How to use the Spektrum Battery Voltage sensor lead without frying your receiver

The Spektrum Telemetry battery voltage sensor 2-pin lead enables you to get instant voice voltage call outs on your flight pack. Great technology, but there isn't any documentation and installing this incorrectly will damage your Spektrum RX.

[@chksix]

Andy Kunz explanations on RC Groups tend to be cryptic and not thoroughly explained. I finally got up the nerve to punch a hole in the red battery lead to the ESC and attach the red lead from the telemetry cable as shown. No need to connect the black lead. I didn’t cook the receiver (AR637T) and I got telemetry battery voltage to the transmitter. Thanks for posting these kinds of videos.👍

[@_Oz_]

Good explanation. I hate de-soldering and re-soldering just to add this sensor lead. I like the puncture, insert tape method. I'm going to try that!

[@SteffenRC]

Craig. I appreciate the feedback. I’ve messed with this stuff for a while. Love my voltage telemetry 😀

[@wam7484]

It was never explained why connecting to the balance plug was a problem. Spektrum said attach red and black to the +/- of the esc power input and that's exactly what you get with the two outside balance plug pins. Only think I can think of is the order of hookup is important. If you plug in the balance connector to the TM cable before plugging in the main connector, maybe that causes a problem. But if no one can confirm that it is a problem or why...maybe it was just user error on the reporting person's part.

[@SteffenRC]

I was surprised at the lack of instructions on this telemetry from Spektrum. I currently (no pun intended) just use the single red wire from the Spektrum VOLT plug to the red wire on the ESC. I remove the black wire and make things simple... I made a video on this setup. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bInQoKuPZdJ7ibs

[@PatrickVannie]

Great video Steffen and certainly worthwhile info for the users as i speak from experience 🙂

[@SteffenRC]

Patrick, you were the one that inspired the video.. Sorry for your loss (RX). Hope Horizon took care of you..

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

This is great information Will, thank you!

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks.. I sure hope HH will make some documentation on this.. Or, better yet (for me...) they can have a link from there site to my video..😎

[@jjlanda1171]

Hello great explanation, just to be sure..them I can get telemetry battery voltage using the telemetry cable that comes with the new AR637T receivers and using just the red wire with the red wire of the balance lead connector as you show in this video? …thanks

[@SteffenRC]

Yes, you can use that method as I described, but I no longer do that. Now I attach the red lead to the red wire on the ESC.. I just released a video this am describing this process.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bInQoKuPZdJ7ibs

[@ross2788]

Great explanation, Thanks!

[@SteffenRC]

Glad you liked it Ross.. Always appreciate the comments and support...

[@waynesbutler7834]

I have a couple questions concerning this mod , and thank you for showing this . Wouldnt it be easier to connect this voltage wire from the receiver directly to the positive and negative battery leads of the ESC , why connect to the balance wire of the battery ?? And if you are running two ESCs can you parallel wire the end of this connector to both battery wires from the ESC or to the balance leads from both battery packs if i follow this vid ?? I have a Zonda boat with two ESCs and this exact receiver running two 6s batteries with the DX5C PRO and would like to utilize the voltage levels that i have access to with this transmitter ..

[@SteffenRC]

Wayne, Your observation is spot on. I currently just solder the positive (red) wire to the battery plug/wire. Then run that red lead to the VOLT, plug on the RX. It’s the easiest and safest way. I don’t mess with the negative wire at all. If you look at some of my recent build videos, I mention that process. I guess I should do a follow up on this video. 😀

[@waynesbutler7834]

@@SteffenRC Dont mean to bother again but thanks for the explanation . Another quick question , please correct me if i am wrong but the whole reason for the volt connector on this receiver is to send system voltage to the transmitter . cant you just run a jumper wire from the volt connector to the battery channel of the same receiver ?

[@SteffenRC]

@@waynesbutler7834 running a jumper from the Volt sensor plug to the power from the ESC/BEC wouldn’t give you Battery Voltage telemetry.

[@waynesbutler7834]

@@SteffenRC I realized that after i typed it , OK your idea still works especially if you plan on doing a vid on this change or direct me to your vid where you touch on this topic . I enjoy your camera work and your explanations

[@SteffenRC]

@@waynesbutler7834 I’ll make another video in a week.

[@RubyS.1]

I bought balance leads from Amazon and they where wired incorrectly red being on the wrong side. Maybe that's what happened.

[@SteffenRC]

Yep.. My initial video I mentioned that there is a reverse polarity issue with the plugs from Amazon.. The Spektrum part is correct... The issue is basically, if you are powering the RX from the ESC/BEC and the balance port, you can have issues. To reduce the chance of smoking your RX, either connect the lead to the ESC cables or just use the Red wire on balance plug...

[@ct810]

Honestly, there must be something else going on. I watched your first video. the guy must ran the hot into the ground causing a short. ground is ground and shouldn't have mattered

[@SteffenRC]

I know what your saying. Mine worked great. But, comments from Spektrum lead me to believe the best practice is just use the Red if connecting to balance lead.

[@Realitygetreal]

Seriously this is convoluted MESS. and requires me to connect extra crap... why not just build it just like the Telemetry Battery Voltage Sensor: EC3/IC3 which works AWESOME and I copied instead of this crap of messing with the balance plugs THUMBS DOWN TO THIS TOTALLY

[@SteffenRC]

Thumbs down, Ok. That’s fine. You’re probably not interested, but if you look at my recent video, I bypass the balance plug and connect to the ESC power wire. That said it appears you have the best way for you. Sorry my video disappointed you..