Notorious Thermal shutdown or low voltage cutoff

[Notorious J]

Forgive my ignorance, as I can't find the specific answer I'm looking for. How do you know if the truck stops because of lvc or because of thermal shutdown? My last few bashes, I thought I was reaching lvc, as the truck slowed down, then came to a stop a few moments later. Didn't have my temp gun or my voltage tester. Walked back to my car, changed the batteries, then motored on until I broke something. When the truck stopped the first time, I popped off the body, and the esc had a slow red flashing led. Once I put the new batteries in, I just continued on. So I'm wondering, did it cool down enough while I changed the batteries, or did I reach lvc, and the new batteries fixed the problem? When I got home, I checked the batteries, and they were at about 3.6 volts. We know that the cut off on the blx 185 is 3.2, but I've heard that it can shut down sooner if the esc has a sharp spike. I just want to know if the problem is thermal, as the fan on the esc works fine, and I wouldn't know how to remedy the problem, accept to stop and let it cool down. Today's run was mostly jumping, with sprints back towards the ramps after each jump. It was in a grassy area, but nothing overgrown. Thanks in advance, if you have an answer to my question.

 

[nino]

Sounds like LVC.
Voltage drops under load, so a sitting 3.6 battery can drop to 3.2 once you punch it.
I think they'll also bounce back a bit, so by the time you got home the voltage was likely a bit higher than right after you took them out of the truck.

 

[CL-Audio]

Yeah, by the time I get batteries back on the charger to store I never see them at 3.2 usually around 3.6. It was making me wonder if my lvc was set to high.

 

[BigBassBrent]

I noticed that when the lvc comes on, the vehicle goes into limp (low power) mode which allows you to still run at reduced speed. When thermal protection comes on, the vehicle can no longer be driven at all, it stops. I learned this on my kraton because my fan broke and I kept going into thermal shutdown until I found the problem.

 

[Typhon6smax]

Forgive my ignorance, as I can't find the specific answer I'm looking for. How do you know if the truck stops because of lvc or because of thermal shutdown? My last few bashes, I thought I was reaching lvc, as the truck slowed down, then came to a stop a few moments later. Didn't have my temp gun or my voltage tester. Walked back to my car, changed the batteries, then motored on until I broke something. When the truck stopped the first time, I popped off the body, and the esc had a slow red flashing led. Once I put the new batteries in, I just continued on. So I'm wondering, did it cool down enough while I changed the batteries, or did I reach lvc, and the new batteries fixed the problem? When I got home, I checked the batteries, and they were at about 3.6 volts. We know that the cut off on the blx 185 is 3.2, but I've heard that it can shut down sooner if the esc has a sharp spike. I just want to know if the problem is thermal, as the fan on the esc works fine, and I wouldn't know how to remedy the problem, accept to stop and let it cool down. Today's run was mostly jumping, with sprints back towards the ramps after each jump. It was in a grassy area, but nothing overgrown. Thanks in advance, if you have an answer to my question.

I don't know the term thermal shutdown. I guess it is a sort of cutout before the electronics get too hot? I'm kind of new to the electronic rc world ? Started with a 1/5th scale petrol powered car. Since a month i also have a 6s Typhon

 

[Notorious J]

I noticed that when the lvc comes on, the vehicle goes into limp (low power) mode which allows you to still run at reduced speed. When thermal protection comes on, the vehicle can no longer be driven at all, it stops. I learned this on my kraton because my fan broke and I kept going into thermal shutdown until I found the problem.

That was the case for me too, but I want to rule out the thermal issue. I switched to a 14 tooth pinion yesterday, and was hauling a$$ through the grass while out jumping. Likely it was lvc, and I'll be more aware of run time on my next outing. Thanks for all who took the time to contribute.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

Like Th others i’m Going with LVC too. I love LVC and I’m always very happy when it cuts in....ecstatic in fact as it means I got through at least one session without doing something stupid and breaking my car?

 

[Notorious J]

I don't know the term thermal shutdown. I guess it is a sort of cutout before the electronics get too hot? I'm kind of new to the electronic rc world ? Started with a 1/5th scale petrol powered car. Since a month i also have a 6s Typhon

Most esc's, have built in fail safes to make sure you don't run your batteries to low, lvc or low voltage cut off, and a thermal protection that shuts down the esc if it reaches a certain temperature. I have to start taking my temp gun with me, now that it's warming up outside. Heat is the enemy when it comes to rc electronics, and monitoring it needs to become a priority if you want your motor and esc to last.

 

[CL-Audio]

Most esc's, have built in fail safes to make sure you don't run your batteries to low, lvc or low voltage cut off, and a thermal protection that shuts down the esc if it reaches a certain temperature. I have to start taking my temp gun with me, now that it's warming up outside. Heat is the enemy when it comes to rc electronics, and monitoring it needs to become a priority if you want your motor and esc to last.

TBH my thought is that is what the thermal and lvc protections are for. So I don't have to carry around a temp gun.

 

[bicketybam]

I usually don't get to either ?

 

[nino]

Thermal protection doesn't work on the motor... That's the reason you might wanna check it with a temp gun.

 

[Notorious J]

Thermal protection doesn't work on the motor... That's the reason you might wanna check it with a temp gun.

Exactly. If your esc thermals, chances are your motor got way too hot as well. As it really starts to warm up outside, stopping every 10 minutes or so to check temps would probably save us from some nasty headaches down the road.

 

[WTF MIKE]

I had the same problem it’s definitely the battery dropping under load. When it was happening to me I put a tester on right away and a couple of cells were at 3.2 but by the time I got home to charge they were anywhere from 3.5-3.6 volts

 

[Notorious J]

I had the same problem it’s definitely the battery dropping under load. When it was happening to me I put a tester on right away and a couple of cells were at 3.2 but by the time I got home to charge they were anywhere from 3.5-3.6 volts

My tester found a place in the tool box I take with me when I run. Not sure why I hadn't just put it in there before, but I'll be checking from here on in.

 

[Johnny Polpetta]

Are your batteries new? Because I had a similar experience with one of my Losi SCTE's batteries once: the truck started slowing down and then came to a stop like the cut off had just been activated, but then at home I found out the battery still had roughly 3,5-3,6 volts per cell. A few days after that, while using that same battery, the truck started behaving weirdly: whenever i would put it under stress, the lvc would stop it as if the battery was drained, but then it would start running again after a few seconds like nothing had happened.
If the batteries are a bit old and tired, it can happen that they don't hold a continuous burst of discharge: a spike of power can momentarily drain them and lower their voltage enough to trigger the lvc, but then the voltage goes back up once they have had the time to rest

 

[BashingKiller]

thermal protection does not replace a temperature gun. the thermal cutoff on hobbywing escs is over 200f which is not enough to kill it if it happens once but it does do a number on it. if you hit cutoff too many times expect some smoke in your future. its just not meant to get that hot that many times.

 

[Notorious J]

Are your batteries new? Because I had a similar experience with one of my Losi SCTE's batteries once: the truck started slowing down and then came to a stop like the cut off had just been activated, but then at home I found out the battery still had roughly 3,5-3,6 volts per cell. A few days after that, while using that same battery, the truck started behaving weirdly: whenever i would put it under stress, the lvc would stop it as if the battery was drained, but then it would start running again after a few seconds like nothing had happened.
If the batteries are a bit old and tired, it can happen that they don't hold a continuous burst of discharge: a spike of power can momentarily drain them and lower their voltage enough to trigger the lvc, but then the voltage goes back up once they have had the time to rest

The batteries that were in the truck at the time, are my newer pair of gensacearespammers 5000 mAh 50c 3s. I just watched the video of when it happened, and the truck slowed down for about 30 to 40 feet of driving, before it came to a stop. My guess is that it was lvc. My original question relates to the led status on the esc, and the slow flashing red light. I think it's just a shutdown code, as I believe it does the same thing when you turn on the esc before the radio. I'll be paying way more attention during the next run.