Need response from a Castle tech for MMM question

[GT35R]

Originally Posted by Sammus

I will pay the repair if you can get them to ship it back to me. The fee is the same regardless of where you live, and includes shipping, so I don't see why they wouldn't.

I would rather have the satisfaction of smashing it with a hammer,
but I guess I won't get the chance if I send it back.

I'll let you know what happens.

[jhautz]

Originally Posted by GT35R

I would rather have the satisfaction of smashing it with a hammer

[George16]

Originally Posted by GT35R

I would rather have the satisfaction of smashing it with a hammer,
but I guess I won't get the chance if I send it back.

I'll let you know what happens.

I almost slammed the whole truck into the ground after my V2 failure

[TruckBasher]

well, Like him I would rather keep this as a trophy (after I smash it)......

[brushlessboy16]

Originally Posted by Bernie Wolfard

PLEASE BE ADVISED, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO CIRCUIT BOARDS ON ANY CASTLE CREATIONS PRODUCT, WHETHER OR NOT THE ESC WORKS, VOIDS THE WARRANTY. IF A CASTLE CREATIONS ESC STOPS WORKING AND IT IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND IT WANS'T ABUSED IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. IF THE ESC QUITS WORKING AND YOU MODIFY IT IT THE WARRANTY IS VOIDED. THE MOD SHOWN ON THIS THREAD PROBABLY WILL NOT WORK FOR MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT TAKES SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND SKILL TO REMOVE COMPONENTS FROM OUR CIRCUIT BOARDS. WE USE LEAD FREE LIQUID FLUX HIGH TEMPRATUR SOLDER THAT DOES NOT WORK LIKE LEAD TIN FLUX CORE SOLDER. THIS MOD ONLY WORKS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND IN MOST CASES ONLY DAMAGES THE BOARD OR LIFTS COMPONENTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BOARD.

We are seeing problems with certain set ups with the MMM v2. Most (over 2400) work great with no problems. We cannot recreate these problems no matter what we do here to the ESC and its BEC. The failure points are not consistent and we are trying to track down what the problem is. Whatever this is, it will be fixed. If you want to help, and have not already done so, fill out Thomas’s request for information sticky on the forum.

A failed MMM will be repaired/replaced at no charge within one year from date of purchase. If there is any work on the circuit board or other obvious modifications, or there is crash damage, the ESC is out of warranty and will cost $70.00 for out of warranty replacement.

my esc was received monday, before this post-i was told that it would be fixed free of charge... i presume thats still in effect

[TruckBasher]

lucky you....

[myndseye]

Originally Posted by GT35R

Bernie, if you are having trouble replicating the faults follow me three step easy guide
to MMM failure :

1. Install MMM onto Monster truck

2. Connect 6S batterys and drive

3. Wait 5min

Hope that helps.

Thats the formula to a MM failure exactly!

[George16]

For those of you that have a dead MMM BEC, try running/feeding the ESC with power from an rx pack. I think it will run. I had the Twidgets (Navy slang for electronic technicians) look at my dead MMM before I mailed it yesterday and they suggested powering it with 6V from a separate battery back(rx pack).

[Sammus]

isnt that exactly what the mod in this thread ('BrianG mod') is doing?

[George16]

Originally Posted by Sammus

isnt that exactly what the mod in this thread ('BrianG mod') is doing?

Pretty much. The main difference is the user doesn't have to remove any components or cut the red wire from the ESC. This way, the warranty is istill intact because there is no modification done on the board itself.

[tc3_racer_001]

brianG also thought about this too (i think it was him...) but u have to make sure that the voltage from the unbuilt bec was 0V... even still id be wary.

[Sammus]

Oh yeah I see what your saying. You originally said just powering the esc with from an rx pack, which is exactly what the mod is doing, but it also removes the BEC circuitry. Yeah brian said a few pages back to test the bec output voltage. if it is zero then you should be good to go.

I think everyone who says they can program the controller but the controller is dead is experiencing exactly this. A lot of them have said "no it doesnt work with an ubec or rx pack" but I have a feeling they were removing the red wire from the plug (As you normally would) when trying it.

[TruckBasher]

Originally Posted by BrianG

Not sure what backfeeding the ESC while keeping the BEC intact will do. Depending on exactly what is bad (and how), it could basically short the external BECs voltage (which would send the external BEC into a cycling shutdown condition).

Back during my first mod, I was using an external BEC and didn't remove the red wire at first. Well, the KF voltage was ~6v, but the MMM BEC was ~5.5v and the KF heated up quite a bit. That tells me right there that the MMMBEC was heavily loading the external BEC because of the higher external voltage. So, even when everything is working normally, using an external BEC AND the internal one at the same time doesn't work.

This is what BrianG replied to me when I asked him about back feeding the MMM.

The main issue is that we dont know what is Dead on the MMM, if its the BEC then we might be able to revive it, since it is the same like removing the BEC unit, dead anyway...but if its a different component then we might kill other things...but the key is that the voltage regulator that feeds the brains must be something around 3.2v IIRC

[GT35R]

when mine died the BEC was putting out 0V but it was also shorted out which is why
my Castlelink USB adapter nearly smoked (not to mention the computers USB power feed).
When I did the mod it didn't revive so I'm guessing somethin else went bad on my MMM aswell.

I mailed it to CC today and am expecting them to replace it because they seem like
reasonable people (did they say there were none left though?)
I imagine they have to say publicly that warranty will be voided otherwise they're
encouraging everyone to hack up their MMM's.

[TruckBasher]

well you're lucky about the replacement and all...

On my end I cant spend $20-30 sending my MMM then be asked to pay for $70...unless someone can guarantee it...this is the down side of not being in US...

Also I dont know what to do with the MMM, no one even wants to by my 2nd MMM here...I am also thinking that I dont want to spread the frustration they might get with a defective product...dont get me wrong (before anyone hits me) I like CC and I trust their product but no MMM at this point....

I will just use the 2nd MMM and if it fails I will have a reason to send them together