RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi Guys,
I bought a HL Tiger pro a week ago. I charged up the battery and got it running. There was a sort of clattering noise from it on engine start (perhaps thats normal I dont know). The tank seemed reluctant to go anywhere, eventually roaring off at high speed, like a demented dalek (I put it down to my ineptitude with the T/X). Two days later I started it, it moved for 2 mins then stopped. Figuring the battery was flat I discharged it then charged it fully and tried again. Same thing happened. changed batts in controller, this time it was down to about ten seconds of movement, and I couldn't turn it off unless I used the switch. This morning i tried again and while the t/x will start the tank thats all it will do it wont even turn it off. I contacted the supplier (Hales Models) who have offered to have it picked up and fixed (they think its the rx18 board) then return it, so I cant fault their service. Thats not the point of my long and rambling message; are Heng Long tanks that unreliable that they die in less than a week or am i just unlucky?

thanks

Tony

Hi Guys,
I bought a HL Tiger pro a week ago. I charged up the battery and got it running. There was a sort of clattering noise from it on engine start (perhaps thats normal I dont know). The tank seemed reluctant to go anywhere, eventually roaring off at high speed, like a demented dalek (I put it down to my ineptitude with the T/X). Two days later I started it, it moved for 2 mins then stopped. Figuring the battery was flat I discharged it then charged it fully and tried again. Same thing happened. changed batts in controller, this time it was down to about ten seconds of movement, and I couldn't turn it off unless I used the switch. Yesterday morning i tried again and while the t/x will start the tank thats all it will do it wont even turn it off. I contacted the supplier (Hales Models) who have offered to have it picked up and fixed (they think its the rx18 board) then return it, so I cant fault their service. Thats not the point of my long and rambling message; are Heng Long tanks that unreliable that they die in less than a week or am i just unlucky?

thanks

Tony

I think you are just unlucky even tho heng long have a reputation for poor quality the rx18 seems pretty good. I am an unlucky guy, everything I buy (more or less) that runs on electricity breaks down at some point. The weird thing is that none of my heng longs have failed on me! Cant be that bad after all

Hi Tony

I think bad luck in this case. I know Heng Long get a lot of stick for poor quality etc but in my exprrience of the last year in the hobby I don't think it is justified maybe years back when their hit the market and compared to Tamiya quality. But in recent years with the RX18 it does seem very robust.

Ive had the RX18 running off an 8 cell battery no problem even shorted some wiring and had smoke commling out the electronics and still worked after that. In fact so far only partly broke one RX18 (still works just no turret turn) and that was a dead short with the battery for a few minutes before I realised!

Bottom line Heng Long mast produces the electronics cheaply so even if their have a 0.1% defect rate that means for every 1000 sold someone will get a dud.

So let the shop repair it and send it back and you be happy again.

Ian

Hello Tony,

I think you've had bad luck with your purchase. Wait a while until the repair is finished and then try it again.
Basicly works HL technique fine, there are many satisfied users. But the technology is also very cheap (from China) and therefore one can not expect miracles.
HL is a kind of entry-level model, later, if your claims rise it could be that this technique will not satisfy you and then there are alternatives.
I myself have now three different controllers, ElMod, Tamiya and HL. The order in the list is also at the same time my rating of the controllers what quality and playing fun concerns. And, there are other possibilities too; controller by SGS and so on...

Thanks guys,
It seems odd but knowing its bad luck has made me feel better! The only snag I have is the turret is turned so I cant repackage it for shipping. Oh and a slight typo in my first message the supplier was Howes Models of Oxford.

You can force turn the turret on the tiger. Pull up (or push down cant quite remember) at back of the turret and it pushes the turret gear out just enough so you can turn the turret. You need to be quite forcefull though.

Hi Guys,
The supplier sent me a new RX18 board to try before sending the whole thing back. So I opened it up and had a look. On closer inspection of the wiring i found this (I untwisted them as the bare wires were touching each other), looks like quality control was on holiday when my tank was made. I tried the new RX18, and got the same result as before. So I'm now waiting for the courier to pick it up right now.

Tony

thats just the track recoil switch wire,and would not work or if shorting would be stuck in recoil, think it will be the receiver board as they are very doggy i have 7 failed boards with that sort of symptoms,but i do do a lot of tanks so i will see more faults.regards

Heard from the suppliers this morning, it seems that the battery charger is faulty.