I need a water proof servo

[rage232]

Hey everyone. I'm looking for a waterproof servo. Mine is dead it didn't survive my waterproof job I did on it.. I'm looking for one on Amazon but there are tons of choice. I mostly crawl. Sometimes in water and sometimes it gets submerged completely. Its stock using 7.2v battery but future plans to go 3s Lipo

Please let me know what you would recommend. Thanks!

Also any recommendations on 3s Lipo and charger. Looking to fit it in the stock honcho. In the stock location - all ideas and suggestions welcome too!! ;)

[Brake Weight]

Somewhere at Lowes are at any parts house they'll have a non aerosol can of PlastiDip. Get a servo of you're choosing and submerge the entire thing into this can. Pull it out and let it dry then cut off enough to get the servo horn on. You'll be good to go. Or you can spray it on.

[snapon boy]

Hitec 646wp is waterproof and will handle 7.2v. However you will need a bec for 3s.

[robertjpjr]

Get any servo that suits your build, and then use conformal coating. 2 coats of acrylic is what I use, but silicone also is popular.

If you can get your hands on a Holmes Hobbies servo, they are super powerful and factory waterproofed.

[TacoCrawler]

many servo's already have O-rings sealing the case.
tho' a good coat of plastic dip further inures a complete seal.

Besides the casing...
The most important area to have concern for...
would be the area at the servo's output shaft.

Besides plastic dipping the whole servo body.
Put a well greased rubber shock O-ring on the output shaft,
sandwiched between the servo horn and the body of the servo.
If one isn't enough... use two. *
Excessive grease looks bad... but retards water well...
so don't wipe away the excess grease lathered over top the O-ring(s).

* Don't use two O-rings if they might restrict the output shaft's movement.
just touching both surfaces when sandwiched... but not to the point of impairing /restricting movement.

Some folk also fill the internal gear chamber
surrounding the output shaft... with grease...
to further retard water intrusion.
Probably a good idea to check anyways...
because many mfgr's put just a smidgen of grease on those gears.

As long as the case stays sealed...
and the O-ring sandwich's well enough on the output shaft...
and was greased properly... should hold up to submersion.

The other more difficult option would involve break down
and water proofing of the internal pc board as well.

But if sealed well at the exterior... should stay dry.

[rage232]

Hi everyone thanks for the replies. I did watch the plasti dip video from Rc Sparks. I dipped it fully, twice. However I use grease and rtv sealent instead of the rubber o ring. I have had it fully submerged and it worked well. Then it sat for a couple of weeks. It worked for another crawl session (no water) so I was certain my waterproofing worked perfectly. It sat for another week or so But yesterday the servo was just making a ticking sound as soon as u turned it on. Not a grinding just a tick and wouldn't react to any input from the controller. I was tinkering with it. Forward and reverse were ok but no steering. Then the ticking stopped The servo felt pretty hot. Didn't see smoke or anything. Thanks snappy boy I'll look that servo up as well as a bec!!

[svt923]

I really like the Xpert WR-7701 for a waterproof servo. It has plenty of power and is designed to operate fully submerged. My servo has been swimming plenty of times and it is still going strong.

Xpert 7000 Series "Mega Torque" Metal Gear Waterproof Digital Brushless Servo

[JohnRobHolmes]

Plasti dip is not a good waterproofer. When it works, it works. But it can fail at any point because it is an easily removable coating. Says so on the product, peelable.


Because of this easy to remove peelable nature, plasti dip does not adhere to the object fully. Once you get a little peeling around a wire, moisture gets between the plasti dip and the electronics. Also likely, water wicks down the inside of wires (they make great water wicks) and gets between the plasti dip and electronics. Then it is just a matter of time until corrosion sets in and stops your fun.


Use "conformal coating". Silicon is easy to work with and removable with acetone. Acrylic is easy to work with and more permanent. Both fully adhere to the electronics and PCB. Even if water wicks down the wires, it has nowhere to go once it hits the layer of conformal coating. Even if the conformal coating peels back from your wires, water can't go further than where the wire is soldered onto the board.

[sic1to]

Originally Posted by svt923

I really like the Xpert WR-7701 for a waterproof servo. It has plenty of power and is designed to operate fully submerged. My servo has been swimming plenty of times and it is still going strong.

Xpert 7000 Series "Mega Torque" Metal Gear Waterproof Digital Brushless Servo

I would never spend $100 on that servo but thats me!!! Why not just pick up Holmes Hobbies trailmaster & call it a day? If ya want to WP any servo or electronics conformal coating as JRH mentioned is best.

[rage232]

I don't want to spent $100 either.. What's wrong with this:
http://www.amazon.com/HiTec-35646W-H...terproof+servo

or this:
http://www.amazon.com/Traxxas-Digita...terproof+servo

or this:
http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Tor...of+servo+axial

Sorry I'm not very knowledgable in the RC world which is why I bought RTR. My plasti dip should have worked. Since it didn't, i'm not bothering with attempting my own waterproofing again.. I want one waterproof, plug n play.

Thanks

[littletoyboy]

A friend of mine swears by the expert waterproof servos. They have Plenty of power and he has submerged his several times without issue.

[EeePee]

They're weak servos. Buy one of them and then you'll wonder why your wheels don't steer.

[rage232]

OK thanks -- good to know. Send me a link to a decent waterproof one. I Have $100 but I was hoping not to blow it all on the servo lol but whatever it is what it is. Send me a link to what you would buy... I think all of them say "high torque" just to help sell... stupid.

[Norton]

694 oz at 7.4!
New Waterproof Servos from Hitec « Big Squid RC – News, Reviews, Videos, and More!

[jdmguy760]

Damn that's some power

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[rage232]

lol Norton - a link to something that isn't out yet that i can't purchase.. ugh.. lmao

What about this? Xpert RC WR-7701 Waterproof "Mega Torque" High Voltage Brushless Servo - Hobby Square

There are 3 of them on this site... This seems to be the most powerful yet they are all priced the same.. Are they different sizes? I want something I can pretty much plug n play too if no one caught that earlier.

[sic1to]

Just go with a 7955 hitec & use a lil dielectric grease at horn & wire entry!!! I have been running a cs-170(which is basicly the same) for 3 yrs now with no maintnance or issues. I have submerged it more than most believe me, plus when are ya gonna be "under" water its not a watercraft

[sic1to]

BTW crawlers need a bec to power the servo period! So olug & play will need to be done at lhs with castlelink programmer to set voltage to get most outa servo.

[rage232]

Should I make another post here?... I'm not entirely sure that I have a Servo issue. It still moves, just extremely weak. I can't see any signs of water damage to the Servo nor the ESC. The plasti dip looks like it held up very well. again, this thing was submerged, but it ran great a few weeks after even. Just picked it up the other night and it wouldn't steer. Here's a video. If this doesn't get much traction i'm going to try another post.

[EeePee]

Servo motor is toast.