"DeBug" BATgraph

BATgraph is a very accurate and repeatable ESV Expanded Scale Voltmeter.  

The voltmeter is adjustable from 2.5 to 25 volts (2-18 recharge cell packs)  for each cell added to the pack the volts per led light increases automatically at a rate of ( charged = 1.3 discharged 1.1volts giving a nominal span of  .2 volts per cell.  This eliminates multiple adjustments to increase span of the meter as the voltage is increased to  monitor higher voltage packs.  The simplicity of adjustment makes it easy to use with almost any battery.  With a fully charged pack adjust the meter to just turn on the last green LED.  Order for the number of cells in your pack and type of battery, the  ESV will come pre-calibrated and tested!  If you want the change the calibration see our change document or return the unit to our factory.  

DeBug is an additional pulse sniffing circuit that continuously checks the pulse train from the transmitter thru the receiver to the servos.  Missing pulses lock the display into the bar mode (all LED's ON).  This will show problems in the transmitter, receiver and wiring harness and antennas.  You can use this sniffer without your transmitter turned on to sniff the air waves with the high gain receiver to detect interference than may also crash you.  Turn on the receiver without the transmitter and it should immediately go to the (bar) mode (all LED's ON).  If it do not or hesitates suspect interference especially if your servos are jerking around.

Coming soon:  Fish-On "Fishing Pole Strike Detector" that seconds as a Earthquake "Tremor Alarm".  Small, clips on the fishing pole, the further toward the end of the pole the more sensitive the unit becomes.  Emits a loud 80 db beeping sound that indicates a fish biting your bait.  When it is not being used on you fishing pole, install it on a piece of furniture in your bedroom to indicate the room shaking.  It could give you the extra seconds to get out of the building.  Uses 1 long lasting lithium cell that uses no power when it is not beeping!  Watch for this on the web site:  www.TremorAlarm.com.  

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Battery Graph...monitors batteries from 2.5 to 25 volt.  Used by rental companies, and anyone wanting to verify battery capacity and voltage!

BATgraph  Expanded Scale Voltmeter

www.ASTRODATA.US/batgraph

Several versions of the module are available.  The module can measure 2 - 18 cell battery packs and automatically changes span as the measured voltage is increased.  Therefore only one (zero) 10 turn pot is used to adjust the calibration voltage.  Span voltage is automatically set to .2 volt change per cell.  That means if you have a module adjusted to 4 Cells the span from the first light to the last will be: .2 x 4 = .8 volt.  The bottom light is set to go out at 1.15 volts per cell...4C = 4.6 volt and the top green light would be 5.5 volts, or 1.375  volts per cell.  An 8 Cell pack would zero at 8 x 1.15 = 9.2 volts at the bottom and 11 volts at the top (last Green).  If the voltage is above 11 volts the last green stay on until it drops below 10.8 volts.

This makes calibration simple.  With the original scheme one would adjust a zero point and a span (top end) point in voltage with both controls interactive with each other.  This new paradigms uses an automatic span adjusted by algorithm of electronics and only needs a calibration voltage in the range of use. For a 4 cell pack calibration should be around 1.15 volts per cell or 4.6 volts for a 4 cell pack.  

• Original BATgraph 4C -  the original module designed for continuous monitoring of a 4 cell rechargeable battery pack.  10 LED'S 2-Red, 2-Yellow, and 6 Green.  4.6-5.5 volts or  about .1 volt per LED.
• BATgraph 4CA - This unit includes an averaging circuit that slows down transient voltage changes caused by moving servos around.  Servo's are quite noisy and present a load on the battery pack.  This results in several of the lights on a 4C unit being lighted during servo movement.  Averaging or transient suppression reduces the number of LED's lighted during servo movement to 2 or 3 under the worst conditions.  Gyro's are also quite noisy and Heli pilots like the 4CA unit better as it is easier to read.
• NEW/IMPROVED BATgraph DeBug-  This unit  includes an additional circuit in the Averaging unit that continuously monitors the transmitted and received pulse train.  If for any reason you loose the pulse train, even for a few milli-seconds the unit will lock into the (BAR Mode - all LED's ON Mode) up to the measured voltage.  The BATgraph normally operates in the "dot" display mode with only 1 or 2 lights on around the measured voltage. The circuit is designed so that the next light is on, before the other light is out, so there will never be an instance where no lights are on!  This is called the "dot" mode.  When a malfunction happens the pulse train drops pulses and  the locking circuit switches to the (BAR Mode -all LED's ON) mode up to the battery voltage. This indicates a problem occurred with either the transmitter or the receiver or the unit was out of range for a few milli-seconds.  
• Test your channel:  The DeBug unit can also be used to insure no other transmitter is transmitting on your receivers channel.  To do this leave your transmitter off, and turn "ON" the receiver electronics with the module.  The BATgraph DeBug module should immediately switch to the "BAR Mode -all LED's ON ",  if it stays in the "dot" mode you are receiving pulses from some other transmitter or interference.  Do not fly until you resolve the issue!  Check to see if someone  on the field has their transmitter on the same channel.  If you don't find another transmitter on your channel, you may need to change channels before flying to avoid crashing your model due to interference! The fact that the module stayed in the "dot" mode and did not switch to the "Bar" mode demonstrates that the receiver was receiving pulses on your channel from somewhere!  
• Test your Transmitter/Receiver: Turn on the transmitter first with the antenna collapsed.  Turn on the receiver and the BATgraph should be in the "dot" mode.  Walk away and have some watch the display and tell you when it switches to the "Bar" mode, which is the missing pulse mode, (all LED's ON)  Check your transmitter and receiver instructions this distance should be at least 100' and some good receivers will go 150'.  Always test this before flying the model.  If you get less distance check everything and resolve the issue.  If you do this each time you fly you will soon know what range to expect for a good receiver.  Always distance test before flying.  
• Test Receiver under vibration:  Turn on the transmitter with a collapsed antenna and remove the transmitter at lease 1/2 of the test distance (50-75 feet) from the receiver.  Start the model's gas engine and have someone "Hold" the model while monitoring the module stays in the "dot" mode.  If the unit locks into the "BAR" mode (all LED's ON) several things could be at fault:  A fractured crystal, circuit board, broken antenna wire, intermittent power leads, could cause this to happen.  Basically anything in the Transmitter or receiver that is failing could cause this to happen.  Do not fly the model until the DeBug works perfectly or you will probably loose or crash the craft.
• DeBug is the most comprehensive test you can make to a model without a Radio/Test Set.  It completely checks the transmitter and receiver for integrity of the pulse stream and locks into the (BAR mode all LED's ON) if the unit sniffs a few missing pulses.  With a good transmitter and receiver the DeBug unit should stay in the "dot" mode (one or two LED's ON), flight after flight.  If you see the unit come back from a flight locked in the "BAR" mode.  Completely check the unit out for the two tests above before the next flight.  The only reason this might happen other than a problem with the transmitter or receiver, is if the craft got out of range for a moment during the flight.  The key words are "for a moment" because,  if it indeed got out of range you would most likely loose the craft or it would crash!   Most transmitters/receivers if they will give 100' with a collapsed transmitter antenna will operate correctly as far as the eye can see.   Good Luck and safe flying!
•   ORDER BATgraph Click Here!   

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