Keep locking up SAVOX SW-0231 servo's.

[Lrgrnr]

Hi, my name is Larry and I'm new to the RC crawler hobby. I recently purchased a Wraith off fleabay.com with a Dynamite Tazer 3300kv brushless setup with the fan cooled Tazer ESC that comes as a package deal. It has the Traxxas Link 2.4GHZ transmitter and receiver.

I recently put the SAVOX SW-0231 servo in the front with the Axial horn.

This one:



The first one I bought locked up completely the first run. When it locked up my Traxxas Link receiver went berzerk, it acted like it was starving for power. I went to my local RC shop (Anderson RC in Kernersville NC) the sugested I run a capacitor on my receiver. I also purchased another SAVOX SW-0231 with plans of returning the first one to SAVOX for them to replace so I could have a spare servo.

I installed the capacitor and new servo, truck ran perfect with the 14T 32P spur gear and 52T 32P transmission gear. After about 2 or 3 runs my new servo now acts like it is locking up.

I am confused with this. I have set my steering parameters set according to the Traxxas Link instructions. What should I do? Thanks.

[M1tch]

When you say locked up. Is it when the steering is full over left or right or in any position?

It maybe that the bec in the esc can't supply enough power to the servo.

[Lrgrnr]

Yes, the steering servo locks up and sticks at full lock. The first one locked up where you couldn't turn it by hand. Tore the other one down to find some chipped teeth. Turned the gear around where it wouldn't mesh and it's fixed for now.

I am not running a bec, is that the problem?

[Calderwood]

That doesn't really surprise me since that's not really enough servo for a wraith. That servo would be fine for a light basher with a servo saver. The average wraith is 7-10lbs with big heavy tires and no servo saver. I wouldn't run anything in a wraith that doesn't have titanium gears and over 300oz-in of torque.

[Lrgrnr]

Originally Posted by nigels_world

That doesn't really surprise me since that's not really enough servo for a wraith. That servo would be fine for a light basher with a servo saver. The average wraith is 7-10lbs with big heavy tires and no servo saver. I wouldn't run anything in a wraith that doesn't have titanium gears and over 300oz-in of torque.

Thanks for the input! That was also on my mind...

[97gmctruck]

Originally Posted by nigels_world

That doesn't really surprise me since that's not really enough servo for a wraith. That servo would be fine for a light basher with a servo saver. The average wraith is 7-10lbs with big heavy tires and no servo saver. I wouldn't run anything in a wraith that doesn't have titanium gears and over 300oz-in of torque.

I fully agree. Get yourself a castle bec have it set to 6.0 volts and a servo that produces 300+ oz of torque. I tried the cheap servos too on my wraith with the same outcome. I finally bought at 499.8 oz torque servo and that did the trick.

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[Charlie-III]

Double check the steering EPA's to make sure you're not overdriving the servo.
Check to make sure the servo arm is not contacting the servo case which would cause a bind.
Make sure the steering linkage is free.

As to the RX issue, yes, it's likely "browning out" and could use an external BEC. Any servo over ~200inoz should have an external BEC. Glitch busters/caps are not a good substitute for an external BEC.

[Lrgrnr]

Ordered the castle BEC set at 6v and a savox 1270 servo.

[alexchen86]

That is an excellent combination. All of my rigs/cars run Hitec servos only because I am used to them...not to say other brands such as Futaba, Airtronics, Savox, Hobbico are worse it's all just a matter of preference really and application.

Only 2 of my r/c's run Savox servos only because they are faster than Hitec and let alone cheaper lol. So far no issues since I run CC BEC's on all of them including my Hitecs. On a Wraith if you like to be moving rocks with your servo that Savox 1270TG is a high voltage servo so you can either directly wire the BEC @ 7.4V to the servo or through a receiver that can handle 7.4V then you get the speed and the monstrous torque you paid for!

That servo is the competitor against the servo I use on my Wraith the Hitec 7950TH. Same torque just a tad slower. Just make sure you are using a durable aluminum horn (even the stock ones will wear out in minutes or crack depending on how hard you bash or crawl).

Favorite budget servo has got to be the Hitec 645MG they're so cheap I don't mind taking them apart and properly waterproofing them myself if the rig will be seeing a lot of water. I probably have at least 5 or 6 of them lol.



Another option down the line you may consider is the ever so popular Hitec 7955TG which was pretty much the go-to servo for most people for a while 333 oz/in @ 6.0V but I push mine to 6.6V since it only sees maybe 8-10 min of competition crawling on a course before the next course. So far it's been 4 years no issues.

The Hobbico CS-170 is pretty much the same thing as the Hitec 7955TG.

[dcwhite]

SAVOX SW-0231 servo = CRAP!!

[Lrgrnr]

Should I continue to run this capacitor with the CC BEC?

[Calderwood]

Originally Posted by Lrgrnr

Should I continue to run this capacitor with the CC BEC?

No need.

[Lrgrnr]

Originally Posted by nigels_world

No need.

Ok, thanks.

I wired it up according the castle instructions but also saw diagram on here that showed the bec skipping the receiver and directly powering the servo, with only the signal wire from the servo connecting to the receiver. What are the benefits in wiring the bec this way instead of the way castle recommends?

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by Lrgrnr

OK, thanks.

I wired it up according the castle instructions but also saw diagram on here that showed the BEC skipping the receiver and directly powering the servo, with only the signal wire from the servo connecting to the receiver. What are the benefits in wiring the BEC this way instead of the way castle recommends?

Wiring the BEC output direct to the servo (what I do on all my rigs) allows you to run whatever voltage to the servo you want without having to worry if you're going to fry the traces off the RX board. It also guarantees all the BEC output is going to the servo, let the ESC's internal BEC cover the low load stuff.

PS, some radios(RX's) have glitch issues when wired up direct to the external BEC, in those cases, you should also run a ground from the RX & BEC output to the servo as well so they are all tied together.

[Calderwood]

Originally Posted by Lrgrnr

Ok, thanks.

I wired it up according the castle instructions but also saw diagram on here that showed the bec skipping the receiver and directly powering the servo, with only the signal wire from the servo connecting to the receiver. What are the benefits in wiring the bec this way instead of the way castle recommends?

X2 what Charlie said. Since you are running a 6 volt setup there really isn't any gain from running the "safer" direct setup. I don't run any of my servos on only 6v (even those only rated for 6v) so like Charlie, I wire my bec direct to the servo.

[tmoon]

I had this same problem. Ive locked up 4 of them so far. I was using them in a wraith I have one in my SCX10 and haven't messed it up yet! the first one locked up from corrosion on the motor. the others stripped gears and locked up. its time for a new go-to servo. their new $90 series is muck better!

[tmoon]

the best servo ive ever had on a wraith was a Radiopost Red!