Futaba 3GR Problem - Control Lock Outs
 

I've had a 3GR for almost a year now. It's generally been brilliant. But on a few occasions the controls have suddenly locked, I run electric cars and the throttle seems to go to neutral but the steering locks where it was.

Both the transmitter and the receiver show solid green lights, which is supposed to indicate a good link, but there is no response from control inputs on the transmitter. To bring control back all I have to do is cycle the power on the transmitter, switch it off then back on again, without doing anything to the car and control comes back.

I've had this happen on mulitple receivers, but most frequently on the R603FF that was supplied with the transmitter. I've sent Tx and Rx back to Ripmax, the UK Futaba distributor, who said no fault found. I've never seen anything on the web about this issue, anybody else experienced it?

A shame because occasional loss of control is spoiling an otherwise brilliant radio.

I've now had this happen 6 times during races recently. I sent the radio back to Ripmax and they sent me out a new one. First meeting back at main club it happened twice, new transmitter and a different receiver, only happened on my touring car though, my buggy used on the same day was fine. Yet I've also used the touring car at another club with no problems, it's always been at one club. Only obvious difference is that I'm the only FASST user at the club where I have no problems.

So is it something to do with multiple FASST users? If so why does it only affect my touring car and not my buggy? I'm using a Novak GTB, Hitec servo and AMB PT, maybe a combination of these and other FASST users? Works fine at the other club.

Are you using the R603-FF/FS Rx?

Have the other FASST users that are in your touring heats turn on one at a time while you're on and see if you can replicate the problem. If one of the other FASST systems locks you out when they turn on, they need to send their unit in for service. Your gear is probably fine, I'm thinking there's another FASST user at your club with a fault in their TX. I'm willing to guess that it only affects your touring car since the other FASST driver is not running buggy also.

Rick

I've had it happen with a R603FF and a R603FS.

I was thinking along the same lines. It's not obvious though, it is a small club and there are only two other FASST users, one with a 3GR like mine and one with a module converted 3PK. The 3GR user only races buggies, the 3PK user races both. So only the 3PK user could be affecting my touring car, but he's running along side my buggy where I don't have a problem. I could maybe ask him to swap the receivers between his buggy and touring car to see if it moves the problem to my buggy.

Well this weekend the 3PK user that runs along side my TC wasn't there. Low and behold I had no problems, I thought this was fairly conclusive. But then the next evening at a different club where I've never previously had problems, in the first heat I had the control lock out again! Same symptoms, reset the Tx and control comes straight back. There were no other FASST users at this club, so I can't point the problem at someones else's radio.

So in the year or so I've been running FASST I've seen this problem on different cars, different Tx/Rxs, different locations and with different competitors. The only reason not to think this is a fundamental bug with the 3GR and FASST is that I can't find anyone else who's had the problem. The only difference recently is that it seems to be happening more frequently on my touring car (despite changing tx/rx), so maybe something else on the car is provoking the problem. I'll maybe try swapping PT/servo/ESC with my buggy to see if I can move the problem. Trouble is the problem doesn't always happen, so it's very hard to say 'it's fixed' and why should a PT/servo/ESC be able to cause control lock outs with a solid green light on the Rx?

Try a different PT first. I've seen them go bad and cause problems. Watch the light on the PT while turning the wheels and/or giving the car throttle. If the PT light flickers or dims you have a voltage drop.