GWS BB Metal Gear Small Servo

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Lou Melancon
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GWS BB Metal Gear Small Servo

Post by Lou Melancon »

<font face="Arial">When talking to Mike Morgan at Sureflite about getting the weight down on the 2548 legal Sureflite kits he suggested I try one Sureflite's GWS Micro2 Ball Bearing MG Servo. Because it was light and powerful I ordered some. Here is what it looks like:

<center>Image</center>

Notice that it has only two screws holding the upper and lower case and that it has webbing between the top of the servo case and the mounting "ears".

Here are the specs:
<ul><li>.98 ounce total weight </li>
<li>75 ounce inches torque with 4.8v </li>
<li>1.1" X 0.55" X 1.17" </li></ul>

Here is a look inside:

<center>Image</center>

<center>Image</center>

These servos sell for $19.95 and are available from Sureflite (and other sources) www.sureflite.com

I am going to use two of them on the aileron of the new P39 that came in today, this ones going to be l-i-g-h-t!
</font id="Arial">
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Which_way_is_up
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Post by Which_way_is_up »

This looks like the ones I've used as a sub for Hitec 225MG.

My observations,

<ul><li>Because of the two screw mount, it flexes but when mounted in foam it didn't matter. </li><li>Because of the coarse gear set it sounds like a coffee grinder when being used and again because of the gear set you can't move the servo arm manually without serious risk of damage but not necessarily to the servo. [:o)] </li><li>I've only used two of these and one seems to have poor resolution but I'm not sure if it's simply a bad centering pot or typical</li> <li>Having said that, the servos have held up well and are still working after a couple of years of use. </li><li>I paid $25 each a couple of years ago and thought that was a good price. So if your's are the same then $20 is a good price.</li></ul>

I'd be very interested in what you find out after using them.
Lou Melancon
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Post by Lou Melancon »

<font face="Arial">Roy,
After opening it up for the photos I reassembled it and connected it to a receiver to test it out. I don't have many metal gear servos so I cannot compare its sound to other but it was noisier than I expected but quieter than other servos I am using.

I think putting it up in combat will be the true test and once I have some experience I will post it. $7 standard servos are more appealing to me, but the savings of 1/2 ounce per servo adds up to two ounces in a plane that needs every weight saving measure I can find.</font id="Arial">
Web-Pilot
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Post by Web-Pilot »

HI Lou,

Watch those servos carefully. I had 4, and I got rid of all of them. Watch what happens when you throw the stick one way or the other, or for that matter when you let it go back to neutral. What was happening to me was the servo would travel about 90% of the throw and then slowly do the other 10%. Same on centering. So when I was flying it, I was having to over correct all the time. When I went back to neutral, it took a while to get there. The trims seemed to always be changing as well.

On another forum, one of the pilots was discussing issues with these servos. The distributer took them all back, refunded the money and said they did not have working replacements. The complaint (which I saw a couple of times as well) was the servo would jump every now and again, like a glitch.

Test them carefully thoroughly before you risk a thing of beauty on them. I have gone back to HS85s. They are more expensive, but far more reliable in my opinion.

George
Don Pruitt
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Post by Don Pruitt »

<font face="Arial">Just the name GWS is enough to turn me off. Since the first of 2004 I bought 16 of the Mini Standards and I had all of the problems mentioned above. Even with nylon gears they were noisy. They jittered, would not center consistently, were intermittently slow to respond and are the only servo that I have ever owned that the electronics failed for no apparent reason. Of the sixteen originally purchased, I have five in my junk box with dead electronics. I have since purchased a dozen of the HS81-MG servos and at 3X the price I am happier with them.</font id="Arial">
Lou Melancon
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Post by Lou Melancon »

Jeez,
You guys are making me feel great.
THend
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Post by THend »

Lou, no sweat, I'll give ya $3 each just to give you a way out. LOL Ahh, good throttle servo!
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lightning
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Post by lightning »

Hi Lou, sorry to burst your bubble, but I too tried ten of the GWS mini-standards and ran into all the problems mentioned as well as the flimsy output arms and tiny arm retainer screws that <b>BREAK OFF</b>.
GWS offered to exchange them all for new ones (with no guarantee that they'd be any better!)
Then all my gear got stolen, including most of the GWS's! At least that problem was solved!!
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Which_way_is_up
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Post by Which_way_is_up »

Though I'm not sold on these metal gear servos, they're not to be confused with the Mini/Std servos of which I ordered over 100 for use by myself and others here in the North Texas area and I must say that I not had any problems with them (the Mini/Std) nor as there been any reports back to me by others that have gotten them from me. [:)]
Lou Melancon
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Post by Lou Melancon »

You guys are such pessimists. I opened up a bag of foo-foo dust and sprinkled it over the little servos, mumbled four mantras, and am now ready to go. For extra protection I sprinkled holy water on them and had the Pastor give them the last rites for extra insurance.

You will regret your negativity when I kick your butts in Paris.

Plus all you guys posting are older than me and therefore probably senile.
thojo
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Post by thojo »

I had problems with the mini/std servos, same as others, slow slow slow and slow to center, alot of chatter and jerky too, I just use em for throttle servos now, but thats my luck with equipment!
Cajun
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Post by Cajun »

I've had good luck with the mini standard, but sure wish they would put a longer connection wire on them. If you put them anywhere other than next to the receiver you must have an extension cord or do a solder job[:(]
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Dane McGee
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Post by Dane McGee »

I haven't had any trouble out of the mini standards other than from crash damage. There is one gear that always strips and the servo arms are wimpy. I think I'll try a few Lou......I can live with the noise and the slow to center deal as long as the gears don't strip out on me. The servos on my control surfaces never have the opportunity to center as I'm always turnin and burnin[;)] so its not a biggy.

Thanks for the heads up[8D]
sgilkey
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Post by sgilkey »

I too have had the centering and slow-down-at-end-of-travel issues with GWS mini stds and i hate their little leads. But i have used them for elevator and dual aileron systems and they have so far performed fine, in the air I can't see a noticeable issue with the travel and centering problem. On a flying wing it might be more troublesome? On my conventional planes not a problem that I can see. The servo arms are very wimpy and I have broken many, this can be fixed by using aftermarket DuBro arms, or JR arms.
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Dane McGee
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Post by Dane McGee »

Lou, have you tried the metal gear servos out yet?....just wondering what your impression is after using them.

I have an update on the gws mini standards.....I just bought 15 from balsa products and they seem to have improved the overall quality of the servo. They are not near as noisy as the first couple batches that I bought about a year ago and they seem to operate smoother. I also cannot see any indications of a centering problem. Perhaps GWS QC has been hard at work[:D] I will continue to use them ......at $11.00 and less than an ounce each, they are the cats meow!!
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