ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Waggly tails
Post Reply
User avatar
ozrs
Posts: 114
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 15:21
Location: West Australia

ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Post by ozrs »

My first attempts at using a magnetic actuator (Adams) with a 'bug' style PIC driver in an ACE Guppy showed very little torque. Control authority in flight was poor, however without an original PP system to compare against I was unable to determine if this was normal or not.

Subsequently, I acquired several more mag actuators, as well as a Mattel PP system. Using the Mattel with a Adams "Standard LV" showed respectable torque.

Phil also made me up a couple of GG recoders (for use with Rands I also acquired), these are great, so I decided to 'update' my original PP driver to the same format using the original PIC (I was never really happy with my soldering effort on the bug style construction), and the new bridge.

Torque with the original mag actuator was still poor, so with further investigation I found:

1) The Adams actuator in the Guppy was actually a HV coil for 3.6 to 7.2v operation (56 ohm coil) - trying a Adams "Standard LV" (19 ohm coil) gave good torque.

2) The Ace system with Adams "Standard LV" is meant to draw 150 mA on 2.4v, I measured 240 mA (without RX) at 2.5v on the Mattel system.

3) The Ace system with Adams "Baby Twin" (32 ohm coil) is meant to draw 98 mA on 2.4v (perhaps about 70 mA without the RX), I measured 126 mA (without RX) using the recoder running off a 5v BEC.

I swapped the "Baby Twin" into the Guppy, and the torque is now excellent. I found that adding diodes or a resister dropped torque considerably, so did not use either. Is anyone getting good results using diodes or a resister? I am thinking that 126 mA is probably not going to do any harm?

Picture shows the "Baby Twin" with recoder alongside a GG recoder:
recoder & baby twin.JPG
I also acquired a different type of mag actuator, it is well made with no markings and quite a hefty beast at 99 grams (compare to a Adams "Stomper" at 48 grams). I have tried it using the GG recoder ad it seems to work well. Does anyone know who it was made by?

Picture shows it beside an Adams "Stomper":
recoder & Act & Stomper.JPG
A lot of mag actuators have resisters or diodes across the coils, are these of any use when using a recoder or should they be removed?
Richard
User avatar
ozrs
Posts: 114
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 15:21
Location: West Australia

Re: ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Post by ozrs »

I found some information that suggests the original standard size Adams had:

2.4v - 2 coils of 700 turns each of #30 AWG (0.255mm) center tapped (2 x 8.5 ohms), so 1 coil of 1400 turns would do (17 ohms).

4.8v - 2 coils of 1050 turns each of #34 AWG (0.16mm) center tapped, so 1 coil of 2100 turns


More discussion here
Richard
jmendoza
Posts: 167
Joined: 18 Feb 2018, 23:07

Re: ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Post by jmendoza »

Hey Phil,
I wonder what an Adams coil with a Neo magnet would be like? More power?
Jay
Tobe
Posts: 665
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 06:19
Location: Varberg or Stockholm, Sweden

Re: ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Post by Tobe »

...the issue here is to get a balance between the neo magnet and the coil! Not an easy task, I spent hours and hours on it and gave up which brought me to develop the Adams Clone.
Cheers,

Tobe
User avatar
Shaun
Posts: 1049
Joined: 15 Feb 2018, 21:49
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Post by Shaun »

A selection of Adams... Still prefer Tobes with Phils electronics... they are far less trouble and very powerful.
Adams.JPG
Shaun
User avatar
ozrs
Posts: 114
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 15:21
Location: West Australia

Re: ACE / Adams / other magnetic actuators

Post by ozrs »

"I also acquired a different type of mag actuator, it is well made with no markings and quite a hefty beast at 99 grams (compare to a Adams "Stomper" at 48 grams). I have tried it using the GG recoder ad it seems to work well. Does anyone know who it was made by?"

I finally found the make of the actuator - Sage:
Sage PP actuator.jpg
Richard
Post Reply