Bad news for future MM users.

[lutach]

Originally Posted by NovakTwo

You probably shouldn't bring up "passion" for the R/C industry. Bob got involved in R/C planes when he was a young boy and spent his entire working career in the industry. Novak has been around for 30 years, so the company has had years of involvement in the industry. We even know all of the people who have sold their companies---Losi, Associated, Orion/Peak.

But, I think what you mean by passion is, why doesn't Novak make some of the cool products that posters here want. Making a few, hand made products to be sold to a select group of customers is easy. Manufacturing the products to be sold to thousands of users at prices buyers are willing to pay is another matter.

There is also the matter of service. As mentioned above, some companies (such as Aveox) are not reliable when it comes to servicing their products. Therefore, Novak products have to be designed and manufactured to minimize potential service issues. Those "layer cake" controllers, while cool, are just not feasible for mfg or sale to most customers---too much potential for mis-use, damage or sub-standard performance.

For every product a manufacturer replaces, or gives away, free, the company must sell 5-8 new items to recover the parts/labor/overhead costs of that free item.

Bob, Adnan Khan (Novak's Senior Designer), and the entire tech staff are definitely well-informed about comments on various forums---both the complimentary ones and the not-so-flattering. So keep the ideas and comments flowing.

Funny thing is that the "layer cake" controller such as the Schulze 40.160 is one controller that a few people wants to have. I saw a guy sell 3 of them used btw for $500 each. A member in this forum had 2 of them and regrets selling them. Ok Novak has been around for 30yrs, but most of the products now a days might be designed in the US, but are manufactured in Asia. All we need is a real HV system for larger vehicles. Should be real easy for the mighty Novak to produce. Aveox products are so reliable that they hardly need servicing. When Aveox was a player in this hobby, they made the product right the first time. Also, their motors can be serviced by NeuMotors and you know that Steve Neu used to work at Aveox and made a line up of motors with similar design.

[rotary rocket]

Hello Gang,

It is good to see a lot of "familiar" names still on this forum. I have not posted in a real long time and came back to see if there was any progress in the BL world.

Unfortunatly I see the market has actually regressed rather than going forward (MM not handling as many cells as before). I get it that it is always about making money, as it should be. If there is no profit then the company will eventually go out of business (passion or not...), I get it! This is not a good enough reason to not develop what the market is asking for. I think a lot of the RC manufactures are missing the boat.

I can't believe non of the 1/8 buggy companies have put out an electric buggy. I can't believe the BL companies do not have systems to handle 1/8 buggies, 1/8 monster trucks, 1/5 buggy/truck/cars.

There is plenty of money out there...just not enough business creativity to harness it. I guess I'll take my money and spend it on other things while I wait for the RC market to get off of its A**. (See attached pic).

Sorry for the rant, but I have been in the hobby for over 26 years and it is such a shame that it can't keep up with today's technology.

[glassdoctor]

Man it would take a serious setup to convert that to BL!!!

btw.... you know that doesn't have a rotary under the hood ;)

[rotary rocket]

The rotary is doing just fine, she just has a new playmate...

[lutach]

Originally Posted by rotary rocket

Hello Gang,

It is good to see a lot of "familiar" names still on this forum. I have not posted in a real long time and came back to see if there was any progress in the BL world.

Unfortunatly I see the market has actually regressed rather than going forward (MM not handling as many cells as before). I get it that it is always about making money, as it should be. If there is no profit then the company will eventually go out of business (passion or not...), I get it! This is not a good enough reason to not develop what the market is asking for. I think a lot of the RC manufactures are missing the boat.

I can't believe non of the 1/8 buggy companies have put out an electric buggy. I can't believe the BL companies do not have systems to handle 1/8 buggies, 1/8 monster trucks, 1/5 buggy/truck/cars.

There is plenty of money out there...just not enough business creativity to harness it. I guess I'll take my money and spend it on other things while I wait for the RC market to get off of its A**. (See attached pic).

Sorry for the rant, but I have been in the hobby for over 26 years and it is such a shame that it can't keep up with today's technology.

There shall be some changes. I've been designing some chassis specifically for BL systems. I have a 200A 14S capable controller being made and it is just the beginning. I have a few choices for the motor. Just whish the big companies would come out with a system that we would be happy with. If I can do it, imagine the companies that have 30yrs+ of experience, in house engineers and a nice load of money (I'm comparing this companies with me btw LOL).

[NovakTwo]

I think items designed and produced by individuals for these niche markets are a wonderfull way to go. Novak was a garage/kitchen table operation for quite a few years in the seventies---it was in the right place, at the right time, with the right resources. That's how new companies are born.

Little guys with no payrolls or overhead can take the chances that larger companies can no longer risk. After all, Novak has about 45 employees, who expect to be paid on a regular basis! Best wishes to Lutach and Griffin-RU---it's interesting to see what inventors can come up with. There is some guy in Thailand who has stacked Novak power boards---we can't read the copy, though, because it's in Thai....

At heart, Bob Novak has always been a "tinkerer" and, if you could see his office, you would know that his heart is still in tinkering. We just wish he worked a bit faster! Fortunately, Adnan has taken over the electronic and motor design for @ the last 20 years.

The whole brushless technology revolution is exciting for electric R/C cars---if the industry can be revived, BL will do it. Nitro RTRs have really taken a huge share of the market. Maybe BL 1/8th scale products can help revive electric and bring back some of the excitement.

[BrianG]

As far as nitro taking the majority of the market: Most of that is probably because back in the day, the only way to get decent power was to use gas. Even today, many nitro people still snicker when they see someone plugging batteries in any vehicle... until of course they see it run. :) And then there are some that actually like the noise, smell, cleanup, tuning headaches, etc...

[mkrusedc]

Just thought I post Joe Ford's response from The Radio Control Zone forum.

There is no difference between controllers that left on day 1 and controllers that left today. It's luck of the draw whether your specific processor on your specific controller is going to handle that much voltage. Most will not as the controller was not designed to handle anything over 3s lipo. 4s works on most...5s I wouldn't even try and I WORK HERE.

[BrianG]

Well, that's weird, because I have two different MM ESCs and they have different FET part numbers. The older MMs have the same part # as the ones Quark uses, while the newer MMs are different.

[mkrusedc]

Brian,
Here is the thread and my response. I just could not resist.
http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/s...223182&page=52

well i got my esc. about 1 1/2 months ago and it works fine, got luckey i guess, i just wonder why the newer ones dont work??

any way guess i will be running novak next season

hopefully it has a little more grunt, thats all it needs compared to the hv 4.5 that i have(had , its smoked right now)

[lutach]

Originally Posted by NovakTwo

I think items designed and produced by individuals for these niche markets are a wonderfull way to go. Novak was a garage/kitchen table operation for quite a few years in the seventies---it was in the right place, at the right time, with the right resources. That's how new companies are born.

Little guys with no payrolls or overhead can take the chances that larger companies can no longer risk. After all, Novak has about 45 employees, who expect to be paid on a regular basis! Best wishes to Lutach and Griffin-RU---it's interesting to see what inventors can come up with. There is some guy in Thailand who has stacked Novak power boards---we can't read the copy, though, because it's in Thai....

At heart, Bob Novak has always been a "tinkerer" and, if you could see his office, you would know that his heart is still in tinkering. We just wish he worked a bit faster! Fortunately, Adnan has taken over the electronic and motor design for @ the last 20 years.

The whole brushless technology revolution is exciting for electric R/C cars---if the industry can be revived, BL will do it. Nitro RTRs have really taken a huge share of the market. Maybe BL 1/8th scale products can help revive electric and bring back some of the excitement.

If Novak comes out with a system that will fulfill our requirements which is good for most 1/8 racers and bashers, I'll buy one. Just make a sensored system that handles up to 10 or 12S lipos and design a 2 and 4 poles motor to fit the bill. It should be easy for you guys. Now if you say it is not easy, then I guess there is some trouble within the company. Castle seems to be having their fare share of troubles. I know CC has engineers and I'm pretty sure Novak does as well. Put them to work. Novak makes a profit on current products and why not use some of the profit to design new products. It might not be a big gamble if you listen to us users. Now if you guys at Novak need help procuring the electronic components, for a price I can share my secrete.

[Happywing]

Originally Posted by NovakTwo

You probably shouldn't bring up "passion" for the R/C industry. Bob got involved in R/C planes when he was a young boy and spent his entire working career in the industry. Novak has been around for 30 years, so the company has had years of involvement in the industry. We even know all of the people who have sold their companies---Losi, Associated, Orion/Peak.

But, I think what you mean by passion is, why doesn't Novak make some of the cool products that posters here want. Making a few, hand made products to be sold to a select group of customers is easy. Manufacturing the products to be sold to thousands of users at prices buyers are willing to pay is another matter.

For every product a manufacturer replaces, or gives away, free, the company must sell 5-8 new items to recover the parts/labor/overhead costs of that free item.

Bob, Adnan Khan (Novak's Senior Designer), and the entire tech staff are definitely well-informed about comments on various forums---both the complimentary ones and the not-so-flattering. So keep the ideas and comments flowing.

Why is a 5mm shaft on a HV-Maxx rotor such a big deal? Couldn't you just use a bigger bearing and machine the rotor to 5mm? Why not a 5mm shaft conversion kit for the existing HV motors? I've run the HV-Maxx 6.5 in my E-Revo and my 1/8 buggy with success. A lot of others have too. The 1/8 shaft is the big weakness and the main reason I changed systems.

[Finnster]

So has this issue w/ 14cells been confirmed then? I know of a couple reports, but is this def a widespread issue w/ the newer batches of controllers rather than some big assumptions being made about a few off controllers?

[NovakTwo]

With all due respect, if coming out with this HV system (at a price any of you would be willing to pay) was that easy, Castle or Tekin would be selling them already. It seems that the Monster store offers quite a few super high voltage controllers--what's wrong with using them?

The upfront R&D and tooling costs for complete new systems is pretty high, and, at this time, the super high voltage market is pretty small. When, or if, some car mfg releases an 1/8th scale electric buggy things may really change.

Originally Posted by lutach

If Novak comes out with a system that will fulfill our requirements which is good for most 1/8 racers and bashers, I'll buy one. Just make a sensored system that handles up to 10 or 12S lipos and design a 2 and 4 poles motor to fit the bill. It should be easy for you guys. Now if you say it is not easy, then I guess there is some trouble within the company.

Castle seems to be having their fare share of troubles. I know CC has engineers and I'm pretty sure Novak does as well. Put them to work. Novak makes a profit on current products and why not use some of the profit to design new products. It might not be a big gamble if you listen to us users. Now if you guys at Novak need help procuring the electronic components, for a price I can share my secrete.