Old Topic, OLd Poster, need some help.

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:25 pm

Hey guys,

It's been quite awhile and I've been doing other things, but I just ran into an old problem that you guys probably have the answer for.
I pulled out my shelved project of putting an I-Waver PCB in an SE. I had thought I fried the board, and can't get another, so I threw it aside. I got it out today and checked it again and found that I actually fried the battery and not the board.
So, I try tinkering with the steering again and ran into the same problem. I could never get the 10k ohm (that's where it was at the time I was doing it) bridged across the leads of the SE pot to work. So, I thought, I'd just try getting the I-waver pot to hook up to the output chaft of the SE servo. Nope, no go there either. I just can't get a good connection between those shafts.
Now, I've been searching all day, mostly here as most of the info seems to be here. But, all the links to pictures and diagrams seem to be gone.
So, here's what I need. I need to see a clear photo of the SE pot and what contacts are joined and which ones you bridged with the resistor.
I assume the best resister value now, after many have tried, is around 2.2k, is that correct?
And the SE pot stays in there?
And what can I expect from this type of work around?
I would like smooth, propo steering, will I get that using this method?
I know this is really old stuff, but I just gotta try one more time.
And thanks in advance for tolerating such an old topic.

Maxximum Attack · Post by **Maxximum Attack** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:42 am

Betty.k's H1 humvee WIP
Hope that helps

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:07 pm

Yeah, that makes most things clearer. But, that thread still mentions the 10k resister. I'm thinking that has changed to 2.2 to 3.3, but I'd still like to hear from someone that has actually done the conversion. I'm curious as to just how smooth the steering is in these I-Waver/SE projects.
Thanks for the link. I missed that in my search somehow.

Maxximum Attack · Post by **Maxximum Attack** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:27 pm

I knew exactly where to look. This was a pretty revent project, and may slip under the radar

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:34 pm

i used a 10k ohm resistor (103) and bridge it between the 2 servo pot connections.
pic below is an iwaver pcb.

i figured the neatest way to do this was using a surface mount resistor directly on the pcb but you can add the resistor anywhwere, just so long as it's bridging the 2 pot wires.

if you wired the pot up to the iw pcb without the resistor the servo would be pulling full left (or right) as the iw/miniz pcb uses a 5kohm pot.
adding the resistor just moves the center point back to normal, you don't get the tight turning circle you had with the stock zzse.

I would like smooth, propo steering, will I get that using this method?

yep

And the SE pot stays in there?

yep.

Nasphere · Post by **Nasphere** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:31 am

azimov wrote:Hey guys,
It's been quite awhile and I've been doing other things, but I just ran into an old problem that you guys probably have the answer for.

Welcome back! Hope you decide to stay!

I enjoyed your solar bits from tiny RC a few years back. Those things rock!

There was someone who was attempting to build one here a month or two ago so I pointed them to your threads from TRC..
http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/pages/phpFo ... php?t=9039

I was looking for those 1-farad super caps, do you have a source for them still??

(sorry for being off topic)

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:33 pm

Thanks Betty. hat's exactly what I need.
One more question though. I see in the pic that there doesn't seem to be any solder bridging contacts on the SE pot. Is that right? 'Cause that may be why this didn't work for me the first time.

Welcome back! Hope you decide to stay!

Thank you! Yeah, I'll be around off and on.

I was looking for those 1-farad super caps, do you have a source for them still??

Yeah, I think I can still get those. Are you talking about the Panasonic gold series or the expensive Aerogel caps. The Aerogel is like half the size of the Panasonic.

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:45 pm

azimov wrote:I see in the pic that there doesn't seem to be any solder bridging contacts on the SE pot. Is that right?

correct. usually the iwaver/miniz servo pot has a wire going from the middle terminal to the unused terminal. i don't think it makes a difference whether it's there or not but mine works fine without.

steelwoolghandi · Post by **steelwoolghandi** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:59 pm

Good to see you are still alive man glad to hear you will be checking in now and then.

I would like to try this mod on one of my SE's has anyone tried an Epoch PCB on an SE???

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:02 pm

I got ya. And thanks again!

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:07 pm

Thanks Steel, good to still be around, lol.

I would like to try this mod on one of my SE's has anyone tried an Epoch PCB

I've thought about it, but haven't seen a way to cram it in there and get a body on it.
I'm using the ZZ old school Stingray for this project. It's my favorite 1:1 scale car. But, I hate the way the wheel wells look, particularly the back. So, I figure I can use it on this major conversion and do some ground effects or fender flares to make it look halfway descent at the same time.

Nasphere · Post by **Nasphere** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:24 pm

betty.k wrote:
azimov wrote:I see in the pic that there doesn't seem to be any solder bridging contacts on the SE pot. Is that right?
correct. usually the iwaver/miniz servo pot has a wire going from the middle terminal to the unused terminal. i don't think it makes a difference whether it's there or not but mine works fine without.

The crackle from turning an old stereo's volume knob is caused by the pot "dropping off", so usually on a single side layout, to prevent the pot from dropping off completely, you can connect the unused side with the center tap... It's a glitch issue for older, well used, or dirty pots. Point is, if it's not 10 years old, you don't need to have that bridge, but it is recomended.

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:49 pm

It's a glitch issue for older, well used, or dirty pots.

I see. Makes me wonder why they stuck them in the 1st gen Zips since that's how they tried fixing those too. Defintely shows the manufacturer was cutting corners.
Thanks Nas! Very helpful. I'm off to the shop to give this a go.

azimov · Post by **azimov** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:37 am

Well, I went and put the SE pot back in there. Soldered the 10k resister in place and I'm getting the same problem I experienced before.
The steering motor seems to be twitching in both directions at once rapidly. When I turn the wheel on the TX, I can see and hear the servo responding correctly, but it can't seem to move much because of this twitching. The motor seems to run continuously in one direction when removed from the servo housing.

I think I had this thing working before and the problem arose when I replaced the steering motor with a red endbell one. I'm going to try removing the steering motor again and replace it with the stock one to at least see if I screwed something up when I installed the red motor.
Any thoughts?

Nasphere · Post by **Nasphere** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:34 pm

Bad reception?

Usually servo twitch is normal, right? As long as it doesn't effect the performance...