Bad Luck W/ Mamba Max????
 

So I got a new mamba maxx that I was planning on using for a buggy conversion Im doing. I got it in on Wenesday last week and I hooked it up, did the radio calibration and did a quick test. I had it hooked to a 3s Lipo with the BEC diconeected and was using a reciever pack. The MM worked OK for about 15 seconds then started looseing power to the point that full thottle barely turned the motor and then dead..... Nothing... Now I can even get it to give me the start up tones. When I plug it into the USB the computer recognizes it, but when I I try to upload the programing changes to it usiing the software I get an error saying that it can write to the controller. I now have tryed it with multiple sets of batteries, 6 cell, 2s, 3s, The Internal BEC conected and disconected, multiple recievers, a rx pack and an external BEC.

Bottom line nothing works.... Like I said, I hooked it up and it worked for about 15 seconds, then it died a slow death. Slowly loosing power, then going completely dead. Al within 30 seconds of hooking it up for the first time.


Do I just have have bad luck and got a bad unit??? or am I missing something here????

I sent a note to CC to find out how to get this exchanged for a new one, But no response yet. (Holliday weekend so Im assuming that no one is even there until Monday) Now Im also kinda mad that I didn't get this trough Mike. I ordered it through Tower just cuz Mike was out of stock. Towers answer was. "Call CC. Its thier problem. We cant do anything." Mike would at least assist me in getting it fixed. Tell me what needed to be done at what to epect when I talk to CC.

Anyone else seen anything like this????

I called them up when i had an issue with their controller. They just sent you a new one and include an envelope in which you can return the defective one.

Sounds te me like you got a rotten apple..

Too bad you can't program it, sounds to me like it's suffering a software problem. You can program it with the transmitter, right? what if you follow it step by step and try to correct the error it's suffering.. (the fallen bit)

Thats a new one on me, I got two and no problems. Hope you can get it fixed or replaced

Probably towerhobbies has stocked some broken down versions of the MambaMax. This is their first batch eversince the MambaMax was released.

No I can't even get the start up tones on it anymore, so programing it even with the tx, is impossible. At first I thought that it was a LVC issue, but it should not have a LVC set from the factory and I didn't change it so that can't be the problem.

Glad to hear they are responsive with the replacement though. But I wanted ro run it this weekend. Looks like That will be out. And that kind sucks cuz this might be the last decent weekend befor the winter really sets in.

captain; it's not possible to buy broken controllers from castle. not even for towers.

Too bad this happened Jhautz..

i know your feeling..

Have you tried any different motors? Apparently one of my beta motors (during beta testing) caused two Mamba Max ESCs to fry. I was never told that the cause was the motor, but between the two Mamba Max ESCs the only variable that remained constant that could have caused the problem was the motor.

No, only tried the one motor. By the time I figured out that it was dying.... It was dead and I couldn't try anything else. Although, I did pull the Quark 125 from another truck and set it up in the buggy so I could run it tomorrow. The motor has no issues w the Quark so Im assuming it not the motor. Its a Lehner 1940/7 btw. I was planning oin running 4s or 5s on it, but i never even got to test it with voltages that high. I was doing the setup with a 3s pack to get through the programing and bench testing and it just quit working. So I dont know what happened.

Anyway. I hope they replace it quickly. This is very annoying to get a new toy and have it broken righ out of the box.

I think you just got a defective item. It is electronics so any thing can happen.

Good news!!! I finally got to talk w/ someone at Castle and they are sending me a repalcement and a postage paid box to return the defective one. I should have my new MM by this weekend. Thats some pretty sweet service.

2 big thumbs up for CC on this one. I was very disapointed in getting a bad unit, but man they sure know how to take care of thier customers!!!!!!

Good to know, glad we got an american manufacturer that stands behind their products

No response...
 

sent a motor and esc back to CC November 16th, Now December 11th... no response to repeated phone calls and emails except for an e-mail on the 5th telling me 'it's still on the repair floor'

maybe that's where it's at... on the floor.

Won't ever order/purchase from Castle Again.

Did you get a "return authorization" number from them before you sent it in?

No... I called them daily November 10th, 13th, 14th, and 15th. Each day leaving voicemail with my phone number. Awaited call backs every day... no response. E-mailed twice during that span... no response to either mail til the 16th... the day I mailed it back. Have received virtually no response other then the email I received on the 5th telling me 'It's still on the repair floor, I will have more info for you if you call in Thursday (7th)' I called on the 7th, 8th, and once this morning... no response again since...

BAD BAD BAD.

If I hear nothing by end of business day today... I am going to contact my credit card company and see what can be resolved that way.

Perhaps is would be beneficial to ask for Shawn Palmer.

My guess is the ESC has been "lost" in a paperwork shuffle if you did not follow their specific return/warranty policy. I see it happen alot in my industry (also electronics)

Dunkin;

This is the absolute first issue with castles service i have ever heard of.

I think it's the time of the season, they are busy working on a new controller, December month is extra stress-full in terms of orders.

Normally Castle is topnotch, in both their products and service.

I forwarded this thread to a technician at Castle (Shawn) , perhaps he can do something for you.

What my experience was with a mamba 25; it was damaged (software) i called them up, bam, got a new one after 4 business days (international) next time, was my own fault, called them up, gave them my CC details, and after 5 days i was up and running again.

Don't know what is wrong, but it must be something with a good explanation.

I COMPLETELY agree; it's impolite/unfriendly not to answer phone calls, but perhaps they have an issue with their answering machine.. Who Knows..

So; for my understanding;

You shipped your damaged controller back? did they knew it was sent back? Normallu they sent you a new one, with a returning envelope included, in which you can return the damaged one. If you just sent it back; did you included a note telling what is wrong with it?

Again, not to kiss their bumms, but the service is flawless. (or at least worked flawless for me, a few friends and other people on this forum.

my timeline...

Oct 20th - ordered mamba max and 5700 motor
Oct 24th - shipped from CC
Oct 27th - received max esc and motor
Oct 27-Oct 31st - Rebuilt truck...
Nov 1st - ordered 3s Lipo/Charger/Balancer
Nov 7th - received battery/charger/balancer
Nov 8th - 1 run with truck, charged battery overnight
Nov 9th - 1 run with truck... engine chatter... death.
Nov 10th, 13th, 14th, 15th - phone calls to CC, no return calls to voicemails. E-mails sent 13th and 15th.
Nov 16th, out of frustration... mailed it back
1 hour later on the 16th, an email from berniew@ telling me to return it to the address he gave me... already did that...
Nov 21st - Received postcard... engine received @ CC telling me it will be returned shortly...
Nov 29th - called to get status... see whats up... no response
Nov 30th - Dec 4th - 3 calls, 2 emails sent... no response
Dec 6th - Email from misty@ - Telling me she will have info for me friday to call in...
Dec 8th - called in, left another message... no call back.
Dec 11th - Called again, Emailed several people... no response yet.

When I call... I call early morning... I've dealt with tech support lots of places... I know to call early before the million call rush mid-day... Most calls to CC were between 9am-11am EST.
Emails usually sent mid-day.

This is my last hurrah lol. I imagine it to be lost somewhere... and it's not the first paycheck I've wasted. I'm not even worried about that aspect... I just wish I'd get to play with the remote control truck I've invested almost 1500 dollars into... before the snow falls.

I hear you..

If you hear something, please report, okay?

yep yep

Call from Bernie @ CC... Apologized for repeated contact problems... motor has been replaced, should ship out tomorrow...

will watch for mailman & keep posted.

That's great new! Glad to hear it!

I heard Shawn is not working for CC anymore.

Okay.. I participated in their beta testing program thru him, i wonder if that is still counting then..

Good news Dunkin.

Shawn was with CC in October. That's the last time I spoke with him.

I heard this as well

Shawn is in fact not working with CC any more.

I sent in my Mamba Max to have the capacitors replaced 3 or 4 weeks ago. It will finally be shipping tomorrow! I was told the reason is that the main repair person was not able to work due to an injury, and they had to train somebody else to do it. I'll just be glad to be up-and-running again!

The guys at Castle are understaffed right now IMO. Shawn left a couple months ago and that left just Joe and Bernie to be the "problem" guys. It's not a huge ship so when they go a man down it can bea problem at least until they get it sorted out.

Having said that, I know even when Shawn was there he was so swamped sometimes that he would only return calls sporaticly.

Sounds a bit like rcmonster Mike trying to keep up sometimes huh?.... lol

CC does have great service... just understand that things happen and everyone drops the ball once in a while.

I run a small business myself and I sure try to not let it happen, but it does no matter how hard you try when things get very busy. So I tend to cut the guys some slack..... until it becomes the rule rather than the exception. Then there is no excuse and the service is bad.

My apologies as well Dunkin. Things have been nuts around here. Thanksgiving, ice storm, snow storm, personal problems for our repair tech, etc. Very sorry it's taking longer than usual...that goes to anyone who is experiencing the delay in repair time. We'll make it right though. :)

Hey Joe, we bear with you! Thank you for your top products! :043: Keep going!

I hope you guys release a software update for the Mamba Max soon. (I guess you've read the threads around here)

Other than that, I never had to wait long for replies on emails, and your systems are among the most reliable items I ever had in BL.


Thank you
Daf

Thank's for the updates Joe! It's appreciated.

I had a very similar thing happen with my brand new Mamba Max setup last night.... Got about 30 seconds of run time out of it, then it just died completely...

Won't connect to computer, won't turn on, nothing...

http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5012

Call CC during busines hours. Once I got in touch w/ them I had a new contorller in hand within 3 days. Very quick service for my issue. They will make it right.

(Of course I have since fried it again.....:eek: Not CCs fault this time. Just pushed it a little to hard I think. I guess its time to test the ''$50 no matter what'' policy. Gotta love that replacement plan:027: )

step 1: stop calling them daily. You will get parts much faster.