Actuator Wires

The actuator wires run from the receiver to the copper solenoid coil of the rudder. The solenoid coil makes up the majority of the HingeAct actuator that provides motion to the rudder control surface in flight.

It looks like a single wire, but it is actually a twisted pair of insulated copper magnet wire (the copper itself is 0.04mm in diameter).

Be careful that you do not break this wire by inadvertently pulling it out, careless handling etc.

If in a crash you find that your butterfly has suffered a fractured tail spar, don't worry, just gently pick up the model and be mindful of the actuator wires that are still present there. It is a fairly easy fix to glue up a broken tail spar with thin CA glue, but it takes a lot more effort to repair broken actuator wires.

If your actuator wires are broken, the easiest repair sometimes is to replace the complete hingeAct actuator. The HingeAct actuator wire is glued onto the airframe with Ambroid glue. Ambroid glue has a very nice capability of being "adjustable" glue. ie: you can soften it up with a solvent, and adjust it, let the solvent evaporate, and it's solidly glued again. This procedure will require you to soak the area around the broken wires and actuator with acetone. Apply several droplets of acetone with a Q-tip to the area where the wire and the actuator is attached to the airframe. The acetone will temporarily soften the Ambroid glue and allow you to remove the broken actuator and wires.

With a fine soldering tip, you can desolder the wires from the receiver.

View this video to see how you can strip and tin the wire leads on a HingeAct: Stripping Magnet Wire

To install, you will solder on the replacement HingeAct actuator, sync up the receiver and check the direction of the HingeAct deflection, and re-route the wire under the fuselage and to the tail. The hingeAct itself will be glued back to the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder to the magnet side of the hingeact. If it's your first time doing fine work like this, try to go slowly and try to enjoy the process - think of it as a bit of microsurgery - it's not that easy to do this particular repair, and it will require you to be meticulous.

If you find that you do not want to do the repairs yourself, we might be able to repair your model for a service charge, or the unit may require replacement.