It was a bad day for my Kraton

[travis328]

So I finally got the time to take my brand new Kraton out for a good run. I've taken it out twice in the parking lot beside my apartment to play around with it, but this time I went out to a park with some good bmx jumps and trails.
I found an awesome hill about 10 feet high and was running up and down the hill when it landed at the top, and got stuck in the snow (I live in Canada) I went to put it back onto the hard packed snow when I noticed the front wheels were still turned to one side, even though I had already let go of the steering wheel. Then I noticed the unmistakable smell of burnt electronics...
So I packed up the truck and went home to check out the problem further. I started by unplugging the esc from my senton and putting it in my kraton, powered it up, and no response to transmitter input... so I unplugged the servo and noticed it was difficult to turn the wheels by hand from side to side. Now the esc from my senton worked in the kraton. I hooked up the kraton esc in the senton and turned it on... it started powering up normally, then the servo went nuts and pinned to one side. I quickly unplugged the battery but it was too late for the servo in the senton, I could smell more burnt electronics.
So I figured I'll just throw a spare servo in the kraton, put the esc in from the senton and go again. Now I noticed when I turned it on, that the receiver (spektrum, not oem) wasn't responding at all...

So in short, I have a dead esc, 2 dead servos, and a dead spektrum receiver that I just bought this morning for the Kraton....
I called horizon hobby, and they won't cover the receiver. Not a huge surprise...
So I sent an email to arrma and hopefully they cover everything including the receiver... I'll keep you guys updated.

 

[Steve]

Tough day @travis328 .
So sounds like as the ESC gave way, it sent too much electricity to the servos and Rx, falling like dominoes.
Here's to hoping for + updates.

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

Im confused here
Enlighten me plese
Isnt there a wire that connect to the reciever from the esc?
How did you fry the reciever?

 

[travis328]

Im confused here
Enlighten me plese
Isnt there a wire that connect to the reciever from the ESC?
How did you fry the reciever?

Well I believe it's like @Steve said, the internal bec (which supplies the power for the servo and receiver) on the ESC fried sending way too much power through to the receiver and servo. I attached a picture of the internal servo failure.

 

[Steve]

Well I believe it's like @Steve said, the internal bec (which supplies the power for the servo and receiver) on the ESC fried sending way too much power through to the receiver and servo. I attached a picture of the internal servo failure.

ESC sends electricity to power the Rx. The Rx sends electricity to the servo, as commanded by the Tx.
Hence a surge from ESC to Rx, then to servo, a nasty chain reaction.

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

So what must be done to prevent this from happening?

 

[Steve]

So what must be done to prevent this from happening?

Not sure anything can be done.
Just going through a few numbers: 180A ESC, running 6S - at full charge is about 24 volts.
You pull the throttle full and it's like a fire-hose going from a dribble to enough force to knock down a brick wall.
The surges of electricity are intense when you move into the 1/8 scale - 180A level.
There can only be so much QC during manufacture of a $120 ESC and fuses or breakers would be pointless because the spikes and caverns of electricity flow would blow/pop them on about every squeeze of the trigger.
Maybe I'm wrong and will gladly stand corrected, but this hobby, at that level, is extreme high performance and it's just part of the cost of playing the game.

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

Ok in this case the esc maybe faulty?
It ends ups sending to much power to the reciever?
And fried the reciever

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

Call Arrma, emailing them is a waste of time. If they don't initially agree to replacing the receiver I would firmly, but respectfully, object. They have replaced parts for me that failed from collateral damage and I have read about them doing it for others as well in at least one instance.

 

[Steve]

Ok in this case the ESC maybe faulty?
It ends ups sending to much power to the reciever?
And fried the reciever

Could be, but I've also read threads here at AF on LiPos releasing surges.
Lots of variables, could be a series of unfortunate events that lined up perfectly against our friend too.

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

For sure now i will never use my blx esc ever
I will yank out that and put in different esc

 

[Steve]

For sure now i will never use my blx ESC ever
I will yank out that and put in different ESC

Wait a sec, you have a Granite/Vorteks/Raider BLX ESC? Which is 80A? On say 2S or 3S LiPos? You're okay.
The Kraton is 180A ESC and 6S LiPos, he's in the big leagues @ARRMAgeddon , unless you're running a Kraton also.

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

Wait a sec, you have a Granite/Vorteks/Raider BLX ESC? Which is 80A? On say 2S or 3S LiPos? You're okay.
The Kraton is 180A ESC and 6S LiPos, he's in the big leagues @ARRMAgeddon , unless you're running a Kraton also.

Oh i have the talion
Still on the box hahah
But with all of this things i read about the esc glitching catching on fire
I don't want it

 

[ajdragon]

So what must be done to prevent this from happening?

Hi

Get a independent BEC, or get a 6v battery pack and a on/Off switch ether one will work.

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

That looks complicated doing that

 

[Steve]

That looks complicated doing that

While I didn't watch it, I was trying qualify my replies by deferring to the most experienced members here.
Guys like @ajdragon have a ton of experiential knowledge and great caveats.
If it saves you from burning up a $100-$200 or more ESC and you still get to enjoy your bashing, hey, you got to have you cake and eat it too.
For me, if you aren't pushing your RC up to and beyond it's limits, well, you just aren't having all the fun you can.
My wife, God bless her little heart, laughs at me saying "I think you like fixing them more than driving them".

 

[ARRMAgeddon]

Oh appreciate the video
But im the type to keep it simple
Simple is my thing none complicated stuff
My gf said the samething about my crawlers
She ask me when will i play with it lol
I told her its just something to look at
And she just laugh and shake her head lol