VoltMagic R/C Voltage Monitor with Glitch & Failsafe counting

R/C Voltage Monitor with Glitch or Failsafe Counting and Peak Low Voltage at 1000 samples per second!

Peak Low Voltage is the absolute lowest voltage. It's how to tell if your switch, wiring, connectors, battery/regulator are really doing their job with your servo amperage.

16 voltage ranges. Calibrated within 0.015 volts, 0.1 volt resolution.

Designed & Assembled in the USA

VoltMagic version 2RZ

Selectable ranges for Peak Low Voltage (PLV). YOU select the threshold, Normal or Low, for blinking the lowest voltage reading.

Upgrades available.

You custom configure VoltMagic for your setup -- 4.8 volt, 6.0 volt, 7.4 Lithium, or voltage regulator. There are 16 Averaged Voltage Ranges. Normal and Low PLV Ranges record the lowest voltage. There's even Glitch or Failsafe detection. Here are the details:

	Averaged Voltage (AV) — Shows a steady display of the current voltage. Each LED represents a 0.1 volt step. 4-cell Nixx, Regulator, 5-cell Nixx, and 7.4 Lithium each have four ranges, for a total of 16 ranges. (For a 2-cell A123-LiFe pack, try range 12 which is yellow below 6.35 volts). One monitor for all applications, plus you can fine-tune the colored LEDs to match your system, and your personal preference. [Table 1]
	Peak Low Voltage (PLV) — Below a certain threshold, shows the lowest voltage at the receiver (or wherever it’s connected) in 0.1 volt increments [Table 2]. The range of PLV is based on the selected AV range, but you can also select Normal or Low Range PLV. Extended PLV shows an extra 0.2 volts of PLV on the high end for an early look, and is displayed on LED 5 if the switch VoltMagic is connected to is toggled quickly 5 times (after 1 minute of run time). [Table 2] Sample rate is ~1000 per second, the fastest on-board monitor available.
	Overvoltage (OV) — For regulated systems, shows if the voltage went above a certain threshold. [Table 2]
	Glitch and Failsafe Counting — Selectable for Glitch (PPM) or Failsafe (PCM or any receiver with an adjustable failsafe). The counting is smart, so several within a short time period are counted as the same glitch. [Table 3]
	Data Logger — This feature plays back any PLV / OV and Glitches from the previous flight when the power is turned on.

USER INTERFACE

Average Voltage (AV) is shown by which of the 8 LEDs is on. Peak Low Voltage (PLV) is shown by blinking LEDs 5-8. The glitch or failsafe count blinks on LED 1. Note: A LED will blink off if it is already lit displaying the Average Voltage (AV).

LED 8	AV very Low	2 blinks = PLV very Low
LED 7	AV Low	1-2 blinks = PLV Low
LED 6	AV moderate Low	1-2 blinks = PLV moderate Low
LED 5	AV Normal	1-2 blinks = PLV near Yellow or OV
LED 4	AV Normal
LED 3	AV Normal
LED 2	AV Normal
LED 1	AV Normal	Blink = Glitch (Failsafe) count

AV = Averaged Voltage PLV = Peak Low Voltage
See Table 1 and Table 2 for the voltage trigger points with each range.

At least one LED will always be lit showing AV. You could have up to three LEDs lit at one time: one showing the AV (any of the LEDs), one blinking to show the PLV or OV (LEDs 5-8), and one blinking the Glitch/Failsafe count (always LED 1). If the AV is lighting up the same LED that blinks, it will blink off quickly instead of on.

SPECIFICATIONS

	Application: Battery types: 4 or 5 cell Ni (NiMh or NiCd), 2 cell Li (Lithium), 5.1 to 6.0 voltage regulators.
	Input Voltage: 2.7 to 8.5 VDC
	Voltage Sample Rate: ~1000 per second
	Frame Rate: 12 to 23ms (for glitch & failsafe detection)
	Connector: Universal (Futaba, JR, Z).
	Accuracy: Calibrated within 0.015 vdc.
	Weight: 7.3 grams (1/4 OZ)
	NO switches or pots to fail, all configuration is via your transmitter.
	Warranty: Two years

Peak Low Voltage (PLV)

Modern servos for radio control are more powerful then ever, and they draw more peak current then ever too. A battery can have a good charge, yet the voltage can dip quite low. Voltage regulators have their limitations. There can also be excessive voltage drop in wiring, connectors and switches.

There are no rules of thumb that always work to select batteries or regulators. Peak amps differ substantially between servos. Voltage drop under load differs greatly among batteries that have similar ratings. Regulators typically have amperage ratings, but what are the peak servo amps, and can the supply battery keep the input voltage sufficiently above the output? Can the regulator handle fast transient load changes of your servos?

The only way to know how low the voltage really goes is to check it with a high speed monitor like VoltMagic.

It is not uncommon for a pilot to be shocked at the peak low voltage after installing VoltMagic on a model that had been flying well. Typically there are no symptoms, until something finally draws the voltage down a little further.

A less obvious advantage of being warned about peak low voltage is that troubleshooting intermittent problems becomes easier when you can either rule out low voltage, or seek the cause of it and verify a repair before flying. Even if your setup is very tolerant of voltage drop, a unusual decrease might indicate a battery cell, regulator, switch, or connector going bad. Low range PLV works well in situations where the voltage drop normally runs high.

Another advantage is stirring the sticks on pre-flight. Quickly reversing the direction of servos produces current spikes (and voltage dips) that are similar to flying (but shorter in duration). VoltMagic has a very fast sample rate, so you'll likely catch peak low voltage problems on pre-flight.

2.4 GHz

Under voltage on 2.4ghz receivers is notable for the time to re-link with the transmitter. XPS lists their voltage requirements at xtremepowersystems.net. The Spektrum receiver power requirements are detailed in this article at spektrumrc.com. To summarize this article, 3.5 volts minimum operational voltage. There are also guidelines and procedures for testing both current and minimum voltage to check that there is a sufficient safety margin above 3.5 volts.

VoltMagic makes this kind of testing easier, and more accurate (because it's a high speed monitor that captures the lowest voltage). You can also stir the sticks before every flight and check the peak low voltage (minimum voltage), plus it monitors while you fly.


	Peak amperage of digital servos may be more than you think. Whether using a voltage regulator or a straight battery, the voltage may dip extremely low. Troubleshoot low PLV with this FAQ. VoltMagic Advantage It's high speed sample rate will record the actual lowest voltage that other monitors and data loggers just miss. Why is this important? When you stir the sticks on the ground (quickly reversing the servo motors), peak current and peak low voltage will be close to in-flight values. However, the duration of the voltage dips will be shorter. Slower volt meters, monitors and data-loggers miss these dips because they don't sample often enough. With VoltMagic you can stir the sticks and get comparable readings to in-flight, WITHOUT THE RISK. It makes a great pre-flight check. Averaged Voltage is useful to estimate the charge remaining, or monitor a regulator output voltage. With multiple ranges you can fine tune when the LED's turn on, as well as select ranges for different battery types and regulators. Sudden voltage changes from servo movement are filtered out for a steady reading. Peak Low Voltage can detect problems with batteries, switches, wiring, servos, etc. Great for monitoring the output of a voltage regulator or BEC. Glitch and Failsafe Counting monitors the condition of your radio link. Detect problems with noise, interference, and radio gear. The count is binary weighted for quick reading. 1 blink = 1 glitch 2 blinks = 2 to 3 glitches 3 blinks = 4 to 7 glitches and so on. Data Logger: If you turn off the receiver, or the battery becomes disconnected, your data is still there.

VoltMagic - Don't take off without it.

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