Futaba 4PL Setup, Tips, Tricks & Help

[carcueza]

Hello.
I have 2 Castle Microsidewinder and I would like to use them with my 4PL and my XR10 but I have some question, please could you help me?????
Could I connect directly one ESC to the receptor (with the 3 wires) and the other to the 3th channel with only 2 wires (black and yellow, no positive wire) so that can I suppress the bec to the receptor? I would like to use my BEC for my servo!! And can I feed the receptor with 7.5v (the same BEC for the servo 7,5 V and for the receptor, my car run 3S)?

Thank you

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by carcueza

Hello.
I have 2 Castle Microsidewinder and I would like to use them with my 4PL and my XR10 but I have some question, please could you help me?????
Could I connect directly one ESC to the receptor (with the 3 wires) and the other to the 3th channel with only 2 wires (black and yellow, no positive wire) so that can I suppress the bec to the receptor? I would like to use my BEC for my servo!! And can I feed the receptor with 7.5v (the same BEC for the servo 7,5 V and for the receptor, my car run 3S)?

Thank you

I replied in your other thread. You description here is different than your drawing in the other thread.

Other thread..... Doble ESC diagram?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by carcueza

Hello.
I have 2 Castle Microsidewinder and I would like to use them with my 4PL and my XR10 but I have some question, please could you help me?????
Could I connect directly one ESC to the receptor (with the 3 wires) and the other to the 3th channel with only 2 wires (black and yellow, no positive wire) so that can I suppress the bec to the receptor? I would like to use my BEC for my servo!! And can I feed the receptor with 7.5v (the same BEC for the servo 7,5 V and for the receptor, my car run 3S)?

Thank you

If you run your BEC direct to your servo then you can run it that way. Actually if you run the BEC direct you can leave the red wire plugged in on both ESC's because they have the same voltage output.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by Harley

If you run your BEC direct to your servo then you can run it that way. Actually if you run the BEC direct you can leave the red wire plugged in on both ESC's because they have the same voltage output.

Hmmmm.....even though both ESC's have the same BEC output, I've always read to only use one when running dual ESC's.

I ALWAYS run my external BEC direct to the servo, it rules out what the RX can/can't handle in terms of voltage/load.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

Hmmmm.....even though both ESC's have the same BEC output, I've always read to only use one when running dual ESC's.

I ALWAYS run my external BEC direct to the servo, it rules out what the RX can/can't handle in terms of voltage/load.

Well read it or not, it isn't needed.

I always run through my RX with single servo setups. The RX's have no issue with the voltage or amperage.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by Harley

Well read it or not, it isn't needed.

I always run through my RX with single servo setups. The RX's have no issue with the voltage or amperage.

Fine, not arguing, just saying (on 1 or 2 ESC's feeding the RX).

[Norcal_GIT_r]

I just bought a second RX so I can use my 4PL with my scaler and it is loosing bind or signal every so often. The green light is going to red for a second. I can't seem to make it happen. it's quite random. Does this sound like a bad RX? I have re bound with no change. The RX is a R2104GF.

[RadioFlyer]

WOW, I read this entire thread today and I feel I can answer any 4PL question...and I don't even have a 4PL...yet. ;)

I was looking at getting a multi-channel radio to control my XR10 and to use with planes this morning so I was leaning towards a stick radio like the Futaba 6J. However, in reading this thread I have been convinced to buy a 4PL, which I had never even considered before. Being able to purchase compatible rx units for under $35 (R2106GF) will allow me to use this radio with my Axial Wraith, Axial AX10 and a half-dozen other cars and trucks I have in my collection as well. Heck I can finally retire my old favorite 3PB and run my 1/12th scale glitch-free!



Thanks Harley, JDawg and all the others who chimed-in with helpful knowledge. You all made (and continue to make) this thread invaluable.



Sean

[Harley]

Thanks for reading Sean. Hope it all clicks when you get one. It's a great radio.

[Tgreer]

My trigger seems a little sinsitive for my liking, were do I adjust to have more pull on the trigger before it gets to full speed?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Tgreer

My trigger seems a little sinsitive for my liking, were do I adjust to have more pull on the trigger before it gets to full speed?

Full speed is at the end of the trigger throw, not really away to adjust a physical end point.

You can add expo to your throttle curves if you want.

[DiggyStyle]

Originally Posted by RadioFlyer

WOW, I read this entire thread today and I feel I can answer any 4PL question...and I don't even have a 4PL...yet. ;)

I was looking at getting a multi-channel radio to control my XR10 and to use with planes this morning so I was leaning towards a stick radio like the Futaba 6J. However, in reading this thread I have been convinced to buy a 4PL, which I had never even considered before. Being able to purchase compatible rx units for under $35 (R2106GF) will allow me to use this radio with my Axial Wraith, Axial AX10 and a half-dozen other cars and trucks I have in my collection as well. Heck I can finally retire my old favorite 3PB and run my 1/12th scale glitch-free!



Thanks Harley, JDawg and all the others who chimed-in with helpful knowledge. You all made (and continue to make) this thread invaluable.



Sean

You do know that you CAN NOT use a "Surface" designated radio to control a plane and you likewise CAN NOT use an "Air" designated radio to control a car, truck, crawler or boat, don't you? It is illegal and could cause great injury or possibly death depending on the circumstances. Just wanted to make sure you knew that.

The 4PL would be a good choice for your crawler or any other vehicle that stays on the ground. It's very good bang for the buck.

[CREEPERBOB]

Harley, a quick (and i hope easy) question. I have dig set up on dt-2.rear is down front is up. How would i reverse that? Could i just swap esc plugs at the rx or is it done a differant way? Thanks, robert

[Harley]

Originally Posted by CREEPERBOB

Harley, a quick (and i hope easy) question. I have dig set up on dt-2.rear is down front is up. How would i reverse that? Could i just swap esc plugs at the rx or is it done a differant way? Thanks, robert

Go to the dial menu, on the far right of the DT2 line it will say NOR or REV. Just change that to the opposite of what it is.

[CREEPERBOB]

Originally Posted by Harley

Go to the dial menu, on the far right of the DT2 line it will say NOR or REV. Just change that to the opposite of what it is.

THANK YOU ,,,,,,,,,,,,,AHHH EASY .

[RadioFlyer]

Originally Posted by DiggyStyle

You do know that you CAN NOT use a "Surface" designated radio to control a plane and you likewise CAN NOT use an "Air" designated radio to control a car, truck, crawler or boat, don't you? It is illegal and could cause great injury or possibly death depending on the circumstances. Just wanted to make sure you knew that.

Actually, that does not apply to radios operating at 2.4Ghz. Perhaps I wasn't clear in my earlier statement so I will elaborate. The "air" system I was looking at was a 2.4Ghz radio. All 2.4Ghz radios can be used for surface or air models. According to the FCC you can even use it in rockets, hovercraft and robots. But thank you for your concern nonetheless.

Technically speaking, the only radios that are legally restricted are 72Mhz for air and 75Mhz for surface. There are other bands available but they are combined and/or licensed. (27, 49, 50 and 53 Mhz)

Just wanted to make sure you to knew that.


For further information please refer to the AMA website at Academy of Model Aeronautics for the US frequency chart and at the MAAC website at Model Aeronautics Association of Canada for the Canadian frequency chart.








Sean

[reden]

Originally Posted by Harley

You probably need to change your servo mode from High speed to normal.

How do I set this on the 4PL?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by reden

How do I set this on the 4PL?

It's at the bottom of the model display screen. The very bottom says RX Mode, the response type is either NORM or HIGH.

[reden]

Was set as Normal.

Seems the common ground might still be a good idea sometimes.
Recently redid the ESC's to dual FXR's and did the commen ground from the onset.
Worked out perfectly.

Kind Regards
Rudolf

[Tgreer]

Ok, I am trying to adjust my throttle expo., but when I do it only affects my esc running the front axle. I can't figure out how to set both the esc's the same. Any advice would be great.