#3 MMM not dead YET, but something VERY wrong!

[auto2]

if you disconnect one motor wire you will get exactlly the same thing soooooo... hope for a bad joint

[MetalMan]

Originally Posted by auto2

if you disconnect one motor wire you will get exactlly the same thing soooooo... hope for a bad joint

Exactly my thoughts. If it's not a poor solder connection and all the MMM's FETs are intact, then next item to question would be the motor

[Lee Estingoy]

Just an idea here. Any of you guys with the stuttering/cogging controllers have a second motor you could connect to the controller to make sure that it really is the ESC that is having problems?

Doesn't have to be a motor capable of driving your car, just any brushless motor...

I just had a situation with a setup where one of the motor wires had come loose inside the motor can. Everything looked great, motor just waggled when power was applied. Tested OK when we pulled it out of the vehicle, but a little tug here and there and the wire came loose.

If a setup doesn't work multiple times, I mean with multiple Monster controllers, start looking for another point of failure. We really do test these things before they leave the shop.

Lee

[phatmonk]

Wow this is awesome Castle Creations is adding new members to the forum who are Tech gurus! Thats freakin sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by phatmonk

Wow this is awesome Castle Creations is adding new members to the forum who are Tech gurus! Thats freakin sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks

lol, pretty soon, we're gonna have their whole staff here!

What motor is it ? Check that motor screws aren't shorting against the windings. That can produce exactly the symptom you describe, and can make short work of the ESC.

[magman]

Originally Posted by BrianG

lol, pretty soon, we're gonna have their whole staff here!

The more knowledge the better!

[JaySki]

OK.. So I tore down all my solder joints... I think I have more burns and blisters on my fingers now than I did in 8 years working on Navy Electronics. :)
It fixed the issue. I think it was the solder joints of the Bullet connectors and the massive wires out of the NEU.
I did try the previous failed MMM and it is still not responding.

I think the issue is that lead free solder that just needs so much heat to flow.

Thanks to all of you guys that chimed in.

[George16]

Originally Posted by BrianG

lol, pretty soon, we're gonna have their whole staff here!

Then work will be limited since most of them will be in the forum .

Originally Posted by JaySki

OK.. So I tore down all my solder joints... I think I have more burns and blisters on my fingers now than I did in 8 years working on Navy Electronics. :)
It fixed the issue. I think it was the solder joints of the Bullet connectors and the massive wires out of the NEU.
I did try the previous failed MMM and it is still not responding.

I think the issue is that lead free solder that just needs so much heat to flow.

Thanks to all of you guys that chimed in.

Did you re-solder the castle pre-assembled bullets also?

I read in another thread a guy who had a cold solder joint on one of the castle fitted 6.5mm male bullets.
Just wondering if faulty solder joints are to blame for some of the MMM failures?

Cold solder joint on the motor side causing the speed control to over heat and letting the smoke out??

Cold solder joint on battery side causing some BEC issues???

I know it wouldn't explain all failures but could it be contributing???

[JaySki]

I used new wires from Castle from one of my new MMMs. So they did get changed out, just not re soldered by me.

[phatmonk]

Iam glad you found the problem.I guess this is a good example to point out problems that a regular guy can fix.As for burnt fingers I work as a Chef and basicly have tempered fingertips.Why lead free solder?

[JaySki]

That's what they tinned the NEU wire ends with. Wires are short enough that I didn;t want to cut them. Seems most are using lead free now. It's a good thing, but add the extra heat for teh lead free solder on top of the massive wires for the NEU AND the 6.5 bullets... I can see how it happened.

[MetalMan]

Originally Posted by phatmonk

.Why lead free solder?

It's a requirement for electronics sold in Europe, and it's just plain good practice for companies.

That said, I use Radio Shack 60/40 leaded solder . But I make sure to wash my hands before eating after handling that stuff...

That eyeball on your avatar kinda makes me sick to my stomach! Kinda trippy.

Glad you found the problem. 9 out of 10 its mechanical. .9 of the rest is somewhere in power, and only the .1 last is something really wrong with a component.