Hobby Engine Abrams converted to Heng Long M1A2

[Tankbear]

Not certain

Let me think about it I might remember something.

Ian.

[AlwynTurner]

I wondered if.... maybe it might be a battery issue so I'm charging the battery, thinking here is that the gun firing results in the motors doing their recoil thing, I wondered if maybe there might not be enough power left to trigger the gun recoil mechanism. I've opened up the turret to see how things look and there's nothing fouling, the barrel moves ok, and i've taken the gunner off the top of the turret because he looked naff swaying from side to side.

I'll put the hatch back in closed position. There is a pair of wires to a light, and another pair of wires going to what I think is the bullet firing mechanism, not sure if that needs to be connected as I'm not planning on firing bullets, so the only item that's bothering me now is this barrel recoil. I'll try it again in about 30 mins once the battery gets some more charge in it.

[AlwynTurner]

Well the charged battery didn't make any difference, the gun barrel still won't fire/recoil so something's amiss somewhere. Does anyone know what the light in the turret is about and where it should be connected - is it supposed to be on all the time like the head/tail lights?

Anyway in the end I'm quite pleased with the end result, the tank runs and manoeuvres well, turret rotates and gun elevates, chassis does a good recoil even if the gun is on strike, and it looks the business. Lots of scope for changes to camo, outside storage, and a little personalisation. At the end of the day a working tank for £20, bits out of the spares box, some head-scratching, and a days work on rewiring and a bigger battery box plus excellent help and advice from tankbear, is an excellent deal and will be fun around the MAD battlefield at the next meet. The only real annoyance is the diesel engine sound, just a pity there isn't a cheap way of getting decent turbine sound without spending loads of cash (I'd love to put an IBU2 in but it really isn't worth it for a tank like this and anyway the better half would kill me for spending that amount - I'm already getting moans about 'more parcels arriving I see!' accompanied by the dreaded foot tapping).



Thanks especially to tankbear for the advice

Alwyn

[Tankbear]

I think the light in the turret is suppose to be the machine gun flash. Although mine where non runners so I can only guess it was that.

Ian.

[AlwynTurner]

Well I just toasted the rx18! Trying to solve the gun recoil and connected the recoil positive to the battery plus (looked at the wiring diagram and it did say the recoil motor should be connected to the battery), then tried and fiddled with the negative on various pins and the recoil clicked, then the tank went into constant fire mode. Disconnected everything, put it back as it was before I fiddled, and no go, constant fire mode. Oh well, need an rx18 now! I'm now fed up and leaving this beast alone until I get an rx18, then look again.

[PainlessWolf]

Alwyn,
I am sorry to hear that things are going slowly. Keep it up tho', you are making great progress. The light in the range finder box in front of the Commander's cupola came on red when I fired the main gun. Mine did not have bullets, just a muzzle flash from the gun.
regards,
Painless

[AlwynTurner]

Thanks Painless, I'll persevere! If at first you don't succeed get another rx18 board. Alwyn

[AlwynTurner]

Hi I've just found this re muzzle flash by wibblywobbly:

viewtopic.php?f=79&t=14070&p=130444&hil ... sh#p130444

and wondeered if this would solve my problem. I'm trying to get muzzle recoil on the K button, and I guess the reason it's not working is because using the 8 pin hull connectors would only work on the left stick up mode. So my thinking is to connect the gun recoil to the IR+ and IR- connections.

BUT I don't want to blow another board - does this sound as though it might work. If this does work I would also like to put an led in the muzzle to get muzzle flash and connect it to the turret connection for the recoil - would this work and would it blow anything?

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement to date. Regards Alwyn

[AlwynTurner]

Well, alls well that ends well. I reconnected as tankbear had suggested and the gun recoil worked just fine, I had been trying to make it work using the K button (Doh! ). I did try it using the IR+ and IR- prongs on the five pin connector but that didn't work so hastily unplugged it and reverted to tankbears recommended connection method. I borrowed the rx18 off my priest chassis until the replacement rx18 arrives so that pushed my total cost up to £34, which is pretty good for a smart looking tank that actually runs pretty well, so previous rant was somewhat undeserved.

I did have some issues with reassembly as when I was boldly fitting my larger battery box, I neglected to check the clearances when everything was packed inside so out with the dremel and trim some bits off here and there. Eventually with rx18 repositioned and some jiggling it all went back together, turned on, and ran with all functions working. I've ordered some leds from maplin as one of the front leds isn't working and I want to put an led in the main gun muzzle connected to the recoil mechanism, and while I've got the turret in bits I need to fix a broken aerial and do something with the main hatch, I might also put an led in the turret main machine gun as tankbear did on his thread. Then it's down to colour scheme, stowage, maybe some reactive armour on the sides - could be fun!

Anyway after maligning my spares and repair horror I am pretty satisfied with the end result, and another tank added to my army (this addiction is getting serious albeit so far not too expensive - YET)

Again many thanks for all the kind words and much assistance from tankbear. Regards Alwyn

[Tankbear]

Glad it's all working now.

Fitting the LED in the main gun is a right pain in the a cant feed the wire down the barrel so need to pull the two glued sides apart.