XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

My remote winch controller just died (won't spool out). I am not able to fix it. So I am thinking about 3-4 ch radio instead of buying new $25 remote winch controller and have several questions:

1) How is RC4WD XR4 radio compared to Axial AX-3? Does it have better/worse battery life, signal strength, usability, etc?
I am happy with AX-3 now. Running only 1 rig. Don't want extra capabilities, 3 position 3rd channel will be just fine.

2) How do I connect winch and lights to 3 and 4 channels? Are there any winch and light controllers besides HeyOK? $25+ for wired controller is expensive.

3) Other radio options.

I've seen XR4 reviews here. But they don't give answers for my questions.

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

hi nersik,

a quick google search didnt give much really for detailed reviews of most of your questions for the xr4

RC4WD XR4 review - Scale 4x4 R/C Forums


for connecting a winch or lights you will inevitably need some sort of electronic circuit to translate the rx channels signal into something usable as a function, although if you dont want to be able to turn lights on or off from your tx then you can just use the available power from the rx to light some leds, it all depends on how you want the rig setup for any scale items.

alot of people do seem to love the hacked flysky radios and although you said you dont need the extra features a computer radio would offer its always good in my mind to look at what you may end up adding further down the road rather than ending up having to get another radio in a few months because you want to add something else or gain an extra feature or even add another rig to the collection.

as for the replacement winch controller you may be able to get a 3racing one for cheap online from ebay or somewhere else however they are known to quit very easily if stalled too much or from over voltage although their are some people who have got away with exceeding both those areas and still have the controller function for quite along time.

however if you want a winch controller that will survive the sort of abuse that we all throw at the winches then spending out for a reliable controller with a good track record is definately a worthwhile investment in the long run and may end up saving you money over the course of its life, heyok's controllers are as many people say worth every penny, also my own ones have a 100% record however as i do not have a vendors star i will not discuss any of my circuits to avoid a smacked hand.

i use a 3racing winch and pretty much ditched the stock controller straight away and stuck to using my own version which has been heavily abused with 3s voltage and plenty of forced stall conditions with no problems.

another alternative is to tear apart an old damaged servo and use the servo control board as a winch controller, alot cheaper but you need to make sure you remove the pot inside and solder on a pair of matched resistors in its place so that it will hold a neutral position when your aux channel is in its neutral setting, their are plenty of guides and tutorials on the good old interweb that can give you more information on doing that mod and if budget is an issue for you that may be the way to go especially if you have a broken hi torque servo which would have a better control circuit and more able to take the grunt from some harsh winch work.



a long ramble from me but hopefully this does help somewhat.



tony

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

Thank you for detailed response. I've seen this review on many forums.
I've been playing with SCX10 rig for almost 2 years and satisfied with mods. Realized I want to keep it simple and reliable. Forward/reverse, left/right + winch is all I need. So I am trying to avoid adding extra features and spending $$.
What are the options for servo controller? I know HeyOK, RC4WD (very big) and modified servo electronics. Have not seen other winch controllers on ebay.

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

You can build a hand held stand alone controller that you simply plug into the winch, very similar in style to a controller for a 1:1 winch. Get a 3 way toggle switch, a battery and a lead to plug into the winch....boom instant controller that will handle all the voltage and amps you could ever throw at it. No need for a 3rd channel with this set up. You can run what ever voltage you wish to the controller and that will supply said voltage to the winch providing your winch can handle the voltage. No need for a servo board or any type of internal controller. Wire direct to motor inside of winch. Hope that makes sense.

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

VS is positive from battery and 0v is negative from battery... A and D go to the motor on the winch, doesn't matter which one goes to + or -


http://www.eleinmec.com/figures/012_01.gif



A quick image search, this is a crude example but gets the point across. Any small box will work like a old servo case or radio shack project box.
I have made these using 800mh bats so the unit isn't so bulky. Use a deans or similar plug when you wire the batt to the switch so you can unplug it and charge when needed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/IMG_0458.jpg

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

Excellent idea "thumbsup"
My winch is powered directly from the battery, I am running 2S lipo. It is possible to make a remote wired switch without extra battery. Topcad winch comes with 3 position switch you described.
Still I think it is more convenient to operate winch without having to plug in wired switch every time.

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

for the money u would spend on that xr4 you can buy a flysky and have ur thrid channel

Re: XR4 vs AX-3 Radios and winch options
 

What makes Flysky better then RC4WD? Which Flysky do you mean?

What about Flysky GT-3C?
It comes in different colors (silver, orange, green). Are those different versions or color options only?