Takin' it to the E-side....

After lurking for a few days, this is my first post. Here's my story...

After trying for four months to get my Revo 3.3 tuned and running consistantly, I'm giving up on gas (at least for a while). You see I'm a No0B at this RC stuff, but have taken to the E-side of things with an E-Maxx and a couple of e-minis with a lot more luck than the gas. So, I"m swapping my Revo out to a brushless system. I just ordered one of Mike's motor plates and a few other parts to get me moving, but I'm still wondering about motor and ESC. I would also like to keep my two speed tranny even if it means using a forward only ESC and retaining my mechanical brake set-up. The goal is to be able to keep up with the nitros at the local track. It's a short track and I'm pretty confident I can get there with a little help from you guys. I have a bunch of 7 cell batteries with Dean's I'd like to use to begin with, but eventually switch to lipo once the truck is complete and working correctly.

I'm going to use Mike and RC Monster for as much of the conversion stuff as possible, so I'm hoping to be able to document the plunge here on the RC Monster forums. Thanks in advance and I hope you guys don't get tired of the nooby questions. :032:

Cajun

[Serum]

Heya Cajun! welcome to the forum!

Please read the sticky i wrote in the brushless section.

good choice on the motorplate! on 14 cells you should be able to keep up with the nitro vehicles. (you need good cells though)

an 8XL and a mm controller with a seperate UBEC would get you up and running. You figured out where you're putting the batteries?

Cajun, welcome to the forums and congrats on your decision to take the plunge. I've recently turned to the "E" side with my larger vehicles and don't regret it.

If/when you take the plunge into lipo, perhaps you should consider the trakpower 4900 packs. With that revo, you'll probably run two packs in series, and the trakpowers are some good packs.

Originally Posted by Serum

Heya Cajun! welcome to the forum!

Please read the sticky i wrote in the brushless section.

good choice on the motorplate! on 14 cells you should be able to keep up with the nitro vehicles. (you need good cells though)

an 8XL and a mm controller with a seperate UBEC would get you up and running. You figured out where you're putting the batteries?

Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

I have one set of IB4200s and plan to get enough loose cells to assemble another set of two 7 cell packs. I hadn't figured out where to put the batteries yet, I was hoping to find some carbon fiber channel or angle to make trays. I'd like to have a pack on each side and try to center my other electrics along the chassis, keeping the packs back toward the rear clip. I'm going to strip the chassis and reduce everything as much as possible, i.e. single steering servo, smaller reciever box, etc. The one thing I do want to keep is my 2 speed tranny, so the brake servo will stay someplace.

Anyway, is the Mamba controller programable to forward only? That's what I'd have to run for the 2 speed and mechanical brakes to work, right?

One more totally noob question...what's this UBEC I keep hearing about? :032:

Thanks
Cajun

[Serum]

A UBEC replaces the receiver battery. It transforms the higher voltage of the batteries into 5 or 6V.

If you want to use the mechanical brake, you need the Y cable. (the revo uses a Y cable allready, you can use that one) put both the controller and the brake servo on the same channel. (throttle) you need a servo that works into the right direction. Some work in opposite to others.

and yes, the MM controller is programmable to forward only.

Originally Posted by Serum

(throttle) you need a servo that works into the right direction. Some work in opposite to others.

Ok, got the UBEC.

So I'll need to test which side of the "Y" works with the brake servo and which works with the ESC?

[neweuser]

I think he means the direction of the servo. Some turn clockwise, some turn counter. Is that right Serum?

WELCOME!

[crazyjr]

what radio are you running some like JR , Hitec and Nomadio can use the third channel for mixing with steering or throttle

I'll be putting a Spektrum receiver in it. I'll be switched over by the time I'm done with the Revo to a Spektrum in my E-Maxx, so I'm gonna go ahead and get the DX3 so I'll have both receivers I need. My minis will be staying 27am.

welcome cajun, glad to see you made it, these guys are the best around, they wont steer you wrong, and keep us posted on your build

[squeeforever]

You'll like the motormount! I got mine in today and it exceeded my expectations. And thats saying alot, actually...Personally, if I were you, I would simply put all the batteries on the opposite side as the motor. I'm currently doing a Revo that retains the stock 2 speed, center diff, and f/r brakes, with both servos on the left side, and the RX, ESC, and battery on the other. I'm gonna run 4S, which should be pretty balanced, but the slight imbalance with running both batteries on the right side shouldn't be a problem. BrianG has his like that and says he doesn't notice it at all...

[BrianG]

Yep, I like the batteries on one side too. Plus, when I decide to get lipos eventually, I can get one pack instead of dealing with two. However, I went with the single speed tranny so I can have reverse and motor braking. You can see some pics in the BL conversion link in my sing, or see the whole buildup in the Revo section.

I've done the saddle pack route as well, but like the current one much better. And Mike's nitro conversion motor mount is VERY nice.

+1 to the single battery, when i get a diff mtr/esc i will get a 4s pack and use the 2 i have in parallel

[Procharged5.0]

Welcome to the forums Cajun!

Good luck with the E-REVO! No doubt you'll be out there beating up on the nitro guys soon!

Thanks for all the encouragement guys! :)

I like the idea of a single sided battery pack. I had toyed with the idea of getting enough stuff to make a 14 or 16 cell pack to a single connection. Anyone tried that yet? So I may consider the single sided battery set up. I know that's the way I'd prefer the lipo when I go that way. I'm really excited about the whole thing. Hopfully I'll be able to get my motor and ESC soon. I'm going to start the strip down tonight. As a part of this, I also have RPM corners I'm adding along with Lunsford Ti hinge pins.