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Author Topic: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?  (Read 18762 times)

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MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« on: February 22, 2012, 11:36:57 am »

I just bought two Mtroniks microViper Marine-10 ESCs, new from Mtroniks. These are my first ESCs.

After setup, I get this behaviour:
 - Stick full forwards = full throttle forwards.
 - Stick centre = neutral.
 - Stick 3/4 back = full throttle backwards.
 - Stick full back = motor stops.

It's the last bit - motor stopped when stick full back - that bothers me. Why does it do that? Both Vipers behave the same.

Tx is Twister R/C, Rx is Planet R6M. The Tx is in Mode-2 A/C-Type, with no custom curves or mixes. An ordinary servo on the throttle channel works fine.
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bikerdude666

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2012, 12:36:38 pm »

I just bought two Mtroniks microViper Marine-10 ESCs, new from Mtroniks. These are my first ESCs.

After setup, I get this behaviour:
 - Stick full forwards = full throttle forwards.
 - Stick centre = neutral.
 - Stick 3/4 back = full throttle backwards.
 - Stick full back = motor stops.

It's the last bit - motor stopped when stick full back - that bothers me. Why does it do that? Both Vipers behave the same.

Tx is Twister R/C, Rx is Planet R6M. The Tx is in Mode-2 A/C-Type, with no custom curves or mixes. An ordinary servo on the throttle channel works fine.

I've not used microvipers, but all my ESC's are Mtroniks and I don't have this problem on any of them. Did you buy them direct from Mtroniks? if so I'd contact them as they will take return delivery of them and have a look at them, they fixed a couple of marine 20's for me a while back.
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dreadnought72

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2012, 12:39:22 pm »

You say after setup - do you mean the ESC set-up? (Which surely sets the full range of the stick/incoming proportional signal from full forward, neutral, full reverse)

Andy
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The long Build

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2012, 12:57:50 pm »

I would find it quite surprising if it was a fault if both of them do it..

Email /  Phone them they are very helpful. I had a similar prob with 2 new 25's It was my error in the end.. :-))
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Random

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2012, 01:03:24 pm »

Yes, I mean after the ESC setup.

I did contact Mtroniks.
First reply - very fast - was that my Tx was set up wrongly. But apart from changing to Mode2 it was at factory defaults.
Second reply - equally fast - was that I needed to reverse the throttle direction. Which I did and it just made the motor stop at the other end of stick-travel instead. No (useful) change there.
Since then, not a bean heard from them. Maybe they're thinking about it.

I have since found that if I reduce the throttle throw on the Tx (by adjusting the throttle curve so it only goes from 20% minimum to 80% maximum), then the ESCs work as I expect them to. But why should I have to do that? The servo's work fine with full-throw output. Why not the ESC?

Both units were from their "ex-demo" sale range, which claims to be items which have been randomly taken off the production line to test quality. In which case they've already been tested by Mtroniks so it's unlikely they're faulty. Anyway, two units with the same fault...?

Reckon I'll send them back for refund. They don't seem to be able to cope with full-deflection Tx output.

They are also a nightmare to set up on a R6M Rx, because you have only 2 secs after power-on to enter the ESC's setup mode. But the Rx won't have locked to the Tx by then. So when you enter ESC setup, the Rx is sending fail-safe min-throttle to the ESC, which confuses the setup as it expects the stick to be at neutral. The only way round it is to power the Rx by a separate battery temporarily during setup. Which means disconnecting the ESC's red lead during setup and reconnecting it afterwards. An all-round pain.

So what should I get instead?
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chingdevil

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2012, 01:04:26 pm »

I have only recently used 2 microviper 10amp esc's and I had the same problem in forward, if I set them up as recommneded by them. If I do not press the button to teach and leave them as they are they are ok. As the model they are in is only going to be going slow, I am not bothered they work fine. My set up is a Planet 2.4ghz tx with a 4 channel rx.

Brian
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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2012, 01:07:48 pm »

@ The Long Build:

Wonder if you could explain what the solution was, with your 25's? If it's similar, maybe I'm making the same mistake.
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dreadnought72

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2012, 01:15:45 pm »

They are also a nightmare to set up on a R6M Rx, because you have only 2 secs after power-on to enter the ESC's setup mode. But the Rx won't have locked to the Tx by then. So when you enter ESC setup, the Rx is sending fail-safe min-throttle to the ESC, which confuses the setup as it expects the stick to be at neutral. The only way round it is to power the Rx by a separate battery temporarily during setup. Which means disconnecting the ESC's red lead during setup and reconnecting it afterwards. An all-round pain.

Hang on a sec - the ESCs have a power switch. Why not switch the tx and rx on, let them bind/think about things/have a cuppa, then turn on the power to one ESC at a time and set them? The procedue seems straightforward enough. If they're like the Marine 15s they'll remember they're settings for next time.

Andy
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Rex Hunt

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2012, 01:16:54 pm »

@ The Long Build:

Wonder if you could explain what the solution was, with your 25's? If it's similar, maybe I'm making the same mistake.

And me!

Mine were bought over a year ago and I cannot find the receipt {:-{ otherwise they would be going back for a refund.
One works ok, the second is exactly as above.....both run from a Robbe(Futaba) F14 Navy, and with identical 'set up'.
No fancy computer control to possibly 'mess things up'!
Cure so far.....replace with different make....   Aaah, thats better!

Rex
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sailorboy61

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2012, 01:19:51 pm »

And me!
mine were bought over a year ago and I cannot find the reciept.
otherwise they would be going back for a refund.
1 works ok
the second is exactly as above.....both run from a Robbe(Futaba) F14 Navy, and with identical 'set up'.
Rex

My experience of Mtroniks is that if the ESC is faulty, they will replace it regardless of receipt etc - gotta be worth an email to them to check?
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The long Build

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2012, 01:21:09 pm »

I tended to go for the randaom approch technique..

But what I remember was that I turned off both rx and tx, then turned tx back on then rx, doing the useal set up, however this seemed to go straight to full throttle , so I then disconected the motor pressed the button to get red/green flashing lights, then full throttle forward 2seconds - nuetral - then reverse 2seconds , pluged motor back in and it seemed ok..

I am using one of the 2.4 from Howes that they sell for £ 35.00 can not remember the name..
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Subculture

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2012, 01:27:56 pm »

Mtroniks ESC's carry a 24 month warranty. but have you tried recalibrating the controller? Simple enough to do, and it may be your problem.

http://www.mtroniks.net/resources/uViperMarineInstructionManual.jpg
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Netleyned

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2012, 01:35:29 pm »

I find that turning on the TX waggling the throttle up and down a few times and then turning on th RX and pressing the setup button
on the esc seems to do the trick with radiolink or planet radios that seem to have a built in failsafe for aircraft
It seems to be an anomaly with MTronics.

Ned
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triumphjon

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2012, 01:36:48 pm »

glad its not just me , ive had exactly the same issues last night , my set up being ;- planet 2.4 ghz tx / rx , a sail arm servo & a standard servo for rudder , and the mtroniks marine 20 esc ( fused at 15A ) set the esc as per instructions , yet when my tx stick is moved to full ahead it cuts out just before full is acheived !  jon
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The long Build

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2012, 01:45:20 pm »

I find that turning on the TX waggling the throttle up and down a few times and then turning on th RX and pressing the setup button
on the esc seems to do the trick with radiolink or planet radios that seem to have a built in failsafe for aircraft
It seems to be an anomaly with MTronics.

Ned

that was the set "Radiolink"

And yes that method has worked for me as well..  :}
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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2012, 01:49:57 pm »

@dreadnought42

Good idea, but the ESC has a BEC which powers-up the Rx when the ESC is turned on. So (as I did describe) I installed a temporary separate power supply for the Rx to do the ESC setup. But that means I have to disconnect the BEC first by extracting the red cable from the ESC's 3-wire lead, and then reinstall it after. Imagine trying to do that in the field, if you need to re-do the setup because, say, you've accidentally pressed the setup button at the wrong time.
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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #16 on: February 22, 2012, 01:52:25 pm »

@ netleyned

Yes, it is a good idea to move the Tx sticks before turning on the ESC for setup. As you say, some modern Tx's move the controls to a fail-safe position until you move a stick.
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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2012, 02:32:08 pm »

In the space of 3 hours two other Mtroniks customers have already reported the same problem on this thread. So it would be surprising if Mtroniks had not before encountered the issue. But they just gave me a bit of a run-around and told me it was my Tx setup. So now I don't know whether to risk going through the same hassle by asking for replacements. Probably should just get a refund and shop elsewhere.

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bikerdude666

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2012, 02:43:16 pm »

Typically after saying I've not had that problem, I've just been playing around with another 'project' and I've experienced the same problem, did the set up, and then pushed the stick full forward and it shut down just short of full power, but reverse was fine, switched the motor wires round and I had the same problem but in reverse. It's a new ESC (was a present for christmas) but I've not had a problem like this before. Only problem I've had before is that after setting up an ESC there was still no speed control, just on and off.

I'll email them about this aswell, maybe if they get enough emails about it they'll look into it more...
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Subculture

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2012, 03:36:26 pm »

I use Microgyros esc's for brushed motors, never had any problems with them at all.
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Patrick Henry

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2012, 04:35:58 pm »

I've never had a problem with Mtroniks esc's (touch wood), every one has worked exactly as it says on the tin.

My only gripe with most ecs, be them made by Mtroniks or Microgyros or whoever is the thickness of wire the manufactures fit them with. It's not too bad in a boat with plenty of room in the engine bay, but in the confines of a wtc or a radio box in a sub, trying to persuade those heavy duty cables to go where you want them to go and not where they want to go can lead to a fair amount of strong language.



Rich
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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2012, 05:03:47 pm »

If that's a problem, just trim the wires back near the controller and join in some thinner gauge wire. Manufacturers are going to put wire on that allows the user to get maximum potential out of the controller, so if you buy a 25A controller, the wires have got to be able to carry that plus a bit extra without any significant resistance.
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LarryW

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #22 on: February 22, 2012, 05:28:08 pm »

         
        action is /   to buy ACTION  no problems  :-))     Larry...
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irishcarguy

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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #23 on: February 22, 2012, 06:25:22 pm »

I agree with you Larry, Dave makes very neat stuff no fuss, it just works as designed. Some companies expect you to be an electronics engineer to operate their products. They forget once bitten twice shy, I for one do not need that kind of headache. Good warranty is nice but the best warranty is the warranty you never have to use. Mick B.
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Re: MTroniks ESC - Should it do this?
« Reply #24 on: February 22, 2012, 07:07:07 pm »

I have noticed with Mtronics that if the speed signal goes out of the expected range (i.e. more than full speed due to operation of the trim slider), rather than just agree that you want full speed, it will assume that there is an invalid signal, and play safe by switching off. 
Trying to do a setup with a servo reverse thrown on the TX really does confuse the ESC logic.
Deliberately hitting the setup button withing the 2 seconds is a minor achievement, accidentally hitting it at the inappropriate time would be a miracle, even if not a nice one.
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