Large Scale Central

Remote control of servos?

Electronics
#1

So I’ve been busy Devonizing (ie working on things other than the railroad) but I’ve been thinking about my Snow Dozer project and the servos that I would need to possibly power to make a working model. At the minimum, I would need 6 independent servos to control the various functions of the snow plow (2 front plows independently, 2 side wings with 2 servos each).

I’m looking for ideas on how to power said servos. For my locomotives I’m currently using the old RCS Tx/Rx Elite setup, and would like to maintain a similar amount of flexibility in controlling the snow dozer.

So I guess my question is; is there anything that can control up to 6 servos? And what options might I have?

Craig

#2

Craig,

I recommend Pololu’s Micro Maestro 6-channel USB Servo controller using internal scripting. Here is the link to the item:

link

Bob

#3

Hi Craig.

This is a 7 channel TX with 5 x Digital Proportional channels and 4 x function using 2 x 1/2 servo movement channels.

I have 2 x 7 channel Rx’s available.

The system was designed to do exactly as you wish.

The 2nd Rx pic is programmable for default direction and end points on three channels.

#4

Thanks Tony & Bob. I will look into these ideas when I start looking for servos. Thanks for the heads up. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#5

Hi Craig,

You might want to consider utilizing Hitec’s programmable digital servo’s in your application and or needs. These servos allow you to change the way the servo operates and or how they react to transmitter input commands.

You can change the direction of the servos travel arc, change the center of the servos travel arc, limit travel arc end-point(s) in either direction, adjust the travel arc transit speed, adjust the servos dead-band and even program failsafe location in lieu of a valid command from TX.

Hitec’s programmable servos have been around for many years, the cost a few bucks more than comparable specification servos and the programmer is inexpensive too.

I’ve been using the programmable digital servos in my 40% giant scale RC aircraft since early 2000, combining or gaining multiple servos to drive a given load is always problematic, the digital programmables offer an unprecedented approach in the servo world without ancillary trimming/limiting devices that suck up resolution and introduce failure modes and additional expense.

Michael