Losing signal?

[justatree]

When first got my car this never happened, and now when I go the same distance it now loses connection, and close to losing control too... it just stops... any help? Nothing seems to be wrong by the looks of it... hmmmm

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

Check for a damaged antenna, most likely on the reciver side unless your transmitter was dropped recently. The length and gauge of the antenna wire is very important and it cannot be shortened or partially cut. It should also not be shielded from signal by anything conductive; metal, carbon fiber, ect. It has to stick up above those types of materials to reliably get a signal. Pretty sure I read somewhere that the stock radio gear has really good range but I have not personally tested it.

You could also re-bind with your steering cranked all the way in one direction. This sets your 'fail safe' condition so that if you do loose signal it will turn the car and cut throttle. You can test this on the bench by turning off your transmitter with the car still on. If it does it again in normal use, and coasts straight instead of turning, you will know it is not due to lost signal.

 

[Walter]

I had similar symptoms with losing signal beyond 50ft or so... Arrma replaced the radio and receiver under warranty and it's been fine since.

 

[justatree]

I might contact arrma, it back then it didnt lose signal at the same distance as now... maybe when my dad gets the axial xl kit I can get 2 tactic radios, one for his and one for mine

 

[OrangeDRAGON]

If its the newer TTX300 radio then there is no antenna (it's internal to the Rx) - if it is the TTX100 then there is indeed an external antenna, make sure the antenna wire hasn't been cut or damaged by the Radio box. I would also make sure the Tx has fresh batteries and would re-bind the Rx and Tx together before attempting to get warranty support.

 

[travis328]

I've had those symptoms because the batteries in my remote were almost dead

 

[justatree]

used a battery tester and the batteries all are in the "good" zone... so it still has a lot of life left, I am thinking the receiver may have an issue now...

 

[justatree]

sent it in, reported had no issues... can it be because all channels are taken up and the extra channels are being used?
they are sending mine back to me.... but I am thinking that they should give me a tactic so I have 3 channels instead of 2 channels where I am using 3 channels on the 2?

says esc or battery is at fault, battery is new esc is and looks new no issues, oh the frustration!

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

Did you try rebinding like I posted above? That would tell you for sure whether it is the esc or the radio system.

There is no way to use three channels on a two channel system. I assume you are using the aux port on the reciever for something? What??

 

[justatree]

Did you try rebinding like I posted above? That would tell you for sure whether it is the esc or the radio system.

There is no way to use three channels on a two channel system. I assume you are using the aux port on the reciever for something? What??

I know there isn't a way I just plugged them into the extra ports lol

 

[MSgt]

OK. Finally got the motor wiring fixed up on my Fury rebuild. Down to one problem, and that is that I am losing Radio/Receiver connection very quickly, and occasional glitches (within first couple seconds after picking up connection again). The car goes unresponsive in less than 50 feet, and some times I have to get within 10 feet before it responds again. Fresh batteries in the transmitter, antenna looks good, rebound the transmitter and receiver twice. This truck had amazing range with all the stock electronics, but I let the magic smoke out of the stock motor, and went through the whole model and installed a Castle Sidewinder 3 ESC and a Turnigy 3900Kv motor. And now that it is finally back together, the radio system is giving me fits. Any other ideas, before I contact Arrma and try and get the receiver warrantied?

 

[justatree]

OK. Finally got the motor wiring fixed up on my Fury rebuild. Down to one problem, and that is that I am losing Radio/Receiver connection very quickly, and occasional glitches (within first couple seconds after picking up connection again). The car goes unresponsive in less than 50 feet, and some times I have to get within 10 feet before it responds again. Fresh batteries in the transmitter, antenna looks good, rebound the transmitter and receiver twice. This truck had amazing range with all the stock electronics, but I let the magic smoke out of the stock motor, and went through the whole model and installed a Castle Sidewinder 3 ESC and a Turnigy 3900Kv motor. And now that it is finally back together, the radio system is giving me fits. Any other ideas, before I contact Arrma and try and get the receiver warrantied?

Not sure about this yet but I think it might be the compatibility with the castle esc... Happens to me but am going to try the tactic they sent me good luck man hopefully a new TX and rx might be a fix but I have to fix a lot of things before I can update this about a different tx and rx

OK. Finally got the motor wiring fixed up on my Fury rebuild. Down to one problem, and that is that I am losing Radio/Receiver connection very quickly, and occasional glitches (within first couple seconds after picking up connection again). The car goes unresponsive in less than 50 feet, and some times I have to get within 10 feet before it responds again. Fresh batteries in the transmitter, antenna looks good, rebound the transmitter and receiver twice. This truck had amazing range with all the stock electronics, but I let the magic smoke out of the stock motor, and went through the whole model and installed a Castle Sidewinder 3 ESC and a Turnigy 3900Kv motor. And now that it is finally back together, the radio system is giving me fits. Any other ideas, before I contact Arrma and try and get the receiver warrantied?

I found that it didn't go as far as it was stock so after a while of pushing them to send me a new TX and rx I got the tactic which is still in the box and is waiting for the range test

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

OK. Finally got the motor wiring fixed up on my Fury rebuild. Down to one problem, and that is that I am losing Radio/Receiver connection very quickly, and occasional glitches (within first couple seconds after picking up connection again). The car goes unresponsive in less than 50 feet, and some times I have to get within 10 feet before it responds again. Fresh batteries in the transmitter, antenna looks good, rebound the transmitter and receiver twice. This truck had amazing range with all the stock electronics, but I let the magic smoke out of the stock motor, and went through the whole model and installed a Castle Sidewinder 3 ESC and a Turnigy 3900Kv motor. And now that it is finally back together, the radio system is giving me fits. Any other ideas, before I contact Arrma and try and get the receiver warrantied?

Post some pics of your wire routing. More specifically, motor leads, battery leads, and antenna.

 

[MSgt]

Post some pics of your wire routing. More specifically, motor leads, battery leads, and antenna.

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

Hmmm, no red flags that I can see. Not sure it would make a difference, but I would try a taller antenna and routing those motor wires lower and through the bracing for the rear shock tower. Anything conductive between you and that antenna is bad news (those wires, your shock tower brace). High current by it is also not a great idea and I am wondering if your body pushes those motor wires down next to it?

While I am nit picking your antenna, those antenna tube caps with the wire bent over and coming out is not something I would run. To much potential for damage to the wire where it is folded in half.

 

[justatree]

Hmmm, no red flags that I can see. Not sure it would make a difference, but I would try a taller antenna and routing those motor wires lower and through the bracing for the rear shock tower. Anything conductive between you and that antenna is bad news (those wires, your shock tower brace). High current by it is also not a great idea and I am wondering if your body pushes those motor wires down next to it?

While I am nit picking your antenna, those antenna tube caps with the wire bent over and coming out is not something I would run. To much potential for damage to the wire where it is folded in half.

As stock I think the antennas come like that guess will have to look at mine too... But it seems to be that the castle systems don't like the stock rx and TX since I am one of the three people who have issues with the stock rx and TX when we installed the castle system

 

[MSgt]

Yes, that's where the antenna was stock.

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

Yep, that is how my granite came too and the wire was damaged slightly because of it straight out of the box. It's a durability thing, shouldn't effect range until that wire is compromised.

This is purely speculation, but I find it hard to believe an esc from a reputable company like castle would have this effect on range unless it was not installed properly. If I am right, and nothing else was changed or damaged during the install, this would likely come down to wire routing. There is a ton of info on ideal antenna placement and power system wire routing to be found with regards to rc aircraft if you google it as range is absolutely critical in that application.

FWIW, I have run two different castle ESC's and neither effected range to the point that I noticed.

 

[MSgt]

That's why I'm reluctant to say it's the ESC, as this is the 4th SW3 I've installed, 3 in Traxxas Stampedes, one of which has been moved to a Raider, and all work fantastic. The only difference is this one is using a Turnigy motor rather than a Castle motor. But I'll see what I can do to move the wires around, or maybe swap in a castle motor and see what happens. Maybe source some different wire for the leads. I wasn't able to find silicone insulated wire locally, and used PVC insulated wire from Lowes.

 

[justatree]

That's why I'm reluctant to say it's the ESC, as this is the 4th SW3 I've installed, 3 in Traxxas Stampedes, one of which has been moved to a Raider, and all work fantastic. The only difference is this one is using a Turnigy motor rather than a Castle motor. But I'll see what I can do to move the wires around, or maybe swap in a castle motor and see what happens. Maybe source some different wire for the leads. I wasn't able to find silicone insulated wire locally, and used PVC insulated wire from Lowes.

Apparently castle says that the rx and TX are at fault but Arrma says send the esc back to castle lmao and I already sent my Rx and TX in (waste of money so don't do it) and they said "no damage" so I have been stuck on this issue for quite a while now lol