitter and the reciever don't you?), a bad (water damaged) receiver, bad connections on the various batteries, ad nauseum. But the most obvious causes would be no voltage to the receiver and drive motor. Get those fixed and the chances of the boat running are pretty good if the seller was candid.

.

[CG Bob]

OK - It's a Futaba 4 ch radio - I believe about 20 years old What channel was it on originally? There should be a sticker on the radio, with the channel number and specific frequency. If it's 20 years old and on an even channel like 62 or 70, it is a wide band unit and may not be legal to use anymore. It will cause interference on the odd channel on either side - a wideband radio on Channel 64 will glitch Channels 63 & 65. In 1991, the FCC required all radios to be narrow band systems, with 20 kHz spacing between channels. Before 1991, the frequency spacing was 40 kHz. Around 1989 most radio companies started producing the "new" narrow band systems. A 20 year old Futaba radio will have the old "G" style servo plugs, and today's standard plug won't fit the receiver.

[Bassboy]

Thanks guys - The radio's a futaba medallion ripmax,sticker on the back says 27.255 mhz.

Unlike the few more modern one's I've seen it doesn't have LEDs up the middle but a rotary dial going from red to green. Nothing's moving there when it's switched on. I cleaned the batt contacts when I put the batts in. They're fine. I use rechargeable AA size batts a lot and I've plenty of stuff to check them in.

Same's true of the reciever batt box. Cleaned contacts and 4 newly charged AAs.

I have a charger for the drive batt - works from a car *** lighter socket but it'll only charge the batt at about 1 1/2 amps.

I'm leaning towards the drive batt being beyond it's usefulness and getting a new one sharpish. Worries me that there's no sign of life from the radio though.

The model itself is coming on - as I said that's been more my thing in the past and I'm having a ball pulling pens apart and nicking plastic from the stick-up airfresheners to turn into oerlikon cannons and chaff launchers!!!!

[Fluid]

If the transmitter gauge doesn't respond when known good cells are installed, then something is definately wrong with the transmitter. Either the wiring to the gauge is interrupted, or other internal wiring is interrupted. Either way, the transmitter needs to be repaired.

The charger working from the car battery will do okay, not ideal but it will charge the drive pack enough to let the motor run. However, the drive battery has nothing to do with the steering servo not working, that is a radio problem. Fix the radio (transmitter and receiver and servo) and the problem will likely be gone.