Compro 16016 programming

Hey guys,

I got a Compro about a month ago and have had a heck of a time programming it. I'm running a Feigao 8XL and using a Spektrum DX2.0 radio.

I really don't think that I've been doing anything wrong, as I'm getting all of the beeps as I should and the esc is shutting itself off at the end of the programming sequence, as it should. I also did the autoprogram run. I think the esc is defective, so I contacted MGM about returning it. We exchanged about half a dozen emails that consisted of their asking questions and my answering them. Things seemed like they were moving along for a couple of days. I couldn't blame them for wanting to run through everything before having me send it in; but it got to a point where I confirmed that I could indeed enter the programming mode and that the esc was responding with the correct beeps. They told me that there is nothing wrong with the software and stated that it's the software that they are running in thousands of controllers without incident. Since then, I'm not getting anymore responses.

To keep it in perspective, this was all pretty fast. All in a matter of a couple of days, but all of a sudden, no communication. Anyway, I'm afraid that I may be stuck with a pretty costly paper weight.

If there is anyone out there that has a Compro and would be so inclined to do so, I'd appreciate it if you could post the sequence that you go through to program the esc, and please include everything. I'm really hoping that I was doing something wrong.

The problems I'm having are that I can't turn freewheeling on and the LVC doesn't seem to work. I had it programmed for 5S lipo and to cut power to the motor when the voltage gets too low. The last time I ran it, I was trying to program it, over and over again and did so until it quit running. I pulled the batt off and put it on the charger and my charger gave me a low voltage warning and went into repair mode and showed a battery voltage of 14v.

I'd appreciate it if someone could post this programming sequence in English.

Thanks.

[MetalMan]

I think I posted it in another thread, but I'll try again:

1. Hold full throttle, switch it on.
2. Beeps after 10sec., full brake/reverse. Go to neutral, wait for beeps.
3. Full reverse once, wait for beeps. Hit full throttle if you want reverse enable, then wait for the beeps. This is the "Mode Choice."
4. Hit full reverse twice, waiting for the beeps after each time. Hit full throttle if you want medium brake strength, and wait for the beeps.
5. Hit full reverse twice, waiting for the beeps after each time. Hit full throttle if you want 0.26sec. acceleration, and wait for the beeps.
6. Full reverse once, wait for the beeps. Hit full throttle, and wait for the beeps. This sets it up for automatic timing.
7. Full reverse once, wait for the beeps. Hit full throttle, and wait for the beeps. This will cause the motor to slow down once the cutoff voltage is reached.
8. Full reverse four times, waiting for the beeps after each time. Hit full throttle, and wait for the beeps. This sets it up for 4s Lipo.
9. Range of neutral zone (I think it's also called Dead Band) - you might want to try experimenting here. I prefer 9%, which is full reverse 3 times, and waiting for the beeps in between. Then full throttle, and wait for the beeps.
10. I like to have it automatically correct the neutral position, so I hit full reverse twise, waiting for the beeps after each time. Then full throttle, and wait for the beeps.
11. Hit full reverse twice, waiting for the beeps after each time. Then full throttle and wait for the beeps. This step sets up "freewheeling."
12. Drag brake - I don't want any, so I hit full reverse once, wait for the beeps, hit full throttle, and wait for the beeps.
13. Switch the ESC off and/or unplug the batts. Wait maybe 10sec. before turning it back on and/or plugging the batts back in.

The instructions say there is a certain number of beeps, just ignore that. If you follow my instructions exactly, it should work (as mine did). If not, then either the ESC is bad or for some VERY strange reason the MGM doesn't like your radio system. To rule out the radio idea, maybe you could try a friend's radio and see if it all works the same.

MM, thanks for taking the time. I'm going to try another radio, if I can find one. I, and all of my friends, run Spektrum. The procedure above is exactly what I followed and the programming won't stick.

Is the auto program run necessary? If so, is there anything special that I'm supposed to be doing during this run?

I'm still waiting for the Compro to get back from Mike. I was just hoping to be armed with some new information by the time it gets to me.

Thanks again.

[MetalMan]

I'm not aware of anything else that's necessary other than the normal programming. Unfortunately I feel I don't have any other ideas to add.

I appreciate it anyway. MGM didn't get back to me at all today. It just seems funny, because they got right back to me when I first emailed them the day before yesterday and we had an exchange going. Now, nothing. They just quit responding. I guess they just think I'm nuts. The very last email that I got from them inferred that if the esc is beeping like it should and I can enter the programming mode, then there's nothing wrong with the esc.

I really don't mind spending money, I just hate throwing it away. Maybe it is just me or my radio, but I'm not going to switch radios to be able to run this controller. Oh well, $230+ in the garbage.

Maybe I'll try to sell this thing for $100 or so. Maybe someone will be willing to take a chance that I'm just an idiot and they'll have better luck with it. Either that, or they won't mind the fact that free wheeling doesn't work. At this point, I'm going to give it a few more tries and then this brand new esc is going cheap. I just want to offset the cost of the Quark and 11515/2.5D that I have coming.

Geez, I'm just getting frustrated again.

MM, I should have listened to you in the first place and gotten the Quark. Well, live and learn.

[MetalMan]

I seemed to also have experienced MGM not responding to emails. Before I sent in my damaged one, they were very responsive. I tried them back a month after I sent it in, and didn't get any replies. Then, 5 months later (total of 6 months) a new MGM Compro 12012 C/B showed up at my door. Inside, there was a receipt that said something along the lines of me getting a free controller because it took them so long to repair it.

Well, if it's gonna take 6 months to remedy this, I'd just as soon sell it cheap (if I get any takers) or toss it in the garbage. Heck, it's already been a month since I bought the darned thing. Right now, I'm ticked off, but another month from now, I'll just look upon it as a hard lesson learned. My Quark and 2.5D should be here by next Wednesday and I probably won't give the Compro another thought, since I'll have new toys to play with.

What gets me is that I think there's something wrong with it and want to send it in. The worse thing that could happen on their end is that they find that I am cracked and there's nothing wrong with the esc and they send it back. As things stand now, I can't even send it back because they won't tell me what I need to do. I know I'm just a drop in the bucket, but I don't think that I'll be buying anything else that has MGM stamped on it again.

OK, now I'm just venting again. Sorry.

[MetalMan]

I don't know what their current repair time is. I got mine back about a year ago, so things might have changed. I can email them and ask what the current turn-around time is, and send mine in (it smoked a couple days ago).

Geez, you smoked it again? What's up with that? How did you smoke it?

[MetalMan]

Well, the first time around it didn't really smoke. It just stopped working in CAR mode (but it would work in BOAT mode).

About 6 months ago the BEC chip burnt out, allowing full battery voltage to reach the receiver. But it still worked with a receiver pack or UBEC. This time I was driving in some grass, and one of the capacitors let out smoke (at least I'm pretty sure it was one of the capacitors, because one capacitor's vent is finished). Now it won't spin the motor at all.

I just sent off an email to MGM, so I'll await a response.

We'll see what they tell you. Maybe I need to let some smoke out of mine to get them to take it back.

MetalMan, please keep me posted on what they tell you. I'm still getting no responses to my emails. I guess I'm just screwed.

[MetalMan]

Here's what MGM said (prompt reply):

Originally Posted by MGM

send your ESC ditrectly to us. Repair time is a few days after receiving. I don´t know say price in this time, it will be clear after receiving and testing. I can inform you about it during repair.

Yeah, it seems that it's just more of my luck. They replied promptly to my first emails too; but then, once they determined that it wasn't a hardware problem, they seemed to refuse to believe that I could be having a software problem. I've sent four emails in the last two days and haven't gotten any response.

I'm glad that you're going to be taken care of. I would have gotten more use out of the money that I spent on this Compro, if I had just used the money as kindling to build a campfire.

Oh well, I've exhausted all of my options. I guess I just got screwed. It's a dead issue.

Thanks anyway.

[What's_nitro?]

Hey guys I'm having similar issues with my 16016. I think MGM changed the software because my controller seems to have only 9 categories (A-I) instead of 10 (A-J). I know this because upon entering the programming mode I can only "ENTER" 8 times before it ends. So there seems to be one category missing from the list. The controller makes the "WRONG VOLTAGE" error beep whenever I turn it on. And whereas I don't know which category is missing I dont know where each category is in the list. So I can't make the correct changes. I have a DX3.0 radio and a Lehner XL2800 running 4s.