Mixing old and new electronics

Steven Ford · Post by **Steven Ford** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:01 pm

A request to the electronic experts amongst us:

I have one of the oldest Tigers made and after a few hours running the Electronise speed controllers handed in their lunch pails.

Armortek has very kindly provided one of their new devices but there is a connection problem. The wires to the motors simply push-fit but B and C, the black wires, have small black connectors that will not fit into the original Sanwa receiver.

Is this receiver/controller combination impossible/inadvisable or is it just a soldering job to put alternative ends on B and C? If the latter, are there any pointers to which wires go where?

Mick Regan · Post by **Mick Regan** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:47 pm

Hi Steven

The plugs fitted to B & C are for Futaba receivers. Have a word with Gill, you may be able to get some made up for your Sanwa receiver. If not, you have a couple of options.

1/ Replace the plugs with Sanwa plugs. You only need to replace the plug body. The connections will be the same.

2/ Buy or make some Futaba to Sanwa adapter leads.

3/ Use it as an excuse to by the Futaba 7C 2.4Ghz radio gear.

Seriously, changing the plugs over isn't that big a job. If you need any help, just drop me a PM.

Hope this helps.

Mick

Adrian Harris · Post by **Adrian Harris** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:04 pm

I will caveat this by saying I don't know the Sanwa receiver but I think the only difference between the Sanwa leads and the Futaba leads is that the Futaba ones have a polarising lip on one edge.

See the following for a quick run down on the various manufacturers.

http://www.servocity.com/html/connector_types.html

I think if you file off that lip, the plug should fit into your receiver.

If you can, it might be worth posting a picture or two, so we can see the actual connections.

Adrian

Steven Ford · Post by **Steven Ford** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 4:44 pm

Thank you gentlemen. I shall don my close range specs and put a little more coal in my steam powered camera...

Steven Ford · Post by **Steven Ford** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:44 pm

After a pleasant afternoon's fiddling around with my son's electric camera I have to admit defeat - excellent views of hangnails and lengths of wire but can I get the b****r to focus on the right thing? No chance.

Anyway:

The B and C leads terminate in 8mm wide and 2.5mm deep black tabs with three square holes in the end. The Sanwa receiver has holes that are the same dimensions overall but radiused on two corners - hence the reluctance to join.

I'll see what I can find on the net by way of adaptors.

Mick Regan · Post by **Mick Regan** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:05 pm

Hi Steven

Managed to take a couple of photos of the different connectors. Adrian is right that you can remove a lip from the Futaba plug to make it fit in your Sanwa receiver. This photo shows what to remove.

If you want to change the connector bodies over, this photo shows how.

Hope this helps

Mick

Steven Ford · Post by **Steven Ford** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:39 pm

Thanks Mick.

Having taken another look at the plugs they look exactly like the Sanwa ones you show - definitely no tabs at the sides. Perhaps mine are simple an earlier generation of Sanwa items - they are almost ten years old.

Mark has suggested adding a chamfer to my existing plugs and I note that the side with the silver tabs visible should remain untouched to keep all the plugs orientated the same way.

If you see lightning on the northern horizon you'll know what has happened!

Steven Ford · Post by **Steven Ford** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:10 pm

Joy and delight!

A union has been achieved and electrons are processing in an orderly manner around the device.

Thanks all.

Adrian Harris · Post by **Adrian Harris** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 5:15 pm

FZZzzzzttt

Well done Stephen

Adrian.

Marcel de Groene · Post by **Marcel de Groene** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:42 pm

Adrian Harris wrote:I will caveat this by saying I don't know the Sanwa receiver but I think the only difference between the Sanwa leads and the Futaba leads is that the Futaba ones have a polarising lip on one edge.

See the following for a quick run down on the various manufacturers.

http://www.servocity.com/html/connector_types.html

I think if you file off that lip, the plug should fit into your receiver.

If you can, it might be worth posting a picture or two, so we can see the actual connections.

Adrian

Filing off the lip will do the trick. I have done this to all my old Sanwa connectors without a problem. But make sure to connect correctly(see color schemes on the net)

answered before reading the whole post.