My ESC blew, BIG TIME

[lji86]

hi guys,

im so annoyed cos today, for no reason my esc blew up and black plastic and smoke poured from it, it went everywhere. has this happened to anyone else? worse of all i have had it for 4 months and the guarente is for 3 months.

i have an M-troniks Eco 27.

im well anoyed [V], and i have a headache from the fumes[]

lewis

[SJoerD]

Did you wire some hot motor to it? []

All electric devices break just after the waranty period, that's how they are designed... [}] But seriously, most ESC's break quite early, or they jsut last like forever! []

Look at the bright side - at least it wasn't a 300 pound ESC... [] A new one of the same type shoudln;t be very expensive if I am not mistaken... There's nothing esle really you can do about it I think... [V]

[lji86]

yer i put a trinity p2k2 on it, but i have been running that for ages, it just went this time asoon as i pressed accelerate sooooooooooo annoying. im not getting the same one again. i will buy a more expensive one next time!

cya

lewis

[SJoerD]

quote:Originally posted by lji86

yer i put a trinity p2k2 on it, but i have been running that for ages, it just went this time asoon as i pressed accelerate sooooooooooo annoying. im not getting the same one again. i will buy a more expensive one next time!

cya

lewis

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Good desision. A M-troniks Eco 27 can't really take much of a better motor you might want to add later.

But I think, even when it lasts a great while with a hot motor on, you will eventually blow it up as it 'wears' out quickly... []

[lji86]

i dont surpose you know what they are made of do you because when it went up in smoke i think i breathed in a load of the toxic stuff. also i cant get the plastic off my hands! any ideas

also the movie on your site dont work []

[SJoerD]

There's probably a lot of nasty stuff inside. If you really don't feel well you should see a doctor maybe - if you haven't done so already! [] But you need to find out exactly what toxics are in there I guess...

I am not a doctor or ESC specialist so I dont know... [8)]

[lji86]

i dont feel so bad no more, but it werent plesent what every it was []

[SJoerD]

It was probably the smell of needing to make more expenses that made you feel bad. []

[lji86]

quote:Originally posted by Sjoerd

It was probably the smell of needing to make more expenses that made you feel bad. []

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yer i think your rite, it comes a time where i have loads of birthdays to buy for aswell, dam!

[Stu.B]

I think these kind of accidents must be bad for your health especially if they happen indoors. I have had a number of speed controllers blow up on me in my time and you just know that that smoke ain't good for you. If it ever happens hold your breath and quickly get your car outside. Once I had a set of cells go into meltdown and all I could do was to leave the car to smoulder and slowly cool down. It is not worth handling that kind of stuff. Anyone who does handle or work with such chemicals in industry has to wear full protective gear so it obviosly isn't right to get covered in the stuff just because we do it for a hobby!

No doubt there are a great many aspects of r/c hobbying that have dire health concequences yet to become obvious. Basically, I would take care when doing anything with anything you are unsure of.

[simensays]

quote:..must be bad for your health especially if they happen indoors...

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or if they happen inside your newly restored Sand Scorcher mint runner, and the toxic goo just melts all over the pricy parts bought off ebay!

well, it never happened to me, and I guess most people don't put ESC in their old SS...

good to hear you feel ok now Lewis!

[terry.sc]

Mtroniks ESCs are made waterproof by sealing the components in potting compound. This means when they blow up the potting compound burns, and makes the ESC unrepairable. Give them a phone call, several racers I know have blown up various Mtroniks ones and sent them back. These have been "repaired" for them by being replaced, usually for around £15-20, depending on the spec. The guarantee just means they would have replaced it for free.

If you are choosing a new ESC, I always choose a spec higher than I need as it makes sure it can handle the motor, and usually the higher motor rating means better quality components inside. Mtroniks ESCs, like others, tend to either be bulletproof or else they blow up early. It seems to be the luck of the draw, but the Eco 27 is not really up to the job with modern high performance stock motors.

Pay a bit more and you will get a much higher performance ESC.

[mr_lister999.]

quote:usually for around £15-20

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the esc he was talking about is only £19.95! They are poor controls. The predacessor to this one "mtronims eco 2" was much better i feel. More punch and more breaks. Not waterproof though. Shame i connected a battery backwards to it as now it only goes forwards with no brake!

[lji86]

i dont know which one to get now though, because i like the M-troniks waterproofness (i like to take my car for a bit of a swim every now and then). but i dont want another rubbish one. Anyone sugest a good one under £50?

lewis

[SJoerD]

I dont think my Tekin ESC is waterproof...

You don't want to know where it has been in teh years I got it mounted in all sorts of cars... [:I]

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by mr_lister999.

quote:usually for around £15-20

id="quote">id="quote">

the esc he was talking about is only £19.95!

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That would make sense... for the company, financially. []

Novak is good re repairs too, they have "fixed price" swapovers when your item is our of warranty.

quote:More punch and more breaks. Not waterproof though. Shame i connected a battery backwards to it as now it only goes forwards with no brake!

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Sounds like you've toasted your brake FET.

Could be easily repaired if you have parts; ask locally.

If you are prone to connecting up wrongly, perhaps it might be an idea to install a fuse & diode on the power input leads. If wrongly connected the diode conducts and blows the fuse before any damage occurs.

[terry.sc]

The prices for repairs I have quoted have been from friends who have had ESCs repaired, these ESCs were in the £70-120 price range, the prices should be cheaper for the more basic ESCs. The only way to find out is to ring or email them.

An ESC to check for around £50 are the Speedmaster range. Not the most high performance ESCs on the market, but my Mini SilverStar ESC from them goes as fast in reverse as it does forwards, and it handles a 14 turn motor no problem. It has ran for years with no problem. Not waterproof though, although I'm not sure but I think they do make one that is.

Bit hard to find them though, I would suggest trying TOP Models or Formby Models, and I am sure there are many others that stock them.

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by terry.sc

The prices for repairs I have quoted have been from friends who have had ESCs repaired, these ESCs were in the £70-120 price range, the prices should be cheaper for the more basic ESCs. The only way to find out is to ring or email them.

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No, doesn't exactly work that way... as a 'cheap' item would still take nearly as long to diagnose/fix as a 'dearer' model. Quotes might also be unreliable... as they wouldn't know what's wrong with your item until they actually have had a look at it. The only exception is a fixed price changeover scheme, assuming writeoff of returned unit.

Take for example, these Novak units.

ExplorerII is a decent 'budget' unit, street price approx US$45.

Cyclone TC2 is their top-of-range, streets for approx US$140.

This is what Novak quotes (US$)...

Swapover (like-4-like) for Remanufactured unit:-

ExpII = $23

TC2 = $40

Replace/Upgrade (any Novak) to a NEW unit:-

ExpII = $40

TC2 = $120

Haven't had to use Novak's services yet, but I like knowing exactly where I stand. That's why I like ORANGEid="orange">. And if you ask them really really nicely, they'll even sell you bits and pieces not normally listed on their menus... eg spare ESC cases.

[mr_lister999.]

quote:If you are prone to connecting up wrongly, perhaps it might be an idea to install a fuse & diode on the power input leads. If wrongly connected the diode conducts and blows the fuse before any damage occurs.

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No, 1st one i have done in 6 years. Got distracted for a second and then i smelt it... [:I]

[BiggusDitchus]

hmm 1 in 6 years, I have just had 4 go in 2 months! mind you sent them back for repair and got replacements and all it cost me was £100.. a mtroniks max2000, Tempo and eco27 plus an ultrastar.

The max 2000 was a replacement for a prodigi that exploded in a race had flames and so much smoke. when managed to get batts un hooked and examined the speedo at least a quarter of esc was missing including 2 fets. That and a large melted area on my shell, where the flames had attacked it.[8)]

[mr_lister999.]

quote:hmm 1 in 6 years, I have just had 4 go in 2 months!

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Well i say i only blew one but a mate borrowed one anf fried it by connecting the battery wrongly [] He had never seen a corally gold connector before only ever tamiya plugs. Still, he gave me the going rate for a second hand one so not a total loss. I think it was the m troniks sport maxx. It was the one with no motor limit and reverse.

[WillyChang]

Ya, the fellas that think they're "too cool" by wiring everything in monochromatic wires (usually blue?!) for all cabling off the ESC are just asking for trouble.

I have enough worries using red/black/blue. [:I]