I had to replace a failed NEODYM ESC in a Trex 450 clone. I bought an Align RCE-BL35X for the replacement.

After changing NOTHING else in my setup (and yes checking THREE times that the servos are plugged into the correct receiver channels), my throttle and elevator controls are now reversed.

LHS just gave me a dumb look when I asked for help.

Anyone here have an answer? Could the Swash AFR need to be tweaked? I'm new to this so please be nice!! 8-)

boowho??

Spooky!

While replacing the ESC, did you unplug any of the servos from the receiver? If so then you may have plugged them back into the wrong channels.

The only other possibility is that somehow the settings in your transmitter have changed. Are you on the correct model memory?

Simply swapping one ESC for another should not change anything -- except, perhaps, the throttle response.

Even being on the wrong model memory in your transmitter shouldn't result in what you've described, for throttle should always be in channel 3 (for Futaba) and elevator should always be in channel 2 (Futaba again). I believe with Spektrum/JR the channel numbers may be different, but they'll always be the same for any particular transmitter.

So, I would check again that the ESC is in the correct receiver channel. You're not using a flybarless system are you? I had almost the same transposition a few weeks ago when I was setting up my Align 3Gx system (except one aileron servo and throttle were transposed), and found it was because the manual, and the 3Gx wiring loom, assumed that channel 6 was for throttle. It's not; with Futaba it's for the second aileron servo.

Originally Posted by abenn

Simply swapping one ESC for another should not change anything -- except, perhaps, the throttle response.

Thanks for the responses so far...... As I said, ALL servos are in the correct channels......

1 - Alieron 1
2 - Elevator
3 - Throttle and RX Power from BEC
4 - Gyro
5 - Gyro Gain
6 - Aileron 2 (its a heli)

Radio is a cheapie so only has memory for 1 model. And no, NOT flybarless.

Boowho??

Just double-checking -- in your original post you did mean what Bruce Abbott and I both inferred, namely that your elevator stick now controls the throttle and your throttle stick now controls the elevator?? Not that the correct stick controls the right thing, but the directions are reversed?

Does your transmitter have a menu or switch which allows you to switch it between mode 1 and mode 2?

Originally Posted by abenn

Just double-checking -- in your original post you did mean what Bruce Abbott and I both inferred, namely that your elevator stick now controls the throttle and your throttle stick now controls the elevator?? Not that the correct stick controls the right thing, but the directions are reversed?

Does your transmitter have a menu or switch which allows you to switch it between mode 1 and mode 2?

Thank you again... Yes the elev stick was controlling throttle and vice versa; not that the stick DIRECTION was reversed.

But....... I replaced the new ESC with the original ESC and voila!!!! Problem solved.

Now the original problem was that the original ESC would not arm. I asked several local "experts" and not ONE suggested that MAYBE the TX/RX had lost their bind. Guess what??? Yeah, THAT was the only problem.

The "experts" including my "hot shot" LHS guy all said the ESC was shot. Now I just gotta convince my LHS guy to take the damn Align ESC back and refund my money. It may be a problem since he doesn't like to accept returns on electronic parts.

Again, thanks to all for the thoughts/ideas. This may be is a good lesson learned; it certainly was for me!!

An even BETTER lesson...... My TX can only be programmed by a PC hooked to it via USB and using a special Windows program.

So now I'll add another warning about moving the pinion gear back before tinkering around. I had the heli sitting on the workbench fully armed. I was ON MY COMPUTER about 15 feet away. Changed ONE parameter via the computer screen and the damn thing went to full power IN THE HOUSE.

My wife is terrified of these things and that incident did not help her attitude!! She's convinced I'd be a lot safer if I'd take up something like flying ultra lights, motorcycle jumping (a la Evel Kneivel) or some other extreme sport!!

Boowho??

if possible , unplug the motor when making changes .....

Originally Posted by Dennis Everett

if possible , unplug the motor when making changes .....

Not certain is the ESC will arm with the motor is unplugged. I dunno..... But if not then moving the pinion is the only answer...... That or get your head cut off!!

Boowho??

Originally Posted by boowho

Not certain is the ESC will arm with the motor is unplugged.

Doesn't matter, either way the motor won't run.

Glad you've got it sorted, but I don't understand how the servos worked at all (albeit in the wrong order) if the receiver had lost its bind. Perhaps it was a receiver setting that was re-set when you re-bound.

I always remove the main blades when working on an already-built heli (motor connections sometimes difficult to get to), or disconnect the ESC from the receiver and use a receiver battery. If you disconnect the motor completely I don't think it matters whether the ESC arms or not, it will still provide power to the receiver if you're using its built-in BEC.

I do the same as Abenn with the blades off. Learned the hard way when I accidently reversed the throttle channel when I thought I was on another one. Just missed my nose when it took off my workbench, hit the ceiling, went across to the wall and destroyed itself with pieces falling down like confetti. Motor wires unplugged will serve the same purpose.

Gord.

Originally Posted by abenn

Glad you've got it sorted, but I don't understand how the servos worked at all (albeit in the wrong order) if the receiver had lost its bind.

OK..... The original symptom was that the ESC would not arm. Of course the servos wouldn't work either.

Then put in the new ESC and re-bound.

(Having to rebind at that point made me suspicious that maybe a lost bind was the original problem in the first place, which turned out to be the case. There was nothing wrong with the original ESC).

After rebinding with the replaced ESC , THAT'S when the servo reversing problem came into play. I can only assume that the replaced ESC is defective out of the box. I put the original ESC back, re-bound one last time and everything now works normally.

Once again, thanks to all who tried to help.

Boowho??

Just as a matter of interest, have you tried the "problem" ESC again, and re-bound with it installed?

Originally Posted by abenn

Just as a matter of interest, have you tried the "problem" ESC again, and re-bound with it installed?

Sorry to be so slow to respond.... The answer is NO..... But I got to thinking, I'm not sure that it's possible for a defective ESC to cause the symptoms described earlier..... Maybe it was just a "fluke" that it started working when I put the original ESC back? Or if not a "fluke" maybe I "accidentally" had something connected wrong, but connected it right when I put the original ESC back?

I'm hesitant to ask the LHS for a refund if it's not possible for a defective ESC to cause two channels to become reversed..... Opinions anyone???

Boowho??

Originally Posted by boowho

I'm not sure that it's possible for a defective ESC to cause the symptoms described earlier

I don't think it's possible either. Why don't you give the new ESC another try?

If it turns out to be OK but you don't need it, you might still be able return it to your LHS for a credit. They may be more happy to do this if you can assure them that it's OK.