Opinions on Alien Power Systems ESC?

[Twitchfast]

Well for anyone who wanted an update on my XLX, I've sent it away but I received this email:

You can not upgrade to the XLX2 for at least 6 months after a new product release.

So I guess I'll be selling whatever they send back, assuming they even honour the warranty at this point.

 

[SentFlying]

Heres a good in depth review on that esc yall are talking about

 

[rotauq]

I have a Flier 16S-300A ESC in my 1m catamaran. It runs on 12S with a SSS 5694-1200kv and that's ridiculously overpowered. It tends to fly rather than float. So much fun!
Yet, in the past I put it on cars but it never impressed me. It lacks the punch. As my XLX seems broken too (random shutdowns) and my ordered XLX2 might take a while, i might just put the flier in my limitless for the time being. The firmware is many years old, if companies like Alien Power have made some nice updates it might just be a nice thing to play with.

 

[Twitchfast]

I have a Flier 16S-300A ESC in my 1m catamaran. It runs on 12S with a SSS 5694-1200kv and that's ridiculously overpowered. It tends to fly rather than float. So much fun!
Yet, in the past I put it on cars but it never impressed me. It lacks the punch. As my XLX seems broken too (random shutdowns) and my ordered XLX2 might take a while, i might just put the flier in my limitless for the time being. The firmware is many years old, if companies like Alien Power have made some nice updates it might just be a nice thing to play with.

Well that's a shame, I was going to try out Alien Power but they're not waterproof(?) and their punch is lacking it seems.
Looks like MGM it is.

 

[rotauq]

I've managed to update it to the latest firmware. I was 5 versions behind, so maybe that made it lack the punch? I will give it a try in a bit

I can confirm flier and APS are the exact same product. APS only put a different skin on the software, its the same firmware.

 

[Twitchfast]

I've managed to update it to the latest firmware. I was 5 versions behind, so maybe that made it lack the punch? I will give it a try in a bit

I can confirm flier and APS are the exact same product. APS only put a different skin on the software, its the same firmware.

I'd greatly appreciate an update concerning the update results, my 1/8th car is going to be dead in the water until I find something beefy.
That and I'll be converting a HPI Baja to Brushless on 12s for the beach.

 

[DoNoHarm]

I was really hoping the new Castle ESC would be 12s or 14s

Agreed. Castle’s most powerful land esc has been 8s for years now.

 

[rotauq]

I have to correct myself, or it was the firmware. Attached to my 4070CM on 8S. It did punch better than i expected. Ok, it's raining and dark so i only did a quick test in front of my house, but my tires did leave some marks:

I will prep it for a decent speedrun. But that could take some days. This country likes it's rain, a lot...

As the guy from Castle said in the XLX2 thread, they purposely chose to remain on 8S because of the amount of caps required to keep the ripple within bounds would grow exponentially on higher voltage. Obviously there is a growing demand for esc's made for powerful big canned/low kv motors which do require a higher voltage to give a useful rpm. I guess at some point they will make one, but it will not be as extreme as the XLX2.

 

[Twitchfast]

I have to correct myself, or it was the firmware. Attached to my 4070CM on 8S. It did punch better than i expected. Ok, it's raining and dark so i only did a quick test in front of my house, but my tires did leave some marks:

View attachment 102363

I will prep it for a decent speedrun. But that could take some days. This country likes it's rain, a lot...

As the guy from Castle said in the XLX2 thread, they purposely chose to remain on 8S because of the amount of caps required to keep the ripple within bounds would grow exponentially on higher voltage. Obviously there is a growing demand for esc's made for powerful big canned/low kv motors which do require a higher voltage to give a useful rpm. I guess at some point they will make one, but it will not be as extreme as the XLX2.

Cheers, and I know your pain, I live in England where it's either raining or blistering hot (18c+)
A bit of a pain this ESC business, i don't believe Alien ESCs are waterproof but I'm sure they'll have the power I'm looking for.
Meanwhile MGM's ideal ESC is limited to 15s which makes my battery situation awkward as I planned to run 4x4s packs in a Baja.

Either way thanks for the updates on your alien ESC, my brother is eyeing them up too.

 

[rotauq]

i don't believe Alien ESCs are waterproof

I did take mine out of a boat It's not perfectly waterproof no, but they did do a decent effort keeping water away from the boards. I wouldn't be surprised they could be submerged for a couple of seconds.

 

[rotauq]

I finally had a brief dry moment to do a decent speedrun attempt with the flier esc. And it didn't, halfway the esc just cut out and died (no more beeping) I definitely didnt hit it's 300A limit yet, nor ran it too hot (61C) I don't smell anything burned and i can still access the firmware, so i guess i'll have to open it all up and see. It had a tough boating life, so could be some corrosion

 

[Twitchfast]

I finally had a brief dry moment to do a decent speedrun attempt with the flier esc. And it didn't, halfway the esc just cut out and died (no more beeping) I definitely didnt hit it's 300A limit yet, nor ran it too hot (61C) I don't smell anything burned and i can still access the firmware, so i guess i'll have to open it all up and see. It had a tough boating life, so could be some corrosion

Oof that's spooky.
I'm throwing money at my Baja atm so during my 1/8th downtime the updates are really appreciated.

 

[rotauq]

not much to see other than some solder gone fluid on a rail:

I fear it's a goner

 

[Twitchfast]

not much to see other than some solder gone fluid on a rail:

View attachment 103319

I fear it's a goner

I know that pain, though my XLX blew 8 fets... Coincidentally that happens to equal one phase.
If it's under warranty, that'll be interesting to see how it pans out.
Speaking of warranty, my XLX has landed with Castle's reception, now to wait :T though they refuse to upgrade me to an XLX2, would've happily paid extra on top of the dead XLX..

 

[jondilly1974]

I know that pain, though my XLX blew 8 fets... Coincidentally that happens to equal one phase.
If it's under warranty, that'll be interesting to see how it pans out.
Speaking of warranty, my XLX has landed with Castle's reception, now to wait :T though they refuse to upgrade me to an XLX2, would've happily paid extra on top of the dead XLX..

You have to wait 90 days after product launch to trade in on a new item. They allowed me to trade up my MM2R for an MMX8S but it had to sit there waiting for the deadline to pass.

 

[Twitchfast]

You have to wait 90 days after product launch to trade in on a new item. They allowed me to trade up my MM2R for an MMX8S but it had to sit there waiting for the deadline to pass.

Silly question but had you already sent the MM2R off and they simply held it until that deadline had passed?
If so, I'm in luck, otherwise I'm screwed lol

 

[jondilly1974]

Silly question but had you already sent the MM2R off and they simply held it until that deadline had passed?
If so, I'm in luck, otherwise I'm screwed lol

Yes exactly. I emailed them to ask about the upgrade and they said I would have to wait for the clock to run out. They said they would hold on to the defective unit until then. They charged me the difference and shipped it the day they were able to.

 

[Twitchfast]

Yes exactly. I emailed them to ask about the upgrade and they said I would have to wait for the clock to run out. They said they would hold on to the defective unit until then. They charged me the difference and shipped it the day they were able to.

Cheers, I suppose I'll have to wait 90 days or so, I'd rather save money if I can.

 

[rotauq]

Supposing there will be XLX2 in stock by then... I ordered one on launchday and it has not been shipped out yet

 

[Twitchfast]

At this rate I'd rather avoid Castle, zero communication and I was invoiced $153 for a replacement XLX which is of no use to me if I can't trust it to not blow a phase.
MGM for my Baja and Alien for my Typhon I guess.

Oh and while I remember, they quoted me 6 months to upgrade it to an XLX2, not 90 days