Using an AIR Controller for Car use... help and advice please.

[Jahay]

Hi Guys... Right... I want to upgrade to an Air style control, as i know i wil have better control with it over a pistol controller...

My TX of choice.. Has to be the hobbyKing controller pictured below... as so many have had great results with the pistol style HK controller (has a longer range than Spektrum!), i thought i would give this a go.

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=8338


Also please bear in mind, this will be going in my savage... and i will be using a Castle ICE HV 160 Amp air ESC which was originally designed to work with air controllers. So this should mean that i do not require a PISTEX chip??? Correct???

Now as these are air controllers... they do not have the usual return springs in them like Car TXs... I know people have been able to install these... but i have never seen any write ups... can anyone enlighten me?

As this has 4 channels.. i will be installing 2 fans on the ESC for cooling and one on the motor...I would like to be able to turn these on and off from the controller... is that possible do you thinik??

Can someone help me out here?

THANKS

[_paralyzed_]

No pistix needed.

You won't be able to switch fans without adding like a pico switch, and even then you'd have to use the trim adjusters to turn it on and off. Each stick has an up/down and left/right. You would obviously use the up/down on the left stick for forward/reverse, leaving the left right of the left stick open, which then could be used for a fan if you add a pico switch. The right stick would be used for left/right and the up/down is open for fan switching if you add a pico switch. As mentioned, you'd have to use the trim adjustment to then go extreme right or left to turn the pico switch on and off.(or extreme up and down depending on which stick you use. Really not very ideal.

As far as spring return, you're just going to have to open it up and see, your the first with that tx.

[pinkpanda3310]

This might help if your interested in the switch idea.

http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/show...t=crappy+servo

[Arct1k]

Better to just find a used DX6 IMO...

This way you can use the flap / gear switches to control the fans etc.

I never had an issue using a DX6 with car ESCs either without a pistix.

[Jahay]

I dont like spektrum products much anymore... all the people in our group have thrown them away... They either fall apart or their signal range is absolute rubbish.... If i was wanting to spend some money i would go with Futaba...
But shockingly... yes they may not have many features, but i dont need features... BUT THE RANGE is unbelieveable on these hobby king TXs!!!
Here is a 6channel one going for the same price of $22!!! It outperformed all the high end spectrums and some futabas (not 3pm) in range testing!!!

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=9042


Arctic - i guess if i got the 6ch HK TX then i would use the flap/gear switches for the fans.....

BUT remember im not using a car ESC... im using the plane ESC (PHOENIX ICE HV 160Amp)

i would use the left stick for accelerate and brake (no reverse with ice esc) and the right stick for turning only.

I would need to somehow have the left stick return to its central position but the right stick on all heli controllers centralise anyway.

i have a 4 ch cheapo TX i am going to open up and see how they work regarding return springs etc...

As i am wanting to use an air TX as paralyzed_ said, i wont need a pistex at all

[BrianG]

If you are using an air ESC, you won't want a center position on the throttle. Also, brakes will be difficult to use unless they are mechanical and on a different stick. It's just the way air controllers and ESCs work.

If you do want a return-to-center spring for the throttle, you will want to use a car ESC. I'm not even sure if an air ESC will arm if the throttle is centered.

[Jahay]

Why Brian... Please clear this up for me...

I thought the left stick would be...

Centre - would be neutral
Up - accelerate
Down - brake?
(left and right wouldnt work)

Right stick would be
Centre for going straight
Right for turn right
Left for turn left
(up and down wouldnt do anything)

Why would brake be difficult unless it was on another controller? Yes im using mech brakes by the way... but i remember all my OLD car remote cars that had air style controllers, would have the accelerate and brake all on the left stick?

[Jahay]

if the esc wont arm unless the left stick is down... then i can hold it down, till it arms and then let go and it will be in neutral or freerolling

[lincpimp]

Nope, on an air esc the full down is neutral. That is why most air escs have an on/off brake option. So you can set the esc to brake at full down, or not brake.

You should just get a car radio and a pistix. Much easier than bothering with an air radio.

[Jahay]

ouch... i didnt realise... thanks Mr PIMP...

What car radios are around that are not Pistol grips and are affordable???
Also are there differences in PISTIXs? is there one better than the other?

[lincpimp]

Nope, pretty sure there is only one pistix design, one company made it for a while then sold it to another company. I think they still make it exclusively.

Not many stick car radios, why do you want a stick so badly (HAHAHA)

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by Jahay

Why Brian... Please clear this up for me...

I thought the left stick would be...

Centre - would be neutral
Up - accelerate
Down - brake?
(left and right wouldnt work)

Right stick would be
Centre for going straight
Right for turn right
Left for turn left
(up and down wouldnt do anything)

Why would brake be difficult unless it was on another controller? Yes im using mech brakes by the way... but i remember all my OLD car remote cars that had air style controllers, would have the accelerate and brake all on the left stick?

Air ESC signal pulse widths: 1ms neutral -> 2ms WOT

Car ESC signal pulse widths: 1ms reverse/brake -> 1.5ms neutral -> 2ms WOT.

These signals are what the radio outputs and what the controller expects to see for each type.

As you can see, the neutral point for air and car differ considerably. Well, not really the pulse stream values, but what they mean to a controller. Also, on an air ESC, the "neutral" point can be a brake, but from what I understand, it is quite abrupt (not much range).

To use an air ESC on a car radio, the pistix device simply translates the car radio signal into something the air controller can use. It would be the same as having a car radio that would return to full brake/reverse when you let go of the trigger.

AFAIK, there is no "reverse-pistix" for using an air radio for a car controller; you just have the throttle stick set to auto-center.

[Jahay]

when i was younger i only had stick radios with all my RCs... i have awesome control with a stick, especially as i have been doing a little heli flying too...

I tried some track driving and i was so much better with a stick than with a pistol...

im going to have a look for a pistix... but havent come across them yet...

THANKS for the info Brian... makes sense now... ill stay a way from an air controller... but still looking for a stick 3ch TX and a Pistix

[BrianG]

If you stay away from an air ESC, you won't need a pistix (that's just for an air ESC). Just add a spring to whatever stick radio you want that will return the stick to center (neutral) and hook it to your car ESC of choice.

BTW: Pistix can be found here, but I don't think you need it.

[Jahay]

im definitely getting an air esc... the MMMHV hasnt come out yet and i wont be able to afford its possible $450 price tag... when i can have the ICE HV for less than $200 posted... and i am working on a mech brake system right now...

I must need a pistix if i get a car remote???