Challenge: Simple servo centering device

[Radian]

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd throw out this challenge/idea for an electronics project.

It would be really handy to have a single small device where one could quickly plug in a servo and press a "center" button and the servo would then move to its center position.
It doesn't need to be cycled through it's range of motion as is possible with some commercial devices on the market. Just center it.

This would be much better then having to set up a reciever, transmitter and battery pack just to make sure your servo is centered BEFORE you install that servo horn and then mount it in the wing. :(

Anyway I thought this would make a very convienant device for all RC modelers. :)

Radian

[Comatose]

radain, the thing is, it isn't any easier to make a servo centerer than a full servo tester. Except for one potentiometer, the circuitry is identical in adjustable or fixed pretty much regardless of how you implement it (555 timer,microcontroller, parallel port, built from discretes)

If you want one, though, take any schematic for a servo tester and replace the potentiometer with resistors. It certainly would be a convenient tool to have. (=

[slipstick]

I put always add a centring switch to the servo testers I build. As Comatose says it just swaps the pot for a resistor divider (or usually a trim pot).

BTW if you want accurate centering you have to "tune" it for your own transmitter(s). There's no fixed pulse width that all transmitters treat as the centre point.

Steve

[Mr.RC-CAM]

If you like PIC projects, then the RC Servo Tester project has a center function: http://www.rc-cam.com/servotst.htm

RC-CAM