Granite Granite worked 5 minutes out of the box, then quit

[xsirrealx2]

Car worked 5 minutes out of box, then stopped. ESC blinking red. Horizon sent a new ESC (ARA390288), and it didn't work at all, just blinking red like the other. At one point, it allowed for steering, then it started the wheels going each time it blinked.

I am using stock battery that came with it: "Speedpack 2" - 3300 MAH, 7 cell Hump Nimh (8.4v).

Horizon sent the new ESC but their technical support has been non-existent. Looking for any saviors out there who can help with what's going wrong.

 

[Grimbles]

You may need to set the correct battery type using the jumpers on the esc. Is it set to nimh?

Also check your throttle trim on the remote.

Noddy question, but is your battery charged?

 

[MRSRT8]

Car worked 5 minutes out of box, then stopped. ESC blinking red. Horizon sent a new ESC (ARA390288), and it didn't work at all, just blinking red like the other. At one point, it allowed for steering, then it started the wheels going each time it blinked.

I am using stock battery that came with it: "Speedpack 2" - 3300 MAH, 7 cell Hump Nimh (8.4v).

Horizon sent the new ESC but their technical support has been non-existent. Looking for any saviors out there who can help with what's going wrong.

Is the battery voltage issue, not the ESC. Check the battery voltage and also check your charger as well, make sure they're working properly.

 

[jondilly1974]

Car worked 5 minutes out of box, then stopped. ESC blinking red. Horizon sent a new ESC (ARA390288), and it didn't work at all, just blinking red like the other. At one point, it allowed for steering, then it started the wheels going each time it blinked.

I am using stock battery that came with it: "Speedpack 2" - 3300 MAH, 7 cell Hump Nimh (8.4v).

Horizon sent the new ESC but their technical support has been non-existent. Looking for any saviors out there who can help with what's going wrong.

Did you properly break in the brushed motor? There are steps in the manual that you need to follow.

 

[xsirrealx2]

Is the battery voltage issue, not the ESC. Check the battery voltage and also check your charger as well, make sure they're working properly.

Thank you for the tips. Can you suggest a battery that is known to work with this vehicle and ESC?

 

[MRSRT8]

Thank you for the tips. Can you suggest a battery that is known to work with this vehicle and ESC?

I'm using Dynamite Reaction 2.0 7.4V 5000 mah 50C Lipo...

I'm running stock ESC

 

[L3phturn]

What charger? Do you have a voltage meter to put on the balance lead with an alarm?

My bet is a bad cell so that it charges up OK but once under load on cell drops big time.

Seriously everyone needs 5 or 10 of these: https://www.amazon.ca/CAMWAY-Battery-Voltage-Monitor-Low-Voltage/dp/B07QQQ1XKX

Use a strap, double sided tape or zip ties to keep them plugged into the battery or batteries and set the alarm to 3.5v / cell. Properly balance charge the battery and then run the truck with the alarm connected to the balance lead. If it alarms take your body off and look at the readout for the cell voltage of each cell. One of them will be lower I will bet.

 

[razorrc]

You may need to set the correct battery type using the jumpers on the esc. Is it set to nimh?

Also check your throttle trim on the remote.

Noddy question, but is your battery charged?

Definitely check the throttle trim on the radio as Grimbles said. Recalibrate if necessary, but there's a strong chance your throttle trim is off a little bit.

 

[xsirrealx2]

You may need to set the correct battery type using the jumpers on the esc. Is it set to nimh?

Also check your throttle trim on the remote.

Noddy question, but is your battery charged?

Looks like it is set to NIMH. I also tried battery as soon as charger light turned green, indicating a full charge. Same problem...

Definitely check the throttle trim on the radio as Grimbles said. Recalibrate if necessary, but there's a strong chance your throttle trim is off a little bit.

Here is what the trim looks like on the transmitter. Can you tell me which should be adjusted?

 

[bicketybam]

That battery. That charger. Oof ? Gar-bage.

Both of those need to be replaced with something better. The stock battery is good for 10 min if you're lucky. The wall charger takes forever. If you plan on staying in the hobby, get a better charger for sure.

 

[xsirrealx2]

I'm using Dynamite Reaction 2.0 7.4V 5000 mah 50C Lipo...
View attachment 98052
I'm running stock ESC

Awesome, thank you for the tip. Do you think this is a comparable or new version of the "recommended upgrade" on the box? Since yours seems to work, maybe I'll just stick with it. Could you tell me which charger you use?

Did you properly break in the brushed motor? There are steps in the manual that you need to follow.

I wasn't aware brushed motors required special care. The instructions I received make no mention of it. What can I do to more properly care for it? Is it too late?

That battery. That charger. Oof ? Gar-bage.

Both of those need to be replaced with something better. The stock battery is good for 10 min if you're lucky. The wall charger takes forever. If you plan on staying in the hobby, get a better charger for sure.

Thank you, bicketybam. I'm starting to hypothesize this may be the problem and will likely start by replacing this.

That battery. That charger. Oof ? Gar-bage.

Both of those need to be replaced with something better. The stock battery is good for 10 min if you're lucky. The wall charger takes forever. If you plan on staying in the hobby, get a better charger for sure.

MRSRT8 had recommended the Reaction 2 5000 Mah. Do you have a recommendation for a battery that you have tested and know works in this vehicle? What are your thoughts on the "recommended upgrade" from Arrma (below)?

Did you properly break in the brushed motor? There are steps in the manual that you need to follow.

I wasn't aware. Arrma doesn't mention this anywhere in the instructions they sent. What do I need to do?

 

[razorrc]

Here is what the trim looks like on the transmitter. Can you tell me which should be adjusted?

Set the middle dial marked TH to point at the 12 o'clock position where the little dot is. And you don't need to break in the brushed motor, just run it.

 

[bicketybam]

Awesome, thank you for the tip. Do you think this is a comparable or new version of the "recommended upgrade" on the box? Since yours seems to work, maybe I'll just stick with it. Could you tell me which charger you use?

View attachment 98152

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I wasn't aware brushed motors required special care. The instructions I received make no mention of it. What can I do to more properly care for it? Is it too late?


Thank you, bicketybam. I'm starting to hypothesize this may be the problem and will likely start by replacing this.


MRSRT8 had recommended the Reaction 2 5000 Mah. Do you have a recommendation for a battery that you have tested and know works in this vehicle? What are your thoughts on the "recommended upgrade" from Arrma (below)?



View attachment 98155

View attachment 98156

View attachment 98154


I wasn't aware. Arrma doesn't mention this anywhere in the instructions they sent. What do I need to do?

I owned a Mega before the BLX brushless version existed. The first thing I did was get a charger and a 2S Lipo battery. It was still too slow for my liking and I ended up converting it to brushless. At the very least get a charger and a higher mAh NiMH battery. You can go with a 2S lipo but that brushed motor will be on borrowed time.

 

[xsirrealx2]

Set the middle dial marked TH to point at the 12 o'clock position where the little dot is. And you don't need to break in the brushed motor, just run it.

OK. I'll try to get the trim set more. There is a very faint buzzing sound when I try to get this working. Not sure if that's the trim or the battery.

I owned a Mega before the BLX brushless version existed. The first thing I did was get a charger and a 2S Lipo battery. It was still too slow for my liking and I ended up converting it to brushless. At the very least get a charger and a higher mAh NiMH battery. You can go with a 2S lipo but that brushed motor will be on borrowed time.

Thanks. Is a Lipo battery harder on a brushed motor than an Nimh? How long did yours last after you converted to Lipo?

What charger? Do you have a voltage meter to put on the balance lead with an alarm?

My bet is a bad cell so that it charges up OK but once under load on cell drops big time.

Seriously everyone needs 5 or 10 of these: https://www.amazon.ca/CAMWAY-Battery-Voltage-Monitor-Low-Voltage/dp/B07QQQ1XKX

Use a strap, double sided tape or zip ties to keep them plugged into the battery or batteries and set the alarm to 3.5v / cell. Properly balance charge the battery and then run the truck with the alarm connected to the balance lead. If it alarms take your body off and look at the readout for the cell voltage of each cell. One of them will be lower I will bet.

This is a little advanced for me, but I'm glad you mentioned and I will start by ordering the voltage monitor...

 

[bicketybam]

OK. I'll try to get the trim set more. There is a very faint buzzing sound when I try to get this working. Not sure if that's the trim or the battery.


Thanks. Is a Lipo battery harder on a brushed motor than an Nimh? How long did yours last after you converted to Lipo?

Yes. The lipo batteries are tougher on the brushed motors. I didn't keep it brushed long enough to find out how long it would last. As I stated previously, the performance wasn't there for me so I went brushless. Maybe @Jerry-rigged can chime in. He ran a Mega for a while.

 

[xsirrealx2]

After nearly 25 yd

Yes. The lipo batteries are tougher on the brushed motors. I didn't keep it brushed long enough to find out how long it would last. As I stated previously, the performance wasn't there for me so I went brushless. Maybe @Jerry-rigged can chime in. He ran a Mega for a while.

Appreciate any input. I wonder if I should stay with Granite as it has been nothing but a hassle so far. I haven't done RC for 25 years, bought this product, and have spent 5 minutes driving/Over 14+ hours trouble shooting and trying to fix this. Has anyone had a good experience with Arrma where a car ran well out of the box? If I stayed with Arrma, is there a recommended model?

 

[bicketybam]

After nearly 25 yd


Appreciate any input. I wonder if I should stay with Granite as it has been nothing but a hassle so far. I haven't done RC for 25 years, bought this product, and have spent 5 minutes driving/Over 14+ hours trouble shooting and trying to fix this. Has anyone had a good experience with Arrma where a car ran well out of the box? If I stayed with Arrma, is there a recommended model?

Other than the Voltage, you bought the crappiest car they make. Sorry to bring you the bad news. For $70 more you could have bought the BLX and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

[xsirrealx2]

Other than the Voltage, you bought the crappiest car they make. Sorry to bring you the bad news. For $70 more you could have bought the BLX and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Well, I'm glad to see my judgment hasn't changed in the last 25 years... The granite BLX comes stock with the Lipo and brushless, I presume? And a BLX 100 esc? Is this the one here?

 

[MRSRT8]

Awesome, thank you for the tip. Do you think this is a comparable or new version of the "recommended upgrade" on the box? Since yours seems to work, maybe I'll just stick with it. Could you tell me which charger you use?

View attachment 98152

View attachment 98153


I wasn't aware brushed motors required special care. The instructions I received make no mention of it. What can I do to more properly care for it? Is it too late?


Thank you, bicketybam. I'm starting to hypothesize this may be the problem and will likely start by replacing this.


MRSRT8 had recommended the Reaction 2 5000 Mah. Do you have a recommendation for a battery that you have tested and know works in this vehicle? What are your thoughts on the "recommended upgrade" from Arrma (below)?



View attachment 98155

View attachment 98156

View attachment 98154


I wasn't aware. Arrma doesn't mention this anywhere in the instructions they sent. What do I need to do?

I'm using UP100AC Duo. I have this charger for many years and work great.

 

[Grimbles]

Well, I'm glad to see my judgment hasn't changed in the last 25 years... The granite BLX comes stock with the Lipo and brushless, I presume? And a BLX 100 esc? Is this the one here?

Mate, i really feel for you - im recently back in after a 25 yr hiatus too and so much has changed. Like you and @bicketybam i started back with a brushed arrma (in my case the typhon) and went brushless pretty darn quick. I now run my (originally brushed) typhon on 4s! Sounds like youre having a stinker with that truck one other thought... you haven't stripped the spur have you? That Could explain no power to the wheels but a buzzing noise. Take out the motor mount, open it up and have a look at the two gears inside. Dpes the big black one have teeth?