Airworthyness of crashed components

[nesikachad]

I have a small collection of servos and receivers that have all suffered the effects of gravity and rapid deceleration.

Does anyone have a sort of checklist of things to look after when inspecting for airworthiness?

Thanks.

[Bob S]

I send in electronics after a crash.

[3D-Seth]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Bob S
	I send in electronics after a crash.

Me too.

Why risk unsure equipment in a new airplane? A little bit of shipping and repair costs could save you the money in the airplane, not to mention the time you may have in it.

Seth

[XJet]

Back in "the olden days", we used to cosset our valuable receivers in a thick wad of foam rubber so as to protect them as much as possible from the inevitable impact with terra firma.

In over forty years I've *never* lost a receiver to crash damage, despite some horrendous wrecks, and that includes the older gear with through-hole construction rather than the much more robust surface-mount technology.

Even today, I still wrap my receivers and batteries in several layers of closed-cell foam.

Every time I see others strapping their receivers to the airframe or powerbox with cable-ties or velcro I wince.

Despite advances in components and construction techniques, receivers still contain a number of delicate devices such as crystals, filters and coils - all of which can be either totally or subtly damaged by high G-forces.

Is it now the norm that people would rather just lose a receiver to crash-damage or throw it away after a crash -- simply because they can't be bothered wrapping it in foam?

FASST users may have good reason not to wrap their receivers -- but what about everyone else?

Given the huge amount of space available in the fuselage of a giant-scale plane, why don't people use foam to protect their receivers from vibration and impact any more?

[vsnap]

Your biggest concern is going to be with a cold join or vibration issue. I always test my equipment by strapping them onto something that vibrates. I have a 30 y/o dremel jig saw that I take the blade off of and rubberband them down. If they get through that then I range check while doing it. They will then be used in airframes that I am not to worried about and I fly the heck out of them. Slowly they will work their way back into the main frontline aircraft. Oh yea I never reuse the switches after a serious crash. Minor ones yes but it is one component that is easily replaced.
Scott

[smokin]

the price of sending servos and such in is FAR less than the replacement cost of yet another airframe! aviod more drama....send the stuff in and give yourself piece of mind!

just my $.02

matt