DS90DLHV

Description

The DS90DLHV is a high voltage (HV) digital servo built on a tough hybrid case of aluminum and plastic. Equipped with
dual ball bearings and all-metal gears (for durability), it outputs 90 oz-in (+5 pounds of force) and has a transit time of 0.165sec/60° – it’s what’s called a standard-size servo. Standard size means it fits most .40-1.20 remote control model airplanes.

• Specs – useful if you’re curious about the raw numbers, dimensions, etc.
• Comparison – a guide regarding how it compares to other products.
• TL;DR – for the detail-oriented.
• Reviews – short and sweet with real names and places – no BS.

It’s our opinion – this servo is the yardstick against which you objectively measure others in its class because it’s sealed with 13 o-rings, has bronze hardpoints reinforcing the case, offers the superior cooling and strength of an aluminum center, and is held together with Allen head fasteners. So good it alters your perception of everything in its class with respect to value.

INTRODUCTION:

Unlike hobby-grade servos, the ProModeler DS90DLHV is built to meet military standards (and subjected to these tests).

MIL-STD-810G-Part 16

• Shock – Test Method 516.6
• Vibration – Test Method 514.6
• Rain – Test Method 514.5

ProModeler servos are designed to center better, last longer, and perform beyond your expectations because we make them expressly to survive the abuse encountered in the real world.

The steel gear shaft upon which the gears rotate fit in a hole in the case, what’s called a pocket. In cheapo servos, the steel fits into a plastic pocket but in a ProModeler servo, there’s a brass insert reinforcing the plastic. You pay a little bit more, but you get a lot more. ProModeler servos are built with the expectation of a service life measured in decades!

USE CASES:

So who uses these servos? In light of the MIL-SPEC and MIL-STANDARD test methods, you won’t be surprised to learn the government has driven a lot of our product development. They’re our biggest customer. So are universities, plus commercial UAS operators in agricultural and pipeline inspection ops. We’ve branched out to the civilian world, so our customers now include hobbyists.

This customer is often a highly experienced modeler, but also includes savvy beginners who realize just because the servo will first be used in 40-size trainer doesn’t mean you throw them away when you transition to a higher performance model. Anyway, you may use this servo in a wide array of sport and scale models – with wingspans ranging from about 48″ on up. And when we say ‘on up’, we’re not kidding because the models in which the DS180DLHV may appear can be spectacular!

For example, look at the photo below. This is a scratch built (meaning the plans began as a blank sheet of paper, and every rib, former, stringer, longeron, leafing and trailing edge – everything except avionics engines, etc. are built from bits and pieces. This, versus coming out of a box pre-assembled or from a kit! Anyway, this is a model of the WWII Bristol Blenheim. It weighs in excess of 44 pounds! Just look at the details – like the rivets, the pitch change mechanism on the dummy props, venturi which on the real aircraft powers the turn and bank indicator (and other vacuum gauges). Peer inside the cockpit and recognize the work of a master modeler, a pro’s pro. Then consider the work of years has been entrusted to DS180DLHV servos. And while it spans more than 144″ and weighs more than 46 pounds!

This master craftsman also groks servo selection. In choosing the DS180DLHV digital servos he perfectly demonstrates understanding of the requirements based not just on how large and heavy the model is, but on how fast it flies and the size of the control surfaces. Most importantly, because this is a one-of-a-kind scale model involving years of effort and planning, we are humbled that he’s put his faith in ProModeler servos. Do you think he understands the difference between what something costs versus what it’s worth? There’s a lesson in this.

SUMMARY:

At heart, servos offering 90oz-in of torque and transiting in the 0.17sec/60° range are fairly common. It’s the sweet spot in performance for most manufacturers. We believe finding another that offer everything these do is impossible to the point we believe there isn’t a better servo – for the money – on the planet. Period. No other servo offers this level of power, precision, quality, plus tank-like durability (and nobody else lets you completely rebuild them yourself). So if you’re an experienced modeler, and if you are mechanically ‘ept’ this is yet another consideration (if you can do basic soldering but naturally, you can also send them to us for R&R if you aren’t comfortable doing these things).

Better components. Better servos. The formula is simple. Decisions regarding what goes into ProModeler servos aren’t made in accounting to optimize price and profit, but in engineering. In light of what goes into it – we believe $30 is a pretty reasonable price and we hope you agree because. Simply put, this is the best servo available for the money. Add a set to your cart. Do it now because you’re going to love them!

Other Resources

For detailed specifications and dimension drawings, select the Specs tab above. Also, there’s an even-handed look at the competition in the Comparison tab. Meanwhile, TL;DR is chock full of nitty-gritty details – where we disassemble and show you this servo side-by-side with a popular competitor. If you love delving deeply into stuff some find too tedious to read, don’t overlook this tab.

Note: operating voltage is 4.8-8.4V, but optimal performance is obtained with a 2S LiPo instead of a BEC. This is because LiPos deliver the required current without voltage spikes, noise, or otherwise adversely affecting the delicate avionics (25C or better is recommended). After all, synthetic orange colored Tang may have gone to the moon, but it doesn’t compare to freshly squeezed orange juice. Same thing when it comes to feeding your avionics!