Ko Propo steering pot gone bad
#1
Ko Propo steering pot gone bad
Hi,
I bought this radio for some very cheap $$ with the information that the steering pot was dead and need replacement. All fine and dandy, verified that it was dead I opened up the transmitter and found out its a tiny B5K potentiometer with a 3 (or possibly 4) mm shaft.
However, since this is a D-shaped shaft it seems almost impossible to find sources for a new one. (That in combination with linear and shaft diameter)
Anyone have any clue where to find one?
I wouldn't be suprised if it's the same one on the throttle...
The short solution to this would be to send it in to Ko Propo USA themselves, but this radio is on a budget and I don't want to spend large amounts of cash on it if I can't get it to work anyway.
I bought this radio for some very cheap $$ with the information that the steering pot was dead and need replacement. All fine and dandy, verified that it was dead I opened up the transmitter and found out its a tiny B5K potentiometer with a 3 (or possibly 4) mm shaft.
However, since this is a D-shaped shaft it seems almost impossible to find sources for a new one. (That in combination with linear and shaft diameter)
Anyone have any clue where to find one?
I wouldn't be suprised if it's the same one on the throttle...
The short solution to this would be to send it in to Ko Propo USA themselves, but this radio is on a budget and I don't want to spend large amounts of cash on it if I can't get it to work anyway.
#3
Well, that's part of the problem - finding an appropriate round one with 4mm shaft. (Either that or D-shaped)
The ones I've found have a larger house or 6mm shafts and the rest had split & splined shafts.
One solution would be to drill a round hole in the plastic pin and push it onto the potentiometer pin, but that would involve alot of testing to find dead center on it. I don't like that option.
There is however another option: My FlySky FS-GT3 (not FS-GT3B!) transmitter had the very same D-shaped pot on its steering wheel.
The FS-GT3 can be had for a somewhat affordable lump of money and I could buy one just for spares...
An even cheaper solution would be the FS-GT2 transmitter, as long as it uses the same D-shaped steering pot. I really need to get that verified somehow...
#4
I've looked for the pot myself a few years ago without any luck...
IRRC KO charges $40-$50 to replace it which is crazy. They won't sell just the pot separately.
IRRC KO charges $40-$50 to replace it which is crazy. They won't sell just the pot separately.
#5
Yes, and this is a problem. I've discovered the same type of D-shaped pot on the FlySky FS-GT3 transmitter, but I won't waste $45 on a transmitter just to steal its steering pot and just leave the rest for spares...
And yes, I did try the pot on the Helios and it worked 100%.
I've found a local source here in Sweden which sell pots which are the same specs, but with a longer and round 4mm shaft. The only problem with them is the fact that they are expensive (~12$/each) and I need to cut the length plus find the middle center of the pot to cut the D-shaped portion. This can very well go wrong.
I can't imagine these components cost more than a few bucks to manufacture or even sell?
A wholesale Asian reseller would be outstanding.
Maybe drop a mail to FlySky themselves and ask if they could sell some 20-30 pots to me and resell these to others in the same situation...
And yes, I did try the pot on the Helios and it worked 100%.
I've found a local source here in Sweden which sell pots which are the same specs, but with a longer and round 4mm shaft. The only problem with them is the fact that they are expensive (~12$/each) and I need to cut the length plus find the middle center of the pot to cut the D-shaped portion. This can very well go wrong.
I can't imagine these components cost more than a few bucks to manufacture or even sell?
A wholesale Asian reseller would be outstanding.
Maybe drop a mail to FlySky themselves and ask if they could sell some 20-30 pots to me and resell these to others in the same situation...
#6
Well, I finally solved the immediate problem with the steering pot. A friend of mine had an old FM radio he gave to me since it was already heading for the scrapheap and I managed to swap the steering pot from that one over to the Ko Propo radio.
Result? Success.
Although this is not a long term solution since it will fail eventually...
I only read "B5K" on the pot to figure out the resistance, but it also says "TBM" which is short for TSUBAME RADIO CO.,LTD.
tbm-japan.com has a pot namned "Type 132L-N" which seems to be the exact one.
This might aid in further trackdown of the appropriate replacement pot, hopefully with longer lifespan.
Result? Success.
Although this is not a long term solution since it will fail eventually...
I only read "B5K" on the pot to figure out the resistance, but it also says "TBM" which is short for TSUBAME RADIO CO.,LTD.
tbm-japan.com has a pot namned "Type 132L-N" which seems to be the exact one.
This might aid in further trackdown of the appropriate replacement pot, hopefully with longer lifespan.