Sstroudwku

iTrader: (5)

I'm looking for some help from veteran RC hobbyist. I recently ventured into the electric world after years of success in the nitro life. My first purchase was a Traxxas Slash with the 2.4ghz TQ system. The titan 12 didnt live long, even following reccomendations from my LHS and Traxxas only using a 7.4v Lipo with a 20c rating. I allowed 30mins between batteries and monitored motor temps a bit OCD like. Well then I upgraded to a Team Novak Havoc 3s with a Ballistic 10.5. It was a fantastic purchase and made the truck a lot more fun. Well today about 10min into my first pack it started to sputter, then made weird noises and stopped responding. I brought it home and set it in my living room floor not thinking anything of it. I put the lipo back on charge in my garage and stepped headed to walmart. 30min later I come home to house full of smoke and the ESC on fire. Getting it put out and accessing the damage to my home, luckily nothing but the truck caught fire.

I have pictures but I cant post links yet according to the forum policy

84 GT 5.0

iTrader: (26)

wow pm or email the pics to me


[email protected]

84 GT 5.0

iTrader: (26)

this is the damage Sstroudwku pmd me the pics wow is all i can say hope no damage was do to the house or any of the people in it

Sstroudwku

iTrader: (5)

Thank you for posting them. No damage to the home or animals in it. I'm still trying to figure out how it happened. Waiting to hear back from novak. I hope they replace the system and at least my chassis.

racer1812

iTrader: (31)

I'ld really like to know who that happened with no battry hooked to it

FYI, never ever!!!! start charging a lipo, or any other battery, and leave if I read your post correctly.

Drusillus

iTrader: (22)

A little simple green and it'll be like new

How bazaar for it to catch fire way afterwards, especially without the battery hooked up. Good thing that LiPo wasn't in the chassis at the time or you;d be looking for a new home.

How much time elapsed from when it sputtered out to you having it in the house?

Sstroudwku

iTrader: (5)

Maybe 5 mins from the time it sputtered to in the house unplugged an walking away. The lipo only heald 1200mah charge on a 5000 nah battery. I balance charge every time. Lead me to believe the esc had a bad issue.

To the other post, I'm an automotive tech for Toyota, I've dealt in electronics for over 10 years. The one thing I've learned amongst many is that you can never underestimate capacitors no matter the size. My lipo was charging in a fire sack in the center of a concrete floor. I understand the dangers and accept the risk involved.

Novak contacted me and are looking into the situation. I've received several messages off Novaks facebook of their escs doing similar things after a race. Disconnect in the pits and the esc starts smoking soon after.

teknic

iTrader: (18)

I've seen 2 Novak ESC's do similar things to this at my local track in the past few weeks. 1 had the Lipo still in it and 1 didn't have a battery in it like the OP.

Being new to the hobby it makes me very leery to buy any Novak stuff.

AMorgan

iTrader: (5)

This does beg an interesting question, with more and more capaciters being used on larger systems... do we need a way to discharge caps after a run? I know they don't hold much, but they probably hold more than many of us believe.

Sstroudwku

iTrader: (5)

Brent a customer service tech at Novak is handling my case. He's been incredibly helpful and is sending me out a new unit. Their engineers are looking into the matter. But I agree that the caps should be discharged after use either by allowing the cooling fan to run it dry or the motor uses it.

teknic

iTrader: (18)

If you plug your cap into the "aux/batt" port on your receiver wouldn't your receiver drain the remaining power out of it? I would assume it would think it's a battery and draw from it...just an assumption though.

mkiiina

iTrader: (71)

I'm not familiar with the Novak but is it a programmable ESC like the CC's? If so how much voltage is needed to keep the settings in memory? Glad it wasnt worse!

RxstRfan

I just got that combo 3 weeks ago, but have been running a nimh pack. Havent put my lipo in yet. Thats scary $%&#.

Sstroudwku

iTrader: (5)

It is programable, but I believe it uses a rom not ram. There for it saves the info even when powered down.

Charlie and Brent have been amazing with this. Going above and beyond what I would call typical customer service. A completely new system is being express shipped to me tomorrow in time for my trip to Florida on Friday. In return I'm sending them my unit so they can investigate it further.

RxstRfan

Mine just burnt too. Luckly not that bad!