ProModeler Servo: 420oz, billet case, o-ringed, $79

[Ditchrat]

Originally Posted by 84yoda

Good luck finding a servo made in USA. All the components inside are always from other countries. Axial rigs are built in Taiwan too.

I got the impression the servos are assembled in Florida. I recall a conversation about it but don't remember clear enough to make a statement, it had something to do with gears being cut overseas, then they build the servo domestically.

What I do know is if I send the Owner an email for text message I get a reply, I also can't recall a time not getting a person on the phone. Granted I have had only one issue, they forgot to bill me. It took a couple calls to get them to take my money, but in doing so I got to talk to John a couple times, shared some feedback and learned a lot about servos.

Give them a ring, I'm sure they would be happy to earn your business. I'm trying to not be a fanboy, but dealing with this company has been very pleasant, it is easy for me to want to do business with them.

Now if they only had a sticker for my rig, the candy is a nice touch, but I want a sticker

[84yoda]

Your the first to split a gear from what I've seen, teeth still look fine. Only reason the gears split is from the pin bending. I wouldn't say the gears are 'junk'. I just dont see how you did that damage just from doing wheelies.

[mikemcE]

I'm going to hazard a guess where their made......Sanford Fl

[84yoda]

Originally Posted by Ditchrat

I got the impression the servos are assembled in Florida. I recall a conversation about it but don't remember clear enough to make a statement.

What I do know is if I send the Owner an email for text message I get a reply, I also can't recall a time not getting a person on the phone. Granted I have had only one issue, they forgot to bill me. It took a couple calls to get them to take my money, but in doing so I got to talk to John a couple times, shared some feedback and learned a lot about servos.

Probably assembled but parts aren't made here, same as blue bird.

Call up Chad at tail draggers who sells blue birds, he is totally cool and they answer the phone every time. He's on vacation right now and I've been texting him and he still texts me back. His customer service is very good and he takes pride in that.

[SCREAMER]

Wow Mazz, two weeks and poof. If that Bluebird is supposed to handle 50kg it should be near indestructible. I hope you give one of these ProModelers a chance, I'd love to see your results. Less than $90 shipped.

[mikemcE]

I think they do it all , I will ask John tonight, as mine has come in the mail, but I'm not home yet

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by maslin

I broke the ears off a 1283 twice, in the exact same spot, in nearly 2 years. Broke this one in 2 weeks. I don't think that's a large volume of servos.

The 1283 case has a weak spot, the gears in the Bluebird are junk. There has to be a middle ground.

3 servos in 2 years, that's it? I've broken more than that. From the way some were talking you broke a servo once a month or so.


I'm happy with my bluebird but I'm also running it in a slow rig that doesn't get bashed. Something like the promodeler or holmes might be right up your alley with a billet case and stronger gears.

I've been happy with my 1283 and the steel gears are a big plus but the case is craptastic for sure. Your case isn't the first I've heard of breaking in the same spot.

[mikemcE]

Just got mine, and I'm not going to put it in...... It's so sweet looking, I'm just going to fondle it.......

[mikemcE]

Fits like a dream, the response blows me away ! Whisper quiet, not even on the external bec yet.

[mikemcE]

Those beautiful cases are cnc machined by John and his brother . They live here....
Parts suppliers are around the world, He is glad to explain how they do things, interesting that the servos were a sideline to his Helicopter business , and is taking off , and from what I have I know why.
So all you experts stick to the "world leaders" me, I'm sticking with the "Servo that John Built" !

[durok]

Looks like we have another John that's serious about engineering and building a better product for the crawling/rock racing world!

Like I said, the only real reason I chose to spend more on the "other John's" product (SHV500) is that I'm really interested in doing away with the BEC for the servo.

When the choice was between the ProModeller v3 & the HV500, I was going with the shiny silver one - even though I prefer blacked-out components.

I was resigned to the fact that I was going to be stuck with adding a BEC for maximum performance - but that SHV500, what a great option to run it directly from 3S.

We'll see how it all works out in the end. I may begin to want to experiment with cell counts other than 3S in the future.

[SCREAMER]

Get a Mamba Monster X and you don't need an external BEC. I run 2 of them with 7.5 volts going to the servos in each truck. Never an issue, can't even get the fans to come on in 100 degree ambient temps.

[durok]

Well, shoot -- thanks for mentioning that!

I knew it had an 8A BEC, but I really wasn't certain about just how many volts that it would be able to put out to a nice high-voltage servo.

I feel kinda thick-headed - as that is the ESC I already picked up!

Saves me the hassle of soldering the servo pigtail...

I'm not the greatest at keeping track of amperage/votage, etc.

[mikemcE]

Question , running 7.4v from the bec, won't that cook the receiver ?

[honchojoe]

Originally Posted by mikemcE

Question , running 7.4v from the bec, won't that cook the receiver ?

No normally you run the bec to only the servo. You run the RX off the ESC (ESCs built in BEC) and then power the servo via the External BEC. Just have to run a Y cable between the bec, rx and servo. You just have to cut or disconnect the red power wire from the cable that goes to the RX. Many diagrams on here about it.

Edit: just clarifying some details.

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[mikemcE]

You mean run the rx off the ESC not bec ?, I was hoping not to use a y, I know about the red wire, j use a 3" jumper with the red removed so as not to mess the esc leads

[honchojoe]

Originally Posted by mikemcE

You mean run the rx off the ESC not bec ?, I was hoping not to use a y, I know about the red wire, j use a 3" jumper with the red removed so as not to mess the esc leads

Sorry I edited my post. There is really no way to do it without a Y cable. You connect the ESC to the RX as per normal but you have to have a Y cable between the RX, BEC and servo.

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[honchojoe]

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[honchojoe]

Ignore the other servo in the pic. But basically that's the setup.

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[svt923]

Originally Posted by mikemcE

Question , running 7.4v from the bec, won't that cook the receiver ?

Depends on your receiver. Most of the newer receivers (especially from the big companies) can take up to 8.4V straight from a 2S pack, I can run 8V through my Airtronics receivers with no problem. The same 8V cooked a Spektrum compatible Orange receiver nearly instantly. In those cases, the bypass is required for the higher voltage.