Sidewinder ESC problem
04-12-2008, 05:59 PM
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Sidewinder ESC problem
So the ESC is supposed to have a solid yellow light when idle, but it started blinking and unable to move at all (steering still works). I tried a different battery pack and changed the radio batteries with no improvement. I took it back home, tried starting it, and it still would blink constantly and would work only occasionaly for less than 10sec.
Half an hour later, the ESC started blinking all red, yellow, and green lights instead of just yellow when at idle. At this point throttle response is pretty much shot dead.
THEN a few minutes later the light turned to a dim red hue and went dimmer til it's barely visible...
Edit: I just noticed some pins of the heatsink were bent somehow and figured I'm just gonna take it apart to see if there's any visible damage inside:
There are some white deposits on some parts of the ESC which are pretty visible, and putting it to my nose smells like a burnt ESC (I know from my incinerated SPY esc).
Whatever it is, it's obviously not what it's supposed to look like! What could've caused these deposits? I could only think that I somehow bashed it to death (I had one pretty big crash on the topside of the body) or water got into it (i ran over a puddle or two and the power switch got wet).
Half an hour later, the ESC started blinking all red, yellow, and green lights instead of just yellow when at idle. At this point throttle response is pretty much shot dead.
THEN a few minutes later the light turned to a dim red hue and went dimmer til it's barely visible...
Edit: I just noticed some pins of the heatsink were bent somehow and figured I'm just gonna take it apart to see if there's any visible damage inside:
There are some white deposits on some parts of the ESC which are pretty visible, and putting it to my nose smells like a burnt ESC (I know from my incinerated SPY esc).
Whatever it is, it's obviously not what it's supposed to look like! What could've caused these deposits? I could only think that I somehow bashed it to death (I had one pretty big crash on the topside of the body) or water got into it (i ran over a puddle or two and the power switch got wet).
04-12-2008, 07:39 PM
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RE: Sidewinder ESC problem
Wow, this is really weird...i get on here, freaking out cause castle's technical support closed a few hours ago and I have the exact same problem, except I cant get any throttle response at all. Someone guessed the white deposits are like salt from muddy or salty water when driving through a puddle. I plan to call castle tomorrow.
Did yours smoke when you turned it on?
Did yours smoke when you turned it on?
04-12-2008, 08:45 PM
#4
RE: Sidewinder ESC problem
ORIGINAL: biomanz
So the ESC is supposed to have a solid yellow light when idle, but it started blinking and unable to move at all (steering still works). I tried a different battery pack and changed the radio batteries with no improvement. I took it back home, tried starting it, and it still would blink constantly and would work only occasionaly for less than 10sec.
Half an hour later, the ESC started blinking all red, yellow, and green lights instead of just yellow when at idle. At this point throttle response is pretty much shot dead.
THEN a few minutes later the light turned to a dim red hue and went dimmer til it's barely visible...
Edit: I just noticed some pins of the heatsink were bent somehow and figured I'm just gonna take it apart to see if there's any visible damage inside:
There are some white deposits on some parts of the ESC which are pretty visible, and putting it to my nose smells like a burnt ESC (I know from my incinerated SPY esc).
Whatever it is, it's obviously not what it's supposed to look like! What could've caused these deposits? I could only think that I somehow bashed it to death (I had one pretty big crash on the topside of the body) or water got into it (i ran over a puddle or two and the power switch got wet).
So the ESC is supposed to have a solid yellow light when idle, but it started blinking and unable to move at all (steering still works). I tried a different battery pack and changed the radio batteries with no improvement. I took it back home, tried starting it, and it still would blink constantly and would work only occasionaly for less than 10sec.
Half an hour later, the ESC started blinking all red, yellow, and green lights instead of just yellow when at idle. At this point throttle response is pretty much shot dead.
THEN a few minutes later the light turned to a dim red hue and went dimmer til it's barely visible...
Edit: I just noticed some pins of the heatsink were bent somehow and figured I'm just gonna take it apart to see if there's any visible damage inside:
There are some white deposits on some parts of the ESC which are pretty visible, and putting it to my nose smells like a burnt ESC (I know from my incinerated SPY esc).
Whatever it is, it's obviously not what it's supposed to look like! What could've caused these deposits? I could only think that I somehow bashed it to death (I had one pretty big crash on the topside of the body) or water got into it (i ran over a puddle or two and the power switch got wet).
04-12-2008, 10:22 PM
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RE: Sidewinder ESC problem
I'm using the brushless 4600 motor.
It makes most sense that it probably shorted out and accumulated the white deposits rather slowly as indicated by the flashing lights. The power switch was a bit drenched in water near the two wires during the period - I stuck it in the "channels" on the side of the stock chassis where water could puddle.
Anyway, I didn't think the warranty will cover that, and won't want to wait 2weeks or so for repairs.
It makes most sense that it probably shorted out and accumulated the white deposits rather slowly as indicated by the flashing lights. The power switch was a bit drenched in water near the two wires during the period - I stuck it in the "channels" on the side of the stock chassis where water could puddle.
Anyway, I didn't think the warranty will cover that, and won't want to wait 2weeks or so for repairs.
04-14-2008, 02:00 PM
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RE: Sidewinder ESC problem
I called castle today, they said that water should not have caused it, they put a silicon coating of some type over the ESC which makes fairly water-resistant. I let them know it may have gotten water damage and they said "I doubt it, send it in" and i''m only being charged for shipping. It''s still covered under warrenty. Maybe you''ll get lucky and they wont void the warranty even though you took it apart. There''s some pretty nice people over there. Even if it voided the warrenty, i think it''s $35 plus shipping to fix it through them. IMO it''s worth the 2 weeks to get it fixed/replaced instead of spending $60-70 on a new one.
