3 bad JR syn receivers.... Anyone else?

[Chevy-SS]

A couple of months ago I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade to synthesized radio. I got the JR XS3 and I bought three RS300 (30 channel FM crystal-less) receivers within the next couple of weeks. I put the receivers into three separate nitro trucks.

It seemed like nice stuff and worked great for a short time. About a month ago, one receiver started glitching badly, so I sent it back and they said it had gotten wet. They sent me a new one (for $60). I was disappointed.

A couple of weeks ago, another receiver was glitching badly. I sent it back. They bench-tested it and said it was OK. They sent it back to me. I put it in truck. Still glitched badly, however, ONLY when truck was running. When sitting on bench, receiver worked perfect. I called tech. They said shut truck off, tap receiver box with screwdriver. VOILA! Glitching like crazy. Diagnosis: "vibration-sensitive". So I sent that receiver back, AGAIN. I was starting to get upset.

Now my third RS300 receiver is starting to glitch too. I can't believe it. It seems to be vibration sensitive just like the other one, as it is perfect on the bench, but the servos will jump around with truck running or when you tap on receiver box. Now I'm PO'd.

I'm already stuffing as much padding as I can in the receiver box. I don't know what else to do. Is it just my bad luck? Anyone else having probs with JR stuff?

 

[cruzer]

try and put some foam padding in your reciever box so it protects the reciever from moving a lot. that may be a problem

 

[SkyMaxx]

I run synthesized receivers. My set-up is a HiTex Lynx 3D with Novak receivers. Perhaps you should try a Novak receiver with your radio.

Tower Hobbies listing for Novak 27MHz synth receiver

Tower Hobbies listing for Novak 75MHz synth receiver

I have one each in a T-Maxx, Savage, and MBX-5. Believe me these things not only vibrate; they fly, bounce, cartwheel, you name it...and there hasn't been a single case of glitching.

 

[robriguez]

I now have 3 rides I use my XS3 and RS3000s in (LD3, Inferno 7.5 and Savage) and I've noticed that they ALL have the same problem of the steering servo buzzing and twitching. When I have put the factory receiver back in, it stops completely. I have run WITH failsafe and without (both venom and ofna) I have not complained or taken them back yet as I'm not sure where the problem lies. I want a Novak to see if the problem lies with the receiver or with the radio because it seems as soon as I turn the radio off it all stops as well.

I dont know if this either proves or disproves your problems but I figured I would share my experiences.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

I run 2, both in nitro and the work fine, sorry to hear you had bad luck.

 

[Chevy-SS]

robriguez, to test your trucks, simply turn on the rx battery and then tap on the rx box lightly with a screwdriver or something. That was the test for "vibration-sensitivity" that I performed under the guidance of the JR tech guy.

If the servos jump around when you tap the rx box, then the receiver itself is probably "vibration-sensitive" and should be returned. I would be curious to see the results of your testing. Please post them here when (and if) you do them.

Also, to be on the safe side, you should do the exact same test in the same truck, but substitute a different receiver. Plus, I might then take the "vibration-sensitive" receiver and try the test in another truck with that suspect receiver.

Thanks

 

[robriguez]

in my case this buzzing/twitching occurs whether the engine is on or off. Once I turn the electrics ON in the truck it immediatly starts happening. Its not a big deal, it doesn't seem to affect performance once running but is just annoying. As I had mentioned, my problems probably have nothing to do with the original post but just figured I would share my experience.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

From what I know most recievers are vibration sensitive. When I get in the the top RPMs the vibration is a lot and causes interference slightly. I used some foam or the foam that comes with Traxxas hop-ups to make a tight fit in my box to aviod vibration or to buffer it. That holds true for all my vehicles. I am not discounting the problem you have had and I think that totally sucks. I hope they work it out for you.

 

[flash183]

I have 3 JR RS300 receivers. One litterally started smoking when I plugged the batteries in for the first time! I have to send that back to the factory. (No, it was not the batteries, I plugged them into my other receiver after checking polarity and it worked fine.)

And one of my servos glitches like crazy when I turn on the transmitter. I don't understand that problem. Is it caused by the transmitter, receiver, or servo???

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Dude they only smoke when you reverse polarity on the battery plug. Maybe it was defective I don't know but that would be my first assumption. anyways I have never had to send a JR receiver back and I have owned 6 different ones. Actually I forgot when I got one wet with salt water and I did send it back and guess what? Horizon Hobby actually fixed it free of charge and I was the idiot who got it wet. Peace out and good luck.

 

[newnitrofan]

I just got the JR synthesized setup and have had no problems. Sounds like at some point they had some bad ones go out. Mine works great and I could never think of having crystals again.

 

[Chevy-SS]

flash183, I would simply substitute parts that you know are good until the problem goes away. Replace one part at a time and then repeat the test. You could do this right on the bench. You'll find the problem fast.

Don't forget about glitching caused by outside interference, so do your testing where there are minimal interference sources. I usually use a heat gun to warm up my nitro motors before starting. If the receiver is turned on while the heat gun is on, then the servos will jump around pretty good.

 

[flash183]

thanks for the suggestions. i've been trying a couple things. it does seem odd that the glitching only happens when the transmitter is turned on. i think i'll try digital mode (since it's a digital servo) and see if that helps.

have you all had good luck with digital servos? are they faster? any downside?

 

[SkyMaxx]

Digital servos are faster and more powerful than there non-digital counterparts. That is an up side.

Digital servos tend to consume more battery to bring you the above listed "up side". That would be the only down side I can think of.

 

[flash183]

Switching to digital mode greatly reduced the servo glitching problem. :smart:

 

[Chevy-SS]

flash183, how did you "switch to digital mode"? I thought servos were analog, digital or PCM only. Do you have something in your TX that you switched?

 

[flash183]

Yes. I have the JR syn transmitter. Before I turn it on, I hold down the two left buttons and then turn it on. Cycle through the settings and change the frame rate from N(ormal) to F(ast). This changes the TX from analog to digital. According to the manual "at least one of the servos should be digital". My guess is that digital signaling helps cut down on noise and interferance. So your transmitter does need to be able to do digital.

 

[Chevy-SS]

hehe, I never really understood that frame rate stuff. I have been using digital servos, mostly for steering. I have the JR XS3 radio, which it sounds like you have also. I will make that switch and try those settings.

Thanks for tip.

 

[scottm]

I have the xs3 and I could not use the stock reciever on my Storm because of glitching. I have not tried digital mode because I thought it needed dig servos. The JR reciver is getting a reputation all over for being sensitive. It works great in my RC10gt though. Steel drivelines seem to give it a hard time.

 

[olds97_lss]

Any ideas what other recievers you could use with a JR XR2?

Sorry to be in a different book on a different page, but I figured since you all seem to run JR, I would ask,

I run the JR XR2 with the receiver that came with it and I've been having some pretty bad glitching even when the truck is off.