Help with setup (4x 5955's on Y-harness)????....please

[M Carr]

I am putting together a PAU 37% ultimate and need advice for Aileron setup.

My setup consists of a JR x9303 transmitter, AR9100 receiver, 6x Hitec 5955 servos (4-Ailerons and 2-Elevators) and one Hitec 7950 for the rudder. It will be powered with 2x 2100mah lipos and a Smartfly Super Regulator. All servo extensions are heavy duty 20 gauge wire including the Y's.

My question is would it be safe to use two Y-harnesses (one for each side) on the Ailerons using the 5955's? I have read alot trying to get my answer and get some mixed answers, Some say its fine others wouldnt do it. So I really dont know if its the right thing to do or not... I have ground tested the setup and it seems to work great, I just dont want a potential problem while flying. Which is the reason I thought I would ask the experts..

Any thoughts or tips? How would you set it up?

Thanks for any help you can give

[MODE 1]

20 gauge wire ......You make them yourself or are these bought items like HD harnesses?

[M Carr]

They are purchased items. Actually they are Hobbico brand Pro HD extensions and Y's. Ive been using them for a long time with excellant results. Just never ganged two 5955 servos on one before.

[castlebravo]

Technically there is no reason this shouldnt work. There may be several reasons that you would want to run each servo to an individual channel but this is more for programming and mixing ease rather than functionality. You also have a single point of failure on one side of your plane which you would not have if you went the individual route. There is no chance the servos will fight each other because they are all powering an individual control surface (not the case if you had 2 servos controlling a rudder....they would fight each other).

On my PAU, I had originally put in Y harnesses just to ease set up but had to go with a power expander because my older 5955's didnt like my Futaba 6014 reciever. I could have had them updated but complication of taking them out and sending them in was more than just going with the PE. They did work when I plugged each into an individual channel but I was already nervous so it was the PE route for me. Good Luck!

CB

[3dAndrew]

here's a quick tip that will save you stress, servos and possibly your airplane, you should either program your servos with the programmer or get a JR MATCHBOX! I lost my cap due to running y-cables, and other reasons, but for the 2-aileron servos into one channel and then annother y-cable for the other side. I STRONGLY recommend using the programmer and or the matchbox, using just the y-cable will cause a power loss to one servo and will create an "uneven" geometry of the servos. Btw, after getting my cap "re-built" i have redone the whole setup using JR-matchboxes........ smartflypowerexpander and alot of new thingy majigers. lol. Good luck! Please post pics of your set-up.

[M Carr]

Yeah CB, I've thought about the failure stuff. Thats what has me a little nervous about doing it that way.

I can program the x9303 transmitter to do all 4 servos on seperate channels BUT I will only have adjustable trim on 2 servos. I have thought about doing it that way and putting the 2 trimable servos on the bottom wing only which I think would work OK too. Thats my biggest gripe about the x9303 is the lack of being able to program 4 aileron servos and have adjustable trim on all 4.

Thats why I was thinking of doing Y's instead of programming on this one.

[M Carr]

3D andrew,

A programmer and matchboxes I dont think would be needed for an ultimate Biplane. Each aileron only has one servo so there would be no fighting or binding of servos at all if one should fail or not be properly setup. So that shouldnt be much of an issue.

I do agree with what you said though if it had 2 servos for each aileron

[Paul5992]

You will be fine with the Y-harness'. I've been flying 100cc planes with Y's on the ailerons for about 100 flights now with no trouble. I also have a 9303. Match boxes aren't any safer than Y-harness'.

[flatspinjim]

The main drawback of using a y is it creates a bottleneck for power. A typical servo connecter is only capable of passing 3 amps. If you're servos are drawing less than 1.5 amps each, you should be fine.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by flatspinjim
	The main drawback of using a y is it creates a bottleneck for power. A typical servo connecter is only capable of passing 3 amps. If you're servos are drawing less than 1.5 amps each, you should be fine.

Depending on how you fly, those 5955s will exceed the 3 amps!!! Go the individual route.

[Paul5992]

A JR servo connector is good for 4 amps continuous and 6 amps peak for short bursts. If your 5955's on the ailerons ever draw that many amps you have other problems.

[smokin]

use a couple smart fly equalizers. they are inexpensive and they will match endpoints and center of each to maximize performance and minimize "fighting" between the servos. i have never been a fan of a "y" on a big bird but maybe i am just paranoid!

good luck and happy flying

[jamesrxx951]

i was looking at the equalizers and match boxes and i just dont see a difference between them and using a "y", besides the fact you can adjust the servo. you still have everything going though a single connector at the reciever. if programmed correctly the hitec servos should be fine,just have to spend time programming. but i would double check the solder connections on the "y" though. i just bought 2 jr heavyduty ones and i plan on removing the shrink tube and verify a good solder and reshrink tube.

[HuckinChikn]

i dont think there would be a problem at all using Y's on a bi-plane with only one servo per aileron.
Im running y's on my twin servo ailerons on my 35%... they are hitec 5955s, and i used a hitec
programmer to match the servos and it has worked fine for well over 100 flights, but i've started to
notice a bit of fighting from the servos lately...i'm not sure what has changed, i havent changed anything
about them since i installed them last year, but they definately arent the same. I will probably end up
buying a set of matchboxes for them.

[M Carr]

I appreciate all the replies so far!!

I think I am just going to settle for the Y's for now. I've done some serious ground testing with them and they seem to be just fine. I even stalled out the two servos briefly(which wont happen during flight) and didnt see any issues. If I have too at a later time I can program the x9303 to do 4 separate servos per channel, I just wont have trim on two of them.

What has me wondering is everyone is recommending match boxes and programming the servos??? I can understand the need for them on a 2 servo per wing installation but not for a single servo per wing (4 ailerons = 4 servos) like the Ultimate has...Maybe I should change the title so everyone has a better idea of what I am trying to do?

To those who replied, I do appreciate the help