this is why i hate e-flite
 

Ok- so I'm relatively new to e-flight power choices. This was/is my first attempt at putting all of my own components together for a small pusher/twin boom jet like plane. I am trying to make the following work together:

TowerPro Brushless Outrunner 2408-21 swinging 8x6 or 8x4 prop

Turnigy Plush 25 amp ESC

3S 1800 20C Turnigy LiPo

After waiting an eternity, I finally get the battery in the mail the other day. Hooked it up and was prepared to start setting up airplane for first flight. Except- at first the motor hesitated and stuttered without turning a full revolution. I then unplugged the battery then replugged and got the motor to start turning, but it would get to a certain RPM then stop- just as if I had backed off the throttle. The more I did this the higher revs I could get to before shut off. I nearly got it to full throttle but I could not quite get there without the thing shutting down.

So I recharged the battery, which was at about 65%. With the battery fully charged I can not get anything to work now. The motor does not stutter or even turn. The ESC emits a nearly inaudible series of beeps. I have gone thru the programming manual for the ESC and it seems as if all default settings would/should work just fine. However, I am not getting a thing. Did I screw something up with the choice of components or is there something defective here???

Help please.[:@]

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

HF:

Don't see you getting any help here. I am no expert, but have made more than my fair mestakes with this stuff, so will try.

1.Turn on your transmitter, place motor stick all the way down, and trim tab down.
2. Hook things back up, let the ESC finish all its beeping, and try again.
3. If still not working, replace the ESC with a known working ESC. Check that things are working correctly by hooking things up to a known working motor.
4. Still not working? Re-soder battey to ESC, ESC to motor connections. If working replace the old Turnigy ESC. If not working now we know the ESC is bad. I have been using these ESC's for years to 100 amp and never a problem, for what its worth, but have had several bad Castle Creations among others.

I asume you have a "Watt Meter"? If not, get one, can't live without one. Any sport system should be ballanced, the only way is with the watt meeter. Motor watt draw should be lower than ESC rating. Battery draw below battery output rating. A correctly ballanced system will never run hot, Use prop sizes to lower or increase watt meeter limits. Speed and performance systems do and will run hot, limited life span. Do not go there until you have things down well and are ready to spend big bucks for a real scooter system. Hope this helps ENJOY

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

man, thanks for the tips....I was beginning to wonder....

My basic concern was that I had mis-matched the components and somehow over-powered things with my choices. After all of the research that i did selecting them it would have been dissapointing, to say the least. I appreciate your logical method of troubleshooting. I am not the best solderererererer in the world so perhaps that could be part of the problem.

And no, I don't have a Watt Meter, so I'd better start looking for one. My e-flight education continues.

Thanks for your help.

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

As stated in your other thread, bad solder joint at the connections between the esc and motor.

And the continued running up the motor like this may have easily damaged both the esc and motor.[&:]

Just consider it a lesson learned, it's part of the hobby. And at least in this case you got away fairly cheap.
It's up in the air, when something goes wrong, that it can get really expensive.

In the future, if it doesn't work right the first time or two, STOP. Go back and check over it all to see why it isn't working. Then if you can't seem to find the problem, ask.
It's why many of us hang out here. We've been there, done that, got the Tee shirt and scars to prove it. And paid the price in dollars way too many times.

I know we all think for some reason if we keep hammering on it, it will finally start to work. But it doesn't work that way with electrics, or really anything else for that matter.
All that happens is something breaks. ;)


And it's no big deal, it will happen. Murphy is always out there, just waiting to slap you silly when you don't expect it.

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

so, if the solder joints are secure (i.e. pull-test) is there still the possibility that the connection is "bad"?

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

May be a bit late for a reply, but yes. Apull test does not guarantee a good electrical connection. I would try resoldering. Use a liquid rosin flux to help remove oxidation from the joint. The solder should flow easily over the fluxed area.

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

I realize that this pedantic... but in the interests of fairness I think you should correct the spelling in your title...."why I hate e-flite" would seem to refer to a particular company known for it's quality e-flight products... I'm sure they'd appreciate it, if you could amend the title to refer to "electric flight" or "electric RC" in general, not the specific "E-flite" company. [http://www.e-fliterc.com/]

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

After all that there is the distinct possibility that one or more of the components was bad right out of the box.

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

... for which I trust E-flite [http://www.e-fliterc.com/] will not be held responsible.

RE: this is why i hate e-flite
 

In order to calibrate an ESC, remove the prop, put the throttle stick to full, now plug in the battery.  The ESC should go through some sort of beeping routine and then stop.  Move the stick to off.  Now it is calibrated and should work normally.