Digital Servos

I am new to RC Helicopters and have been flying an ECO-8, I am building A Raptor 90 with all digital servos an when I turned it on for the first time the Servos seem to chatter! Is this normal on digital Servos?

[gasmech]

hey goodie;
digital servos shouldnt chatter, but do have a wierd buzzing noise when there trying to center. its normal, noise stops, or changes if you play with the sticks that control it. if youve never used digital, and are a pretty good pilot you will notice a definite difference between these and standard servos, reaction time and centering ability are incredible. Happy Flying, let me know what you think of the 90. Been looking at them myself- GASMECH

Hey Gasmech,
Thanks for the information! I will let you know how it fly's!

[3dee]

If you are thinking of getting a 90 and you dont mind the feul bill do it soon as you can. once you have sett it up the power speed and size is better than any thing else smaller ones like the new trex nitro might have better power to weight but the size and weight goes along way when you fly at the week end and may some wind you have to fly in or have no flying at all. check out alan szabo vids and see how much wind they will take

[hawkman]

Be very careful of this size heli....if you have been flying an Eco 8 you will notice a huge difference....for one thing the 90 will be rock steady....but its size and inertia are to be respected....theres a lot of energy in that heli...so take it real easy....

Digital servos are a must with such a size heli....they are expensive but well worth it....do be aware of the ball links....too tight will see a huge power drain for the battery...you must ream the links so once fitted you can pinch the control rods and easily rotate them about their axis....I made my own reamer using a spare ball ....I scored it with a craft knife to roughen it....BE VERY CAREFUL THAT YOU DONT CUT YOUR FINGERS. by snapping this in place and rotating it...not too much...you can refit to the ball link on the heli...you want a nice loose fit but not so loose it falls off.

Rob

[mgarciah]

Just want to update this post, I also have digital servos on my machines, all of them chatter or makes that "looking for the center" sound, ok, try to adjust the ball link size, for which you use the JR ball sizing tool, ok, after I adjusted all my ball links all the sounds from the servos gone. that means that the sound is related with a link jamming, more than a center looking, now Im saving a lot of current from my batteries as well. and you wont believe how this improve the respond from your bird.

[3dee]

thanks for that info will try that on mine I have just put all new links on my raptor 90 and the servos are noisy that should sort it out, thanks

[hawkman]

The best way, for me, is that with the power on...you move the collective up...and push the cyclic stick around..hold it in any position and then gently pinch each control rod and see if it wiggles easily...place the collective down and do this again...if the control rods are all nice and free then the links are ok.

The Balllink sizer is a good idea...I was stuck for one so used a spare ball screwed into a broken rod assy...I scored across the ball with a stanley knife. Be VERY careful when you do this. The resulting scores will easily scrape the inside of a link....just rotate back and forth...not too much...place the link together and see if it moves easily.

The chattering noise is OK...as long as it dies out when you release the sticks...Digital servos do digital things

Hows things with the 90 by the way?

Rob