PLR5 Users Manual
Contents
1. must be switched off during any battery charging operations However it 1s vital that you follow all of the safety precautions and battery charging instructions for both the battery and the battery charger that you are using If the manufacturer or distributor of the battery or Copyright 2006 Tech Aero Designs 3 www tech aero net FlexReg PLRS Users Manual battery charger you are using advises against charging while connected to the model flight pack or while installed in the model then please disconnect the battery from the FlexReg and remove the battery from the model prior to charging Onto Suite OFF Mh OSa charge jack o Programming F ort Ea Batten Gannector amp BE Regulator hip AX PWE Connector To Receiver Figure 4 PLR5 I connections 1 Additional Usage Guidelines Mounting the PLRS5 should be done with the same type of care needed for other airborne electronics such as the receiver in the model The topside of the PLR5 has the exposed regulator chip which should always be allowed unobstructed air ventilation in the cabin of the model Use a piece of 4 or thicker foam padding placed underneath the unit and fasten with a Velcro strip around the mid section Do not over tighten the Velcro strip Make it just snug enough to press the unit lightly into the foam padding beneath and also be sure that the strap does not cover up the body of the regulator chip The FlexReg PLRS is designed with a re2. C function of your radio be sure to connect the RX PWR lead to the receiver power connector that also supports the DSC function Not every radio supports DSC so please check with the instructions provided by the manufacturer When additional redundant supply PLR5 s are used plug to RX PWR connector into any other unused servo channel on the receiver but note that you should not attempt to use the DSC function through that particular PLR5 connector Use DSC only with the PLRS that is plugged into the receiver s DSC connection The DSC cord from your radio transmitter plugs into the PLR5 DSC Charger connection Z mm 7 gt Ono Switch Programming ort P BE T Batter connector Rs PuyvR connector DS Gilharger To Recetyeri Milad or MiM H only Ea Ea a Figure 3 Standard PLR5 connections The DSC Charger connection may also be used to directly monitor the unregulated battery voltage which is useful when performing pre flight checks of the battery condition You may use a typical hobby type expanded scale voltmeter ESV or you may use the Tech Aero E Z Set Programmer for doing pre flight checks As a convenience function the DSC Charger connection may also be used to directly connect a battery charger that you have appropriately matched to the battery technology NiCad or NiMH battery voltage and capacity to allow charging of the NiCad or NiMH batteries while still connected to the PLR5 The PLR5
3. Tech Aero Designs FlexReg Precision Programmable Regulator and Failsafe Switch Users Manual Figure 1 Standard PLR5 FlexReg Model PLRS5 Features Failsafe Switch Design assures continued operation even if switch contacts ever fail Less than 30 micro amps current draw when switched off Batteries can be left connected for months without significant drain when the unit is switched off SA maximum current rating 3 pin up down adjustment port provides 32 programmable output voltages High reliability Surface Mount components reduce weight and size Ideal for redundant power applications Low dropout voltage design For 2 cell LiPo Lilon or 5 cell NiMh NiCad applications Programmable voltage ranges from 5 75 V to 6 65V factory adjusted to 6 2V Multiple battery multiple regulator configuration support for either concurrent or failover redundancy Battery voltage monitoring charge port DSC connection lead is standard Figure 1 Integrated Switch and Battery voltage monitoring charge port DSC connection option Figure 2 Customized output voltage ranges and adjustment increments available by special order Heavy duty 22 gauge power extensions and gold plated pin connectors Normal flight operation with up to 6 high torque digital servos per regulator will not require additional heat sink when operational guidelines are followed Available E Z Set programming box with integrated digital voltmet
4. ating battery deemed suitable for your model may be used with the PLR5 care should be used in selecting the number of battery cells per pack With NiCad or NiMh battery packs use only 5 cell battery packs When using Lithium Ion Lilon or Lithium Polymer LiPo battery packs use only 2 cell battery packs Use of battery packs with more than the recommended number of cells has no benefit and in fact wastes power adds dead weight to the model and may cause the PLR5 to operate at higher than necessary temperatures Programming the PLRS Programming the PLRS is easily accomplished with the E Z Set combination programmer since it combines an integrated 3 2 digit digital voltmeter two programming buttons and all the connections necessary to easily program PLR5 However it is also possible to program the PLR5 with your own digital voltmeter DVM and some means of making momentary electrical contact between the correct programming port pins The latter method is a bit more cumbersome but can be accomplished You may send email Tech Aero Support at support tech aero net for instructions on how to do programming without the E Z Set Simply connect the E Z Set PROG plug to the Programming port of the PLR5 as shown in figure 5 Connect the PLR5 RX PWR connector to the E Z Set Monitor plug and connect a battery to the PLRS5 Battery connector When the PLRS is switched on the E Z Set will display the voltage setting Simply tap the UP button once f
5. er is recommended for best adjustment results FlexReg PLRS Users Manual Figure 2 PLR5 I with integrated switch amp DSC Charger jack Thank you for purchasing the Tech Aero Designs FlexReg The FlexReg models PLRS5 and PLR5 I feature an up down programmable output that stores any of 32 points over an adjustment range from 5 75 to 6 65 volts This provides very fine control of the regulated voltage to the receiver and servos for single or multiple battery regulator configurations This is important to assure balanced current draw among battery packs in redundant battery and regulator installations Programming is simple and secure with selectable voltage output settings that are automatically saved in non volatile memory The memory chip in the PLRS 1s rated for 100 years or more of non volatile storage and up to 100 000 programming cycles meaning that you never have to worry about wearing it out by changing settings or be concerned about your settings being lost High quality surface mount components and a fast transient response 1 accuracy linear regulator maintains accuracy under widely varying servo load and changing battery voltage conditions The regulator is protected from voltage spikes and safely handles voltages exceeding the programmed output voltage up to 16V without any reverse flow to the battery taking place making it ideal for redundant power applications The low 0 5V dropout voltage rating assures continuous o
6. gulator chip that is rated at 5A amps DC output over a programmable voltage output range of 5 75V to V 1 accuracy For use in typical models up to about 84 wingspan weighing less than 15 Ibs and utilizing 6 or fewer digital servos one PLRS is sufficient to handle the power demands of the system For models of this size with unusually large control surfaces 3D capable or for models up to about 105 and 25 Ibs weight a 2 PLR5 is required to handle the additional load A 2 PLR5 is also required if more than 6 high torque more than 120 oz in servos are used Two or more PLR5 s can also be used whenever power system redundancy is required The number of PLRS5 units that can be ganged this way is limited only by the number of available power connections to your receiver A separate battery should be used for each PLR5 which would normally mean that for each battery there would also be a failsafe switch to mount on the model To minimize the number of switches in redundant power configurations but still fully benefit from the failsafe switch design and precision regulated voltage matching capabilities custom switch wiring configurations can be accommodated by special order Copyright 2006 Tech Aero Designs 4 www tech aero net FlexReg PLRS Users Manual Some modelers may prefer to use a 2 PLRS ina backup power mode where they rely on one main battery to power the flight pack and have another on hot standby i
7. n the event that the main battery fails or reaches a predetermined discharge point If used in this way the backup or hot standby battery and regulator will automatically supply power whenever the output voltage level of the main PLRS5 drops below that of the hot standby unit For example the PLR5 for the main battery may be set to 6 31 volts while the backup is set to 6 28 volts The moment the output of the main unit drops down to or below 6 28 volts due to a discharged or failing battery the backup unit supplies power at 6 28V This happens instantaneously and seamlessly In all case it is recommended that the condition of all airborne battery packs be checked prior to flight assuring that you know what you are operating with Please note that if unusual conditions exist in the model setup such as control surfaces that are severely binding or ganged servo configurations that are fighting each other then the power dissipation can exceed what is expected and may lead to overheating and will also cause the flight pack batteries to be consumed at a high rate Problems like this can also be damaging to the servos and shorten their lifespan Typical causes of excessive current draw with ganged servo configurations are mismatched control linkage geometry or mismatched servo travel Proper care in selecting your configuration and regular care and maintenance of your setup is required for reliable and safe operation your model While any mAh capacity r
8. or each voltage step up you wish to go and note the corresponding change on the digital voltage readout When the unit reaches the maximum voltage or last step up it will simply not respond to further UP button requests To go down in voltage simply tap the E Z Set down button once for each step down needed A similar rule applies the PLR5 will stop responding to DOWN requests at 5 75V Also note that if you press and hold either the up or down programming button for about 2 seconds or longer the voltage change will operate in fast forward Copyright 2006 Tech Aero Designs 5 www tech aero net FlexReg PLRS Users Manual mode which is useful if you want to quickly make a larger voltage range change After fast forwarding release the button and use single button taps up or down to again fine tune the voltage At any time during this programming operation you may simply shut off the power or disconnect the battery to the PLR5 The last setting displayed on the EZ Set will be automatically saved in its memory when the power is removed through either method Programming Port Figure 5 Safety Advisory for Charging Lilon or LiPo Batteries Most if not all manufacturers and distributors of Lilon and LiPo batteries and battery chargers will typically advise against charging batteries that are installed in the model due to the potential fire hazard that is associated with these battery technologies Tech Aero Designs advi
9. peration even if battery voltage drops below the programmed output voltage providing the best possible safety margin For example a 5 cell NiMH battery that is in a partially discharged condition may dip below the programmed output setting especially under a large servo load but the PLR5 would still deliver a safe and usable voltage to the flight pack for as long as the battery charge has not been exhausted Copyright 2006 Tech Aero Designs 2 www tech aero net FlexReg PLRS Users Manual Connecting the PLR5 Refer to Figure 3 which depicts the standard PLRS5 and Figure 4 for the PLR5 I The male lead extending from the right side connects to the receiver to supply regulated voltage The female lead extends from the left side and connects directly to the to the battery pack The PLR5 with separate On Off switch and battery voltage monitor DSC connection has an additional male lead for use with radio systems that support DSC Direct Servo Connection Note that The PLR5 I with integrated On Off switch and battery voltage monitor DSC connection has the battery voltage monitor charge jack DSC connection is integrated into the switch housing For basic operation of the PLR5 simply plug the RX PWR connector into the battery power connection on your receiver and plug the battery into the Battery connector to the flight pack battery Power to the receiver is controlled by the PLR5 On OFF switch no other switch is necessary When using the DS
10. ses that you the follow the instructions and safety precautions for battery charging from the manufacturers or distributors of those products Disconnect Lilon or LiPo batteries from the FlexReg and remove them from the model and place into a safe charging environment before commencing charging operations Also do not exceed the safe discharge rates of your batteries by allowing a short circuit condition or excessive servo load due to binding control surfaces etc to occur It is your responsibility to follow the instructions provided with the battery battery charger and charging cord combination s you have selected for your use Tech Aero Designs assumes no responsibility or liability for product misuse or neglect Copyright 2006 Tech Aero Designs 6 www tech aero net
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