which failsafe

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What servo are you running with the biro spring set up stig?? As Voo says I don't think this would with my set up??
Can you operate a kill switch from a 2ch set? Is it Charlie that has this set up where he can switch off the tx to activate it & kill the engine?
 
Trust me it works.
It takes very little to return an unpowered servo back to neutral.
I am using Ace 1015 servos for throttle/brake on both my stockcar and sprint (Both Marders)
This is so simple that no-one ever believes that it will work, but it does.
I have seen so many cars go out of control (one actually hit me while marshalling a race and I ended up in Casualty) just through lack of this simple mod.
There really is no need to spend more than a few pence to make you're car safe.
You do of course need to set up the failsafe on your handset in case you go out of radio range.
I think you need to use the third channel to use a kill switch, but there really is no need.
 

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dwarfy said:
What servo are you running with the biro spring set up stig?? As Voo says I don't think this would with my set up??
Can you operate a kill switch from a 2ch set? Is it Charlie that has this set up where he can switch off the tx to activate it & kill the engine?
Click to expand...

yeah mine kills the engine when the tx is turnd off but i run with a 3 channel system mate :cool2: it activates it's self if it looses signal or any power supply or if i touch the 3rd cannel on the tx andy and for £35 it's well worth the money ;)
 
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voo2doo said:
Well Stiggy,the servos's I'm running wouldnt allow a biro spring to return them,the spring is just too weak to return the arms.
J.
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Same here voo.
My jr's would not be pushed closed enough for me to run a spring. There is not enough force to close it.:no: To get the force I would need I would put undue stress/strain on the servo maybe causing a failure. The spring was a good idea and we all used it years ago when the KILL switch was not available.
I have and many of us have had a board or servo motor burn out. This locks the servo in its spot in many cases due to the electronics fusing together. With less torque digital or analogs it may help in a loss of power but if the servo burns and locks it will not return.
Keep with a kill switch in my opinion. Its the only way to kill the engine and 100% keep it safe. This is one area that money spent matters.;)

dwarfy said:
What servo are you running with the biro spring set up stig?? As Voo says I don't think this would with my set up??
Can you operate a kill switch from a 2ch set? Is it Charlie that has this set up where he can switch off the tx to activate it & kill the engine?
Click to expand...

There is now a 2ch kill switch made. http://www.rckillswitch.com/products/products/killswitch.php
It will not work on all radios though. :(

Again jmo. ;)
 
i ve tried a spring, works usually but they don't do crap when a servo fries out locks inplace. a sring the size of the eifle tower woulnt budge a good quality servo that poop itself and turns ino a mig welder.

only then that will do that is a greased pig wrestline champion and a remote kill switch.

i don't know about you guys, but at 43, im not gonna be able to catch these things at even 1/4 throtle, let alone WOT with a fused servo. lol
 
Timmahh said:
i ve tried a spring, works usually but they don't do crap when a servo fries out locks inplace. a sring the size of the eifle tower woulnt budge a good quality servo that poop itself and turns ino a mig welder.

only then that will do that is a greased pig wrestline champion and a remote kill switch.

i don't know about you guys, but at 43, im not gonna be able to catch these things at even 1/4 throtle, let alone WOT with a fused servo. lol
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PMSL :clown::clown: You got a way with words mate :clown::clown: Know exactly what you mean tho :cool2:
 
Bigger the Better said:
There is now a 2ch kill switch made. http://www.rckillswitch.com/products/products/killswitch.php
It will not work on all radios though. :(

Again jmo. ;)
Click to expand...

Found 1 over here for £52 from MMR largescale with the wiring soldered to a new engine kill switch (kit 3). I was going to invest in a 3ch 2.4ghz tx to accomodate the kill switch but the cheaper 1's are mostly wheel type & I not keen :no: With this I can keep my existing stick set & have the kill switch as well :cool2: Happy days :)
 
Sorry, but your club's rule is misguided! On a petrol motor, the physical position of the throttle does NOT need to be returned to idle to prevent a runaway. i suspect your rules were written to cover glow motors, where there is no ignition system.

With petrol motors, simply interrupting the power to the spark plug will stop the motor, even if the throttle is stuck wide open..

As some have pointed out a throttle return spring is not the most reliable method, and I would not even try to connect one to my 23kg digital throttle/brake servo.

Furthermore, you don't need a 3 channel radio either, as Killer RC now makes one for 2 channel radios.

I would suggest your club updates its rules to include the alternative of an automated killer switch rather than wrongly insisting on a mechanical throttle return system for petrol motors.

stiggysawdust said:
No need to spend any money.
A small spring out of a Biro fixed to throttle lever on carb and attached with a small cable tie to rear bulkhead works perfectly.

Below is from our club website:-
FAIL SAFE SYSTEM

1. Cars should have an electronic and mechanical failsafe device that must return the throttle to neutral when activated. I.e. Through loss of battery power and/or loss of radio signal

Please note:- The electronic failsafe on your handset will only work (If set up) only if your car goes out of range of the handset or loses radio contact with handset for some reason.

If for any reason the receiver loses power (broken battery or battery wire etc.) and the throttle is open, the handset failsafe will not have any effect, but then a mechanical failsafe will work and will therefore stop the car.

Example of a mechanical fail safe on a Topstox. (see Picture)

In the event of a loss of battery power to the receiver, then this spring will return throttle to neutral. The one in the picture is from a ball pen. (Too strong a spring and servo may struggle to open throttle, too weak and it may not return throttle to neutral)

On a Sprintcar or even a straight forward Marder, a spring fixed to throttle lever on carb and attached with a small cable tie to rear bulkhead works perfectly too.
Click to expand...
 
I hate throttle return springs plain and simple. They cause way too much strain on servos. I have seen them cause more damage to servos than saiving an rc runaway in my years of racing. A good servo needs a really strong spring and the servo has to fight the spring every time it opens throttle, which burns the motors.
 
I think the answer is that on a nitro, a spring return will do

on a gasser, due to the heavy duty throttle/brake servo a spring won't fully cover you in all eventualities. Therefore if you can afford it a Kill switch is the way to go (an extra £40 on top of a £700 car is't much, especially when you think of how much you are about to spend on bling ;)
 
ooh, that must have stung. not good.

I'd put the blame for that one on the RC driver, if you're in public it's your reponsibility not to cause a problem. Even if that means packing up for the day when a kid starts to ride the track.

I fly big (i.e. 7m wingspan) power kites, and often have to stop because a member of the public fails to twig that it's a bad idea to walk under the lines (if it can lift me several meters off the ground, imagine the damage that would be done by a taut line wrapped around someones arm or kneck, and imagine the ensuing court battle / jail term)
 
BrawnFG said:
ooh, that must have stung. not good.

I'd put the blame for that one on the RC driver, if you're in public it's your reponsibility not to cause a problem. Even if that means packing up for the day when a kid starts to ride the track.

I fly big (i.e. 7m wingspan) power kites, and often have to stop because a member of the public fails to twig that it's a bad idea to walk under the lines (if it can lift me several meters off the ground, imagine the damage that would be done by a taut line wrapped around someones arm or kneck, and imagine the ensuing court battle / jail term)
Click to expand...

Very true Brawn,wise words mate.I never run mine in public nor when theres anyone around.......apart from Jacko....not arsed if I hit him!.
J.:clown::clown::clown:
 
Good job she managed to get her head out of the way. If that would have hit her square in the face.........:nono:
 
An unpowered servo needs very little pressure to return it to neutral.
therefore a biro spring is perfect. If you have not tried it then you just do not understand how it works.
It is the easiest and cheapest and most reliable method of stopping a runaway in the case of a broken battery or power lead.
 
stiggysawdust said:
An unpowered servo needs very little pressure to return it to neutral.
therefore a biro spring is perfect. If you have not tried it then you just do not understand how it works.
It is the easiest and cheapest and most reliable method of stopping a runaway in the case of a broken battery or power lead.
Click to expand...

sorry but B@[email protected] it with a stuck open carb:no:
 
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