ESC Rebrand Conversion Guide

[KiTris ExtremeRC]

View attachment 56174
An error code appears as in the picture.
For your information, I use the firmware on the link above
The esc of Traxxas xo1 is mamba monster2
The original version was successful.

Ok, that screenshot is really helpful. So I'm pretty sure the Castle Link doesn't recognise the ESC because the SW is newer than the old Castle Link 3.4. If you connect it to the current Castle Link or the 3.56 are you able to downgrade the firmware to anything lower than your current one on the ESC? If so you could downgrade it and try to reconnect it and see if it works then (on V3.4). Also, can you check if the Sidewinder 8th is available in the Castle Link 3.4. I'm currently not able to install Castle Link and therefore I can't check if the Sidewinder 8th was released before or after the Castle Link 3.4. You can check it quite easily, just go into Demo Mode and see if there is a Sidewinder 8th listed. If so, we can definitely make your Dynamite 90A a true Castle ESC.

What do you mean with the XO-1 ESC? Did you convert one to a MM2 successfully?

 

[Kim woo hwan]

Ok, that screenshot is really helpful. So I'm pretty sure the Castle Link doesn't recognise the ESC because the SW is newer than the old Castle Link 3.4. If you connect it to the current Castle Link or the 3.56 are you able to downgrade the firmware to anything lower than your current one on the ESC? If so you could downgrade it and try to reconnect it and see if it works then (on V3.4). Also, can you check if the Sidewinder 8th is available in the Castle Link 3.4. I'm currently not able to install Castle Link and therefore I can't check if the Sidewinder 8th was released before or after the Castle Link 3.4. You can check it quite easily, just go into Demo Mode and see if there is a Sidewinder 8th listed. If so, we can definitely make your Dynamite 90A a true Castle ESC.

What do you mean with the XO-1 ESC? Did you convert one to a MM2 successfully?

Thank you. Your advice is very helpful to me.
I looked up the list in your demo mode.
But sidewinder castle and 3.4 in the version I can't find is 8th hompage revision history of a support will begin to search from 3.56.21 version.
However, 3.56.21 version could not be downloaded.
If you have 3.56.21 version or if you know the link, please share it.
And the pure esc mamba monster 2 of the on-road car of traxxs can be converted to the original mamba monster2.

 

[SrC]

Great thread.

 

[KiTris ExtremeRC]

Thank you. Your advice is very helpful to me.
I looked up the list in your demo mode.
But sidewinder castle and 3.4 in the version I can't find is 8th hompage revision history of a support will begin to search from 3.56.21 version.
However, 3.56.21 version could not be downloaded.
If you have 3.56.21 version or if you know the link, please share it.
And the pure esc mamba monster 2 of the on-road car of traxxs can be converted to the original mamba monster2.

Yeah I'm pretty sure that the Sidewinder 8th is not supported in the older firmware. Which is a shame because then it's really hard or nearly impossible to get your ESC converted. The newer Castle Link software uses a different database format (.db3) which is a sqlite3 database if I'm not mistaking. And the problem with that one is that you can't (or at least I wasn't able) do decrypt/edit it. And therefore can't convert your ESC to a Castle one. If anyone here knows how to decrypt the newer ones, please let me know (some people said that they could open the .db3 file with Sqlite2009). I managed to downgrade a MM2 to software v1.24 which has no limitations on the ESC. But that was only possible because the original Mamba Monster is supported in Castle Link v3.4.
I still have the Castle Link 3.56 if you want it, although it doesn't help much because it's the same as the newer versions. But as I said, if the Sidewinder 8th is not supported in v3.4 then the only option is to decrypt one of the newer ones.

 

[DoNoHarm]

Yeah I'm pretty sure that the Sidewinder 8th is not supported in the older firmware. Which is a shame because then it's really hard or nearly impossible to get your ESC converted. The newer Castle Link software uses a different database format (.db3) which is a sqlite3 database if I'm not mistaking. And the problem with that one is that you can't (or at least I wasn't able) do decrypt/edit it. And therefore can't convert your ESC to a Castle one. If anyone here knows how to decrypt the newer ones, please let me know (some people said that they could open the .db3 file with Sqlite2009). I managed to downgrade a MM2 to software v1.24 which has no limitations on the ESC. But that was only possible because the original Mamba Monster is supported in Castle Link v3.4.
I still have the Castle Link 3.56 if you want it, although it doesn't help much because it's the same as the newer versions. But as I said, if the Sidewinder 8th is not supported in v3.4 then the only option is to decrypt one of the newer ones.

Ah man what a shame. The sidewinder 8th really is a unicorn esc anyway.

 

[slick2500]

Spektrum Frima 160a Brushless ecs rebranded Hobbywing Max6 https://www.horizonhobby.com/firma-160-amp-brushless-3s-8s-smart-esc--spmxse1160

 

[drjim]

Great thread.

Agreed!

This NEEDS to be a sticky!

 

[slick2500]

Agreed!

This NEEDS to be a sticky!

Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Tim T]

Wow, love this guide. Very well done. There is one thing though I think there may have been more than one Dynamite 150a esc. The one I have is identical in size to the dynamite 160a esc and I always assumed then it was a rebranded Max 8. I also have a BLX185 which is much smaller than my 150a dynamite. Mine is like the one that came in the Super Rey vehicles or at least did at one point.

Anybody else? Now I'm wondering what the 150a dynamite that is the same as the 8bl-150 comes in.

 

[slick2500]

Wow, love this guide. Very well done. There is one thing though I think there may have been more than one Dynamite 150a esc. The one I have is identical in size to the dynamite 160a esc and I always assumed then it was a rebranded Max 8. I also have a BLX185 which is much smaller than my 150a dynamite. Mine is like the one that came in the Super Rey vehicles or at least did at one point.

Anybody else? Now I'm wondering what the 150a dynamite that is the same as the 8bl-150 comes in.

Losi 8ight E and 8ight T-E rtr iirc.

 

[Tim T]

That makes sense. I believe then the Dynamite 150 amp 6s esc that's in the Super Baja Rey is a rebranded max 8.

Was the original Arrma BLX 180 a rebranded anything? We had one and it went up in the most dramatic flames I've ever seen. Always seemed to lag off the line too. I like the BLX 185 way better but I imagine everybody does.
Ok, after looking at the Hobbywing website I'm not sure. Looks like a max 8 and max 6 are different sizes so I'm not sure about this esc. I guess it's a max 6 that's limited to 6s. It's identical in size and appearance to the 160amp dynamite 8s I have.

 

[SrC]

Great thread. Clears up alot of ?? I always had. I wish there was a way to compare programming line items and values of each ESC. I see they can vary based on who the rebrand company they are made for. Although can appear in the same identical package.i.e.
Losi and Arrma Firma esc's have a software difference when setting up Values.

 

[DoNoHarm]

That makes sense. I believe then the Dynamite 150 amp 6s esc that's in the Super Baja Rey is a rebranded max 8.

Was the original Arrma BLX 180 a rebranded anything? We had one and it went up in the most dramatic flames I've ever seen. Always seemed to lag off the line too. I like the BLX 185 way better but I imagine everybody does.
Ok, after looking at the Hobbywing website I'm not sure. Looks like a max 8 and max 6 are different sizes so I'm not sure about this esc. I guess it's a max 6 that's limited to 6s. It's identical in size and appearance to the 160amp dynamite 8s I have.

Never thought about the blx 180. Yeah they did have a ton of issues like going up in flames. Never had one in person to look at so it could be anything.

 

[slick2500]

Never thought about the blx 180. Yeah they did have a ton of issues like going up in flames. Never had one in person to look at so it could be anything.

It's a WP8BL150

 

[DoNoHarm]

It's a WP8BL150

Oh wow. They hobbywing ones don’t go up in smoke nearly as much as the blx 180’s though. That’s one thing I’m thankful for- that they switched to the 185.

 

[Crewchief227]

Oh wow. They hobbywing ones don’t go up in smoke nearly as much as the blx 180’s though. That’s one thing I’m thankful for- that they switched to the 185.

I don't know why I'm just now seeing this thread. I thought the 185 was no way a Max8. When Hobbywing subtly says they're the biggest esc manufacturer in the world they aren't kidding ?. Where is the VXL6S on the list. Pretty sure it's a MM2 with a new board outsourced to China (something Castle would never do)

 

[Tim T]

It's a WP8BL150

Isn't that what the BLX185 is? I thought the BLX180 was something totally different. Sure ran different.

Oh wow. They hobbywing ones don’t go up in smoke nearly as much as the blx 180’s though. That’s one thing I’m thankful for- that they switched to the 185.

When ours went up in flames indoors in my basement, it was alarming. We're not talking small flames we're talking about a 4th of July firework type show. It was spectacular. Sounded like a blowtorch or something too.

 

[slick2500]

Isn't that what the BLX185 is? I thought the BLX180 was something totally different. Sure ran different.

When ours went up in flames indoors in my basement, it was alarming. We're not talking small flames we're talking about a 4th of July firework type show. It was spectacular. Sounded like a blowtorch or something too.

Yeah, they are both WP8BL150 rebrands. The esc could have been bad out of the box ?‍

 

[DoNoHarm]

I don't know why I'm just now seeing this thread. I thought the 185 was no way a Max8. When Hobbywing subtly says they're the biggest esc manufacturer in the world they aren't kidding ?. Where is the VXL6S on the list. Pretty sure it's a MM2 with a new board outsourced to China (something Castle would never do)

The vxl 6s is absolutely not a mamba monster 2. Two completely and absolutely different designs.

The MXL 6s is a mamba monster 2, which is on the list.

 

[jonUF02]

One to add:

Kyosho Brainz 8 appears to be another Hobbywing Max10 SCT similar to Arrma BL120, specs are 120A / 4s.