Shaking Servo

The conversion from electrical energy to physical energy takes place in a part of the boat’s system called a potentiometer. A servo that shakes or twitches is likely to be doing so as a result of a spec of dust or a miniscule drop of moisture in the potentiometer.
This is not a serious problem and is quite straight forward to fix.

Note : if your transmitter is inside a building or is held closer than 5 metres from the boat a signal feedback can cause the servos to twitch. To test for this problem you must be outside with the transmitter at least 5 metres away from the boat.
There are four potentiometers in your two channel electrical system; one in each servo, and two in the transmitter (one for each channel).
The steering servos are the most vulnerable to twitching.

If you find that you have this problem, the fix is to follow the following steps;

Step 1 : Remove the receiver (located under the port deck on velcro) and place it above decks where you can see it well.

Note: On the receiver, you will find three plugs in the side. One reads “bat”, and the others Ch 1, and Ch 2. Into these receptacles are plugged the two servos (3-wire plugs), and the lead from the switch/battery (2-wire). The black wire of all three plugs should always be to the right as you read the writing on the receiver. Ch 1 is usually the steering servo, and Ch 2 the sail control servo.

Step 2 : To test whether the twitching is caused by the transmitter potentiometer or the servo potentiometer, switch the two servo plugs in the receiver so that they are plugged into the opposite channel. If the same servo twitches then you know the potentiometer that is dirty is in that servo. If the other servo starts twitching, then you know that the culprit is the potentiometer in the transmitter that controls that channel.

Step 3: Having identified which potentiometer is the problem, the fix is not difficult. You will need to open the device that contains the dirty pot.

Note : Dirt in the potentiometer is not considered a warranty issue because it is not a fault in manufacture or material.

Step 4 : (Transmitter Potentiometer): The transmitter has 5 screws on the back – remove and open the case. Go to the control that is giving the problem, and find a small round housing. In the end of this housing you should find a small hole. Spray a non residue contact cleaner in the hole (find at a stereo/electronics store). After spraying, exercise the stick back and forth, with the power on. The problem should clear itself.

Step 5 : (Servo Potentiometer): Servo: The servo has 4 screws on the bottom. When you remove these screws, be very careful to remove the bottom section, leaving the top section (gear housing) intact. Remove the circuit board from the bottom and find the small round housing as above and treat it the same.

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