Please help a newb before my first track day!
 

Hey everyone,

I've been purchasing items on the for sale boards here and I finally have a complete setup ready to go hit the track. I'm sure I can wait and ask the guys at the track, but I would like to not look so newbish on track day. I have a couple of question if anyone can help me I would appreciate it. I have a HPI Pro4.

1. I bought 2 used packs of GP3300 in sidexside config. They are assembled and the last cell on either side has a patch of solder. I tinned my Dean's pigtails to get them ready to put on the packs. When I went to heat up the solder on last cell it won't heat up very well. It feels magnetic. I tried dropping some of my solder on it, but my solder won't mix w/ the solder that is on cell because the solder on the battery won't get hot enough. I'm a rather proficient solder, so I'm not sure what is going on here. Any clues?

2. How do you mount the electronics on graphite chassis? Do you use a little patch of that strong grade velcro, or double sided tape, what?

3. Where do the pos. and neg. wires attach to the motor? I purchased a Fantom Vortex and it has a + and - on the casing, and a solder patch where the brushes are attached, do I just tin my wire and add it to the patch of solder for the brushes?

4. My LRP Pulsar Comp. 2 charger has a motor break in. Should I utilize that since the motor is the only new thing I own?

Thanks for any help guys I'm really excited about hitting the track tomorrow.

-ERic

Eric, I've experienced the magnetic feeling when soldering, but it has always just been the iron sticking the whatever I'm soldering. I just tin the iron a little bit and it goes away.

Double sided tape is the best way to mount electronics. Try to get some of the black stuff, and not the Radio Shack brand. Bolink and a ton of other companies sell good tape. Anything really works, but some of it is way easier to remove than others, so you won't have to spend 15 minutes rubbing off little patches of double sided tape.

It looks like the Vortec is a V2 based motor. Just solder your motor wires on to the edges of the brush tube. If your car goes backwards, you soldering positive to negative :) The vortec has probably already been broken in. Whenever you replace the brushes and/or true the comm, use the break in feature on your charger. Break in at 2-3 volts for a few minutes until the bruses are seated. It depends on the hardness of the brush as to how long you should break it in.

Josh

Thanks so much for your replies.

So I can't hurt the battery by leaving the iron there to try and heat that solder up. I was only leaving on for a few seconds because all the battery labels warn about soldering.

Just curious since I don't want to damage my new cells.

-Eric

First off, welcome to the hobby. :nod: You made a good choice with the car. I'm racing my Pro4 tomorrow, and I can't wait.

I haven't had problem one happen to me, but are you using a chisel tip. It looks like a flathead screwdriver, as opposed to the pencil tip, that definately helps things melt faster.

Problem two: I use foam tape to mount all my eletronics. obviously, you don't need to mount your servo with the tape, because of the mounts. But generally, you need something to separate the electronics from the graphite chassis (which is conductive). Velcro, double sided tape, foam tape, all work. Stay away from glues, such as Shoe Goo. I had glitching problems when I used this.

Problem three... This WILL get frustrating if you don't have a hot, high quality soldering iron. Those little tubes are a pain to get the wire soldered to. You just have to solder the battery wires on any part of the tubes. If you're having trouble, just ask. 99% of us nutty racers are more than willing to help.

Problem four- I'm not familiar with that charger, but the motor run-in sounds nice. If you don't quite know how to work it, either ask, or run the motor with no load (outside of the car) for a few minutes, then look at the brush ends to see if the full brush face is making contact. Most people recommend 2 or 3 minutes at 3 volts. I'd just run it at 1/4 to 1/3 throttle if you run it through your transmitter, for a few minutes. Of course you don't HAVE to run your motor in, you can just slap it in there and throw the car on the track. But your motor will thank you in the long run... :nod:

That should cover it, and if you need anything else, ask. Good luck with your race, and don't worry about winning. Just stay off the boards, and you'll have fun. :D
-Josh

Don't leave the iron on the battery for too long. 3-4 seconds should do it...if it's taking much longer than that to melt the solder then something is wrong.

... and you probably need a more powerful iron (60 watts at least).

Thanks everyone! It was the tip size that did it. I was using a fine pt. and I put on the flat screwdriver looking one and it worked.

I got that and the GTX Soldered tonight and in the morning I will try the motor. Around the brush tube is a big copper lip that I'm going to attach to.

Thanks again,
-ERic