Attention Specktrum DX6i Users 1/30/2009

foamflier84 · Feb 21, 2009, 05:14 PM

1/30/2009 - DX6i owners are advised: our service center has a concern of potentially bad stick potentiometers.

http://www.spektrumrc.com/Articles/A...ArticleID=1885

http://horizonhobby.cachefly.net/DX6...r%20defect.wmv

Tried it on my TX and it is fine this probably only is rare in most DX6i TX's and doesn't really effect flight. I have over 100 flights with DX6i and no problem AT ALL.

zaksdad · Feb 22, 2009, 11:20 PM

I'm having a aileron servo centering and servo throw issue on 3 different planes 1 has a single aileron servo the other 2 have dual aileron servos. Here's the story all 3 planes at one time or another have worked properly obviously I set them up recently 2 are new planes 1 I have had for a while but here is what happens and what I've done, the single servo plane (a 3d foamy) will often start off out of center so I trim it and then some time during the flight I will lose throw travel on the right wing and i will land and unplug battery and get full throw back without any other adjustments.On the dual servo planes I will have similar problems but not with the trim issue on battery plug up as with the single servo plane, but i will have servo throw travel problems on the right wing the whole flight (less Travel). I'm using ar6100 receivers on all three, the single servo plane and one of the dual servo planes have the same brand of servos but the other plane has a different brand. Now here's the kicker that makes me thank that its the radio is the "monitor screen" on my radio shows the lack of full throw on the right wings, so by this description is this a radio issue or just a fluke ? And to put a another kink in this when I put my old 72 gear back in the 1 plane I don't detect this problem and as now I haven't tried this with the other 2 planes. any suggestions before I call Horizon tomorrow?

Bruce Abbott · Feb 23, 2009, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaksdad

the "monitor screen" on my radio shows the lack of full throw on the right wings, so by this description is this a radio issue

Yes, if the monitor shows varying throw or center position then the problem is in the radio (either a bad pot or loose connection).

OTOH...

Quote:

I will lose throw travel on the right wing and i will land and unplug battery and get full throw back without any other adjustments.

This suggests a problem in the model (bad servo, slipping linkages?). However it is still possible that the fault is in the transmitter. If you are placing it on the ground while unplugging the battery, the change in orientation may temporarily fix the fault.

I had a similar problem with my elevator - it would lose throw (like dual rates had been activated) and the servo would also move sluggishly. The first couple of times this happened, I flicked the dual-rate switch and it came right, but I did NOT have dual rates programmed! Turned out that the plug connecting the elevator pot cable to the motherboard was only way half in, so the contacts were only just touching and any disturbance (eg. flicking switches) would make the fault come and go.

zaksdad · Feb 23, 2009, 08:03 PM

well after sleeping on the this problem i came to the conclusion that considering the moniter shows the problem even though the airplane isn't on then it has to be the radio, which is what the tech at horizon also thought so off goes my radio.

F-111 John · Feb 24, 2009, 08:06 AM

DX6i pot bulletin has become a full-blown product recall:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...20&postcount=1

Balsa Wood · Feb 24, 2009, 11:18 AM

I got the email this morning also. Oh well, looks like I'll have to send it in.

bigwood212 · Feb 24, 2009, 02:33 PM

I sent them an email 2 weeks ago and they said they were sending me a shipping lable in the mail. Still havent gotten it. My ailerons have centering problems and my rudder throw is wierd. On right rudder it will go from middle to full throw right away with like half the stick left. Also im sending in all my spectrum recievers with the free shipment so i can have them updated.

zaksdad · Feb 25, 2009, 11:56 PM

They didn't tell me anything about a shipping label so I just sent mine in at my own expense thru ups at work

Ramotny · Mar 04, 2009, 04:42 AM

I did the repair by myself so if anybody has expired guarantee can do it himself quite easily. see here: DX6i potentiometer repair

Gravity_Kills · Mar 06, 2009, 01:07 AM

Are they only recalling the ones with a date sticker? I purchased my DX6i from my LHS on Jan. 13th (Happy Birthday

). Mine has no sticker on the back of the TX or the battery cover, but looks like it has some severe issues with the right POT.

More often than not, I've been noticing that the Aileron and Elevator controls are no longer centered when the TX is turned on. I am unable move the control surface (and display on the "Monitor" screen) down past center on the the elevator channel. On the display, it stays on the left half of the screen. The Aileron isn't quite as "bad", but it's range varies from full left to about 30 percent right.

The left POT is perfect. Very smooth 100% range on both throttle & rudder.

Once in a while, I can reload a different model I have configured and get full control for a bit, but it seems to deteriorate back to loss of control with some use.

I haven't called Horizon yet, as I wanted to ask here first about a non-stickered recall. The Spektrum recall only talks about certain date codes, which I do not have the stickers for. The website clearly states "Note: If your transmitter DOES NOT have a date code, it DOES NOT need to be sent in.".

I'm only using the DX6i for my BNF Vapor, but there's absolutely no way I'd trust it with anything else - that would be very dangerous. Pretty tough to recover from a sudden TX induced stall when you can't get past horizontal on your elevator channel.

F-111 John · Mar 06, 2009, 07:27 AM

Contact Horizon and tell them about your bad pots. Since you just bought it, it is still under warranty and they should repair it.

The recall thus far is only for those specific date codes listed. They didn't want every single DX6i ever made returned (at least not all at once!) so your radio isn't part of the automatic recall, but clearly it has a fault that could become fatal to your aircraft.

slipstick · Mar 06, 2009, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravity_Kills

Are they only recalling the ones with a date sticker? I purchased my DX6i from my LHS on Jan. 13th (Happy Birthday

). Mine has no sticker on the back of the TX or the battery cover, but looks like it has some severe issues with the right POT.

The way I read the recall notice was (as I was told by Horizon in the UK):
1. If your Tx has the appropriate date stickers send it back
2. If your Tx does not have those date stickers then run the test (see link in message #1). If it fails the test then send it in. If it does not fail the test then do not send it in.

It sounds like yours will fail the test. So that seems fairly clear.

Steve

Trancer · Mar 06, 2009, 10:43 AM

Being eager to get my hands on a functioning problem free DX6i I emailed Horizon Hobby UK asking for a possible date when the new modified DX6i TX will be sent out to retailers and available to purchase.

Dear Steve, I am afraid I cannot give you a time yet as we are in the process of replenishing all the re-called DX6i.

When that has been completed we will then be able to offer DX6i from stock.

So, looks like the wait is going to be a long one.. shame the DX7 is such a jump in price

Gravity_Kills · Mar 06, 2009, 09:33 PM

Thanks for the replies. I'll chase it up with Horizon and hope they can take care of it.

slappySF · Mar 08, 2009, 04:29 PM

I called Horizon earlier this week about my DX6i. My unit seemed to pass all the litmus tests posted on the web site and on the video. But when I described to the tech support guy on the phone what was going on, he said to send in both my radio and my AR6200 receiver to have them checked out.

The support person I spoke with at Horizon was very good. Very helpful.

So off they go tomorrow....

Feb 22, 2009, 11:20 PM	#2
zaksdad zaksdad Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dallas Tx. Posts: 448	Could this be a recall issue (Dx6i) I'm having a aileron servo centering and servo throw issue on 3 different planes 1 has a single aileron servo the other 2 have dual aileron servos. Here's the story all 3 planes at one time or another have worked properly obviously I set them up recently 2 are new planes 1 I have had for a while but here is what happens and what I've done, the single servo plane (a 3d foamy) will often start off out of center so I trim it and then some time during the flight I will lose throw travel on the right wing and i will land and unplug battery and get full throw back without any other adjustments.On the dual servo planes I will have similar problems but not with the trim issue on battery plug up as with the single servo plane, but i will have servo throw travel problems on the right wing the whole flight (less Travel). I'm using ar6100 receivers on all three, the single servo plane and one of the dual servo planes have the same brand of servos but the other plane has a different brand. Now here's the kicker that makes me thank that its the radio is the "monitor screen" on my radio shows the lack of full throw on the right wings, so by this description is this a radio issue or just a fluke ? And to put a another kink in this when I put my old 72 gear back in the 1 plane I don't detect this problem and as now I haven't tried this with the other 2 planes. any suggestions before I call Horizon tomorrow?

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Feb 21, 2009, 05:14 PM	#1
foamflier84 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wind World Posts: 674	Attention Specktrum DX6i Users 1/30/2009 1/30/2009 - DX6i owners are advised: our service center has a concern of potentially bad stick potentiometers. http://www.spektrumrc.com/Articles/A...ArticleID=1885 http://horizonhobby.cachefly.net/DX6...r%20defect.wmv Tried it on my TX and it is fine this probably only is rare in most DX6i TX's and doesn't really effect flight. I have over 100 flights with DX6i and no problem AT ALL.

Feb 23, 2009, 08:03 PM	#4
zaksdad zaksdad Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dallas Tx. Posts: 448	well after sleeping on the this problem i came to the conclusion that considering the moniter shows the problem even though the airplane isn't on then it has to be the radio, which is what the tech at horizon also thought so off goes my radio.

Feb 24, 2009, 08:06 AM	#5
F-111 John Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 471	DX6i pot bulletin has become a full-blown product recall: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...20&postcount=1

Feb 24, 2009, 11:18 AM	#6
Balsa Wood Ochroma pyramidale Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Balsa Wood, N.J. Posts: 15	I got the email this morning also. Oh well, looks like I'll have to send it in.

Feb 24, 2009, 02:33 PM	#7
bigwood212 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 538	I sent them an email 2 weeks ago and they said they were sending me a shipping lable in the mail. Still havent gotten it. My ailerons have centering problems and my rudder throw is wierd. On right rudder it will go from middle to full throw right away with like half the stick left. Also im sending in all my spectrum recievers with the free shipment so i can have them updated.

Feb 25, 2009, 11:56 PM	#8
zaksdad zaksdad Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dallas Tx. Posts: 448	They didn't tell me anything about a shipping label so I just sent mine in at my own expense thru ups at work

Mar 04, 2009, 04:42 AM	#9
Ramotny Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 70	I did the repair by myself so if anybody has expired guarantee can do it himself quite easily. see here: DX6i potentiometer repair

Mar 06, 2009, 01:07 AM	#10
Gravity_Kills Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 11	Are they only recalling the ones with a date sticker? I purchased my DX6i from my LHS on Jan. 13th (Happy Birthday ). Mine has no sticker on the back of the TX or the battery cover, but looks like it has some severe issues with the right POT. More often than not, I've been noticing that the Aileron and Elevator controls are no longer centered when the TX is turned on. I am unable move the control surface (and display on the "Monitor" screen) down past center on the the elevator channel. On the display, it stays on the left half of the screen. The Aileron isn't quite as "bad", but it's range varies from full left to about 30 percent right. The left POT is perfect. Very smooth 100% range on both throttle & rudder. Once in a while, I can reload a different model I have configured and get full control for a bit, but it seems to deteriorate back to loss of control with some use. I haven't called Horizon yet, as I wanted to ask here first about a non-stickered recall. The Spektrum recall only talks about certain date codes, which I do not have the stickers for. The website clearly states "Note: If your transmitter DOES NOT have a date code, it DOES NOT need to be sent in.". I'm only using the DX6i for my BNF Vapor, but there's absolutely no way I'd trust it with anything else - that would be very dangerous. Pretty tough to recover from a sudden TX induced stall when you can't get past horizontal on your elevator channel.

Mar 06, 2009, 07:27 AM	#11
F-111 John Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 471	Contact Horizon and tell them about your bad pots. Since you just bought it, it is still under warranty and they should repair it. The recall thus far is only for those specific date codes listed. They didn't want every single DX6i ever made returned (at least not all at once!) so your radio isn't part of the automatic recall, but clearly it has a fault that could become fatal to your aircraft.

Mar 06, 2009, 10:43 AM	#13
Trancer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Romford, UK Posts: 113	Being eager to get my hands on a functioning problem free DX6i I emailed Horizon Hobby UK asking for a possible date when the new modified DX6i TX will be sent out to retailers and available to purchase. Dear Steve, I am afraid I cannot give you a time yet as we are in the process of replenishing all the re-called DX6i. When that has been completed we will then be able to offer DX6i from stock. So, looks like the wait is going to be a long one.. shame the DX7 is such a jump in price

Mar 06, 2009, 09:33 PM	#14
Gravity_Kills Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 11	Thanks for the replies. I'll chase it up with Horizon and hope they can take care of it.

Mar 08, 2009, 04:29 PM	#15
slappySF Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 335	I called Horizon earlier this week about my DX6i. My unit seemed to pass all the litmus tests posted on the web site and on the video. But when I described to the tech support guy on the phone what was going on, he said to send in both my radio and my AR6200 receiver to have them checked out. The support person I spoke with at Horizon was very good. Very helpful. So off they go tomorrow....