Castle Creations BEC failure x2

[DesignerDan]

I've had two castle creations bec's just fail when I plug them into a three cell lipo. I need one for an 8 cell airboat. I link up (two) three cell packs and (one) two cell pack for a total of 8 cells. I have the black wire of the bec tapping into the "Free" ground wire of the "8" cell pack. The positive wire goes to the postive of the three cell pack. I've been using the bec for a while now with this set up and no propblems. Then one day I have the free ground hooked up to the black wire on the esc and I then plugged the bec in, the black wire first, then the red wire.(like I always do) When I plugged in the red wire, I heard a loud spark and I smelled the burnt smell. The green light doesn't turn on nor does it power my radio. It does however, make the faint buzzing noise when plugged in. And when I plug it into the castle link it gets really hot. (the link) This didn't just happen once, it happened twice now. I used polarizied connectors and I triple checked all the connections BEFORE I connected them. I've already called Castle Creations about it and they said to send it in for repair. I have no problem with that. But I don't think these should be frying randomly opon connection. That doesn't seem like a quality product if you ask me. I really don't want to buy a third one, because I'll be really mad if that one fails also. Now I have to wait even longer for the record breaking speed run with this:
http://i43.tinypic.com/xfrkhh.jpg
Have you had this kind of thing happend before?

[properchopper]

I have three CC BEC's in my junk box ( along with two LV 240's). Two BEC's actually glitched and passed main battery voltage to the Rx , frying them. :mad:

[supafastsupra2]

had the same exact thing happen in my high speed run car's (3 different CC BEC's). Looks like the switching circuit fries and stays locked in closed circuit. My servo on on of my cars got to 150*F!

[crabstick]

Quality American made equipment right thar..

:flashfire:

[Doug Smock]

Cool looking project Dan. How about some video when you get this straightned out??

Doug

[exotica]

...as a rule I only use an external power pack to the RX regardless of how many cells im running. I never now rely on the BEC power supply from the CC ESC to the RX only the signal.

[exotica]

...I also have to add that after my first CC120a LV ESC smoked on the bench, I also contacted CC. They did request me to send it into them for repair. Now living in Australia I expected quite a few weeks delay in getting my ESC back.

FULL CREDIT has to go to Castle for having my ESC back to me within 5 days not even waiting for my smoked one to arrive on there door step or charging me for the new one. Obvioulsy there must be a certain run of the CC ESC's manufactured with some sort of fault but at least they are working with their customers at the highest level of customer service. I am only talking from my own experience with them.

[skater368]

I just bought an ice 100 to run 6 or 8 cell lipos. Anything I need to know when hooking this system up? Sick of frying hacker ecs's

[Xfactor]

Castles here we go again daggggggg!

[DesignerDan]

I'm sending both of them to Castle today. If anyone wants to see a video of that boat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBp4AdTNLpI
That's why I have that carbon fiber flap on the front. To keep it front flipping when I slow down. The servo for the flap is hooked up to the throttle channel. It's up when I'm slowing down and flat when I'm accelerating. I'm made a lot of changes to it and expecting it to go past 70mph. (once I get a new bec)

[Simon.O.]

BEC vs Rx Pack.
I have two new cats that are small 13" and 18" and these have an esc with bec output. I chose this system as there is not a lot of room for a Rx pack.

ALL of my other hulls which are a bit bigger run a RX pack.
Simple, the power from the RX pack is clean and I know it will be there when the main pack is spent. Fwiw my boats come in well before the main pack is low and the lvc in my boats is unemployed. The thermal cutout on the esc is well employed though !

Running an external bec that is a bit smaller than a 5xAAA Rx pack for me is not worth the hassle. The Rx pack can be moved from boat to boat for a mornings run of 4-6 hulls.

Use an external BEC if you must but please use one that is reliable !!

[Xfactor]

...as a rule I only use an external power pack to the RX regardless of how many cells im running. I never now rely on the BEC power supply from the CC ESC to the RX only the signal.
Thats a smart practice

[Xfactor]

...I also have to add that after my first CC120a LV ESC smoked on the bench, I also contacted CC. They did request me to send it into them for repair. Now living in Australia I expected quite a few weeks delay in getting my ESC back.

FULL CREDIT has to go to Castle for having my ESC back to me within 5 days not even waiting for my smoked one to arrive on there door step or charging me for the new one. Obvioulsy there must be a certain run of the CC ESC's manufactured with some sort of fault but at least they are working with their customers at the highest level of customer service. I am only talking from my own experience with them.
I guess so it seem they have ALOT of experience with rerturns eventually they will start losing money and what was free will start to cost trust me. They designed this new junk cause the old was working for the boat guys.OH and let me say this if this spray laquer im seeing on esc's is supposed to be conformal coating its a joke.That crap isnt water proof its water resistant u know what im saying. I was truly trying to find away to put my esc in the radio box and still have it be coool and breathe.

[ray schrauwen]

I'll buy a Castle when I need a warranty. If i want an ESC, i buy from China.

I've seen so many burnt up Castles its not funny anymore.

[motoxbob11]

YikesI have my brand new CC240 and castle BEC all set up and ready to start running next week but now I'm afraid to toss it in the water! Is there anyone out there who owns a CC BEC that DIDN'T fail?!?!

[BHChieftain]

YikesI have my brand new CC240 and castle BEC all set up and ready to start running next week but now I'm afraid to toss it in the water! Is there anyone out there who owns a CC BEC that DIDN'T fail?!?!

I was going to ask the same question... I have a 240 Hydra ESC running with a 4S1P setup with an external CC BEC (using main power packs as power source). So far so good... I have about 8-10 runs on it so far.

Would like to hear others who have not had a problem before I rip it out...

:Praying:

-Chief

[tiletony]

you have to remember most of the problems with castle stuff is the LV, whis is good up to 6s(that is what castle says) but it seems like when you runn 6s that is when the problems happen...just run 4 or 5s...4s to be safe should be ok..i have went through abour 5 hydras in the past yr or so..i like them for the programing but my etti has never failed me

[FighterCat57]

I have a CC240lv that hasn't failed yet!

Although, I've only done the software upgrade and calibrated it on the bench. Haven't hit the water with yet yet. Will let ya know.

PS- I have 4 V3 MMM's that are all using the BEC on 4s or 6s and doing well. But that's not the Hydra, so really don't know how useful that info is.
________
R16 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/BMW_R16)

[andym]

I run only 240lv on my 4s set ups and they have been very robust, I do use an rx battery and only on 4s but some of my set ups have had amp draw over 200 with no problems.

[Jeff Wohlt]

Does anything good come out of Kansas...LOL. Well Toto ended up here splattered on a building 40 years ago....LOL. Damn Jayhawks. where is CCs QC? I think that is pitiful.

Happy Saturday and Memorial weekend!

[FighterCat57]

I have a CC240lv that hasn't failed yet!

Although, I've only done the software upgrade and calibrated it on the bench. Haven't hit the water with yet yet. Will let ya know.

PS- I have 4 V3 MMM's that are all using the BEC on 4s or 6s and doing well. But that's not the Hydra, so really don't know how useful that info is.

Well, it made it for about 20 min on 3s. No trouble yet.

Have a UBEC on order... till then will stick with 3s/BEC.

Hmmm. I wonder how you turn the BEC off? I didn't see that as an option in the software... curious.
________
FORD 500 (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_500)

[video200]

been running my 240LV for 2 years now without a problem in a drifter S on 4s.
might add that it was a replacement for the first 240LV that blew up in the same boat but on 5S

[BHChieftain]

I was going to ask the same question... I have a 240 Hydra ESC running with a 4S1P setup with an external CC BEC (using main power packs as power source). So far so good... I have about 8-10 runs on it so far.

Would like to hear others who have not had a problem before I rip it out...

:Praying:

-Chief

I wanted to clarify that I'm talking about the CC UBEC, not the BEC that is internal to the CC Hydra ESC (which, on my 240A is limited to only 3S...)

-Chief