What did the postman bring today?

[Bad Raven]

One of these was left on doorstep (pre-ordered):-



ISDT BG-8S Smart Battery Checker Balancer Receiver Signal Tester Quick Charge Function


Comes in a very nice colour printed box.  Really good clear colour display, very impressive.  Does not have many features, though what it has it seems to lay out well, so it looks simpler than it is.  Tried out cell balancing on an old 4S, worked really well and quite quickly, unlike my "Two Meter". Minimal instructions but download info I';m about to try.

First Issue, they have fitted a std USB socket. This means I need a std male each end lead. I seem to have every type of USB lead known to man EXCEPT one of those or any combination that would make one short of ruining two leads and a soldering session.

It';s Sunday, do I go into town to pound shop and or Maplins (if they have listed stock), only to find it does not do very much anyway? 

[Hozza]

One of these was left on doorstep (pre-ordered):-



ISDT BG-8S Smart Battery Checker Balancer Receiver Signal Tester Quick Charge Function


Comes in a very nice colour printed box.  Really good clear colour display, very impressive.  Does not have many features, though what it has it seems to lay out well, so it looks simpler than it is.  Tried out cell balancing on an old 4S, worked really well and quite quickly, unlike my "Two Meter". Minimal instructions but download info I';m about to try.

First Issue, they have fitted a std USB socket. This means I need a std male each end lead. I seem to have every type of USB lead known to man EXCEPT one of those or any combination that would make one short of ruining two leads and a soldering session.

It';s Sunday, do I go into town to pound shop and or Maplins (if they have listed stock), only to find it does not do very much anyway? 

Isn';t that port for USB charging only?

[hoverfly]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GrNwtkar5A

Look quite handy,  i';ve tried balancing some of my  Inductrix  batts but they keep falling off the table. :embarrassed

[shawdreamer]

Look quite handy,  i';ve tried balancing some of my  Inductrix  batts but they keep falling off the table. :embarrassed

[Bad Raven]

RE: the ISDT checker above, have now had a chance to go a bit further.

Firstly its OK to put one battery on the XT60 and another different voltage one on the Balance port.  When doing the receiver test you put a std three pin plug from the receiver (so plug to plug needed for std receiver outputs).

Secondly the manual does not have a picture that appears on the Banggood website showing a servo lead plugged into the balance port, negative to pin marked - , so + in pin 2 and signal on pin 3.  Select Receiver check and it works!! 

My test Receiver unit is an Orange R618XL, gear channel PWM fed to checker, supplied from a AA 4 cell NIMH.  This shows 4.74v, -10% off centre, 234Hz and 1477uS pulse length with No Tx linked to it.

Transfer to the Aileron Channel and figures are the same.

Turn on the Horus with multi-module set and bound on DSM2 22uS and as soon as the link is made, -10 as before,  the frequency steps to 263Hz and pulse 1477uS as before.

Full right stick -126, 263Hz, 987uS.

Full left stick  +106, 263Hz and 1968uS.

Anorak';s delight!

[Bad Raven]

Nice Mr ParcelForce man has just delivered two 2200mAh 4S Heavy Duty 60-120C discharge packs in the hopes that the 3B-R motors on latest build 250 won';t suck THEM down under alarm voltage!!   

[sh0wtime]

had a nice little delivery today..

these quads are addictive...

SCX200 Redback & some Deadpool motors plus a few other parts for the build 

[hoverfly]

WOOO  HOOOO.....new bus pass.

[shawdreamer]

a small little microchip sticker for the front windscreen of the car.....

no toll costs for me when I use the new Mersey bridge <does a little jig>

[Reman]

Yestereday morning I sent off more emails to pretty much everyone involved with my missing parcels (BangGood, Flyt Express, And DPD).

BangGood replyed with "Thanks  for your email. For the order number XXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX as tracking status update delivered, if not get  , could you please check with local post office carefully and make a claim with local post office? Or could you please ask post office provide official document of Not Signed to make investigation?".

I was pretty annoyed with their badly written brush off, So I instantly replied with "Did you even read my previous message? DPD is not the post office. Royal Mail who run the Post Offices have nothing to do with this. DPD cannot even look for the parcel without one of THEIR tracking numbers. Without one of their tracking numbers I can do nothing from this end. Do I need to start a PayPal dispute for you to do anything? As far as I';m concerned I';ve paid for items that I have not received. Please don';t just reply to this with some canned answer without actually reading my previous emails !"....... That';s the first email I';ve sent to bangGood that wasn';t polite (And I actually felt bad after I sent it).

Flyt Express hasn';t got back to me,

But I got this from DPD earlier. "Your dpd order is due for delivery on Thursday 7th September. On the morning of the Thursday 7th September you';ll receive a 1 hour delivery time slot and you';ll be able to live track your order on its way to you. Please ensure that someone is available to sign for your delivery".

I was happy to see that message until about 10 minutes after I got home when I decided to check to see if GensAce had shipped my Tattu packs yet...... Yep, It';s them that should be here tomorrow.(Partly  , But mainly )

I';m getting bored with this now. I think I';ll give BangGood till both parcels have been over 30 days since shipping, Then if they still haven';t got their act together on this and stopped trying to tell me to chase it from my end, I';ll contact PayPal to see what they can do.

As far as I';m concerned I';m the customer. I';ve paid for items, I';ve paid for shipping, They chose to use the cheapest delivery method they could find and it';s back fired on them. As I haven';t received anything they haven';t fulfilled their part of the transaction, So in my mind it';s their problem, And they can explain to PayPal why they';ve done nothing to try to resolve it.

On a lighter note, Yesterday I received some more tips for my TS100 soldering iron, And a couple of 200x500mm sheets of sticky backed neoprene (2mm and 4mm thick) to make battery pads for some of my quads (So domed allen bolt heads don';t gouge through the side of my packs in any of my many many crashes. :) ).

EDIT :- BangGood';s just replyed to my reply.

"Thanks  for your email. For the order number xxxxxxxx and xxxxxxxx，only update the tracking number [Tracking numbers were here], no other tracking number , if DPD cannot track it , would you please provide the official document from DPD in which they clearly state what happened to your parcel and all the details they have ? Once confirm it , we can process refund or replacement for it ."

Well, That';s useful.

SO I replied with......

"DPD have already told me that without THEIR tracking numbers they can';t even tell if they';ve ever had the parcels in their system.
I don';t know of any other way to tell you that I CAN';T DO ANYTHING ELSE FROM MY END !

I';ve sent an email to Flyt Express, But they didn';t reply to me. I';m just the recipient, I';m not the one who pays them.
BangGood on the other hand IS the company who pays them, So IS in a position to pressure them.

I';m starting to loose my patience over this. If no one want';s to try to work out what';s happened I';m going to have to let PayPal work it out. I';ve never had to do this before, But you can be sure I';d never use a company again if I';ve had to file a PayPal dispute against them.".

As you may be able to tell, I';m a bit miffed by their lack of interest in this. It';s only 2 parcels with a combined value of around 60 quid, But the way they seem to be trying to tell me to work out what happened myself is getting to me.
Anyone got experience with paypal disputes where the tracker says something was delivered?

[Bad Raven]

Hi Reman,  Feel any better now? 

Engaging tongue in cheek mode, watch out!!!!!!.........................

Their use of post office (note lower case) is simply the generic terms for infrastructure. I doubt they are or even could be aware of every countries structure, rules and foibles with regard mailing systems. Are you? 

They are also operating far far away from their own language, even having to write things "backwards". Perhaps if you contacted them in Mandarin they';d be less stressed themselves??   

Yes, you are a customer, but did you pay a going rate for transportation? Did you pay for tracking?  Did you pay postage at all? Are they charging a rate that would allow full investigation of pathing and dates/times? If I buy from HobbyKing UK warehouse they charge me over £5. Their customer support is far far worse.

Reading their comms and knowing the way they work, they simply want something to show you have tried to locate it. A note from DPD saying "dunno mate" is likely more than enough.

Incidentally, DPD called here yesterday trying to deliver a parcel for an address with different number.  My house has very clear black on white large numbers in an obvious place. Not to them!   Several weeks ago another courier put a card through noting "delivery to safe place". The parcel was in my recycle bin and for 31 not 13. Its a straightforward road with normal odds and evens, nothing at all tricky!

They must get people trying it on (not in ANY way suggesting you are!), so its no real surprise they get "confused". Give them a chance, they are at worst testing your resolve. Annoying, but PayPal will sort if needed.

Calm Down and Buy another Model..........................  (Works for me!)  ::)

[ched]

Just start a PayPal claim. Sometimes it kicks the seller to actually do something. In the claim copy and paste (different colours as above is good) the emails from BangGoog and DPD. It should help.
It is frustrating but I am sure you will either get your orders or a refund in the end.

Just had to do a PayPal claim against Unmanned Tech! PayPal refunded so like you that is a company I wont use again!

[ched]

A nice little and I mean little RunCam Swift Micro 2. Gave it a quick test and looks great. Nice Voltage display with alarm (goes purple and flashes). Plus you can tweek the voltage reading in 0.1v increments. Also has a timer from power on.
Here is it next to a RunCam Split.

[Reman]

My lost DPD Parcels arrived today !!!!!!........ Via "My Hermes" ?!?!?! 

God know';s what happened there, But the tracker still says that DPD have left my parcels in a safe place, Flyt Express still don';t care enough to reply to my email, And from what BangGood have filtered back to me from them, They don';t appear to know WHO they';re employing to deliver stuff once it';s out of the country !

All it would have taken was for Flyt Express to investigate what had happened and forward the correct information, But it seems they';re way too busy taking their sweet time delivering stuff to contemplate answering emails.

Anyway, I better keep this post relatively short, As I still need to email BangGood to tell them that I';m now NOT going to be making Voodoo dolls of their directors and hanging them on the darts board.

I';m actually really relieved they';ve turned up. I';ve been buying from BG for a couple of years now, and I really like their range and prices. I didn';t want to have to stop buying from them like I did with FastTech (They were constantly selling stock they didn';t have. You';d pay, You';d wait for a month or two while your order';s expected shipping date kept arriving then mysteriously changing, Then they';d recommend that you choose something else, Or try to refund you in store credits. This was happening so often that we (Their forum users) started wondering if FastTech might have a high interest account somewhere that they were holding all our money in?).

On a much more positive note, I had my first totally hassle free DPD delivery today !!!! It was the Tattu packs from GensAce. I paid a bit before 6am on the 5th, And they got here around 11am today....... So that';s something like 53 hours For the order to be processed, Packed, Dispatched, Shipped from Germany to the UK, Processed over here, And delivered (Most of my orders from Hobbyking UK have taken longer than that to get here !!!!)...... If this wasn';t a fluke, I';m pretty impressed, And will probabbly be using them for packs again soon. 

Anyway, Time to email BangGood.

[betty]

Anyway, good news. So fast shipping is needed.

[shawdreamer]

some non-rotor bits for various projects Ive got on the trot right not....






a Boyu EF-05 external aquarium filter/pump
3mtr';s of clear 12od tubing
tubing ring clips
i5/i7 water cooling block

still waiting on a pair of 120x240 alu rads and a Gpu block but.....bet you can guess what Im doing with my latest gaming pc build ::)

some will likely scoff at using the boyu external but at 150ltr an hour with a head pressure strong enough to pump from the bottom of the stairs to the top and along the landing then back down again, roughly 24mtrs of tube length and 3mtrs height its more than capable of circulating what I need..... (I was bored and curious to see what the one I use on my guppie breeding tank could do while I was cleaning it out, the missus was not as impressed as I was for some bizarre reason )

I even under filled the circuit with hot water so I can double check the seals would be fine if things got toasty and to see if the head pressure would cope with the air bubbles without air locking..... my bengal found great amusement chasing the bubbles as they literally flew around the system (regardless of how I lifted, twisted or angled the block to try cause a lock)

ps..... the filter material is obviously not staying in there, I just forgot to take it out

[Bad Raven]

Not seen the Boyu external before, I inherited a Boyu half round fronted tank from daughter and the reason they didn';t keep fish in it long term emerged, the inbuilt filter was the worst use of plastic possible, totally useless. The tank (my No3) now runs with a throttled down Eheim ECCP Pro which is near silent apart from minimal water outlet noise and is all shrimp.

[Bad Raven]

Cheating a bit (a lot!) as it was never going to come through the post, but today I collected a DYNAM Martin Marauder twin WW2 bomber.

Have wanted a RC Marauder since I started RC flight in 1972, but never had the time to build from scratch and they have only just released one nearly 60 years after I built my first one (1/72nd plastic kit).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfkOYzRXR-s

[shawdreamer]

Not seen the Boyu external before, I inherited a Boyu half round fronted tank from daughter and the reason they didn';t keep fish in it long term emerged, the inbuilt filter was the worst use of plastic possible, totally useless. The tank (my No3) now runs with a throttled down Eheim ECCP Pro which is near silent apart from minimal water outlet noise and is all shrimp.

my guppie tanks a Boyu half moon too, the overhead filter was utter cack, soon as even the slightest bit of algae built up (which was quick as the hood light actually shone into it which further helped the algae to multiply at speed) it';d block and overflow out the back of the tank...... binned it straight away and used externals ever since.

this little monsters gonna be flowing a bottom 120x240 rad, then through a pair of GTX';s, through a i7 then finally a top 120x240 rad all while being tucked away outside the case were I wont have to struggle with inevitable fluid changes and flushing

[hoverfly]

Wooo Hoooo lots of goodies

[Bajadre]

Postie brought me my TBS hoodie from hobbyrc great service as usual 

[sh0wtime]

not much today apart from a Runcam split & an LED/Buzzer board 

[hoverfly]

Micro Swift 2 and Runcam TX25... Going to be quite interesting to see the performance of the t/x , it realy is tiny...

[ched]

Micro Swift 2 and Runcam TX25... Going to be quite interesting to see the performance of the t/x , it realy is tiny...

Let us know how that vtx is as I am not impressed with my vtx03.

[shawdreamer]

Let us know how that vtx is as I am not impressed with my vtx03.

have you swapped the stock whip antenna for a clover?

I found the ones I use vastly improved once I got shut of the whip, not that hard to do either as its I ipex connection on the board.

[ched]

have you swapped the stock whip antenna for a clover?

I found the ones I use vastly improved once I got shut of the whip, not that hard to do either as its I ipex connection on the board.

Yes swapped to pagoda and ipex to sma. It might be antenna angles as only flying los and fairly level and antenna on quad set for fast flying,.

[shawdreamer]

Yes swapped to pagoda and ipex to sma. It might be antenna angles as only flying los and fairly level and antenna on quad set for fast flying,.

Ive taken to having my clovers aimed downwards below the body of the frame now, seems to help with clovers as Im almost always about two metres so the frame isnt blocking anything but dunno about pagoda or stock whips.

[sh0wtime]

postie had a nice few bits for me today 
a Kinetic Air-Ro & most of the parts to build it 

[shawdreamer]

two items to keep me busy for a bit.

first of all my 120x240 rad turned up so I can make a start on my new i7 gaming rig...



just running a full fill leak test to make sure the rads water tight and no nasty pinhole surprises once its in its case position, oh and a silver kill coil turned up but I didnt bother getting a pic, just slotted it into the tubing while I was fitting the rad.

and second are.....



yep some might be going "aye?.... their Dji Spark props" and you';d be right, but these puppies aint goin anywhere near a Dji, Im gonna design a workround adapter so they can be used on more or less any other motor, not sure just how beneficial this little project will be but seemed interesting and if it works out ok then Ill atleast have folding props on my 250';s :evil

[Bad Raven]

Another delayed LiPo battery spews its way out of the international carriage system, actually leaving an earlier order for the same thing hanging (nearly missed that but luckily checked the order number on the bag label).

This one came China Post Air small packet by direct via Royal Mail customs contents labelled "Charger"(again).  Last one before came via Sweden, one before that via Switzerland, then before that Thailand.  Says "No Tracking" on label when tracking was paid for (and did eventually show!) and was done by postie this end.

The one ordered and processed five days earlier than the one arriving today now shows tracking as only just having left Fuzhou and shows it was "opened, opened" and then "direct seal".  Damaged packaging? Opened for inspection?

The label on this one has two capacities, four "C" ratings, and four voltages, which one marked with red felt tip that rubbed off at first touch.

Make is XF Power. DID arrive nicely balanced in storage, has charged evenly, too, 3mV apart least to most cell.