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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2026 11:05am
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Quoting: jsahara24 How did the cushion valve change the machine? Its definitely "jerky" but I'm getting used to it the more I use it..
The cushion valve doesn't really change how the machine works. Its more for protection of the slew motor. It essentially adds a small amount of cushion at the end of travel when you spin the machine with a load of dirt. Guys were stripping gears or completely breaking off the slew motors.
For the "jerkiness", you can add springs or small piece of fuel line to the pilot control plungers. It helps for sure, but doesn't completely tame the bronco. Some people will slow things down by adjusting the pressure on the pilot controls. Basically turn it down until the machine doesn't move, then slowly increase it until its where you want it.
A fan will help to solve your gas boiling problem. However, I suggest you keep a close eye on you hydraulic oil temps. 140F (60C) is bad and the oil degrades quickly at those temps. You want to make sure you keep it below that.
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paulz
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2026 11:03am
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Quoting: darz5150 bought quite a few of the Amazon basic rechargeable double and triple A's. They've been doing good for a few years. Better than
Just bought another 8 pack of those AA Minh. The first ones have been in the smoke detector over a month. The old alkys would start the low voltage warning beep after a week or two. They were just those dollar store alkys, not sure who makes or sells good ones anymore. The local radio shack is long gone.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2026 11:17am
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Hopefully they work out for you. I like them.
That new smart charger seems to work well also. Kinda handy if you need to charge a single battery or an odd number.
The cheap led lights I got off temu are doing good too.
I am using 2 of them on sensor mode. I've only charged them once.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2026 11:25am
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Glad to see you got another drone. Handy for checking the roof too. How's Buddy like it?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2026 11:44am
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I have a couple sensor LEDs, the old HF solar ones. But the solar part is long gone, just have them plugged into USB’s. One in the bathroom, one in the living room and one out front.
Haven’t gotten good enough controlling the drone to hassle the dog yet. Getting a bit better but it’s a real learning thing. I have a long range plan to fly it way up over my tree tops with a string attached and back down over a branch so I can hoist a cord up there with a TV antenna. The end result I can almost guarantee will be a drone permanently stuck way up there.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2026 03:17pm
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If your going to do a Kamikaze run. My son picked up a couple drones from the 5 below store for $10 or $15 bucks.
That are exactly like the ones we paid $40 bucks for.
That way you might only have $10 bucks hanging in the tree. Lol
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2026 11:25am
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I’ll check it out. We have a $5 store right next to HF. Never been in it but I pushed the wife inside while I went to HF. She spent more than I did! Some store employee pushed her up and down every isle.
Just pulled this old drone out. Think I got it at the flea market years ago. It has a usb port, pre-C, but the controller takes AAAs. It’s only about 6” across, half the new one. As I recall it had a mind of its own, couldn’t control it. We’ll see, it’s charging now. The new one said it will climb 200’, which would get it over the trees.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2026 10:43am
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Some progress. A friend, who can see and walk better, took the new drone up and over the trees and back down, while I manned a fishing pole and line tied to it. It goes over a branch about 125’ up. We tried again for a higher branch but the drone battery died.
Good enough to hoist a TV antenna and coax cable up. I’ve ordered 200’ of coax, hope the signal can travel that far.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2026 12:22pm
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Good for you Paul. 
You can add a signal booster if needed probably.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2026 02:06pm
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Quoting: darz5150 signal booster
Yeah that’s another thing. I’m going to try the same antenna as at the house, one of those $35 jobs we’ve talked about. They come with a booster. At the house it’s about 30’ from antenna to the booster, another 30 the tv.
I read that boosters should be close to the antenna. I guess they boost from the antenna down the coax, not the signal coming over the air. Will it boost down 200’ of coax? I will try it on the ground first, but last resort at the antenna with a power wire running up the tree.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 26 Mar 2026 09:51am
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Got this a week ago. Since building the cabin, I’ve been digging through my box of leftover automotive wire for all the usb/12v lights and switches. This is so much tidier, paired wire, already red and black for polarity, soft and easily stripped/soldered. 10 cents a foot!
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 26 Mar 2026 10:28am
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Quoting: paulz This is so much tidier, paired wire, already red and black for polarity, soft and easily stripped/soldered. 10 cents a foot!
Be very careful. That is Copper Clad Aluminum. It doesn't have the same amp carry capacity as straight copper. Some of it is VERY poor quality.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 26 Mar 2026 10:48am - Edited by: paulz
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Yes low amp only, LED lights and usb wires. It has a 5-7 amp rating, about half of solid copper. One test: I have solid core building wire running under the cabin to the 12v water pump. But very stiff where it connects to the pump switch inside, so I spliced in 2’ of this wire inside in open air to the switch panel. Filled the coffee pot this morning no problem. I’ll take a shower one of these days  . Uses about 4 amps according to my bank meter.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 2 Apr 2026 01:15pm
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Paul. Did you get your antenna up and functional?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 2 Apr 2026 01:25pm
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Argh, Not yet. I have the coax, but I got the pull rope stuck up there and broke the branch down pulling on it. At least it missed the cabin and truck. I have to wait for my pilot friend to come back over and fly the drone up there again, I’m too much of a spaz.
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