How to build a winch controller for less than $5.

[Shawns303]

The hardest part about this is waiting for the servo to slow boat it. Once you have the servo in hand, it's a 5-10 min process minus drying time.

First, order this.

In person.

Pull the 4 screws from the bottom and unsolder the two motor wires.

Board pulls out once motor wires are unsoldered.

I resolder the three wires to get a lower profile.

There is an s on the board, that is the signal wire (orange) contact.

I use this to waterproof unit. Let dry overnight and it is ready for duty. No drift $5 winch controller.

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A little shrink wrap and finished.

Installed

 

[TroopThrowback]

The hardest part about this is waiting for the servo to slow boat it. Once you have the servo in hand, it's a 5-10 min process minus drying time.

First, order this.

In person.

Pull the 4 screws from the bottom and unsolder the two motor wires.

Board pulls out once motor wires are unsoldered.

I resolder the three wires to get a lower profile. There is an s on the board, that is the signal wire (orange) contact.

I use this to waterproof unit. Let dry overnight and it is ready for duty. No drift $5 winch controller.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Awesome! How much is the silicone and where can it be purchased?

Thanks for sharing.


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[Shawns303]

I have had this bottle for years. I use it on all new electronics that aren't potted.

Awesome! How much is the silicone and where can it be purchased?

Thanks for sharing.


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[Rekreant]

That same coating is only 12$ on amazon prime

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Nice find, thanks for sharing

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Great find! "thumbsup"

Thank you for sharing!

That same coating is only 12$ on amazon prime

I'll pay the extra $2 not having to deal with Amazon and not having to pay a membership fee.

 

[Rekreant]

Great find! "thumbsup"

Thank you for sharing!




I'll pay the extra $2 not having to deal with Amazon and not having to pay a membership fee.

meh, I use amazon so much I cant handle more than 2 day shipping times :twisted:

 

[soze]

awesome! thanks for sharing.

 

[Rekreant]

Can anyone explain what is different with this servo board vs others? Is it just this particular servo board that doesnt drift, or can I use one from any other manufacturer? I have a 277oz/in PowerHD servo I wouldnt mind turning into a winch this way and am wondering if it would work.

 

[Shawns303]

Can anyone explain what is different with this servo board vs others? Is it just this particular servo board that doesnt drift, or can I use one from any other manufacturer? I have a 277oz/in PowerHD servo I wouldnt mind turning into a winch this way and am wondering if it would work.

This is a 360° servo. No potentiometer to try to center, causing drift. Any continuous rotation servo will work.

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[Rekreant]

This is a 360° servo. No potentiometer to try to center, causing drift. Any continuous rotation servo will work.

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Even if you take out the pin that stops them?

 

[Shawns303]

Even if you take out the pin that stops them?

The pin is the easy part to fix. The difficult part is making the servo think it is dead center when the switch is in the center position. You can glue the potentiometer close to center or solder resistors in place of the potentiometer but will always have to adjust trim to fight drift.

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[ferp420]

I bought a $5 micro esc works great and good up to 3s it is a bit bigger than that though but not by much those control boards are the weakest point of.that servo ive burned up more than my share of those and its always the control board that fails but the info is good i dident realize a 360.servo dident have a potentiomitor but at that.point why take.the servo apart just use it as is

 

[Shawns303]

I use it to run my rc4wd Warn winch. What's nice about this is that you just plug it into the receiver and it's good to go, no separate power wiring. The motor in the scale winches are about 1/3 the size of motor in the servo so I don't forsee a load related issue. This is just a very inexpensive option but you could go big and buy a $15 360° servo..

I bought a $5 micro esc works great and good up to 3s it is a bit bigger than that though but not by much those control boards are the weakest point of.that servo ive burned up more than my share of those and its always the control board that fails but the info is good i dident realize a 360.servo dident have a potentiomitor but at that.point why take.the servo apart just use it as is

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[ferp420]

Aaahhh i got it but why not just get a mini esc same price and there already to go do you have a use for the left over parts

 

[Shawns303]

Aaahhh i got it but why not just get a mini esc same price and there already to go do you have a use for the left over parts

This is powered by the receiver, no need for extra wiring or power source.

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[UncleJohn]

Very clever and well thought out. Thank-you!

 

[Shawns303]

Thanks Troop, Soze, Uncle, Mr. Holmes and Jato!

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[Rekreant]

So would this work with any 360 degree servo? The price is hard to beat, the few week shipping is what gets me lol. Im trying to find one comparably priced but that ships from the US.

 

[heyok]

When you use this sort of controller to work your winch, does it provide a "winch brake" when the winch isn't winding, or is it just the winch drive train that is resisting the pull on the line and stopping it from un-spooling?