TomErickson

I am about to buy a Novak Activ8 speedo for my RC8.2e. I have a Tekin 2050KV T8 motor that I plan to run with this speedo. Any concerns?

Love the features of the Super-Tuner with the new Novak gear.

larryh37wi

iTrader: (15)

Alot of concerns, I have run nothing but Novak for 15yrs and a guy opened a new hobbystore near me and had him order me 2 gtb2 and a activ8, cause I was going to run a bunch of classes to help with numbers. Got them installed 1 gtb2 all good put next one in and programming button would not work, called novak they said send in they have had a few bad switches? Would that not be tested before shipping? Installed activ8 in asc 8.2ck ran one pack and you could smell and set it up and took to track and ran one pack and u could smell electronic burning smell but motor and speed control cool to the touch, I called novak they told me sometimes new electronics have a little smell I ran it that weekend did 2 qual and placed 2nd,( also 2nd Qual for sct mod took tq with a havoc pro picked up my truck walking back though pits and the speed burst into flames, never had something like that happen but it was a yr and half old so just thought ok) went out for main was leading with 1min to go came around corner lined up for triple hit the first jump and everything went dead, it landed on all four and just rolled into a corner. I checked it out and there was nothing there and everything cool to the touch. I called novak monday and he told me send it all in and he said sounds like u have alot of our product i told him i had 5 speed controls and a couple motors and explained the havoc pro was out of warranty, he told me I can exchange it for a new one for $75 but he wants to see it and I didnt beat it with a hammer or something they would send me a free one for all my problems and since I have so much of there product. I went on there web site and downloaded the forms and filled them out and called back to find out which form to fill out for the havoc pro and she told me but I told her what the guy told me and she said if that is what he told me then that is what will happen but just to fill out info with card number just in case and I included a letter with all that had happened. On there website it says 8 to 10 days turn around and I waited 2 weeks and still nothing I called them and they would pick up and just hang up without saying a word, this went on three days,I went on the web site and it was down. I called the next week and it would just ring, i thought they went out and I was screwed , in the meantime I bought a Lrp to keep racing and borrowed a hobbywing for my sct 4x4 and then a couple weeks later I was on here and saw someone say something about facebook and went on there and everyone was wondering were there stuff was. I left a post on there about how upset I was and not 5 mins after it was posted someone from novak posted if not happy I should contact customer support A week later there was a new web site up and I tried calling and after days of leaving messages I finally got somebody and was told it was all taking care of but they were out of gtb2 and would have more in the next week and they would ship out, I got all my stuff back 2 and half weeks later. And they charged me for for the havoc pro and charged me shipping back? The turn around was almost three months! After i couldn't get ahold of them I had my lhs order me all new Lrp speed controls and haven't been happier with them, I put a IX8 in a new Tekno eb48 and it works great, I had the fan mounted but it never got warm enough to turn on and loving it, Blue is Better
When I got all my speed controls back I put them all on ebay and started them at a penny and said good bye to novak, I also wrote a letter to Novak and explained all this and the response I got was I wish I could fire my whole tech dept. Not here let me try to make this up to you or I(novak) will go and credit ur card back for the shipping or for the havoc pro I told u I would send u for free, on the return slip it said for every one brain board fried not customer fault.
I also know one of the biggest guys in rc racing in the us and he owns a shop about an hr away from me and I stopped by him for some parts while this was going on and noticed he didn't have a one novak product in his case, I have known him for years and told him the problems I was having and asked him to tell me the truth what was going on and this is what he told me, he can't carry any novak stuff to sell anymore cause like everyother one has some problem and then he has a customer in his store upset with him and then getting really upset when they send it off paying for shipping both ways and getting a big run around, he showed me a box in the back with about a dozen speed controls that he was getting sick of dealing with this and started giving people there money back for credit on a different one. I am not going to mention his name but if u have ever been to a big national race or worlds race over in japan u know who he is, and the funny thing he is sponsored by novak.
I know this is long and some Novak people are going to say I am full of crap but all u have to do is little research and its all out there. And after I got new stuff and borrowed one from a friend I started racing 5 classes for winter season but didnt get my 1/8 scale speedo to make enough races otherwise I finished 1st in four classes of a 15 week winter season, I have been into rc for along time and always have loved and only used Novak speedo's but there quality has gone down the toliet and the prices have gone higher then anyone

TomErickson

Larry,

So the only thing was a smell from the Activ8? Did it function properly? What motor did you use in your RC8.2?

I have not had too many issues with Novak equipment and always have had great experience with the Tech Support.

Grandturk

iTrader: (5)

In my experience, the Activ8 in my SCTE has been performing flawlessly running 2 pole and 4 pole motors. Run it 1-2 race days a week for almost a year now.

TomErickson

Cool, do you running timing advance? How are your motor temps? What motors are you running?

I plan on running this with my Tekin T8 motor to start and may get the Ballistic 8 1950 motor later.

Grandturk

iTrader: (5)

I've run advanced timing when running 2 pole 550 motors. Very fast. Motor temps up to 170 with Ballistic 4.5 in the summer.

nv529

iTrader: (53)

DON'T DO IT!!! Rx8 Gen2........

carpet Carlos

iTrader: (1)

well im a nitro guy and decided you know what im going to build me an ebuggy just in case . so i go to the hobby shop and guess what speedo i bought yep the novak active 8 wired it up accordingly charged up pack did 2 laps and lost all power speedo went bad 2laps in. so i sent it in and by the way you only pay if you want fast shipping otherwise they will ship it normally .but i had no problem with there service .but dam im affraid of putting this thing in man. and know one will buy it lol well ill let you know how long it last for sure

egobrkr

iTrader: (29)

Was it the old one that did not have the super tuner?

Losi57

Ive had three Active8s.The first one i got lasted about a year then just cut out and was sent in for repair.They sent me a super tuner it lasted a week and cut out.It stunk like smoked electronics.Threw it in my pile of junk escs.I won a cash race and decided to give novak another run.I grabbed another Active8 super tuner.Lasted 1 race before it smoked again.Looks like something fried on the board underneath because it melted through the bottom case.So that went into my pile of junk escs.By the way theres 4 rx8s gen 1 in that pile too.Since then ive gone to Hobbywing and havent had 1 problem.I run them in all 6 of my cars.I guess with the Actives its hit or miss and i loved them at first but not recently.

symmetricon

iTrader: (27)

I hate too say it but I have had 3 activ8 esc die on me each on the first day of use. I have also switched to a xerun 150a and have had no problems with it. So now I have a NIB ESC from novak that I am afraid to open or use..... This is sad to me since apparently I wasted 200$ on an ESC that when working is hands down the smoothest ESC I have used in e-buggy.

taztal3

iTrader: (29)

i have a novak 1950 kv motor and i run my e-buggy . i notice that motor get hot and smell like burn in the motor . should i send back to novak , check up
my motor . anyone have problems with novak 1950 kv motor ?

drahko

ok guys i can use some help here i have a scte 2.0 and a avtiv8 esc with a novak 4.5t 550 when when i throttle it i get

+ YouTube Video

problem when it in the car and i puch the throttle and bump the car it goes but jitters at the start i have tried 2 different motors

imrob

iTrader: (7)

Could be a glitch problem. Did you try re binding the motor. I'm don't know the 2.0 car. You might need a Beck. Some servo and rx combos don't work will electronics. day for a example I run savox servo high voltage with futaba gear no problem. but then the other guy got dx3 same servo ams motor but need a bec or a capciter to work with out the servo drawing to much juice from the rx.there are a couple more thing goy can Try like turning down you throttle epa to say 80 this might give it more juice to power all the thing on the car

drahko

have pinion off the motor and the activ8 comes with a glitch buster and i only have a dx2e