Optipower Backup Guard

[Jez N]

Reading all the posts would you trust tho opti guard to stay in sleep mode with the model in a bag with the blades folded ??

Yes, like Mark I haven't been able to get it to arm and power up.

so i think a simple switch was a oversight in the design

I think that the lack of having to arm it is the principle selling point of the device over using a nimh/life and BEC.

Overall i think this is a great product and I hope Andy hasn't taken offense by what has been written on here. I think all the comments have been constructive (good and bad) regards the product and the way it has been marketed. It is a novel device that will help to make the hobby safer and potentially cheaper in the event of power failure and for that Optipower and Andy should be commended for the design and manufacture. Hopefully any negative criticism regards the way the product has been sold or marketed will also be useful as ultimately people have been left feeling a little unhappy and whether there was an advert run early or not, the product should only have been sold when it was ready and not simply to meet demand. Certainly I would have been happy to wait a few extra months and had the updated version rather than this version. Having said that, if I hadn't known about the next version I would have been totally happy with what i have.

[jasoncook]

Yes, like Mark I haven't been able to get it to arm and power up.



I think that the lack of having to arm it is the principle selling point of the device over using a nimh/life and BEC.

Overall i think this is a great product and I hope Andy hasn't taken offense by what has been written on here. I think all the comments have been constructive (good and bad) regards the product and the way it has been marketed. It is a novel device that will help to make the hobby safer and potentially cheaper in the event of power failure and for that Optipower and Andy should be commended for the design and manufacture. Hopefully any negative criticism regards the way the product has been sold or marketed will also be useful as ultimately people have been left feeling a little unhappy and whether there was an advert run early or not, the product should only have been sold when it was ready and not simply to meet demand. Certainly I would have been happy to wait a few extra months and had the updated version rather than this version. Having said that, if I hadn't known about the next version I would have been totally happy with what i have.

I too only want to see this type of product get easier to use and to make it safer. My only concerns are leaving a heli in a bag with the blades folded in a spare room for a few weeks in between flights if it powers up due to any reasons getting hit with foreign object , Wife cleaning ,hoover,etc , electronics failing , even switch getting knocked as its a push type the unit will power up the FBL unit will burn out as will the stalled servos and the wires may melt.
As electrical safety is part of my job I would recommend the units are unplugged for storage or the helis stored without blades or the blades straight. **** This should be in the instructions if it is not.****

[GIXERMAN]

Surely not hard to unplug and leave in storage/hibernate. Then doesn't matter if get knocked.

[jasoncook]

Surely not hard to unplug and leave in storage/hibernate. Then doesn't matter if get knocked.

That,s my point people seem to want to leave them on standby as they don't have a mechanical switch they should be unplugged.

[Mark_T]

You can't start it up by knocking the push button or even willfully holding down the push button, in the absence of another voltage source it just simply will not arm.

With my BD-3SX FBL system if you power it up without a radio signal the servos are not driven at all, nothing is going to burn out or melt.

The risk assessment in my case suggests that I'm more likely to have a problem by forgetting to turn on the device before use than I am to have a problem by leaving the pack connected after use.

Others of course may have different risks in their configurations.

[jasoncook]

You can't start it up by knocking the push button or even willfully holding down the push button, in the absence of another voltage source it just simply will not arm.

With my BD-3SX FBL system if you power it up without a radio signal the servos are not driven at all, nothing is going to burn out or melt.

The risk assessment in my case suggests that I'm more likely to have a problem by forgetting to turn on the device before use than I am to have a problem by leaving the pack connected after use.

Others of course may have different risks in their configurations.

Most fbl systems power up to a pre set position. All I am saying is don't leave electronics powered up when not in use( and yes its powered up in stand bye mode) its only a case of pulling the plug. The unit will also drain the lipo eventually so next time you fly it could be flat or down to storage voltage that wont leave you much of a back up , Will it charge fully in 30 seconds ?? no it will take a few flights and that's still charging a flat lipo in 8 mins. Plugging the opti in at the start of the day or turning a BUG on not really a hard one to remember .

[milly0812]

turning a BUG on not really a hard one to remember .

I beg to differ PMSL

[Mark_T]

Jason, I think we are going to have to differ in our opinions on this one, my risk assessment is valid for my use of this device.

I understand what you are saying, it simply doesn't apply to my situation.

It may be different for other users with other equipment of course and everyone would be wise to consider the risks and benefits as they apply to their equipment.

In my case I will disconnect the battery if I intend not to fly that model for a period exceeding one month, otherwise I will be leaving it connected.

[jasoncook]

Jason, I think we are going to have to differ in our opinions on this one, my risk assessment is valid for my use of this device.

I understand what you are saying, it simply doesn't apply to my situation.

It may be different for other users with other equipment of course and everyone would be wise to consider the risks and benefits as they apply to their equipment.

In my case I will disconnect the battery if I intend not to fly that model for a period exceeding one month, otherwise I will be leaving it connected.

Mark , we are not really differing in opinion , you are now stating you will disconnect the battery so you are agreeing with some of my concerns. As your fbl system does not go to a pre set position I agree it would not cause damage in your case if it powered up. My concerns are people reading and applying your assessment to say a vbar set-ups which drive to a pre set position.

[Mark_T]

...you are now stating you will disconnect the battery so you are agreeing with some of my concerns...

Actually just following the advice in the instructions that came with the Ultra Guard (Andy suggests 2 months, I just reduced that for added safety margin)

I'll also test other FBL devices I have available to check their behavior in the absence of an initial radio signal, as it is not always the same as what happens when the signal is lost and fail-safe cuts in.

As previously stated, I encourage everyone to make informed choices based on their own equipment and risks, not merely assume that what works for me, works for them.

[OPTIANDY]

Just an observation from testing with the Super Combo.

The LED warning does not seem to trigger merely because the voltage has dropped by 0.5V but the Ultra Guard is turning on and supporting the voltage but probably only briefly.

I used a YEP 150LV which has probably one of the worst BEC's I've ever owned. It can be persuaded to drop from, 5.5V to under 3.5V without too much trouble.

With the Ultra Guard in circuit the voltage reported via Spektrum telemetry never fell below 4.9V and the Ultra Guard warmed up a little so was obviously working to supply current, but the LED warning did not go off.

I'm certainly not complaining about the way the Ultra Guard was stepping in to stop the voltage falling, but without telemetry I would never know it was happening.

It seems as though the conditions to trigger the Ultra Guard to step in are a little different to the conditions to trigger the LED alarm.

Once again, not a complaint, more a question about what the difference is, is it just a matter of duration, so transient falls will trigger support from the Ultra Guard but not an alarm?

Mark is correct in flight with no telemetry you would not know the UG430 had cut in as it is seamless. There is a wait time before the LED is activated so if the UG430 sees a V drop it cuts in this takes about 2msec but the firmware waits a moment or two to see if its a 'condition' then switches the LED circuit on, this will drop out if the voltage recovers. This also seen at the two LED's on the board but these are two small to see in flight.

[OPTIANDY]

Mark T can you mail me when you have a chance at andy@optipower.co.uk I have a question for you.

[maarset]

Optipower Backup Guard

Got mine!! Was able to hide it in the logo frames in front of the motor. Funny. After I power off the OUG and move the align 610's around the bright remote led lights will flash. Almost like the brushless servos are generating a little current?

I'm using a castle BEC, vbar and YGE 120 HV.

The servos never power up after shutting down the OUG.

[OPTIANDY]

Got mine!! Was able to hide it in the logo frames in front of the motor. Funny. After I power off the OUG and move the align 610's around the bright remote led lights will flash. Almost like the brushless servos are generating a little current?

I'm using a castle BEC, vbar and YGE 120 HV.

The servos never power up after shutting down the OUG.

Maarset,

This is perfectly normal, when you jiggle a servo it creates a voltage on your system and the UG430 sees that and try's to sample it, its not above 4V and does not become a 'system' voltage so it goes back to sleep. Volts are volts no matter how they are derived and the device is looking to be woken up by seeing a voltage and arm, this has to be over 4V and stay continuous for 5 seconds. Twisting a servo motor does create a small voltage.

Andy

[maarset]

Figured as much. Thanks Andy