Bick's Kraton 8s build
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bicketybam
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It was just a quick run up and down the street. I've been good about sheltering in place. I'll get it on video at some point.A review without a link, is like a bikini without the girl.....
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Did someone say girl without a bikini..!! ?A review without a link, is like a bikini without the girl.....
Oh my bad, I had read that wrong..????
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Time for ESC/Motor combination #3. My LHS held a Castle combo for me and I picked it up today.
I was running a Hobbywing 5686 1100kv motor with a 31t pinion and a Max5. Before that I ran the old Dynamite Fuze 56114 800kv motor. Here are all the motors next to each other.
The Castle and the Fuze are very similar in size.
What isn't close in size is the new Castle ESC and the Max5. The Max5 dwarfs the Castle and it's significantly heavier too.
I have everything mounted up. I hope this Castle ESC is everything they say it is because I really miss the way I was able to mount the Max5 with screws. The Castle only uses double sided tape. I also dislike the power switch on the Castle. So cheap considering what you pay for this ESC. I will also miss the programing of the Max5. It's a pain in the ass to program the Castle ESC's.
I went with a 44t pinion, which is what I ran with the Dynamite. I need to let the loctite cure and I need to program the new ESC before I can test everything out.
I was running a Hobbywing 5686 1100kv motor with a 31t pinion and a Max5. Before that I ran the old Dynamite Fuze 56114 800kv motor. Here are all the motors next to each other.
The Castle and the Fuze are very similar in size.
What isn't close in size is the new Castle ESC and the Max5. The Max5 dwarfs the Castle and it's significantly heavier too.
I have everything mounted up. I hope this Castle ESC is everything they say it is because I really miss the way I was able to mount the Max5 with screws. The Castle only uses double sided tape. I also dislike the power switch on the Castle. So cheap considering what you pay for this ESC. I will also miss the programing of the Max5. It's a pain in the ass to program the Castle ESC's.
I went with a 44t pinion, which is what I ran with the Dynamite. I need to let the loctite cure and I need to program the new ESC before I can test everything out.
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It’s definitely a Rad! combo but this is what my esc fan looks like after one bash session with the K8S 
Full disclosure, it did take one hard roof landing...
Btw: I was running a 43T and it feels like it has more in it.. probably going to put 34T/34T soon. ?
Full disclosure, it did take one hard roof landing...
Btw: I was running a 43T and it feels like it has more in it.. probably going to put 34T/34T soon. ?
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Castle ESC fans suck. How did you mount the ESC? Double sided tape? Where did you put the power switch? Also, I have to run one of my batteries with the leads facing forward in order for it to reach. I wish they used longer leads. I have this issue with other Castle ESC's before.
Oh, I see there are two places to plug in the sensor lead on the motor. I used the one on top. Is that ok?
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I used 3m vhb tape and the mount that JDowns designed, which also has a place for the switch. The esc wires are very short!!
I had to do a similar battery placement to reach... I also used the sensor port on top, either one is fine. Supposedly castle knows the fans move too much and are making a change in the design, so I’ve heard... ?
I’m having another esc mount printed, as that didn’t survive the bash either. He is going to print it out of a different material and slightly thicker on the top portion.
Yep. pick up a WTF 40mm fan. Bolts right on and Incredible!
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Does that replace the ESC fan? Or are you talking motor?
Yes, it replaces the stock fan. I'll get a pic up.
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Thanks!
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How did you plug it in? As it looks like a special connector on the fan.
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My guess is he plugged it into the receiver so it's always on. The stock one only comes on at a certain ESC temperature.
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Yea not till 140°
I was wondering if he soldered the connector from the old fan or did like you just mentioned.
I was wondering if he soldered the connector from the old fan or did like you just mentioned.
I used some blue washers because I lost a frickin screw, had to use some longer ones I had in a bin. If I didn't use those washers the screws would hit the the caps on each side. I have the other screws and washers for it, just didn't install them yet.
Perfect! I was going to add that part in lol.. I used the stock connector and spliced it into the WTF fan and used some shrink tube. You can plug it directly into the RX but then you'd have a bare unused wire hanging out of the ESC. I didn't like it just hanging out there. EDIT: One I spliced, the other one I ran direct.
Perfect! I was going to add that part in lol.. I used the stock connector and spliced it into the WTF fan and used some shrink tube. You can plug it directly into the RX but then you'd have a bare unused wire hanging out of the ESC. I didn't like it just hanging out there.
EDIT: One I spliced, the other one I ran direct.
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Fixed
The fans they use in these escs were never meant to see these sort of shock loads placed upon them.
I agree the leads are always too short, on my Outcast if I run my 6s brick I have to run it backwards otherwise the leads don't reach.
But that setup looks real nice.
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Well some suck more than others. I've actually had good luck with my BLX100 and BLX185 ESC fans. Max5/6 are hit and miss. Castles are mostly miss.Fixed
The fans they use in these escs were never meant to see these sort of shock loads placed upon them.
I agree the leads are always too short, on my Outcast if I run my 6s brick I have to run it backwards otherwise the leads don't reach.
But that setup looks real nice.
slick2500
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True, the ones that came with my Sidewinder 3 burned up. The one on my old BLX185 had the wires break off, both of my BLX100s are fine no issues, the Max8 one is still good and so far my MM2 one has been good, my 10BL60 worked fine until I took it off for clearance issues, my WP10BL50 fan still works too. I had 1 hobbywing fan break on my Vorza motor mount, but I think that had more to do with the way it was mounted.
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MrDuke has the max6 solved! I think you already knew that but GD does it work good!
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bicketybam
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Finally got a chance to give the new Castle ESC and motor a little test. I am really impressed so far. For anyone that doesn't know, these are the combos I've tested so far:
Stock motor, Max5 ESC, 23t pinion
Dynamite Fuze 56114 800kv motor, Max5 ESC, 44t pinion.
Hobbywing 5687 1100kv motor, Max5 ESC, 31t pinion.
After a short 15 minute run I'd say this combo has the most raw power. I could feel the difference in the air as it rotates the best out of all the setups. I definitely like it better than the Hobbywing setup. I didn't run it long enough to get a good read on the temps but the motor wasn't that hot at all. I can pull the logs to check the ESC temps later.
By far the best thing about this combo is the sensored operation. You can go crawler speed with it and while I'd be never crawl with a K8S, it made turning around in tight spaces and overall maneuverability fantastic. There wasn't the slightest bit of cogging whether I was going slow or whether I hammered it from a dead stop.
More to come...
Stock motor, Max5 ESC, 23t pinion
Dynamite Fuze 56114 800kv motor, Max5 ESC, 44t pinion.
Hobbywing 5687 1100kv motor, Max5 ESC, 31t pinion.
After a short 15 minute run I'd say this combo has the most raw power. I could feel the difference in the air as it rotates the best out of all the setups. I definitely like it better than the Hobbywing setup. I didn't run it long enough to get a good read on the temps but the motor wasn't that hot at all. I can pull the logs to check the ESC temps later.
By far the best thing about this combo is the sensored operation. You can go crawler speed with it and while I'd be never crawl with a K8S, it made turning around in tight spaces and overall maneuverability fantastic. There wasn't the slightest bit of cogging whether I was going slow or whether I hammered it from a dead stop.
More to come...
