"Twitchy" Trollmaster Servo

[Roosterdog1]

Hey guys,

I have a problem with my trollmaster. When the box is on, everything is good and normal, but as soon as I make even the SLIGHTEST adjustment on the knob, the servo starts twitching back and forth maybe about 1/4 to 1/2". If the kicker is running, it revs the piss out of the motor. If I dial it back to minimum or hit the switch to idle, it returns back where it should and stops twitching. I checked it out in the garage with the kicker off and thats when I found out what exactly was going on. Has anyone else seen or had this problem? Is there a short or something going on? If so, where would it be? In the control box? I appreciate any ideas or answers!!

Thanks!!

[REW]

Rooster,
Your control servo is bad.

Pop the cover and remove the servo in the unit.
Go to your nearby hobby shop and buy a replacement servo for $15.

Install the new servo and you will be good to go.

Take care
REW

[REW]

http://www.ifish.net/board/archive/i.../t-201683.html

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531560

This one is 66 in oz of torque - ball bearing output:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXCZ9&P=ML

This one is 143 in oz of torque -double ball bearing output.
If it fits, this one would be the one to use:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXUZ80&P=ML

Check the dimensions from the tech notes to verify the fit.

Take care
REW

[yarcraft91]

As REW says, it is likely the servo motor, but there is another possibility.

My Trollmaster would react wildly to being turned on or off or adjusted, if the kicker was running. I found my kicker had non-resistor spark plugs. When I switched to resistor plugs, all the Trollmaster problems disappeared. The problems were due to RF noise.

[Mick Broughton]

Yes,That is usually some sort of interfearence

[REW]

Rooster,
You indicated that you checked it out in the garage and identified the problem.

When you were working in the garage and identified the problem, did you have the kicker or any other motor running at the time?

Or, were all of the motors on the boat turned of when you were doing your testing?

REW

[B.Chunks]

Probably the servo, but I wouldn't rule out interference. Mine gets "twitchy" whenever my work cell phone rings. Something about that phone. It will also make a computer monitor or TV go all screwey when it rings. My TM also gets twitchy when someone keys up a high power VHF nearby.

Also, check all your connections. I know my RC race car servos would get like that when the connections got dirty.

[Roosterdog1]

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll check that stuff out. When I watched it act up with the kicker cover off, the kicker motor was OFF. It only twitches like that when you are trying to position the throttle with the dial. When you leave the dial at 0/idle the servo is perfectly still. Again, I'll check the connections and then look into replacing the servo and hope it takes care of it.

Thanks again guys, I appreciate it!

[B.Chunks]

Could be the rheostat dial also. If you emilinate everything else and can get to the guts of the stat, electrical contact cleaner might fix the issue.

[REW]

B has a point.
sinc you move the resistor the servo jumps could indicate that the resistor is bad.

Take care
REW