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Author Topic: Phoenix 45 not working  (Read 1278 times)

Offline Robertc

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Phoenix 45 not working
« on: January 17, 2010, 02:56:40 PM »
While flying my Desperado yesterday, I heard a pop and the motor slowly stopped. (of course I was inverted)
It's the esc.  Have put in another Phoenix 45 and all is well with motor,  battery and timer.  The bad
esc flashes a red light continuously.  Any ideas what  went wrong?

Robert C
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Offline Crist Rigotti

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2010, 03:04:39 PM »
Any possibility of 2 of the motor leads touching each other and thus blowing out your ESC?
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Offline Igor Burger

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2010, 03:07:49 PM »
or disconnected - it can also cause burning ... guess how I know  ~^
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Alan Hahn

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2010, 05:56:29 PM »
Well since a new one is working fine, my guess is something in the ESC just failed. I'd contact Castle Creations and arrange for a fix. Assuming you do that, try to get them to tell you what happened.

I wouldn't think that you are pulling too much current.
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Offline Dean Pappas

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2010, 09:07:34 PM »
Quote from: Igor Burger on January 17, 2010, 03:07:49 PM
or disconnected - it can also cause burning ... guess how I know  ~^

Hi Igor.
I'll bet it was the same way I did, though I found out at 85 amps and while holding a tachometer close behind the prop. I sure can jump like when I was younger when sufficiently motivated LL~
Dean P.
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Online Dennis Toth

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2010, 06:47:44 AM »
Guys,

I have also had a problem with my Phoenix 45 losing output. I did not lose complete power but about 25%. This particular ESC has been in 4 situations that has stop the motor completely and one prop strike were it kept going (with a piece of prop gone). After the third complete stop it seemed like it was down a little but after the prop strike (at KOI on Saturday) it lost about 1/4 power. Is there any way of testing the ESC from Castle Link to see if something changed?

Best,                  DennisT
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Alan Hahn

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2010, 08:22:27 AM »
Quote from: stuntguy13 on January 18, 2010, 06:47:44 AM
Guys,

I have also had a problem with my Phoenix 45 losing output. I did not lose complete power but about 25%. This particular ESC has been in 4 situations that has stop the motor completely and one prop strike were it kept going (with a piece of prop gone). After the third complete stop it seemed like it was down a little but after the prop strike (at KOI on Saturday) it lost about 1/4 power. Is there any way of testing the ESC from Castle Link to see if something changed?

Best,                  DennisT

My guess is that you are "popping" FET's. When you get a prop strike, the current really goes wild! Everytime you lose a FET, the ESC resistance increases. To make you lose 1/4 power, that resistance must be pretty high, so I don't know if that is your problem, but my advice is to pull it off and send it to Castle Creations.

I am not aware of any testing procedures except putting it on the bench and doing a test run. I would use the actual prop--because here you do want to put some stress on the setup--basically to make it fail--if it is going to fail. I am assuming that with your flying prop, the current will still be under 45A (or close). If it does fail, send it to CC! If it doesn't you are still stuck because I don't think you can really trust it anymore.
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Online Dennis Toth

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2010, 11:26:13 AM »
Alan,

I ran some back to back tests this morning first put on a known APC EP 12x5.6 and it pull 38 amps just as it had done in the past no problem. I then put on a MAS 12x5.6 3bld cut to 11 3/4" diameter this pulled 54 amps just as it did when I first tested it (this really has thrust just pulls to may amp). I then put on the last two blade flight prop an 11 1/2x 5.6 and full spinner it pulled 33.5 amps just as it did in the past. I can't test the wood prop we put on it at KOI because it got nicked on landing (very high gusty wind 18+ mph) ship ballooned a little and of coarse the prop had stopped straight up and down so a small piece got knocked off. Anyway I had to get a prop from a friend as I left the prop box on the work bench when I left. We did what we could to the wood prop but it might have been out of balance or was very under pitched (on the test run it only pulled 26 amps, should have told me something). My friend though it was a 6 pitch but the numbers were sanded and it wasn't clear what the pitch was marked. I just put it on the pitch gauge, mystry solved it is a 4 pitch no wonder it ran 6 sec lap.

OK with that solved I guess the only thing left is to fly it an see how it performs. One question should we be adjusting the current sensitivity limiter in the ESC to a lower setting? I have left it at the factory setting but after the prop strike am thinking a lower value might be better to save the ESC on these sort of impacts? Any thoughts?

Best,    DennisT

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Alan Hahn

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2010, 01:52:16 PM »
Dennis,
I have set mine at the "most sensitive" level, whatever that means. My ICE50 says it means 50A, but on my older Phoenix setups, it was a little vague.

Originally I set mine at "insensitive", worried that I didn't want the ESC to pull power right on an overhead. But now that I see I'm flying less than the ESC max (even with a Phoenix 35), I begin to think that maybe lowering the cutoffs to perhaps save a front end during a prop strike or an ESC during the same, was the smarter thing to do.

So I guess your "problem" can be attributed to "Things that happen at contests!". Like trying to fly your second pattern on the battery from the first flight! Now I keep discharged packs in a separate sack, and I also just bought a little "e-meter" that plugs into the balancing plug and gives me a readout voltage on each cell. Hopefully that will counteract contest "jitters".
\
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Online Dennis Toth

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2010, 04:17:47 PM »
Alan,

Thanks for the info on the sensitivity setting. I felt the same way about the setting but will try the lower setting.

I agree with the "things that only go wrong at a contest". The battery thing I keep them in an ammo box with separators to stand them on end. I put a small piece of green tape on the connector side and a red piece on the other end. Once I fly I put them in with the red end up. I do like the meter idea, where did you get it?

Best,               DennisT
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Alan Hahn

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Re: Phoenix 45 not working
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2010, 04:28:15 PM »
Quote from: stuntguy13 on January 18, 2010, 04:17:47 PM
Alan,

Thanks for the info on the sensitivity setting. I felt the same way about the setting but will try the lower setting.

I agree with the "things that only go wrong at a contest". The battery thing I keep them in an ammo box with separators to stand them on end. I put a small piece of green tape on the connector side and a red piece on the other end. Once I fly I put them in with the red end up. I do like the meter idea, where did you get it?

Best,               DennisT

I got mine from http://www.innov8tivedesigns.com/product_info.php?cPath=59&products_id=253 for $12 when I was ordering something else small (like connectors). It is pretty neat little device.
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