Light system options?

[SmallHaul]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Scott, yes, I would suggest you mix the sound unit in with the drive motor ESC throttle channel, and not with the hydraulic valve channels. The 1:1 wheel loaders have a foot throttle and a good operator will lift off the throttle completely, and wait until the machine is at a complete, or near stop before changing directions. It might be misleading to think the operator is on the throttle to speed up the hydraulic pump for lifting or steering, when in fact that is simply the torque converter slipping, while the engine RPMs come back up. Depending on what gear the operator is in, there might be more, or less lag, from the point when you hear the engine rev and to the point that translates into the wheels turning.

The hydraulic pumps still put out good flow at idle, so the bucket will lift and the loader will steer just fine (although a bit slower at that point), when the operator is off the throttle, but when you watch a wheel loader at work, there really isn't much time that the engine isn't running at a higher speed, except for when the machine comes to a complete stop. At that point, the loss of bucket cycle speed is minimal, especially considering the operator will be back on the throttle very soon. When dumping a full bucket at stop (bucket already raised up), not a lot of flow is needed to tip the weight. Bucket 'dig in', is usually done under power, as the operator is pushing pretty hard into the pile, with the engine RPMs up, even if the wheels aren't spinning. The torque converter may be slipping at that point, especially in the higher gears. Efficient operators will already have the bucket raised by the time they get to the truck, while the machine is backing away from the pile, changing directions, and then approaching the truck; engine running at elevated throttle through that process. So I've not known any operators to rev the engine while cycling the bucket with the machine at a stop, unless they are lifting something so heavy that the hydraulic pump can't put out enough pressure or flow to raise the weight.

I know this is long winded, and I apologize, but long story short, I would not tie the hydraulic valve channels into the sound unit for this reason.

Nathan, thank You very much for all of that information. It is important to me to setup these machines as prototypical as possible so, i'll take all of the hydraulic to sound mixes off.

So...how about an excavator? How would you mix the sound? i have never operated a modern excavator.

[rson123]

Originally Posted by oztruck

There is a small unit that also has sound that will do all of what you want + indicators and can be configured that when it is not moving the brake light stays on.
It is called a Turbo9
http://9rc.com/9turbo/index.php?main...&products_id=1

Cheers Chris

Hi Chris, do you happen to know if an Electronic Speed Control (ESC) is required for all the functions to work properly?

My RC Excavator ( Bruder Cat conversion, no hydraulics) is powered by a 3S Lipo battery plugged directly into the Receiver with an inline uBEC to protect it. No motors. Everything is powered by servos, including the tracks.

Thanks, Rodney

[Espeefan]

Scott, excavators generally operate with the throttle set to the optimum rated engine speed for the best hydraulic performance. Since everything on an excavator is hydraulically driven, including the tracks and swing motor, there really isn't any need for the engine to idle down, unless the operator wants to run it slower for more precise operations that don't require a lot of hydraulic force and speed, like laying pipe or something similar.

The way that I would mix the sound on a model would be with the pump motor channel, or on a separate channel with a toggle switch or knob, so the engine speed could be controlled by the operator. Simply put, if the pump is running, the engine sound should be at an elevated RPM.

This could get a little tricky if you are one of the guys who likes to mix the pump speed with the valves and stick movement, throttling back the pump motor to conserve power when you aren't using the hydraulic functions. If the sound unit is mixed to the pump motor, then the engine RPMs would fall off when the hydraulic sticks are in neutral, which may not be as realistic. Having the sound mixed to a separate channel would allow the operator to have direct control over the engine RPM, and yet the pump can go idle when the sticks are at neutral (in example when you swing the base but don't need to position the boom, stick, or bucket) and the machine will still sound right. Likewise, when using the tracks and traveling.

[SmallHaul]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Scott, excavators generally operate with the throttle set to the optimum rated engine speed for the best hydraulic performance. Since everything on an excavator is hydraulically driven, including the tracks and swing motor, there really isn't any need for the engine to idle down, unless the operator wants to run it slower for more precise operations that don't require a lot of hydraulic force and speed, like laying pipe or something similar.

The way that I would mix the sound on a model would be with the pump motor channel, or on a separate channel with a toggle switch or knob, so the engine speed could be controlled by the operator. Simply put, if the pump is running, the engine sound should be at an elevated RPM.

This could get a little tricky if you are one of the guys who likes to mix the pump speed with the valves and stick movement, throttling back the pump motor to conserve power when you aren't using the hydraulic functions. If the sound unit is mixed to the pump motor, then the engine RPMs would fall off when the hydraulic sticks are in neutral, which may not be as realistic. Having the sound mixed to a separate channel would allow the operator to have direct control over the engine RPM, and yet the pump can go idle when the sticks are at neutral (in example when you swing the base but don't need to position the boom, stick, or bucket) and the machine will still sound right. Likewise, when using the tracks and traveling.

Putting the sound control on a knob for an excavator seems like a good idea, i'll have to try that on the next machine. Thanks Nathan.

[apfubar]

You could try using a three position switch for the mixing the sound:
Pos1 - sound off
Pos2 - pump speed drives sound channel
Pos3 - knob drives sound channel

Cheers,
AP

[astecme]

You can do all that with the BEIER sound system. does the lights as well and sequences for servo's or sound and light etc.

[Blender]

Has anyone experimented with an Arduino to control lighting? It does require direct programming, but there are tons of tutorials and source codes available.

arduino micro

[SmallHaul]

Originally Posted by oztruck

There is a small unit that also has sound that will do all of what you want + indicators and can be configured that when it is not moving the brake light stays on.
It is called a Turbo9
http://9rc.com/9turbo/index.php?main...&products_id=1

Cheers Chris

Thanks Chris.

i have used the 9turbo system on a few trucks now (but, using servonaut for the sound)

Rebuilt Wedico rig

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYuJazIlx08

Trailer and rig

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSrcxJBN8uU

i don't use the sound system because it has a separate idle and acceleration file so, it sounds wrong to me but, it is worth it for the light control to me and people i have built machines for.

What is cool is there are two auxiliary light outputs and only one extra channel is required to run it.

i will try more sound and light kits soon.

[thebat]

how good is the 9turbo sound unit sound wise for engine and horn thanks.

[SmallHaul]

Originally Posted by thebat

how good is the 9turbo sound unit sound wise for engine and horn thanks.

Not good..there is one sound file for idle and another for the revving so, when you give the vehicle throttle it sounds like a different engine from when it was at idle.