Care and feeding of your MONSTER
 

Hi Gents, (Thanx for the STICKY!)

Thought I'd pop in here and let everyone know how to care for your MMM combo -- From Castle or from Traxxas or HPI Flux (they are identical internally.)

ESC:

Never exceed 6S voltage using Lipos
For NiMh, be aware that you will very easily damage the cells, so be very gentle with NiMh -- gear for about 30mph MAX or less (they aren't designed to supply the currents that the MMM combo will ask for.)
Never block the cooling vents
Never open the case unless directed to by a CC tech (there is a procedure to prevent damage to the PCB)
Verify that the 6.5mm plugs are secure before each run
Verify that the battery connectors are up to snuff -- NO Tamiya style plugs (they will melt, burn, and mess up your vehicle.)
Make sure the ESC is programmed correctly to handle the type of batteries you are using.
Verify that the cutoff is correct for the type of battery you are using.


Motor:

Verify gearing is correct (using gearing calculator) before first run
Verify that the gear train is smooth, with no gearing issues, grinding, flat spots on gears, etc.
Verify that there is NO binding in the gearing, wheels, etc.
During first run, make several stops to check motor temperature
Never allow the motor to exceed 170F during runs
Never exceed 6S voltage on the motor
Reverify the setup any time you change battery number or type (some batteries will output a lot more power than others...)
Allow 15-20 minutes for the motor to cool between pack swaps.
Don't allow anything to block airflow to the motor.
Airflow, Airflow Airflow. Did I mention that airflow is good?
It's good to add cooling vents/slots in your car body (scoops are good too!) for the motor.
Motor fans are nice too.


Batteries:

Make sure you stop after cutoff when using Lipos -- The cutoff is designed to alert the user when the Lipos are discharged, continuing to run well beyond cutoff can lower the lifetime of the battery. "When you feel the power drop, it's time to stop."

Firmware:
Run verion 1.20 +

If you have a working Monster v1 or v2 update the firmware in your Monster to v1.20. To do this download Castle Link software version V3.12 from the downloads page of Castle Creations website or by clicking this link http://www.castlecreations.com/downl...nstall_312.exe.
Then plug the Monster into your computer, go to the software tab at the top, and click the 'Update Firmware' button on that page. For more information about this update see the 'Release Notes' on our download page. http://www.castlecreations.com/downloads/frh-mamba.html


Remember - heat kills. There are thousands of watts running through these devices, and if anything is wrong, the heat can build up REALLY FAST and damage components.

So just take good care of your MMM, and your MMM will take good care of you. :yipi:

This solved the question about safe neu/castle motor temps

Thank you Patrick :yipi:

Note -- you won't do any lasting damage until you exceed 240F (internal -- which is about 200F external), but 170F external is a completely safe operating temp.

This should be a sticky for sure.

Good info Patrick.

Very good information. This should be pointed to all the people who are new to brushless and/or have little common sense on how to properly set up his or her vehicle. Thank you Patrick for posting this.

Stuck to the top. Now we just have to hope that this great information is read prior to the posting of new threads on the same subject.

That is asking an awful lot.:lol:

thank you Patrick....

I got my replacement V3 in the mail at work yesterday. I was bored at lunch, so I actually read the manuals! I had a chuckle at the end of the "quick start" guide where it says to not eat the controller because it doesn't taste good. I wonder how Castle determined that? :wink:

Yeah, I think that is part of our "California" disclaimer. "This product contains materials known by the state of California to cause cancer when force fed to rats in huge quantities." or some such thinga...

lol, pretty much anything causes cancer when consumed in huge quantities! Funny, I don't see that type of disclaimer on my Mazda. I should attempt to eat it and then sue the company for not saying I shouldn't. The sad truth is that I'd probably win. Stupid legal system these days...

Opps I allready ate mine BURPPPPPPPPPPPPP.Its gonna hurt coming back out I suspect.

:rofl: @ phatmonk !

Thank you Patrick for the info!

Ever thought about some type of add-on fan similar to how a Pletty is made? Also, what about fin orientation? Wouldn't s lateral fin arrangement be more effective given the way they are mounted? Plus, I would think they would be easier/cheaper to make since they could b extruded...