toto Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Just checked .... all at 97 - 98% apart from one which is at 92%. I have topped up the latter. all set. toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Me too Ron - my charger is set to 4.19v/cell. If Toto's batteries are anywhere north if 4.10v/cull they should be fine - he's going to get a shorter flight anyway in these cold conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 12 Author Share Posted January 12 Missed your threads in the crossfire gents. As I keep saying ( but not yet done ) I need to get my head around a proper battery management regime. I will take the time soon .... so be prepared for the influx of questions when the time arrives. toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 (edited) Do not get paranoid about the charge in the batteries and don’t bother to top them up. Equally don’t run them lower than 20%. Set the charger to put in a max of 4.19v per cell and no more than 1C (so a 4000 mAh battery, 4a). Edited January 12 by Ron Gray 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Ron meant 4.19v/cell, don't run them down lower than 3.6v/cell and don't charge at higher than 1C = 4 amps. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Harris Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 12 hours ago, Jon - Laser Engines said: As i explained in my post, that was not the purpose of it. Have another read. I know it is not the purpose. I just don't like game playing. If I ask someone if they have kicked the tyres, I expect them to give me an honest answer. I don't expect to have to check again myself "because I'm a learner". And as for "sabotaging the buddy box"! Don't take up a job as a driving instructor, Jon!🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Harris Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 2 hours ago, Ron Gray said: Do not get paranoid about the charge in the batteries and don’t bother to top them up. Equally don’t run them lower than 20%. Set the charger to put in a max of 4.19v per cell and no more than 1C (so a 4000 mAh battery, 4a). I think people get a bit precious about Lipos. I take reasonable care about storage and charging, but I have two new 2200 3s 35cs that run out of puff at 6 mins, yet I have two 3-year-old similar lipos that outperform them. I appreciate people are more concerned if they are flying expensive models and want peak performance, but at my level (average club member flying a foamie) a 5-minute flight is enough, and a dead-stick is quick entertaining anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 I would call myself a bit of a heathen when it comes to LiPos - I charge them, fly, repeat; I very rarely put into storage mode - typically when I have LiPos but no suitable model! However, I try to avoid running them down so the LVC comes into play - if the performance starts to wane, I land. Why bother to introduce the lottery of a dead stick, and damaged LiPos, for a few extra seconds of flight? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 Well ....... the long awaited flying report. Two flights in ........ generally better than last weekend and hardly any mix ups with left and right coming out of turns. Circuits a bit better and some practice of approaches for landings. Some low passes of the runway which went ok as well. I was given the opportunity to land and I was approaching fine and losing altitude but maybe a bit too soon so the instructor took over at that point. The battery was well down by this time so he took over the landing rather than risk another circuit to give me an other opportunity. Never mind there will be other chances. By rights, I would have had another two flights to attempt tp achive the landing but ...... that's where today's success story end because after I had a coffee after the second flight, I was plugging in the battery to commence flight number 3 when .......... poof .......... I had a visit from the magic smoke. My ESC has malfunctioned and the smoke came belching out. I immediately disconnected the battery and switched off the transmitter whilst we investigated. No o virus physical damage to the ESC and no apparent heat coming from it. After 5 mi Utes or so, I reconnected another fresh battery, this time no smoke but when you tried to activate the throttle the prop moved but with a judder. A bit like the issue I had previously with another 60amp Overlander ESC straight out of the packet. So ...... tonight I shall fit another spare 60amp ESC that I have in the shed and see where that takes me. The whole system was previously checked with a Watt Meter on installation and all readings were satisfactory for the equipment used. I'm sure they were posted up on the Domino thread when I undertook the test. I'll go over the new ESC installation with the watt meter when I do the I stall later tonight. Apart from that ..... two decent flights and moving further towards my first landing. Cheers Toto 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 What I'd call a bit of a curate's egg of a day - two successful flights, but then an as yet unexplained equipment failure. It'll be a case of methodically working through the possible causes for that failure, in due course. Are you going again tomorrow Toto? Forecast doesn't look too bad for the morning at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 Hi Leccy, I asked about tomorrow but it's a no unfortunately. Boooooooo. I bit gutted about the magic smoke as things were warming up to be a good day I think. I could easily have changed the ESC out and still had 4 available batteries but unfortunately it's not to be. I need to start digging into what has caused the ESC to pack in although I suspect it's the ESC itself. Toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 (edited) Toto No chance of a even a instant reversed battery connection? That will fry an ESC instantly. If remove the shrink wrap and the heat sink off the ESC you will likely find one of the Mosfets will have a mark on it where it "blew" internally and released smoke. Just for curiosity. There is nothing you can do about it. Edited January 13 by Simon Chaddock 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 13 Author Share Posted January 13 (edited) I dont suppose opening the ESC to find out would do any harm as it's already toast and I don't fancy my chances of any replacement under warranty. I can't see it being a reversed battery connection as it can only fit one way. I'll give it a go. Toto Edited January 13 by toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Have a good look at the ESC to motor connections. If you’re really lucky it could just be one of these that”s failed 🤞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 If you soldered any battery connections, check the polarity. ESCs often fail because of reversed polarity, or exceeding the current rating. If you've had 2 fail where this is not the case, I think you should speak to the vendor as 2 failing seems pretty poor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 (edited) Hi Grumpy, As far as reversed polarity goes, once I have installed an ESC and its proven that the connection from ESC to motor is correct, its left permanently in place. The Battery leads can only go in one way ( blue EC 5 connection ) so it's highly unlikely that anything is to blame there. The current draw was tested on a Watt meter and was well within its limitations. I'd need to check the Domino post for exact figures but from memory was about 39 Amps under full throttle loading. I'm not sure if I am going to bother going back to Kings Lynne Models on this as I dont think that will bare much fruit and will just eat into my time and incur further costs through postage. I think I will install a new replacement which I am sure I have in stock and see what the results are, double checking under a Watt meter test again. I think I can safely say that I will be avoiding Overlander ESC's for now though as it's been an expensive mistake so far. What ESC's ( 60A ) do others use ? Toto Edited January 14 by toto 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidan mcatamney Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I have Castle Creations in both my Meridian and T-28 Trojan. Very reliable these are Toto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Thanks Aidan, I'll have a look at them. I'm sure I have a further 2 x overlander 60 amp ESC's in stock, I will use them but get this horrible feeling that they are maybe part of a batch as they came from the same vendor. I also have 40A versions. It true what they say about having all your eggs in one basket. .... very risky unless you like omelettes. I have started to mix battery types as well .... just in case as they are so expensive to replace. Also why I am determined to I prove my battery management as part of an ongoing management regime. Thanks for your suggestion. Toto 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Toto The only other possibility I can think of is the ESC over heating. A reputable ESC should have overheat protection which will halve the power going through it until it has cooled sufficiently. Without such protection a MOSFET will over heat and fail in the normal way. ESCs do generate some heat and they are usually wrapped in nice insulating shrink wrap! Note the high amp ESCs tend to have a finned heat sink that is not covered with shrink wrap. I try to make absolutely sure the ESC has sufficient airflow directly over it or its heat sink. Maybe a bit overkill but for this 40A ESC I removed the shrink wrap and the flat heat sink. Replacing it with a finned one tied down with nylon line. It does not get even warm in flight.😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 You could have a very valid point there Simon. My ESC is crammed into the battery compartment and sits between the battery and the upper fuselage cover. I think I will look to see if there is any way to move it furthe back or forward into the motor bay where it would have more access to decent ventilation. ...... a very good call I think.....I'll post up photos to explain this later today ..... doggie sitting at the moment. Cheers Toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I don't think it's an overheating problem as you said your esc let the smoke out on connection. If you're using 6s lipo you might want to fit anti-spark connectors, not sure if having sparks wrecks ESC's though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Having cooling for the ESC is good practice, but as it went 'pooof' when plugging in a battery after cooling off whilst toto drank coffee then it's unlikey to he an overheating, or too high an amps issue........ Back to: a) reversed polarity - are connections the correct polarity? I mean soldered on incorrectly, not plugged in incorrectly b) manufacturing fault c) too much voltage (unlikely) In years of use, and thousand of flights, I've only had the magic escape let out twice - one when I crashed, and one that just failed in flight resulting in a total loss. If 2 ESCs have failed in totos short flying career is very unlucky if there hage been 2 manufacturing issues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Sparks maybe a good shout...... never having any more than 4s LiPos 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Hi Outrunner, Its 4s lipos thatnare in use on this model. Admittedly though ..... for the purposes of avoiding any other potential issues ... and going forward ..... my ESC is virtually sandwiched between my battery and fuselage hatch which, maybe not at blame here, probably is not good anyway. Cheers Toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Hi Grumpy, So going forward ..... some kind of connection with spark arresters. All good stuff but it's the usual ..... unless you know the actual cause.... it's hard to guard against it. ..... such is the hobby .... Toto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.