Problems!! 14MZ 2.4 R6014FS

[Leardriver]

Guys lets not let this get any further out of hand! Those of us that own the FASST system look to have a legit reason for concern, but let's let it play out for a little while and see what Futaba comes up with regarding a response and ultimately a solution. It is unfortunate and I am very sure this type of problem was unforeseen. Futaba understands the liability issue and the fact that we invest thousands of dollars in our models (as well as radio gear alone) so let's let them do what they do. I'm sure there will be something forthcoming.

Again, let's try and keep this to information/experience with the FASST system. Bashing and talking about false advertising is just a waste of energy at this point. It will be ok. They will get it right. Nobody that we know of has "lost" a plane due to this issue that we know of and perhaps we have saved a few with this very thread (hopefully). It is a bit inconvenient and we all have to decide for ourselves if we are comfortable flying with it right now. But things will sort themselves out..just have a little patients.

PaulP

[jonkoppisch]

Several of us went to the Mississippi Jets rally this weekend. I didn't take mine but 3 of my friends were there with their fasst equipped jets (Thank God they weren't xps equipped ;^). We flew over 6 flights today in high (80+) degree temps with no issues! Hopefully this is a bad batch that does the overtemp lockout etc....

[catman3070]

Just received a new 8 channel receiver to convert one of my planes. Thought I would see what it would take to make it go into failsafe.

Here is a description of how I tested.

Set my heat gun on end so it was blowing straight up.
Made a tripod over the top of it with a couple of hangers.
Set a thin piece of shim plate on top of tripod (about 1 foot of distance from heat gun).
Set receiver on top of shim plate.
Using 4.8 battery and no servos.
Set heat gun on low and aloud receiver to heat up.
Took approximitely 8 minutes to heat receiver up to 147 and light went red.
Turned off heat gun and aloud to cool, at 97 degrees receiver turned back on

[Eflyer_75214]

I know that Futuba has been notified of this problem, but has anyone that has been able to reproduce it on the bench or in the field sent one or more receivers in to them for evaluation. That might have saved a lot of time if they had a known failure in their hands, particularly if it is a particular batch of components that has the problem.

Ron

[catman3070]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Eflyer_75214
	I know that Futuba has been notified of this problem, but has anyone that has been able to reproduce it on the bench or in the field sent one or more receivers in to them for evaluation. That might have saved a lot of time if they had a known failure in their hands, particularly if it is a particular batch of components that has the problem. Ron

I would have to say it's not just a certain batch. The one I tested today went from my mail box to the test bench. It had been on back order for a month and just arrived.

[Eflyer_75214]

Catman, that is not such good news, but I think it would still be good to get several units back to them that have been proven to fail in the field unless that they tell you that they have already duplicated the problem and are just trying to isolate it to a component.

Ron

[Kiwi]

Ron,

It is most likely all of them and its only a problem in models that heat up in the sun by the look of the reports. I have a pre production seven channel unit. It turns red at 160F on the case.

But the sky is not falling here. We flew these 14 channel and 7 channel units down here in our summer with no noticeable effect. Some days temps of 32 C in comp arf planes, large clear canopies. All the ingredients for a problem according to what we know here. In our case the Rx's are wrapped in HITEC Rx foam. Maybe its a good heat shield, maybe the planes here were in the shade when not flying. Lots and lots of maybes.

There are a ton of guys in Florida using them and no reports from there that I am aware of.

They are flying in jets with tail pipe temps of 600C only a foot or so away but there's lots of air movement in a jet so it does not seem to be an issue there either.

What does now seem pretty certain is the heat issue needs to be induced, its not produced from the receiver operating normally. The answer at the end of all this may be some simple precautions on installation and some kind of thermal protection.

The radio link is solid, its the environment that is the issue and that is also controllable.

There will be a fix for it without doubt and who nows it might be 20 cents worth of foam.

[dubd]

	Quote: Originally Posted by preston blake
	Just read this thread from beginning to end, all 22 pages. Found useful info on about a half dozen posts. We need need to have a separate place for people to whine and another place for people who just want to get the facts. The internet is an amazing place

And you created a post just to whine about the whiners. Funny stuff!

[madmax]

Gents, please don't make us get on the red mushroom button here. Keep this thread on topic, specifically about this issue. Take the "glad I bought blah blah" stuff elsewhere. Keeping our community informed is what we're about. Please don't make this suck.

Moving right along.

best-- MD

[Julez]

	Quote:
	But it failed really easily and even with the red light on you could hold it against your cheek and it was NOT HOT to touch.

Now this is strange.

When I heated up my 6ch RX, it really was very hot when it finally failed. I had to dangle it from the battery cable to avoid getting burned. Touching it was uncomfortable, and doing so for more than 0.5s was unbearable.

So either we have some rather high tolerances here (ISO9001, anyone), or the first series of recievers was somehow more robust.

Jürgen, you might want to post your AR6100 findings also over at RCG, if further testing shows they hold water.

Cheers,

Julez

[Kiwi]

Julez,

The amount of time and heat it took to knock over the Rx was amazingly small. Today if (I get permission from the big boss) I will place the Rx under a light to simulate the sun as opposed to blasting it with hot air. That way I can use a probe instead of that very very inaccurate laser temp gun. I say inaccurate because it only depends on the emissivity of the semi transparent plastic case. Unless you go to some good length to calibrate the device it can be 10 to 15 degrees out.

Using a slow bake (as has been done by others) genuinely tests the cut off temperature and should give a real reading.

I'm not sure I have the tools available or the time as I am off to the Joe Nall this week so time is precious. But if I can set up a controlled ambient of say 100F then maintain that (no glass house effect etc) and run the Rx loaded for say 30 minutes to see if it falls over. If what Jurgen says is correct then it should run at around about 110 F and there will be no problem. If that turns out to be correct then its a matter of protection and not function.

I mean as an example you dont leave your dog inside a closed car at the supermarket on a 110 F day. If you do your dogs dead. But then you dont blame the car manufacturer for a bad car design that killed your dog.

I think this is like the SPEKTRUM experience. They had a battle from the start with various issues all of which were overcome and today they are rock solid.

Anyway I'm off flying for the morning guys, FASST and all, no wind, 60 F outside and clear blue skies.

[as722]

Has futaba released any bulletins on this matter yet or are they saying there is no problem ?


Albert