t0p_sh0tta

iTrader: (35)

I know, noob question.

Last night my (brand new) ESC went up in smoke on the bench after functioning perferctly for 3 days. I gave it throttle, then brake and then poof.

That said, is it possible for a battery to ruin an ESC? Given that everything appears to be in working order, no shorts, and voltage no greater than 8.4v. I haven't gone over it with a multimeter, but it balanced charged and balanced into storage just fine.

Nogas

iTrader: (7)

For sure. Many an esc has let the smoke out from insufficient packs.

What motor / speedy combo in what car and what battery?

lowroad

iTrader: (79)

It can if you plug it in backwards!

Don't ask me how I know this.

burnineyes

iTrader: (17)

If you did everything correctly then chances are the ESCs days were numbered from the start. The insufficient battery thing was simply a cop out by a popular manufacturer to avoid getting a bad reputation when their controllers started smoking left and right.

rcjunky10

iTrader: (227)

Absolutely! The ESC's in our larger 1/8th applications can handle some rather lofty power demands, 210A continuous in some cases, and as such can be damaged by an insufficient power source, i.e. your batteries. I have yet to lose an ESC due to this but have destroyed two packs as a direct result of being under powered. Most of the more reputable battery companies will tell you to run no less than a 45C pack for race applications, and I assume you are racing and not bashing.

Not sure if you're referring to TLR's Xcelorin or CC MMM system. Suffice it to say that after speaking with multiple ESC companies as well as battery manufacturers, both sides of the fence have agreed that an under powered system will kill an ESC even if it's days weren't numbered! Just my .02$!

Davidka

iTrader: (86)

The word is that an insufficient pack would have "ripples" in it's voltage so a minimum rating of 25c was established (actual power output per "c" rating is dependent on mah capacity but that's another can o' worms) . When the Orion LiPo pack came out it was 15c and had more power output than any Sub C cell pack except the fresh stuff that pro's got. At that time I was running tired IP3800's through a GTB with no problems so yeah, it did sound like a cop out, especially considering that speed controls at the time were meant to run down to 4.8v input as well.

To more directly answer the question, no a battery can't take out the speed control without something on the other end pulling the power through it.

t0p_sh0tta

iTrader: (35)

Battery: Gens Ace 25C 4800 saddle pack
ESC: LRP SXX Version 2 (Brand new)
Motor: Tekin 7.5
Car: B4.1

Everything is 3 days old (aka brand new in box). Ran like a top for all 3 days. I turned it on, and it powered up fine. Gave it some throttle and hit the brakes and it turned off. Cycled the power switch and it came back on. Did the same thing, and it shut off again.

Checked to make sure all the battery terminals were all the way in and turned it back on. FIRE.

edit: How can I rule out the battery? "Testing" it on another speedo? There does seem to have been a rash of "Version 2" issues going around, but that's usually cogging or refusing to run.

Kylar

iTrader: (187)

(edit) forgot to answer your question. Your battery pack is perfectly fine for your application, so i dont see how it could damage the esc. Especially since it sounds like you were just bench testing it too.


I would contact where you bought it, see if they will replace it for you. If not contact the manufacture and see if they can replace it. Most places have at least a 30 warranty. You would most likely have to ship it back however.

R40Victim

iTrader: (1)

Batteries ruining ESCs... BS. Why didn't we smoke a ton of them with Nimh packs? Nimhs have all sorts of variations in voltage, yet we used them with brushless systems for years. Now if your wiring is not right, or you short it out some how, that's different.

When an ESC company says "Ripple Current", you know they are full of crap. I used a 20C 4S battery from Hobby King for YEARS in an 8th scale without a single issue. That's with a Castle MM and a Tekin RX8. There's nothing wrong with it. In fact, the Castle was rated to handle two 6 cell nimh packs as well. Ripple current, HA!... low C rating, DOUBLE HA! Its an excuse, and a pathetic one at that. Don't let them snow you with numbers, theories and BS. If the ESC suddenly smokes, then its either bad wiring or a bad unit. It happens, these things are mass produced, and likely not under Uber-Quality Control.

Asharus

iTrader: (42)

Really? My 25C SMC Lightning Volts / Dynamite batteries would've been fine in my RX8 / Redline SC4X 5.5T Losi Ten-SCTE? So I wasted hundreds of bucks ordering the Losi 60C 6000Mah batteries? I guess at least I can get more runtime out of them....

R40Victim

iTrader: (1)

Yes.

Kylar

iTrader: (187)

There is a formula for it. I dont know it off the top of my head but it works like this 5000mah 20c can provide 100amps max draw, 4000mah 30c is 120 amps, 5000mah and 40c is 200 amps, etc

You just need to know the max amps your motor pulls to tell how high of a mah and c rating you need

rcjunky10

iTrader: (227)

I think the formula you might be referencing is W(atts) = A(mps) x V(olts).

asheck

I think What are you looking for is mah x C rating / 1000 = amp rating.

So a 5000mah 20c battery is, 5000 x 20 = 100000 / 1000 = 100

All major manufacturers of esc's talk about ripple current, though I don't believe it has led to as many failures as some might blame on it. However it does not really become much of a problem until you are using a high power esc. The smaller esc's resistance is enough to slow down the ripple, so to speak. But ripple current is not the only way a esc can be damaged by weak batteries. Premature cap failure from regenerative braking, can also be a real problem.

Timmahhh

iTrader: (15)

The way I look at it, some manufacturers claim insufficient batteries are causing failures, some, not so much. I don't doubt that an insufficient battery could cause an issue, but there are obviously ways of minimizing the likelihood. If the technology exists to allow people to run a wider variety of batteries, why aren't all manufacturers taking advantage of it?

All the esc failures I hear about amaze me. I know people are much more likely to post equipment failures than success, but I've run a decent variety of escs over the years and have never had a failure. For that matter, I can't remember seeing anyone else with one either.