Hi folks

I am building an IR Tx/Rx system - the nice 4 ch programmable one from JJifar/DRCmall

I want to lighten the IR sensors so I started sanding.. and sanded.. and then I realized that I don't know when to stop sanding!

I did a search here on RCG and I found some impressive example of sanded down sensors - from Angrymonk and many others - but still I didn't understand the basis of what can or can't be sanded..

Here are a couple of pics of where I am now. So far the weight saving is 0.07 grams..

How does an IR sensor work? how far can I go in sanding?

well, i would hook up the normal one first to test the receiver, then try your light one and see if it still works.
great job getting it so small, i didn't take off that much on mine but i did order some of his smaller sensors.

Hi Derk

I found these nice instructions about how to test an IR sensor learn.adafruit.com/ir-sensor/testing-an-ir-sensor

So I finally found a way to use my Arduino kit and no, my lightened IR sensor is not working. I really would like to understand where can I sand and what has to be left untouched.

I didn't know Jjifar has different sizes for IR sensors, or I would have bought some of the smaller ones too. I wonder if I could find them somewhere closer than Korea..

On my living room ir airplane i use smt sensor sharp: gp1us301xp

long time since I built these systems so hopefully my memory is correct on the back take it down to the metal on the front you can hold it up to a bright light sand till you just see the tiny wires inside and no further. if you hold the sensor to a bright light you should be able to see through it sand throught the tiny wires and its toast. I sanded back lit it sanded it some more till I was able to clearly see the tiny wires they are very tiny smaller then a hair I was using a different sensor type but the process should be fairly the same
I was able to remove the corners not sure if the sensor on koichi's IR system will work with what your doing


I still have enough supplies to build probably 20 of each system he designed LOL was a hoot building and programing I still have the code even. I cant remember what these tiny things weighed I think something like 100mg board and sensor. Good luck with your project

Hi Ivan, hi Epicdoom

Ivan, thanks for the info about the smd sensor - maybe it would be even too small for the kit I am building? Did you design the Rx yourself?

epicdoom: I will watch my IR sensors with more attention with your infos. I read about Koichi's systems many times but I never seriously looked at them. They should be a little smaller and lighter than Jjifar's (DRCMall.com) ones.. wonder if they would work with the same transmitter, I don't know anything about programming.

Do 4 channels IR receivers exist? :-D

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Andrea

Yes there are 4ch IR Koichi build and sells them on his site at the time I was messing with IR they were unheard of only 2 and 3 ch I figured it wouldnt be long before someone made 4ch. I lost intrest in the IR stuff after building a bunch of 2 and 3 ch planes for the living room Was a lot of fun etching boards and assembling them and rewarding to get a bird in the air using them. I didnt have a larger place to fly indoors, so I moved to outdoor flyers. I kept all the stuff programers and components etched and paper thin sanded PCB's figured one day I may revisit it. Even have a bunch of playstation jotsticks for the transmitter builds I eventually ended up building the budy port modual to use my futaba radio as a TX. Making Koichi's system work from a different TX I'm not sure that would work. I still have no large area indoors to fly so its not likely i'll get back into it. But you never can tell maybe ill buy a 4ch rx from e-shop and see if I can get some aerobatics in the house that would be fun.

Hello Adrea,i make rx myself on my pcb design but with koichi code.I have used this rx for some month but i now use rf rx compatible with plantraco so i have no problem for range or sun.The weight is similar.I make it on flexible pcb and make all type of version,2-3-4ch.

When I was playing with lightened IR Rxs I broke quite a few of them! It was easy to sand throug the fine gold wires from the die to the carrier. The SMT ones are much easier as they start light already. I cyanoed them to my mill and skimmed off the top and then back.
Good Luck with it.

Rob

I saw Koichi's 4 ch Rx - but it's for servos only! But no commercially available servo weights less than 1.2 g (for what I know) for what I know - wouldn't such a small and light receiver be better suited to actuators?

Ivan.. so many things I would like to ask you that we could maybe better get in touch through PM or even phone! Do you think your IR rx could be made working with Jjifar's Tx? Just changing the code maybe?

Ah, pity I studied agriculture instead of electronics..

Andrea contact me on pm so i give you my e-mail address and phone number.

there was an ausie who was a member on here who was teaching me to use atmel chips he said 4 ch no problem the problem was it wasnt gonna be light. I still have the programer for those chips and most of the code we were working on someplace but its not complete I remember Ivans little system I would still like to try one of those out

yeah, I am particularly curious to see where the digital programmable system Ivan is developing will end up.. having a programmable Tx tailored for small pager motor models - he says he will embed a 10 to 30 mAh battery charger - would be very nice.
Pity I bought myself a brand new Spektrum DX7s for Xmas, planning to use it with DelTang receivers.. I have a Plantraco Tx and a couple Rx too, and this nice IR system from Jjifar with 4 Rx too already.. While all what I built in my entire modeler life was 1 repeat 1 model!
I should consider myself a collector of strange small light stuff more than a modeler I suppose..

Fabersum, why is it a pity you have a DSM2 Tx ? I have given up with small IR and moved to DelTangs little rx. Much more reliable and unless you want REALLY light they are fantastic. I have a sub 1g plane using his smallest RX but it needs more work on the airframe. I agree if you are after an AUW of much less than 1g IR is by far the lightest, even with my fat fingers I got a Koichi designed 2 channel rx down to 80mg.
You have inspired me to go back to little little planes,
Thanks
Rob

faber I am also a colector of sorts I love anything micro I have been in the hobby 27 years now have built and flown stick and tissue models under many forms of power I found I prefer itty bitty flight most of all I love the challange of getting such tiny stuff to fly and actually figured out whats needed for the 1/72 scale stuff. Im confident i can get any 1/72 in the air. Take a look here at this link if you like Tiny stuff I have all of his systems and they are incredible http://microflierradio.com/index.html They are a bit spendy

About IR 4 ch servo board there is a way to convert from servo to actuator if i remember rite it was being done using the tiny servo boards inside the little walkera servos Ill see if I can find the link on how to do it was very easy. you will have to read through the thread this was for converting the the little picco Z and havoc heli's to 4 ch
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1013152