Aeronavics / Droidworx Droidworx Retracts - Servo keeps pushing when legs are up

[roryhinds]

Hi all

I'm almost done my SkyJib 8 v2 build and have the Droidworx Retracts.

Please could someone help me and tell me how I get the servo on the Retracts to stop when the legs are up. It seems to keep turning but as they are already up and extended it can't move anymore.

When they are closed or down its fine and the servo stops dead on.

In the Droidworx Retract build manual is talks about the servo "run"
"Test the retracts full movement making sure the servomotor does not “run” at the gear up or gear down
position."

But doesn't tell you how to adjust this "run"

Please help
Cheers
Rory

 

[nicwilke]

On your transmitter, adjust the servo travel to be less. whatever it is, make it 10% less and test it. if not enough, do another adjustment less and test. Shouldnt be too far off.

 

[roryhinds]

Thanks Nic

I have a Futaba T10C and have the Retract servo plugged into CH8 on the receiver and Switch A on my transmitter controls the servo.
When I go into the End Point section on the transmitter and change the end points, nothing happens and I get no change in the travel of the servo.

I must be doing something wrong

 

[kloner]

are these the new ones?

My orders been waiting to ship 2 weeks for some part that was a problem on the new skids.....dunno what it is..... but something electronic so that has to be the retract part....

 

[roryhinds]

yes its the new retracts.

I hope my part isn't faulty as this has been a real pain waiting only to receive missing parts then having to wait some more.

 

[Droider]

I has to be end points there is nothing else on the landing gear to switch servos..

 

[roryhinds]

Droidworx installed a device on the servo cable that stops you from being able to adjust the end points.

I have spoken to them and they have changed the design of the retracts and as mine are not working are sending me out a replacement part.

Annoying the delays but understandable given the complexity.

 

[kloner]

i've had my order stuck for 3 weeks waiting to even smell the thing over this problem.... glad i didn't go to work and have it fail, but i'm going crazy waiting

 

[xerofly]

Hi,
i have received mine and working perfectly fine....but in case the electronic and not the servo fails what would be the redundancy....any ideas...?

 

[Droider]

Guess if the servos fail with them up you will have to land as gentle as possible ;-)

 

[xerofly]

Is there a possibility of another Micro controller as a back up?

 

[garyl]

Droidworx retracts

Hi, I have set up the retract on mine and they seem to work ok but I was wondering what the bleu led indicates? When i turn the system on it stays bleu and when I put the retracts up and
then down again it blinks all the time. Is this normal?
Thank you. Gary

 

[Vortex]

There is a very basic manual which has a little on the subject right at the end http://aeronavics.com/technical/downloads/type-product/skyjib-6/

Aeronavics have fitted a circuit board which controls the gear travel and you cannot adjust the end points on your transmitter. This is what you need to do

• Remove the undercarriage legs and mechanism
• Tip the mechanism up so you can see the circuit board and locate the blue trimmer pot up near the top of the board. It is under clear heat shrink
• With a small blade cut a U shaped flap to allow access to the trimmer pot and turn the screw with a small flat blade screwdriver all the way anti clockwise. This moves the gear as far as electronically possible DOWN.
• Adjust the gear legs position by loosening the cinch bolt and nut which clamps the belcrank to the servo output shaft. You can now easily move the belcrank and leg pushrods to where you want them.
• Remount the mechanism
• Plug the gear servo lead back in, power it up and select the gear down
• Note the position of the control levers and adjust them so that they are fully closed and locked but not binding and the servo motor is not stalled. If they are binding you'll need rotate the belcrank until there is a little clearance between the closed pushrods and the belcrank.
• Once you have this set, tighten the Cinch screw and nut.
• Select gear up and see if it's close to where you want them.

If you need to move the legs up, loosen the Cinch bolt, rotate the belcrank to the desired position, tighten the bolt, select gear down and adjust the trimmer to get the pushrods in the locked position.

I know it sounds like a bit of messing around and it is but it's the only way to do it.

If the legs are still too far up and binding you'll need to remove the top screws and spacer where the leg mounts to the alloy bracket, push the legs down and redrill the top hole.

Hope this helps

Regards,

Lance

 

[garyl]

There is a very basic manual which has a little on the subject right at the end http://aeronavics.com/technical/downloads/type-product/skyjib-6/

Aeronavics have fitted a circuit board which controls the gear travel and you cannot adjust the end points on your transmitter. This is what you need to do

• Remove the undercarriage legs and mechanism
• Tip the mechanism up so you can see the circuit board and locate the blue trimmer pot up near the top of the board. It is under clear heat shrink
• With a small blade cut a U shaped flap to allow access to the trimmer pot and turn the screw with a small flat blade screwdriver all the way anti clockwise. This moves the gear as far as electronically possible DOWN.
• Adjust the gear legs position by loosening the cinch bolt and nut which clamps the belcrank to the servo output shaft. You can now easily move the belcrank and leg pushrods to where you want them.
• Remount the mechanism
• Plug the gear servo lead back in, power it up and select the gear down
• Note the position of the control levers and adjust them so that they are fully closed and locked but not binding and the servo motor is not stalled. If they are binding you'll need rotate the belcrank until there is a little clearance between the closed pushrods and the belcrank.
• Once you have this set, tighten the Cinch screw and nut.
• Select gear up and see if it's close to where you want them.

If you need to move the legs up, loosen the Cinch bolt, rotate the belcrank to the desired position, tighten the bolt, select gear down and adjust the trimmer to get the pushrods in the locked position.

I know it sounds like a bit of messing around and it is but it's the only way to do it.

If the legs are still too far up and binding you'll need to remove the top screws and spacer where the leg mounts to the alloy bracket, push the legs down and redrill the top hole.

Hope this helps

Regards,

Lance

Thank you Lance that is what I needed ! So does the blinking bleu light mean that I am not in the right position?

Gary

 

[Vortex]

Thank you Lance that is what I needed ! So does the blinking bleu light mean that I am not in the right position?

Gary

Hi Gary, From memory it flashes quickly when the gear is up and slowly when it's down ......Or the other way around. I think it's more of a condition monitoring light than anything.

<Edit>

I just found the instructions

Solid Blue = Retracts Disarmed. Toggle the gear switch through one complete cycle (down & up) to Arm the retracts

Blink = Gear up

Slow Blink = Gear Down

Strobe = Writing the last position at end of gear points

It also says not to adjust the trim pot.....Hmmmmmm

 

[garyl]

Hi Gary, From memory it flashes quickly when the gear is up and slowly when it's down ......Or the other way around. I think it's more of a condition monitoring light than anything.

<Edit>

I just found the instructions

Solid Blue = Retracts Disarmed. Toggle the gear switch through one complete cycle (down & up) to Arm the retracts

Blink = Gear up

Slow Blink = Gear Down

Strobe = Writing the last position at end of gear points

Thanks a lot Lance. That is a great help. Gary