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AR636A just quit(?)

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  • AR636A just quit(?)

    So Woodstock has been on the shelf since I've been working on JuneBug. Last flight was a couple weekends ago. All went well, 'cept for the last landing she did tail over nose in the not so level park lawn. Nothing hard, didn't even dent the rudder. Yet the next time I went to fire 'er up, she appeared to lose bind. The attempt to re-bind failed. That's when I noticed there was no light on the receiver... no power. I get the '3S' beeps and then nothing. My first thought, being a noob, was the ESC crapped out. So I removed it from Woodstock and put it in Sloopy (the PT-19) and she fired right up. No issues at motor or surface controls. Put it back into Woodstock and and same same.. just the '3S' beeps and then nothing. I put in a ticket @ Horizon (where she was purchased) and the tech asked me to check for resistance on the servo's while powered on. So I made this video to show said check, plus show exactly what's happening. Have yet to hear back from them, so I was wondering if anyone here could enlighten me on what's going on here.
    Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

  • #2
    It has SAFE technology? Can you bind a different rx? Will it at least throttle up?

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    • #3
      It does have SAFE Select. I did just add the P-51 to mix. No problems binding there. Only getting the 3 beeps indicating the 3 cell battery, then nothing. No light on the rx, flashing or otherwise. :Confused:
      Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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      • #4
        Try bypassing the SAFE module. (if you can). It may have gotten damaged when it flipped over.

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        • #5
          Since it works in another plane, it would appear as though it’s only in that plane that no power is getting to the RX. It may be that the BEC in the RX is not doing its job. Do you have an external BEC that you can plug into the RX to see if it will light up? Another option would be to get a different known good RX and use it just to see if it will light up. If it still doesn’t work, the problem may not be in the RX but in the ESC’s BEC.

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          • #6
            An external BEC I do not have. I did use that same ESC with a different RX, another AR636A I have on hand. The ESC powered that one up just fine.



            I'll see if it will bind without SAFE Select enabled. Hadn't thought to try that... thanks.
            Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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            • #7
              Yeah...no. Still appears to be no power to the RX. So it's not letting me bind in either method.
              Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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              • #8
                By process of elimination, I'd say it's the RX. The last couple of months, there's been quite a few people with problems with the 636A. Some people say they love them and they ALL work so well for them. However, there seems to be an inordinate number of people reporting bad experiences with them. Granted that we always hear of problems way more than we do of satisfied customers. My own experience (personally and with others at my field) tells me to never trust them again. My first one worked perfectly until one day, in the same plane and without any alterations to the programming, the plane jiggled itself out of control and crashed & burned. I have 4 of them in a bag now and one day, I'm going to tie them all together "nose to tail". On the front one, I'll tie a large rock and on the tail end one, I'll tie a long ribbon. Like a bunch of lemmings, I'll heave them off a cliff and see them follow one another to their final resting place. I see them as overpriced pieces of junk.
                I just took a look at the Horizon site and noticed that the 636A is no longer sold, replaced by the 636 and perhaps the antenna-less 620. Kinda makes you wonder why, doesn't it? As for the 620, already see some people having problems with that one, so WATCH OUT!

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                • #9
                  Ever since the calamities of the AR8000, Spektrum has had an ongoing debacle with their product lines since then, like the across board recall on every channel PowerSafe Rx and now issues with these 6 channel units.
                  The Lemons were a cost and tech failure savior early on and have consumed a large portion of the market now even by adding the Admiral label.
                  My personal belief is Spektrum is doing stuff technically with their Rx trying to regain market share by trying to eliminate coat tail aftermarkets and it is causing issues as they roll out new product.
                  Warbird Charlie
                  HSD Skyraider FlightLine OV-10 FMS 1400: P-40B, P-51, F4U, F6F, T-28, P-40E, Pitts, 1700 F4U & F7F, FOX glider Freewing A-6, T-33, P-51 Dynam ME-262, Waco TF Giant P-47; ESM F7F-3 LX PBJ-1 EFL CZ T-28, C-150, 1500 P-51 & FW-190

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                  • #10
                    Yeah, as much as I like the SAFE Select option during my learning process, I'm thinking it's time to move on from them. I have the Admiral in my Corsair and it works just fine for me. May be time to just load those in all my planes.
                    Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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                    • #11
                      Well HH tech team has determined the RX is kaput. They are kindly shipping me out a new one pre-programmed for the PT-17. Very cool...

                      I removed the video from my channel. It wa only there for the tech support. Can't seem to edit it from my OP. Thanks for all the feedback on this. Still not sure of the why or how, but at least Woodstock will be healed shortly. ;)
                      Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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                      • #12
                        AR636(no A) arrived in the mail today. Hope to have Woodstock back in the air tomorrow.. :Cool:
                        Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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                        • #13
                          Click image for larger version

Name:	195F66A0-7279-435A-B46C-5A8E9D6F6541.jpeg
Views:	1094
Size:	121.6 KB
ID:	182212 Hmmm, I put the RX 610 in the Ryan that I have nearly ready to maiden...
                          may have to elect a production change order prior to the flight.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I did offer to send them back the old receiver, but was told to just hang on to it. I know nothing about programming these things, yet. I'm just starting to research those options myself. Figure it will be a good start peeking inside this one, if the PC Programming cable will get power to it.

                            Can't wait 'til the Ryan gets maidened. She's coming along beautifully..
                            Dynam; E-Flite; Freewing

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by BluesDragon View Post
                              I did offer to send them back the old receiver, but was told to just hang on to it. I know nothing about programming these things, yet. I'm just starting to research those options myself. Figure it will be a good start peeking inside this one, if the PC Programming cable will get power to it.

                              Can't wait 'til the Ryan gets maidened. She's coming along beautifully..
                              Maybe a little late on this thread, but HH used the AR636A in their bind 'n fly versions, the A signifying it had been preprogrammed for a specific plane. The plain AR 636 comes without any gain programming (and everything else in a default basic programming configuration) and you have to program it yourself for a specific plane. It's essentially the same receiver. I've taken the A version and reprogrammed them for myself, wiping out HH's programming. You're right, it's a little complicated at first to program and most of the techs at HH only understand the basics, but if you have the patience to learn/experiment and keep at it, it's quite easy. At this point, it's taken me 3 years and programming over 20 AR636's in all types of planes (warbirds, jets, 3D) to get it down, and I can program it in about 3 minutes for any plane. I even find it easier than the Admiral gyro, with it's flashing lights and dip switches cause I can actually see everything that is necessary to program on a screen and can check it in-flight the AS3X gains that are registering and can even alter them while flying.

                              When Spektrum finally updated their mobile app (over a year ago) for Samsung phone's (although it still works best on my wife's i-phone) it required a blue tooth connection instead of the old cable connection, I called HH up to complain and they sent me the blue tooth connection free of charge (you can try that also, just tell them you already have a cable and now you need the blue tooth connector cause they updated their app). But it seems that people either love or hate this receiver, and I understand why, I just happen to be one of the few that absolutely love the complete programming flexibility and actual display functions.

                              Never had a problem with any of my 636 receivers (maybe I'm just lucky and just jinxed myself) and I have reprogrammed the few early planes I started out with that did have the AR636A. I now have a 636 in every plane I have (just replaced the 627's I had in both my F 4's and it made a huge difference). I even have them in my four 62" Extreme Flight planes (although the main flight mode has all gains turned off). I would be skeptical about putting any receiver that is pre-programmed into a plane unless I know exactly how it is programmed and what the correct programming is. This is definitely one receiver that if it is programmed (or you program it) incorrectly, you will, sooner rather than later, bury it in the turf.

                              I'm not the sharpest tack in the group, but if you have any questions, just let me know. If I were you, I'd at least get the app and connector and download the programming so you can see what they have programmed in, even if you don't want to re-program it yourself.:Silly:
                              Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
                              Hangar: FL/FW: Mig 29 "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet, F16 Wild Weasel, F4 Phantom & Blue Angel, 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, Olive B-24, Stinger 90, Red Avanti. Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 60" Extra 300 V2, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, MXS Green, & Demonstrator. FMS-1700mm P-51, Red Bull Corsair. E-Flite-70mm twin SU-30, Beast Bi-Plane 60", P2 Bi-Plane, P-51.

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