Senton Cold weather running problems

[Triver525]

I just bought my son a Senton 4x4 3S BLX and we’ve been trying to run it outside in the snow but it keeps cutting out after only a minute or two. The ESC blinks red as if it is cutting out on high temp.

Has anyone done any mods to run these trucks in below freezing temps? Does anyone else have this sort of problem? Could it be a defective ESC?

 

[Mongoose]

What type of battery are you running in it?

 

[Triver525]

3s zippy, 4000 mah, 20c

 

[Mongoose]

Maybe double check to be sure the ESC is set to lipo mode....really shouldn’t matter with what you’re experienced but may as well. Seems other people are having the same issue when running in snow. How deep is the snow?

 

[Triver525]

I thought that too and it’s set to lipo. We brought it inside and he ran it in the basement and went through the whole battery without issue. Obviously he wasn’t able to sustain full throttle like outside but it seems like the cold weather is a problem. It’s only -10f outside.

I was thinking about it unplugging the ESC fan. Any thoughts on that?

 

[joostin420]

20c seems a little low.

 

[WoodiE]

3s zippy, 4000 mah, 20c

You're on your way to burning up that ESC, as your battery is well below the specifications recommended on page 11 of your Senton 4x4 BLX manual.

You need at least a 35c rated battery.

 

[Triver525]

Hmmm. Good to know. I missed that.

 

[Eastside SN blx]

I thought that too and it’s set to lipo. We brought it inside and he ran it in the basement and went through the whole battery without issue. Obviously he wasn’t able to sustain full throttle like outside but it seems like the cold weather is a problem. It’s only -10f outside.

I was thinking about it unplugging the ESC fan. Any thoughts on that?

I drive my senton 3s blx in the snow with the esc fan unplugged because fans are not waterproof. The esc stays cool.

 

[slick2500]

Unfortunately-10*F(-23*C) is a bit too cold to be out running a battery powered rc car. Batteries don't like the cold it depletes their performance and capacity especially once temps get below freezing. At -20*C(-4*F) a lipo battery will have about half the performance than it would at 20*C(68*F).
sauce https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/discharging_at_high_and_low_temperatures

 

[olds97_lss]

You're on your way to burning up that ESC, as your battery is well below the specifications recommended on page 11 of your Senton 4x4 BLX manual.
View attachment 26002

You need at least a 35c rated battery.

Odd how that works. That will really damage it? I could see it causing issues like he's having and could potentially blow up the lipo itself, but it will damage the esc?

 

[slick2500]

Odd how that works. That will really damage it? I could see it causing issues like he's having and could potentially blow up the lipo itself, but it will damage the esc?

Yup the esc heats up trying to pull more amps than the battery can provide and as you stated so does the battery.

 

[olds97_lss]

Yup the esc heats up trying to pull more amps than the battery can provide and as you stated so does the battery.

I used to have an issue when installing car amps with too small of power wire. They would overheat and thermal. Then with a large enough wire, they would dim headlights... then caps... bigger alternator... it's all coming back to me now. lol

 

[slick2500]

I used to have an issue when installing car amps with too small of power wire. They would overheat and thermal. Then with a large enough wire, they would dim headlights... then caps... bigger alternator... it's all coming back to me now. lol

I want to say the motor will get hot as well.