Repackaging a commercial Radio Control transmitter

[PhilP]

Many of the commercial ESC's (even those which will support centre-off) are primarily designed for the 'car' market.. - Hence very poor low-speed control.. They tend to want to go fast, or stop.
Some are quite 'noisy', as well, due to the PWM frequency chosen.

On the Deltang equipment, you 'tell' the Transmitter where 'off' is, by going through a calibration process when setting the Tx up.. On the combined Receiver/ESC (RCT Rx65b) you can set it to do low-off, or centre-off.
Having both receiver and ESC combined on the same board, does reduce the overall space taken-up with equipment, and simplify the wiring a little.

 

[No72]

Many of the commercial ESC's (even those which will support centre-off) are primarily designed for the 'car' market.. - Hence very poor low-speed control.. They tend to want to go fast, or stop.
Some are quite 'noisy', as well, due to the PWM frequency chosen.

On the Deltang equipment, you 'tell' the Transmitter where 'off' is, by going through a calibration process when setting the Tx up.. On the combined Receiver/ESC (RCT Rx65b) you can set it to do low-off, or centre-off.
Having both receiver and ESC combined on the same board, does reduce the overall space taken-up with equipment, and simplify the wiring a little.

Thats all very true. Alas I'm on a pension and last time I priced Deltang it was going to cost me more than the chancellor of the exchequer would even consider. In fact a week in Hong Kong was cheaper and I got to drive some real trams. Even when it comes up second hand it still brings high prices... When my right hand fully recovers I may have a go at making my own as there are several circuits out there and even some ESC kits which I will investigate. Certainly the quality of the cheap ones is not reliable. I have several and no 2 are the same in regard to response, some are happy at slow speeds others seem to simply have on and off....

 

[GAP]

Thats all very true. Alas I'm on a pension and last time I priced Deltang it was going to cost me more than the chancellor of the exchequer would even consider. In fact a week in Hong Kong was cheaper and I got to drive some real trams. Even when it comes up second hand it still brings high prices... When my right hand fully recovers I may have a go at making my own as there are several circuits out there and even some ESC kits which I will investigate. Certainly the quality of the cheap ones is not reliable. I have several and no 2 are the same in regard to response, some are happy at slow speeds others seem to simply have on and off....

Can you spare $50?
If so try one of these, made for the robotics crowd,
https://www.pololu.com/category/94/pololu-simple-motor-controllers

I am running 2 of them, 1 in my Shay (18V15) and 1 in my Connie (18V7).

Fully programmable via a USB cable (costs extra but you can get them from a $2 shop) and a free software download or will centre at turn on depending on stick position.

I went to them after looking at the prices of proprietary setups for my Shay and they going to cost nearly as much as the loco.

Down side is that you still use a standard 2.4GHz HK TX/Rx combo but for me that's no biggy. If space is an issue take the plastic cover off the Rx and encase it in heatshrink or just put it where shorting is not an issue ( have one in the backhead of a Stainz type loco).
I use these guys because of the speed of delivery to the Sth Coast of NSW plus their backup service and forum.
https://core-electronics.com.au/pololu-simple-motor-controller-18v7-fully-assembled.html

 

[daveyb]

enjoyed this post,,, phil is doing me a souped up version of one of his rc trains transmitters,, recently got in to live steam and its so much more civilized using rc than chasing a loco round a circuit,,,
and almost ready now to start converting the 7/8ths bagnall and k37 that wait patiently in the garage,,,

 

[No72]

Can you spare $50?
If so try one of these, made for the robotics crowd,
https://www.pololu.com/category/94/pololu-simple-motor-controllers

I am running 2 of them, 1 in my Shay (18V15) and 1 in my Connie (18V7).

Fully programmable via a USB cable (costs extra but you can get them from a $2 shop) and a free software download or will centre at turn on depending on stick position.

I went to them after looking at the prices of proprietary setups for my Shay and they going to cost nearly as much as the loco.

Down side is that you still use a standard 2.4GHz HK TX/Rx combo but for me that's no biggy. If space is an issue take the plastic cover off the Rx and encase it in heatshrink or just put it where shorting is not an issue ( have one in the backhead of a Stainz type loco).
I use these guys because of the speed of delivery to the Sth Coast of NSW plus their backup service and forum.
https://core-electronics.com.au/pololu-simple-motor-controller-18v7-fully-assembled.html

Ok, they may be the go... so essentially they replace my existing ESC's and plug in to my Rx. I was looking at some programmable ones on ebay but these may be better value.
The ebay ones are for tanks and slow moving vehicles..

 

[GAP]

Ok, they may be the go... so essentially they replace my existing ESC's and plug in to my Rx. I was looking at some programmable ones on ebay but these may be better value.
The ebay ones are for tanks and slow moving vehicles..

Yes replaced my old HK with these they will make a loco get up and boogie.
So simple to program even I can follow the instructions.
As I upgrade the locos with new batteries etc they will be my default choice.

 

[No72]

So now I am ready to start building the control box with Bakelite knobs. Excepting the bind button (green and white wire) everything is soldered on ready for insertion. The battery plugs into a socket on the obverse side of the board. The 6th Channel which does have proportional control has had its potentiometer replaced by a SPDT switch as its used by all the trams for lights etc... This gives me the ability to control the speed and direction of 5 trams at any one time though all the lights will turn on and off together. Looks most untidy but it will all be sorted out in the box.

 

[No72]

Soooooo, here we are ready to box this up. well not quite ready as the box needs holes drilled in it for the programming socket and the charge socket. One thing I did notice is the the potentiometer for channels 5 & 6 is a 5k ohm the other 4 channels are 4.7 K ohm... Not that I'm worried because any extra mural activity can be reprogrammed out.

 

[No72]

Ok all in the box as it were. I may replace the batteries as they date from 2013 and have not been looked after still I guess its no real problem where I'm using this if one cell dies....
It still looks untidy inside the box but it all seems to work. Minor improvements over V1 are that the charge input and programming socket are now both on the right hand side.The hole for the programming socket had to be counterbored so that the plug could fit in. I've replaced the bind button with a momentary action switch as it has a nice positive feel to it. The chook head knobs have gone and replaced with smaller bakeleite ones for a very practical reason. The chooks heads really look old world however when you have this box sitting on a table and you are twiddling the knobs it very easy to move another knob ( unless you are blessed with slim fingers) and cause an accident........ The voltmeter tells me the voltage of the batteries and indeed lets me know its switched on, wired in to the - side of the battery and the power switch + side. The antenna is as can be seen inside the box and should give me more than adequate range, this may not work if you used a diecast box but a diecast box does have the advantage you don't have to make up a lable for the front you could have it engraved on a CNC engraver and it would look like a bought one...
All that remains is to program channel allocation so that the numbers on the trams match the numbers under the knobs.
Next simple project is to make a swing out shelf to sit this on....
Hold the presses: I have just ordered from Canada a set of 5 x B5K Pots with centre off..... I like the idea of being able to click to off without having to wiggle the knob to get it exactly on centre.... If they are not quite centre and the ESC's are getting the hint to move one way or the other that can be programmed out using the software and cable...