Motor or ESC problem?
 

Hey all,

I just don't have good luck when it comes to these guys...

I connected my ipeaka 10A ESC to the motor and it did its beeping deal as though it was operating normally. I shifted the setup and saw smoke come from the ESC. It was only a little and nothing melted, but I immediately unplugged the setup. So I never got to fire the motor up. I plugged it back in, but there was no beeping. I advance the throttle and the motor jiggles back and forth, but won't spin. If I twist the motor, then it spins up normally. Once it is spinning, I can play with the throttle all I want as long as it doesn't stop spinning. Once it stops spinning, then it does the jiggling thing again till I help it along.

What do you guys think? I'm thinking it's an ESC problem since it doesn't beep anymore on startup.

Thanks

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Well if the smoke came out of the ESC then it is the ESC, smoke out of the motor, then it is the motor.

When the magic smoke leaves the wires, it is next to impossible to get the smoke back in.

Can you program a different timing in the ESC?


Buzz.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Haha, thanks buzz.

The ESC is programmable, but I can't program it since it no longer beeps.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Just so you know, it's the motor windings that beep, not the esc. That's why the esc has to be connected to the motor to do any programming.

But like Buzz said, once the smoke leaks out the magic is gone...

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Would you say the motor is busted too?

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Might have taken both out, depends on what wires touched?


http://www.hobbypartz.com/proton10aair.html

Not sure of what motor you have.

Buzz.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Hi guys, have a problem (naturally).Have a turnigy 1.20rotomax motormatched to a turnigy Dlux 80a esc
I programed it to 8's and received conformation Beep Beep. So all's well nope motor shuts down at a little over 1/2 power... back power off it runs fine. No smoke no heat. Timing set for auto??????factory setting. Solutions ?????? Anyone Thanks Bob Ponte 3147997145

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

What battery are you powering it with? What sized prop? Might be pulling more power then the battery can push.


Buzz.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

-Bvd, two 4000 mah 18.5 30c.Batts This set up is used on several of mybig birds. No problems till now.Everything in this bird72"Yak 54 is new. Thanks for you quick return i appreciate it. Bob

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Blvd, Forgot 18/10 E prop.Bob

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

By "set up" do you mean the motor/esc combo or the packs? And you say you programmed it to 8S, yet you running your packs in series to get 10S?

Well that could be a problem in itself, for one if you did get it to work, your cut off voltage would be way way too low.
Also I've found some esc's don't like to be told one voltage and see another when plugged in, can screw with the auto/factory settings.

I looked at the motor specs, it's designed for 8S but you may be able to get by running on 10S, though prop may still be a little too large.
If it's maxed at 65 amps on 8S at 1924 watts, on 10S, even if your smaller prop is drawing the same amps, you are pulling 2400+ watts.

Try a smaller prop first, and see if you can get it to run up. Just for a few seconds, enough to get an amp/ volts reading.

Multiply the volts read times the amps read to see what you have.

Go back and set the esc up properly with the correct timing for the number of poles you have, ditto the PWM, CUT OFF VOLTAGE, and such. Dump ANY auto setting and manually set it.

Re-run it again, same smaller prop,(if it was in the proper watt range) and see what your changes did.
Now you'll know if you can up the prop/downsize/ or stick with what's on it.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Blvd, If i,m using two 4000,s wouldn't i be at 8's????? not 10,s i'm confused. I will follow your advise and start over manually. Double Thanks Bob</p>

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Glacier girl, How do you get 10,s out of two 4000 mah batts am i missing something.Thanks bob Ponte

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Bob, see your quote above. 4000 mAh is capacity not voltage. 18.5 is voltage, and is the nominal voltage (3.7 volts per cell) of a 5S pack. (18.5 / 3.7 = 5)

Fully charged a 5S pack is 21 volts (4.2 x 5 = 21) A fully charged 4S pack is 16.8 volts (4 x 4.2 = 16.8) Which neither matches your info, so I took it as a nominal reading of a 5S pack.



If you parallel wire the two packs together you double the capacity (8000 mAh), but voltage stays the same (18.5 volts nominal or 21 volts fully charged).
If you series wire the packs, capacity stays the same (4000 mAh), but voltage doubles (37.0 volts nominal or 42 volts fully charged)


Since you are using a 8S rated motor, I seriously doubted you were running it on 5S, and took it as you wired the packs in series to get a 10S rating.

If so you have a 10S4000 mAh 30C pack set up.;)

Post a link to the exact packs you are using. Also if you can a photo of your connection between the two packs, that way I/we can be sure what you have and can better inform you.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Glacier Girl, yep! your absolutly correct. when one has his head up his ... there is little light. my batteries are 5 cell.
I haven't re-programed the ESC to handle10,s but i believe YOUHAVESOLVEDMYPROBLEM. Thank you Thank you. It's Nice /Rewarding to have someone in our hobby who will take the time to assist a stranger.I have been building /flying for 67 yrs ,most have been gas powered like DA 150,s ... last couple years i've gotten into (over my head) electrics. i'm trying to learn BUT perhaps age is a problem THANKS AGAIN Bob Ponte

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Well glad I could help, even though I did "NOTHING" GG did all the hard work. :)

Some time we are to close to see the problem. It takes a new set of eyes to point out what we are doing wrong.


Buzz.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

No thanks needed, it's all part of the hobby, "paying it forward"


Just remember my bit about checking the watts/amps, you could still have a problem of over amps and it's causing the esc to shut down before wide open throttle.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

GlacierGirl, New batts.4000 30c 4000 mah 14.8v.... reprogramed it to 8s got configurationbeep beep. BUT with my throttle set at 100_100+ (futaba 9c) power shuts down at about 60 %. HOWEVER if i reduce throttle setting to -55%+ to100% the motor runs great, i think i may lose a couple hundred rpm but plane pulls strongnothing gets warm ????? something is not right, i'm thinking. Thanks in advance for any thoughts Bob Ponte

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

If your system is shutting down at 60% throttle that indicates you are drawing more than the batteries can deliver... and hitting LVC. If you continue this way you will ruin your packs (and maybe the motor unless it can cope with the 100A or more you must be drawing....that motor is rated for 65A max.)... you need to get a Wattmeter on it to measure the voltage under load and amp draw.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Glacier Girl and Dr Kiwi,,rotomax 1.20 max. current 65A 8 cell.. Max voltage 30. Turnigy 80A D Lux controller will handle 6-12s Batts.are gens ace 4000 4s 25c. What,s that look like. Thanks Bob Ponte

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Without knowing what current you are drawing... we are all guessing.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Glacier Girl / Dr. Kiwi, Finally solved motor problem ER... sort of. Turnigy controllermatched to a 1.20 rotomax wouldn't run above 60%. With your assistance i still could not correct problem. Had another plane with a 80a controller in it. I switched them and both motors run perfect, STRANGE! so i put Turnigy D lux back with Rotomax motor.It still won't run above 60%. I'm not going to knock success i'll switch controllers and wonder why later if at all. Thanks for you interest and concern Bob Ponte

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

I recently purchased a Turnigy Trust 55A ESC from Hobby King along with a 2200mAh 3S battery as well. Installed them both in the E-Flight Leader 480 using an E Flight 480 motor. Followed all the directions, got good solder conntections from esc to Deans plug. Turned on Tx, plugged in CH 3 from ESC, plugged in Batt with Tx at low throttle. Should of heard either one or two beeps. Nada! I even switched motor leads, but that only changes direction of rotation. Still nothing. Re-tried...nada. So, I unplugged batt and set Tx to full (as if I was going into programming mode), still nothing. At this point, I think I got a bad ESC.....am I missing something?
Tim

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

The Turnigy Trust 55A ESC seems to have a built in SBEC. The receiver battery should not be needed, and can cause a problem. I generally use a servo exerciser and pulse readout. This eliminates a TX & RX.
The exerciser and display are powered by the speed control's SBEC.

RE: Motor or ESC problem?
 

Thanks for the response, Chuck. Well, I did figure out the problem the other day. I noticed that the last plane I had using that model had never been executed back to zero. So my throttle channel was set somewhere around + - 55% for the nitro engine. I increased those settings to close to 100% and what do you know.....it worked fine. Have tried a couple different props along with the watt/amp meter and I am drawing about 30A and somewhere around 340 W using the E-Flite 480 and a 3S 2200 30C batt. So, i am keeping the amps down, even at a burst. Q: would the A and W change from a static ground test compared to actual flight?