Servo makes alot of loud static crackling/popping sound when moving, normal?

[StickyWheels]

Hi guys,

I moved the ESC/Receiver to the front, and to tidy up things, I shortened the servo wire to the ESC/Receiver. However, when I turn it on and move the servo, it gives off alot of 'loud' static crackling/popping sound when moving. Is this normal? I am not sure if it was there before. The servo operates fine - swings both ways smoothly still.

Intially, I thought I might have messed up the receiver somehow and caused some kind of short on the board. However, I think upon closer inspection, the static popping sound comes from the servo. When I use the throttle, there is no loud popping static sound. Was kind of hard to tell where the crackling/popping static sound was coming from since the Receiver board was sitting on top of the servo (Thought it was coming from the Receiver board initially). Also, the loud static crackling/popping sound goes away when there is no servo movement.

So, is this normal behavior, or did I loosen some wires inside the servo from the pulling and tugging when I was moving the connector wire aroud too much?

Thanks for letting me know.

[Midlife Crisis]

No, the noise you describe sounds like it might be arcing out electrically. Did you re-solder it? If so, in the same orientation as before? The only thing you should hear is the whining of the gears as they turn.

[StickyWheels]

Originally Posted by Midlife Crisis

No, the noise you describe sounds like it might be arcing out electrically. Did you re-solder it? If so, in the same orientation as before? The only thing you should hear is the whining of the gears as they turn.

No, I did not change anything. Only thing I did was shorten the wires for the servo. It cannort be from the Receiver board right? Afterall, when I use the throllte, it is still as silent as a church mouse..no crackling/popping sound.

Update:

Yeah...somehow the servo got shorted and I am looking to get a new one now.

[StickyWheels]

Are there any replacement servo's that are a drop-in solution that is better than the stock servo?

Thanks.

[elsewhere]

lovin my hitec 65mg.
its a little wider than stock by a couple "c" hairs...
rock frog is swearing by the turnigy ones.
and im sure u can find others.
if u spend more than $25 ur payin too much...

[Rockfrog]

There a lot of options, a search of the forum and stickies will name a few.
My build thread names three.
TGY-375DMG
TP-MG90S
RC TIMER 9g
These are three I've used.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[8695Beaters]

I use an E-Flite S75. Right width and only uses the top two servo mounting holes. Best of all it's $14 and your hobby shop should have one that fits. Been using mine for 6 months now with no problems, quieter and stronger than stock and cheaper than the HS65.

[StickyWheels]

Originally Posted by 8695Beaters

I use an E-Flite S75. Right width and only uses the top two servo mounting holes. Best of all it's $14 and your hobby shop should have one that fits. Been using mine for 6 months now with no problems, quieter and stronger than stock and cheaper than the HS65.

Thanks very much! I love you guys. Always chock full of useful info.

Btw, 8695Beaters, is the E-Flite S75 a straight drop in? No need to mod anything to make it fit? The stock servo uses 4 screws to mount securely. Does this mount into the stock screw holes with only 2 mounting screws required? Can it use the same servo horn of the stock servo and fit into the arm that steers the front wheel? I assume it also use the same connector to plug into the receiver.

Thanks for the clarification. I just wanted to use this as I think many LHS have the E-Flite stuff.

[Midlife Crisis]

The plugs will be the same as stock. FYI, the stock servo horn is brittle and breaks easily, any aftermatket servo horn will be a 110% upgrade. You'll just have to maybe enlarge a hole and thread the tierod ball stud in.....cake! As far as mounting configuration, Losi went balls out with 4 screws, 2 is more than sufficient.

I use and swear by Hitec HS65MG servos, i've bought 8 of them and will continue to do so. I'm more than willing to drop coin for the best, which I feel these are. However, Rockfrog seems to have found a good one and its tiny, I'll definitely be looking into those.

[8695Beaters]

Originally Posted by StickyWheels

Thanks very much! I love you guys. Always chock full of useful info.

Btw, 8695Beaters, is the E-Flite S75 a straight drop in? No need to mod anything to make it fit? The stock servo uses 4 screws to mount securely. Does this mount into the stock screw holes with only 2 mounting screws required? Can it use the same servo horn of the stock servo and fit into the arm that steers the front wheel? I assume it also use the same connector to plug into the receiver.

Thanks for the clarification. I just wanted to use this as I think many LHS have the E-Flite stuff.

You have to make one mod and that is to bore out one of the holes on the new servo arm to accept the ballstud for the steering draglink. Takes a few seconds with a drill bit (I uses a 3/32" bit). Then use an M2.5 locknut to secure the ball stud in the arm, like so:

The servo itself mounts to the upper two servo mounts like so:

You can't drill center holes on the servo mounts because the screw hits the ball stud for the upper links. You could also drill new mountings holes on the servo tabs or use some double sided tape to secure the servo if you want it to be really low.

The E-Flite does not have metal gears like the HS65, but so far I have not had a problem with my S75s. I just installed MiClaws and BWD beadlocks, so we'll see how the servo holds up to them. For stock tires, I've had zero problems.

[StickyWheels]

Those are very nice and clear close-up pics 8695Beaters . Many folks don't know how to take good macro pics, but you do! Thanks!

[8695Beaters]

Thanks. I have a good camera, which is a huge help. I also write a car/tech blog and that is where a lot of these pictures came from. My McRC is a big project there, but I have a few other R/Cs and two full size projects. There's also some tech stuff. It's called Beater's Banter and you can find it here: Beater's Banter

[Rockfrog]

StickyWheels ... if you want an MG90S PM and I'll get some details off ya (wire length and such) ... It's pretty boring out at work at night and I feel all christmassy and crap. I'll do the mods (shorten wires, drill for stock mounts) and test, just cover shipping.

Need something to get my mind off being out at work for New Years.

[StickyWheels]

Originally Posted by Rockfrog

StickyWheels ... if you want an MG90S PM and I'll get some details off ya (wire length and such) ... It's pretty boring out at work at night and I feel all christmassy and crap. I'll do the mods (shorten wires, drill for stock mounts) and test, just cover shipping.

Need something to get my mind off being out at work for New Years.

Hey Rockfrog! Thanks very much for your kind offer . I hope you will find a good way to ease into the New Year even though you will be at work.

The last few days have been crazy for me with Christmas and work and I only am now able to come back to the forum. I did order a servo as a replacement, but your thoughtfullness is appreciated!

I am still working to finish up my MRC mods and hope to be able to post my completed version soon before the Year is up.

Btw, I noticed that 8695Beaters did not put back the Spring looking bumper-contraption in front of the steering servo in his pictures above....is that not needed? I would assume that it came with the stock model as a front impact protection feature?

[Rockfrog]

it's part of the servo saver ... when the wheels are in a bind or against something while turning the two parts of the servo saver press against that spring and seprate allowing the servo to continue turning whilst the wheels remain stuck. Great idea for a speedy buggy or truggy car but not too good for a crawler. The idea is to save the servo, unfortunately due to the nature of crawling it pretty much kills steering response as well, that, and the stock servo just isn't worth saving anyway.

[StickyWheels]

Originally Posted by Rockfrog

it's part of the servo saver ... when the wheels are in a bind or against something while turning the two parts of the servo saver press against that spring and seprate allowing the servo to continue turning whilst the wheels remain stuck. Great idea for a speedy buggy or truggy car but not too good for a crawler. The idea is to save the servo, unfortunately due to the nature of crawling it pretty much kills steering response as well, that, and the stock servo just isn't worth saving anyway.

So....you are saying that no matter what, even if I had a well performing non-stock servo upfront, it will not be advisable to install the servo saver as I would lose steering response? Or would you install the servo saver if you had a more $$ servo?

[8695Beaters]

I didn't install it because the splines are different and it doesn't fit. On a crawler you don't need it, you'll probably break the servo arm before you damage the servo itself.

[Rockfrog]

Like 8695Beaters said ... just not needed for a crawler ... especially at this size.

[StickyWheels]

Originally Posted by 8695Beaters

I didn't install it because the splines are different and it doesn't fit. On a crawler you don't need it, you'll probably break the servo arm before you damage the servo itself.

Originally Posted by Rockfrog

Like 8695Beaters said ... just not needed for a crawler ... especially at this size.

Okie. Got rid of that servo saver when I installed my replacement servo .