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View Full Version : FASTech Smoked ESC!



tomstoys2
08-31-2009, 02:10 PM
Has anyone blown up the stock ESC in thier FASTech? I puchased one in June. Ran all summer using 2 -4200 2S MaxAmp 35C with tock set up. Not racing, just sport run. Having a ball with it all summer untill Friday. Calm water, running short burst at full speed. Programmed speed controler with Low timing. After about 15 min it just stopped running about 100 yards off shore. I was monitoring the water cooling and it was always coming out. As soon as it stopped responding it started smokin' like a cheep cigar. Franticly swam out to it to find the ESC ready to burst into flames. I thought it was the Lipos but they were fine. Melted the top of the radio box and the entire box was black with smoke. All the wires going the the ESC are melted and the Cap burned right off.

Any thoughts? My wife won't even let me put the boat in the garage it smells so bad. I'm sure if I replaced the ESC and radio box everything will work but I can't deal with the smell. Does anyone think Horizon will concider this a defect and replace it? Anyone have this happen?
Thanks
Tom

domwilson
08-31-2009, 02:16 PM
It won't hurt to contact them. They are pretty helpful.

tomstoys2
09-02-2009, 01:54 PM
Got email from Horizon today:
"Thanks for your recent email. We do not offer a non warranty repair service. You may want to check with your local hobbystore, they may offer a repair service."

Guess I'll be smelling smoke for a while.

Darin Jordan
09-02-2009, 01:58 PM
I have been racing with ProBoat ESCs all season, and yes, I have lost a couple of them... One that I KNOW was due to just pushing it too hard... (80+amps continuous) and the other was a used one that I'm pretty sure was bad when I got it...

It happens... Especially if you are running for 15-minutes at a shot! That's a LONG time... so depending on your prop, etc... you may have just overdone it...

tomstoys2
09-02-2009, 02:06 PM
Thanks Darin,
Not so bummed about replacing the speed controller as I know things happen, as to the mess it made in the radio box. Someone suggested switching to the Aquacraft 60 amp one. Any thoughts?
Taking the boat to the hobby shop I got it from tonight to see what they say.

Darin Jordan
09-02-2009, 02:09 PM
Thanks Darin,
Not so bummed about replacing the speed controller as I know things happen, as to the mess it made in the radio box. Someone suggested switching to the Aquacraft 60 amp one. Any thoughts?
Taking the boat to the hobby shop I got it from tonight to see what they say.

Honestly, it's VERY rare for the ProBoat ESC to fail... I've run then in races under loads they should NOT have been handling and they seem to hold up... on borrowed time, no doubt...

The nice thing about the ProBoat setup is that you can make programming changes to it if you need to.

domwilson
09-02-2009, 02:51 PM
I would call again if you just bought this in June, 2009. According the warranty, they do offer out of warranty service "not to exceed 50% of the total cost."

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Support.aspx?ProdID=PRB3750

You may just have contacted the wrong person.