1956 Chris-Craft 54' Constellation by bcochran

[bcochran]

With everything connected per instructions this is what happens when the receiver is turned in.

[Ian_Grant]

Bob,

 

A little confused about your sequence of events. Have a look at the video below which shows what should happen and how the Rcvr can be powered from any of its connectors and how an ESC can power it.

 

Also the second video about programming the GT3B.

 

1) Are your batteries charged?  Is the polarity into the ESC correct?

2) Is your ESC connector into the Rcvr the right way around?

3) Are the Tx and Rcvr actually bound?

4) Again, try powering the Rcvr from a separate battery WITHOUT the ESC being plugged in. If it was plugged in you'd have two separate sources fighting each other to power the Rcvr

 Sometimes people want a separate Rcvr battery for safety, in which case they have to remove the power lead from the ESC to Rcvr cable and just use SIGNAL and GND.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KPu9mZ4bas

 

[bcochran]

I am beginning to think the problem is with these ESCs I have.  I put the first one back in and the receiver led was on solidly as it should and the ESC fan was turning when I turn on the receiver power via the ESC.  Then after a few seconds it shut down like before.

 

The history is that at one time everything worked as it should then the motors started to act erratic and soon everything shut down.  I replaced the receiver, transmitter and ESC. The ESC fan came on for about a minute then never ran again.

 

It seems to me the ESCs are failing. Both of my ESCs are the same.

 

My one last hope is to replace the ESC with a different brand.  One with instructions. Does any one have a suggestion?  It needs to be a brushed motor speed control

[bcochran]

Maybe I should try  Tamiya ESC

[bcochran]

6 hours ago, Ian_Grant said:

Bob,

 

A little confused about your sequence of events. Have a look at the video below which shows what should happen and how the Rcvr can be powered from any of its connectors and how an ESC can power it.

 

Also the second video about programming the GT3B.

 

1) Are your batteries charged?  Is the polarity into the ESC correct?

2) Is your ESC connector into the Rcvr the right way around?

3) Are the Tx and Rcvr actually bound?

4) Again, try powering the Rcvr from a separate battery WITHOUT the ESC being plugged in. If it was plugged in you'd have two separate sources fighting each other to power the Rcvr

 Sometimes people want a separate Rcvr battery for safety, in which case they have to remove the power lead from the ESC to Rcvr cable and just use SIGNAL and GND.

 

Ian, everything is connected correctly.  Power gets to the receiver for a few seconds.  The led is on then starts to blink and goes off.   The fan on the ESC never comes on.

With those symptoms, I'd say the  ESC is not working correctly.

 

With my new ESC the fan comes on the receiver LED flashes and after a few second the fan stops and the LED goes out.

The two  ESCs cause the receiver LED to react differently. The transmitter being on or off makes no difference.

 

It will not act like the video. My old receiver does nothing and the fan does not go on.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KPu9mZ4bas

 

 

Edited June 21 by bcochran

[Ian_Grant]

Bob, that Tamiya ESC does not go up to 12V input like you have. You can't use it with your 12V batteries and motors.

 

Since your Rcvr LED is going out, it is not getting power, as you say. The LED flashes mean that it is briefly powered but sees no signal from the Transmitter, which you mentioned was "off". I think the ESC(s) are shutting down for some internal reason. Are your batteries fully charged? Hard to believe you have two faulty ESCs; maybe it is the wrong model for your application and some alarm (voltage, current, temperature etc) comes on and triggers a shutdown. Could connecting to two motors be affecting it? Don't know; it shouldn't. Have you tried measuring the ESC "6V" output just with batteries and ESC connected? By the way, that "320A" spec is BS from China. If only we had the specs and manual for it........

 

Try connecting the battery direct to motors for a minute just to verify that they're ok.

 

"Viper" brushed marine ESCs have a good reputation around our RC boat club. They are reversible and have failsafes built in so you won't kill them with one mistaken connection. Don't know what you paid for yours but I expect Vipers cost more. See below link to one supplier. Since your motors are brushed and identical you can power both from one ESC. Since they draw a combined 9A max I would suggest the 25A model, or even the 40A ($10 more) if you want more margin on power and temperature heating.

 

https://www.harbormodels.com/speedcontrol.html

Edited Saturday at 06:39 PM by Ian_Grant

[bcochran]

1 hour ago, Ian_Grant said:

Bob, that Tamiya ESC does not go up to 12V input like you have. You can't use it with your 12V batteries and motors.

 

Since your Rcvr LED is going out, it is not getting power, as you say. The LED flashes mean that it is briefly powered but sees no signal from the Transmitter, which you mentioned was "off". I think the ESC(s) are shutting down for some internal reason. Are your batteries fully charged? Hard to believe you have two faulty ESCs; maybe it is the wrong model for your application and some alarm (voltage, current, temperature etc) comes on and triggers a shutdown. Could connecting to two motors be affecting it? Don't know; it shouldn't. Have you tried measuring the ESC "6V" output just with batteries and ESC connected? By the way, that "320A" spec is BS from China. If only we had the specs and manual for it........

 

Try connecting the battery direct to motors for a minute just to verify that they're ok.

 

"Viper" brushed marine ESCs have a good reputation around our RC boat club. They are reversible and have failsafes built in so you won't kill them with one mistaken connection. Don't know what you paid for yours but I expect Vipers cost more. See below link to one supplier. Since your motors are brushed you can power both from one ESC. Since your two motors draw a combined 9A max I would suggest the 25A model, or even the 40A ($10 more) if you want more margin on power and temperature heating.

 

https://www.harbormodels.com/speedcontrol.html

Ian I am grateful that you are sticking with me.  Your support keeps me going. It would be hard to fix this myself because I have no experience in R/C boats. 
 

if you search on Marx or Lindberg Chris Craft Constellation, links to this log are all over the images   Also at times this log is the first listing you get when you search. I think other people are going through this with us.
I will buy one of those ESCs.

[bcochran]

Is this what I should get?

Edited Saturday at 04:16 AM by bcochran

[Ian_Grant]

Looks like it. Harbour Models allows download of the ESC instructions, including the simple calibrate sequence to set up forward/reverse. They also mention blowing air over the cooling fins - it doesn't have a built-in fan like those others. First time run the motors for a few minutes and see if it's getting hot. The FET transistors they use have very low on-resistance so in theory they dissipate little power. If it is getting hot you might add a small external 12V fan also powered by the battery.

[bcochran]

12 hours ago, Ian_Grant said:

Looks like it. Harbour Models allows download of the ESC instructions, including the simple calibrate sequence to set up forward/reverse. They also mention blowing air over the cooling fins - it doesn't have a built-in fan like those others. First time run the motors for a few minutes and see if it's getting hot. The FET transistors they use have very low on-resistance so in theory they dissipate little power. If it is getting hot you might add a small external 12V fan also powered by the battery.

I ordered the Viper 40 amp ESC on Ebay.  Harbor did not have it in stock.  Everyone other one I saw was from the UK. Shipping is higher and I don't want to wait that long.

 

The ebay one is from New York state. It should be here late next week.

Edited Saturday at 05:35 PM by bcochran

[bcochran]

I found a place just made for R/C boats.

it is at Laguna lake in the city of San Luis  Obispo, CA.  That is about 30 miles from my house. 
They  built several ramps down the embankment to the lake side. Just for R/C boats. 

[MAGIC's Craig]

We also like to use Laguna Lake from that last ramp and float. When the lake level is up, we could trolley launch our schooner, which has a draft of 32" and sail her over a goodly portion of the lake.

[bcochran]

9 hours ago, MAGIC's Craig said:

We also like to use Laguna Lake from that last ramp and float. When the lake level is up, we could trolley launch our schooner, which has a draft of 32" and sail her over a goodly portion of the lake.

Do you live in SLO?

[MAGIC's Craig]

No.  We're in Los Osos

[bcochran]

54 minutes ago, MAGIC's Craig said:

No.  We're in Los Osos

Maybe if my boat ever runs right, you could meet me at Laguna Lake for her maiden voyage. 

[bcochran]

Does it matter if a Ni-MH battery pack is 3300 mil or 5000 mil ?

[MAGIC's Craig]

12 hours ago, bcochran said:

Maybe if my boat ever runs right, you could meet me at Laguna Lake for her maiden voyage. 

Good morning:  I would be delighted to have that opportunity.  Please let me know when it works for you.

Craig

[Ian_Grant]

6 hours ago, bcochran said:

Does it matter if a Ni-MH battery pack is 3300 mil or 5000 mil ?

"mil"?  Do you mean mAh?  If so a 3300 can deliver 3.3A for one hour, or 1.0A for 3.3 hours; the 5000 can deliver 1.0A for five hours; in theory. In reality you can't drain all that stored energy out because you must not let a cell drop below about 1.0V to be safe. You can expect to get about 65% of the total stored energy.

 

Battery size doesn't matter to the motors or the ESC, apart from the fact that the 3300 runs out more quickly, but it might to the charger. If you have a fast-charge type the 5000 mAh can tolerate a higher charge current. If it's a slow type it doesn't matter; the 5000 just takes longer to charge.

[bcochran]

On 6/24/2024 at 9:41 AM, MAGIC's Craig said:

Good morning:  I would be delighted to have that opportunity.  Please let me know when it works for you.

Craig

I am waiting for a new ESC which is supposed to get here on Saturday. Most likely it would be the following week. Watch this log and I will say it he might before.