Waterproof servos

[Glenn Quarles]

Friends, I am building a small FE boat and I plan on running the steering servo outside the radio box. My question to y’all is do you have a recommendation for a great waterproof servo in the 60 in/oz range? My next question for you has to do with any kind of preventative maintenance…do you pretreat the servo with anything before you start using them and is there any special cleaning at the end of a days running?

Thanks!!
GQ

 

[John Beardslee]

Hi Glenn
Check out the Reef 99 micro. It’s advertised as waterproof with 90 in. oz. of torque. Been using them on a good racer’s recommendation but in a radio box. Haven’t had to see if they are really waterproof but maybe others here have and will comment. They have good reviews by the rc car guys.
John

 

[Mike Hughes]

Hi Glen,
I think the biggest problem will be the servo connector. The servos are pretty well sealed up. But the connector is not the case. Getting that into a radio box is going to be important. Seen a few boat set ups with servo extensions.
Mike

 

[Glenn Quarles]

Hi Glen,
I think the biggest problem will be the servo connector. The servos are pretty well sealed up. But the connector is not the case. Getting that into a radio box is going to be important. Seen a few boat set ups with servo extensions.
Mike

Hey Mikey!!! Yeah the servo leads will be in the waterproof compartment…just no room for the servo!

GQ

 

[Glenn Quarles]

Hi Glenn
Check out the Reef 99 micro. It’s advertised as waterproof with 90 in. oz. of torque. Been using them on a good racer’s recommendation but in a radio box. Haven’t had to see if they are really waterproof but maybe others here have and will comment. They have good reviews by the rc car guys.
John

Thanks John! I was wanting a “mini” size versus a “micro” just to get a slightly more robust gear train. Are the ones you are talking about really “micro” size?

GQ

 

[dr gary turner]

Glen, look at Pro Modeler servos.
I use them now on almost all of my boats.
407 302 3361

 

[Glenn Quarles]

Glen, look at Pro Modeler servos.
I use them now on almost all of my boats.
407 302 3361

Thanks Doc, I’ll check them out!

GQ

 

[dr gary turner]

They are excellent servos.
Talk to John.

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

I have a couple of boats I run the servo's & connectors outside the radio box.
I disassemble the servos and treat with a product called Trio
I also fill the connectors with dielectric grease and when plugged together the grease ooozes out of the connectors.
they are well sealed & protected

 

[John Beardslee]

Here’s the specs, I don’t have any experience with the small sizes but we had a really tight spot for the rudder servo in the new 20 boats that Doug Murany built and these work well so far.

 

[Mike Cathey]

Hi Glen,
I think the biggest problem will be the servo connector. The servos are pretty well sealed up. But the connector is not the case. Getting that into a radio box is going to be important. Seen a few boat set ups with servo extensions.
Mike

If you have to use servo extensions pack (kind of like packing a wheel bearing) both the male and female plugs with di-electric grease. No connectivity issues or corrosion issues so far. The Sanwa waterproof servos are working good for me. Bill Brandt at Rattlesnake usually has several types on hand.

 

[Wasted wages]

If the servo leads are long enough to make it inside the radio box, you can de-pin the wire leads from the plastic connector...

Then thread the 3 wire cable thru a pushrod seal....

Then re-pin the connector and put a dab of shoe goo on the wire at the tip of the pushrod seal.... done.

If the servo lead is not long enough, you can cut the female end off of a long servo extension and solder/heat shrink the male end to the servo leads...after threading it thru a pushrod seal.

 

[Daniel's Racing]

3/8" hole and epoxy in place. Mounts just like my radio box seal mounts are done.

Has a clip so it doesn't come unplugged. Wire is permanently sealed in the fitting to be 100% waterproof and not ad a point that could fatigue the wire. Connector is filled with dielectric grease and is ready for use.

c

 

[RaceMechaniX]

Although I really like the ProModeler servos I have found they are not as waterproof as they claim. I would be cautious running them in exposed cockpit if you anticipate constant dunking or submersion.

For your project Glenn I would opt for the Hitech HS-6086WP. HS-5086WP Servo it may be a little shy on torque, but I believe it will be OK for your project.

If you want to try the ProModeler look at the DS150CLHV. Servo, DS150CLHV

 

[Duke Mordja]

Although I really like the ProModeler servos I have found they are not as waterproof as they claim. I would be cautious running them in exposed cockpit if you anticipate constant dunking or submersion.

For your project Glenn I would opt for the Hitech HS-6086WP. HS-5086WP Servo it may be a little shy on torque, but I believe it will be OK for your project.

If you want to try the ProModeler look at the DS150CLHV. Servo, DS150CLHV

I agree with Tyler on the ProModeler servo. Keep it in a sealed radio box. I had a couple of steering servos fail outside the radio box. Replaced it with a Savox 1210 and has been working great for two race seasons. In the same boat, one other ProModeler servo that is outside the radio box-but in a "drier" area under the cockpit of the gas scale, worked fine in 2022.

I wish they were more waterproof. John is a great guy at ProModeler. I think there is just too many possible points of entry for water with all the little orings. I believe the Pro Modelers don't claim to be "waterproof" although packaging on one I have does say "waterproof".

The Hitec waterproof servos are rated "IP67". (Thats waterproof for 30 minutes in 3 feet of water -if I remember right). I haven't had a problem with the few HiTec waterproof servos I have.

 

[Mark Bullard]

Well I hate to say this but there are no servo's that are totaly waterproof. All servo companies do a good job on trying to seal but water does get into the servo. As was said that leads is where most of the water enters the servo. You would have to have a jacketed cable that has the three wires in it so that you could run it thru a compression fitting. This is how we seal sump pumps small and large. But if the the jacket breaks or get cuts the water comes in. We do a lot on 100hp to 200hp pumps for rock quarry's. And where most fail is when they do a blast the rocks hit the cable close to the pump and cut a hole into the cable. This let the water in and its just a matter of time to when the water gets to the 480 vac and let the smoke out.

 

[Glenn Quarles]

Thanks for all the info guys!!! Y’all are awesome!!

No one has mentioned any kind of end of day maintenance…do you find it’s ok just to put your boat on the shelf and it will be good to go next time? Do you remove the servo and dry it or give it a squirt of corrosion x or something?

Thanks again for all the help!
GQ

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

Thanks for all the info guys!!! Y’all are awesome!!

No one has mentioned any kind of end of day maintenance…do you find it’s ok just to put your boat on the shelf and it will be good to go next time? Do you remove the servo and dry it or give it a squirt of corrosion x or something?

Thanks again for all the help!
GQ

Glenn,
See my post #9
Nothing additional done @ days end.

 

[LohringMiller]

RC submarines have been running components including servos, motors, and batteries outside the water tight cylinder. It all works, but their latest water tight cylinders have everything inside the cylinder.

Lohring Miller

 

[Glenn Quarles]

Glenn,
See my post #9
Nothing additional done @ days end.

Very good, thank you!

GQ