Second ESC in two weeks. Two different RC's same burn pattern. - RC-Monster Forums

Gee

What can be causing this? First the HV esc in the Evo and now the HV esc my maxx. When I found the esc this time I am sure I heard laughing. It's a cruel joke for the RC Gods to be playing on me. I hadn't even ran this one all day. It had not been outside to get wet. I didn't added an extra capacitor to it. I was replacing the RR pinion in the front diff. Correct me if I am wrong but the front diff doesn't have anything to do with the esc. I plugged in the batteries to test it on the bench. Tested it and turned it and the controller off. Walking past the room later smelled the electric burn smell and thought I was never going to get that smell out of here. From the first esc burning up 2 weeks ago. It was this one! I swear when you have more then one RC things always go in pairs. Axles, diffs, servos, ESC! This just doesn't make sense to me as to why this could happen. I am sure I had this and the first one turned off at the switch. Spontanious combustion? Maybe I better not get that Nitro Rustler this spring.

ssspconcepts · 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gee

What can be causing this? First the HV esc in the Evo and now the HV esc my maxx. When I found the esc this time I am sure I heard laughing. It's a cruel joke for the RC Gods to be playing on me. I hadn't even ran this one all day. It had not been outside to get wet. I didn't added an extra capacitor to it. I was replacing the RR pinion in the front diff. Correct me if I am wrong but the front diff doesn't have anything to do with the esc. I plugged in the batteries to test it on the bench. Tested it and turned it and the controller off. Walking past the room later smelled the electric burn smell and thought I was never going to get that smell out of here. From the first esc burning up 2 weeks ago. It was this one! I swear when you have more then one RC things always go in pairs. Axles, diffs, servos, ESC! This just doesn't make sense to me as to why this could happen. I am sure I had this and the first one turned off at the switch. Spontanious combustion? Maybe I better not get that Nitro Rustler this spring.

Was there anything inhibiting the free movement of the drive train during your test? What gearing were you running earlier that day? Did you add the capacitor to both ESCs?

tashpop · 02.24.2008, 10:47 AM

did you leave the batteries hooked up when you walked away? i alway unhook them when i'm not running.

Gee · 02.24.2008, 11:30 AM

The drive train was moving free. No binding. I didn't run this earlier in the day but I have it geared at 72/14. No didn't add the extra capacitor to this one. On the first one I added the capacitor to the wires and not to the tabs and had run it for several days with no problems.

Both setups were running great prior to this. The front diff on the maxx was working, wasn't binding prior to me replaceing the pinion. It seems I had the wrong pinion for the ring gear. It was the clicking when you brake and sometime taking off so the mesh wasn't correct. On a side note if you have to run a RR pinion with the RR ring gear. They should mark the darn gear so you know it's RR and not a Fast Lane or maximizer gear. (If anyone gets one etch RR on your ring gear. Trust me.) If you didn't know that and mixed the three up it's difficult to figure out one from the other. It meshes fine until all that torque gets to it and the clicking starts again along witht the order for another RR pinion gear.

The batteries were connected at the time of the melt downs. It is just unfortunate that I wasn't standing there staring at it or working on another rc when it happened. Not that that would help me understand what was happening. But I could say I saw it happen.

ssspconcepts · 02.24.2008, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gee

The drive train was moving free. No binding. I didn't run this earlier in the day but I have it geared at 72/14. No didn't add the extra capacitor to this one. On the first one I added the capacitor to the wires and not to the tabs and had run it for several days with no problems.

Both setups were running great prior to this. The front diff on the maxx was working, wasn't binding prior to me replaceing the pinion. It seems I had the wrong pinion for the ring gear. It was the clicking when you brake and sometime taking off so the mesh wasn't correct. On a side note if you have to run a RR pinion with the RR ring gear. They should mark the darn gear so you know it's RR and not a Fast Lane or maximizer gear. (If anyone gets one etch RR on your ring gear. Trust me.) If you didn't know that and mixed the three up it's difficult to figure out one from the other. It meshes fine until all that torque gets to it and the clicking starts again along witht the order for another RR pinion gear.

The batteries were connected at the time of the melt downs. It is just unfortunate that I wasn't standing there staring at it or working on another rc when it happened. Not that that would help me understand what was happening. But I could say I saw it happen.

Well, I am stumped. What batteries are you using? Initially I thought this happened when you were running it...but then I re-read your post more carefully. Its odd. I used to have that same controller and I never had such problems...but then I always unhooked my esc if I wasn't running. I say send them back into Novak.

lincpimp · 02.24.2008, 02:06 PM

Ok, shot in the dark, but here I go. Might the fact that the batteries being connected caused the internal bec to be on and possibly the steering servo to also be on and drawing power? I have had servos catch fire cause I left them on accidentally. Then the servo pulled too much from the internal bec and it cooked?

Gee · 02.24.2008, 03:04 PM

Using 2 2s2p lipos. I use True Rc 6400 or Maxamps 6000. The maxamps were connected at the time.

Yeah they are going back. Just found the two work orders from Novak from when the sent them to me. These were both remanufactured replacements for two previous esc I sent in. They have 120 day warrenty and today is 116 for the oldest one.

On the first two I sent in they were out of warrenty and I bought the replacements. But one of them I thermalled and it was my fault. The second one though had the same thing as this. But I driving it at the time it happened. I got about three blocks it stopped and smoke came out. That was stock emaxx with 7 cell nihms. DIfferent then what I got today. When I asked about it and what would make it happen I never got and answer from the tech about it. He was trying to help me with the thermal lock on the other one when I asked about it. Oh my..... The batteries were connected then too.

The BEC drawing to much could be a possible reason with 4s. If you would have stated that was the reason I would believe it to be the reason. I know that even though the switch is off there can still be current drawn from the batteries. Enough to burn up an esc? There could be a problem with the internal BEC of them. The e-revo does have a high torgue servo the HS 5955tg. I just put a new Cirrus High torque servo in the maxx while I was waiting for new gears for the 5645 to show up. I think the first was was a hitec 645 but then agian that one was be driven and had 14 gp3300s connected up. I am sure I am not the only one that doesn't disconnect the batteries when they got to the bathroom or stop running the RC and BS with someone for 10 minutes. I'd have to were some depends on if I had to take the time to disconnect the batteries before I went.

ssspconcepts · 02.24.2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lincpimp

Ok, shot in the dark, but here I go. Might the fact that the batteries being connected caused the internal bec to be on and possibly the steering servo to also be on and drawing power? I have had servos catch fire cause I left them on accidentally. Then the servo pulled too much from the internal bec and it cooked?

I'd have to agree that it sounds like something to do with the BEC. Maybe BrianG can give you some insight on how to avoid this problem in the future...

speedracer1129 · 02.24.2008, 04:15 PM

What radio are you using??

suicideneil · 02.24.2008, 04:25 PM

I think Gee is becoming the new AAngel....

Gee · 02.24.2008, 06:37 PM

Radio is the Spektrum DX3R.

Hi Neil, what do you mean the new AAngel. Am i gonna have to do a search on that?

You think it's okay to leave the batteries plugged in if the car is on, but not moving?

Man I am funny today.

speedracer1129 · 02.25.2008, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gee

Radio is the Spektrum DX3R.

Hi Neil, what do you mean the new AAngel. Am i gonna have to do a search on that?

You think it's okay to leave the batteries plugged in if the car is on, but not moving?

Man I am funny today.

The problem is with your radio. I had 2 customers that there Novak setup did the exact same thing. When I called Novak, the tech himself told me the same thing happened to him on a Synthesized radio. There is a glitch that the speedo does not recognize neutral and the speedo will get stuck sucking power, but not pushing it to the motor.

Now, the screwed up part of it was that both of the customers had there systems for over 120 days and they were out of warranty. Since they were running cheap radios at first, it was not a problem. But when they upgraded to a better radio system, that is when all of the problems started!! Novak acknowledged that the defect existed, but the tech had no hesitation to tell me that they would have to pay out of pocket to get it repaired as they would honor the repair!! This is why we do not deal with them anymore!!!

AND.....before someone asks, one unit was the older version running on a synthsized radio, the other was the "newer" spektrum version, on a Spektrum. GO FIGURE????

lincpimp · 02.25.2008, 11:08 AM

Very interesting info. Personally, Spektrum and Novak are two companies that I would hesitate to deal with. I never really see the inovation at Novak, for my uses of rc anyway. And I have seen nothing but problems with Spektrum products.

I have had the most success with futaba radio gear, never had an issue with their products. I also use jr (same case as spektrum) and airtronics radio systems, and have not had any issues with them either. I have always used 75mhz fm, crystal and synthesized.

_paralyzed_ · 02.25.2008, 12:04 PM

robinson ring gears are smooth on the back, easy to tell if its traxxas or not, traxxas has little indents on the back, smooth=like butter indents=traxxas crap

suicideneil · 02.25.2008, 02:44 PM

Wow, thats certainly useful info. Gee, AAngel is/was a guy on here who had the worst luck with just about any electrical RC related item- if he bought a motor, it blew, if he bought an esc, it toasted....

Im so glad I refuse to buy a good radio, my laser 6 is lowtech and awesome!