Clark TK50ESP install?

[Tang - RC.Senshado]

Just another tip with Clark boards I have learned. When Programming always cycle thru the code 1 time until it lands on the flash sequence that matches what you want. For Example, If I want to change the tank from heavy to medium tank I will hit the a/b button the nine times until it lands on the 2 flash for Medium, Then I shut down and pull the programmer pin off and restart the tank and test. I have noticed that most of my Clark boards need to cycle in any of the programming modes to actually confirm the correct setting. My barrel elevation pwm would never set until I did this method and it drove me crazy for awhile till I figured our why my elevation servo would just spin and spin. It was still stuck in ESC mode. Last night my new TK 50 board in my Panzer would not let the turret move until I reprogrammed the turret PWM back to ESC as I use a daughter board in the tank. Hope I make sense. Also, be very careful not to put or pull the programming pin off while the tank is still powered up. That can cause problems with the other programs on the board.

Specifically for the servo operations it says in the instructions you have to do a complete power off and on cycle for it to take effect. I always forget that step and freak out. "*A Power on and off cycle( turn off power for 5 seconds then power on) is needed to active change after mode change."

[SaltyTiger]

Well, at a standstill already. The Tk7.0 has the battery wires permanently fixed into the case, so I need to purchase the correct connector and wires for that. Also, confused about the wiring diagram for using servo elevation with the Clark. The signal wire is separated from the +/- for the power connection to avoid interference. Are you guys getting a second connector and splitting the signals appropriately between the two - so the connector to the signal only has the single wire live in the connector and only the +/- wires live in the other?

[tank_me]

The Clark TK50 uses a standard servo cable with the +/-/S all in one connector. Not sure what you are referring to having them separated. Not sure why there would be bleed over as 99% of all servo connections in the world use a single cable with all three in them. NVM, I see where you are getting this info. It's from the TK2x diagram posted earlier. The TK2x connections are very similar to the TK50 ones, but go with the updated TK50 diagram instead. There have been minor changes between the TK50 and the TK2x boards. I have had no issues with interference running them the way I stated above and the TK50 wiring does not refer to doing that anymore. This is taken from the TK50 page:



Moving from a HL 6 or 7 system to a Clark board involves some soldering and connector rewiring or replacing. The newer HL boards have the power switch separated from the battery unlike the older systems when the Clark was produced. The older boards used a 3 tab power switch. They newer ones use a 2 tab power switch since the battery is run directly to the MFU. On the old system the battery was run to the switch and the switch was run to the MFU. For a Clark upgrade from the newer HL 6/7 MFU, I will wire a 3 tab power switch so that a +/- cable runs from the switch to the board and a +/- cable runs to the battery like it was for the older system.

This is the older type power cable I typically use or you can find a switch in an auto parts store and wire it the same: https://www.taigentanks.com/products...r&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Of course you can put whatever connector you want to on it for the battery. Personally I use XT60s, but a lot of folks use Deans connectors (red one) or Tamiya connector which is also pictured. I think HL got away from putting the switches inline with the batteries like this as these switches are not rated for more than like 6A or so. On my bigger motor builds, I use higher quality switches that are rated for up to 20-25A. For your application the one below will work fine. On my 1/6th scale tank builds, I use resettable breakers rated for 50-80A as my on/off switch as the motors could theoretically pull that many amps through that switch.

[quitcherbitchen]

Well, at a standstill already. The Tk7.0 has the battery wires permanently fixed into the case, so I need to purchase the correct connector and wires for that. Also, confused about the wiring diagram for using servo elevation with the Clark. The signal wire is separated from the +/- for the power connection to avoid interference. Are you guys getting a second connector and splitting the signals appropriately between the two - so the connector to the signal only has the single wire live in the connector and only the +/- wires live in the other?

The separate barrel elevation on the TK Clark board is for a servo. If your using the stock cam motor that goes into the 8 pin connector. The separate Clark also needs to be activated with a programmer. Simply plugging in a servo will get all sorts of weird servo movement as it is in ESC mode unless changed to PWM.

[SaltyTiger]

So, I can plug in the main HL harness, but ignore the wires for motor controlled elevation and recoil since I'm installing the servo operated recoil unit and servo operated elevation. Those extra wires will simply be unused now since the new wires will be going to the servo operation port for those functions - just need to change them to servo output with the programmer? The only movement that will remain motorized is the turret rotation.

[quitcherbitchen]

Yes but if you run into a problem don't freak out. Sometimes the board won' take the setting unless you skroll thru all the settings before landing on the one you want.

[tank_me]

So, I can plug in the main HL harness, but ignore the wires for motor controlled elevation and recoil since I'm installing the servo operated recoil unit and servo operated elevation. Those extra wires will simply be unused now since the new wires will be going to the servo operation port for those functions - just need to change them to servo output with the programmer? The only movement that will remain motorized is the turret rotation.

Yes, you can leave the wires in place. I typically will remove the wires from the connector that aren't being used, but that is just me. If the wiring isn't needed that it doesn't need to be in the tank IMO. I did say, "remove". Just cutting them off is a good way to short something out depending on how you do it. And yes, you will need to set the elevation to the PWM (servo) setting instead of ESC (motor) or you will get erratic movement from the servo.

[SaltyTiger]

Thank you to everyone for the assistance. Ordered various harnesses in order to have what I need to tackle it this next weekend. Will get started on the recoil unit install this week and get the elevation servo mounting sorted out.

[SaltyTiger]

I have everything laid out on a table so I can test different functions before installing in the tank. I have the recoil unit, intense LED flash, turret rotation, sound/volume and motors all working. I will tackle the shared ground scenario with the MG and lights later. The issue I am having right now has to do with the servo elevation. The servo shaft only moves on stick down and reverses on release, but only makes sound with no movement on stick up. Tried setting the port to servo operation with the remote - click -/--- until the led flashes twice to access page 2, and then click the 2 button until I get 1 flash - still doing the same thing. I'm making sure I leave the switch off for well past 10 seconds before turning it back on so the change takes. Any help with this would be awesome.

Being able to plug this thing into an app on a computer or phone would be so much easier than the remote....

[quitcherbitchen]

Your are experiencing a common issue with the PWM vs ESC setting. As I mentioned before. Cycle thru all the setting once on page 2 using the "1" button until you land on the "two" flashes --say for the second time. Hope that makes sense. Then power off You mentioned only trying for 1 flash which is incorrect. 2 flashes is for PWM. For some reason the TK boards sometimes need to go thru the whole selection of choice first before landing on the correct flash in order to remember.

[SaltyTiger]

Your are experiencing a common issue with the PWM vs ESC setting. As I mentioned before. Cycle thru all the setting once on page 2 using the "1" button until you land on the "two" flashes --say for the second time. Hope that makes sense. Then power off You mentioned only trying for 1 flash which is incorrect. 2 flashes is for PWM. For some reason the TK boards sometimes need to go thru the whole selection of choice first before landing on the correct flash in order to remember.

That worked perfectly. The elevation servo is now working as it should. I had read your earlier post that mentioned cycling through and coming back to the setting you want to select. The problem was I was using the wrong button (#2) instead of 1.

[quitcherbitchen]

Glad it works. It took me a long time to figure out what you just accomplished. I was removing servos and changing settings and the whole time the Clark board was not remembering the setting.

[SaltyTiger]

Anyone have a source for decent quality volume controls? I ordered a couple from Taigen and the wires were completely off of one at the solder connections when it arrived and the other fell apart while wiring it into the tank. The aluminum wire is so thin it breaks so easily you can barely handle it without it failing.

[Jarlath]

Anyone have a source for decent quality volume controls? I ordered a couple from Taigen and the wires were completely off of one at the solder connections when it arrived and the other fell apart while wiring it into the tank. The aluminum wire is so thin it breaks so easily you can barely handle it without it failing.

Who needs lower volume? I usually just jumper pin 1 & 3 together to run max volume all the time.
For any tank that uses the potentiometer that did have those cheap solder connections, I usually solder on a new 3 pin harness and longer harness length which allows for more mounting location options.

[SaltyTiger]

The TK50 with the Visatron speaker is rocking loud inside the house = wife not happy. All is good with full volume outside, though.

[keilau]

The TK50 with the Visatron speaker is rocking loud inside the house = wife not happy. All is good with full volume outside, though.

Does the TK50 have sound volume control function like the HL MFU?

[SaltyTiger]

Unfortunately, as many elements of the TK50 are customizable, I don't think you can control volume.

[tank_me]

I've used a lot of the Taigen volume controls and what I do when I get them is put some hot glue over the connection points on the board. That keeps them from falling apart. Alternatively I use some of that self-sealing tape that only sticks to itself when you stretch it. I will use that to insulate the volume control and it keeps the cables from breaking loose. I bought some of these for my larger tanks since they have more room as this volume control is more than twice as big as the Taigen.

https://www.amazon.com/TWTADE-Adjustable-Potentiometer-Resistance-XH2-54-3P/dp/B082FCRQS2/ref=sr_1_3_pp?crid=9U6ESPDAJSFU&keywords=10k%2Bohm%2Bpotentiometer&qid=1695678859&sprefix=10k%2Bohm%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-3&th=1

[Tang - RC.Senshado]

I've used a lot of the Taigen volume controls and what I do when I get them is put some hot glue over the connection points on the board. That keeps them from falling apart. Alternatively I use some of that self-sealing tape that only sticks to itself when you stretch it. I will use that to insulate the volume control and it keeps the cables from breaking loose. I bought some of these for my larger tanks since they have more room as this volume control is more than twice as big as the Taigen.

https://www.amazon.com/TWTADE-Adjustable-Potentiometer-Resistance-XH2-54-3P/dp/B082FCRQS2/ref=sr_1_3_pp?crid=9U6ESPDAJSFU&keywords=10k%2Bohm%2Bpotentiometer&qid=1695678859&sprefix=10k%2Bohm%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-3&th=1

+1
I use this same one too. You might have to reassign the pins but you can do that with something small and pointy. For my own personal use it has been + S - (red yellow black) for this to work with the Clark.

[tank_me]

Salty,

I got the ohm rating of 10K from Clark's page so make sure if you order some they are the 10K ohm rated ones.