ESC(?) Issues - It won't arm.

[Chop]

Having problems with my SV27, IT WON’T GO!!!

Background:
Boat/charger & 3600 mah batteries were purchased used.
ESC makes two sounds a beep (longer duration) and a bip (short duration).
When I say “continuous beeps,” the sound is at about 1 second intervals.
I am using 6 cell battery packs.

***
First go round, stock Aquacraft SV27 radio…
One batt pack is already plugged in,
Turn the transmitter on,
Plug in other battery pack
As soon as the second battery is plugged in the servo turns hard, counter clockwise (if the bow is 12 o'clock) to turn the boat to the left. There is a low, slow, grinding sound, I think coming from the servo, noise continues until I unplug a battery pack.
There is some response when I try turning the rudder, servo tries to move, more in the same direction but seems “maxed out.” It will not turn clockwise

Also no movement on the prop when I try W.O.T. No beeps, or bips, nothing from the ESC either.

Swap radios and receiver, put in a Futaba T2PH

3600 mah batt’s,
One batt pack is already plugged in,
Turn transmitter on,
Plug in other battery pack
Continuous “beeps”
Pull trigger to W.O.T.
Continuous “bips”
Let go of trigger,
Continuous “beeps”
Unhook batteries and put them on the charger. They are only charged to about 5.5v. Three days ago they were fully charged.

Switch batteries,
These are 6 cell 4200 mah, charger tells me they are charged to about 8.3v.
One batt pack is already plugged in,
Turn transmitter on,
Plug in other battery pack
Continuous “beeps”
Pull trigger to W.O.T.
Continuous “beeps”
Let go of trigger,
Continuous “beeps”

One last try (after topping off the charge) with the 3600 mah batt’s,
Batteries are charged to precisely 7.2 volts (okay, one was charged to 7.184v the other to 7.865v
Turn transmitter on,
Plug in first battery pack,
Plug in other battery pack
Continuous “beeps”
Pull trigger to W.O.T., no change.
Turn transmitter off. About two minutes later the ESC beeps, turn Tx back on, pull to W.O.T. and get another “beep” let go of trigger and… nothing.

Never any movement from prop or rudder after Futaba radio is in place. This is what I would expect if it has not armed, but shouldn’t I get movement on the rudder?

The instruction manual (yes, I broke down and actually read it) does not have any “trouble shooting” help.

Tried the servo rev. sw., no change (just continuous “beeps”).
Tried the other Rev.Sw., get a single “bip” then nothing.

***
I put the Aquacraft SV27 radio in another boat and it works as it is supposed to – throttle/ rudder O.K.

Swap radios and receiver; put the SV27 radio back in the SV. With two channels and two positions on the servo reversing there are 4 possible combinations of settings. I try all 4 and the boat does absolutely nothing. No beeps, no arming of the ESC, no movement on the rudder.

I will be in and out for the next couple of days – so if you guys suggest something and I don’t respond right away, that’s why.

:confused2: Chop

[ice329]

At first it sounded like the throtle rev switch. Try turning the throtal adj knob all the way down to the left, then plug in both batterys, then turn on the controller. You should get one beep. If you get two (the brake is on) if you get one, then pull trigger and hold it till you get a beep then 5more. if that works you should be armed. If you get anything else do the same but switch the throtal rev switch and try again.

If you get two quick beeps the brakes are on. There is a thread someplace here that tells you how to take it off.

[Chop]

Try turning the throtal adj knob all the way down to the left, then plug in both batterys, then turn on the controller.
Throttle adj(?), is that the Throttle Trim? The Throttle Trim is turned all the way CCW (as looking from the top).

Plug the batteries in first? I thought it was the other way around, turn on the transmitter, then plug in the batteries.


If you get two quick beeps the brakes are on. There is a thread someplace here that tells you how to take it off.
This one?
http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?t=2259&highlight=SV+brakes

When the stock SV radio in installed, I get no beeps at all. I do get beeps when the other radio (the Futaba T2PH) is in it.

I guess that I should put the Futaba back in and try again. At least the ESC makes some noise… which makes no sense to me at all – why one radio does one thing, and the other, something different.

***
What is the D/R adjustment for?

['83 chevy]

The D/R is for the steering, it sets the travel left and right of the steering(gives it more or less steering throw).

The more I've been thinking about it, try plugging in both batteries while the TX is off, once they are both plugged in then turn the TX on.

Or try turning on the TX while the boat batteries are both unplugged, once the TX is on then plug in the boat batteries.

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what could be the problem.

[Chop]

The D/R is for the steering, it sets the travel left and right of the steering(gives it more or less steering throw)..
Thanks, I wondered about that.


The more I've been thinking about it, try plugging in both batteries while the TX is off, once they are both plugged in then turn the TX on. .
Tried that (just now), nothing.

I thought that I had read that, when you turn on the receiver, it looks for the strongest signal. That way, in the event that there is someone else using the same frequency it would grab the signal of your (closer) transmitter.


Or try turning on the TX while the boat batteries are both unplugged, once the TX is on then plug in the boat batteries. .
I've done that a few times too.

[Bill-SOCAL]

See if this helps:

http://www.aquacraftmodels.com/techsupport/aqub17tech.html

When using a non-stock radio what you need to do is turn on the TX, plug in the boat batteries, then lower the trim until the beeping stops. At that point you will then arm as normal. Pull full throttle, listen for the beep, then release and hear a couple more beeps. You are now good to go.

[ice329]

Like I said turn the throtal trim ccl, plug in the batterys, turn on the radio, one beep, pull trigger, one beep relese 5 beeps. Now if it dont work first try the throtal rev switch, if that dont work check to make sure you have the esc wire and servo leads in the correct slots. If that dont work try swaping one of the motor leads, just switch any two. If all this and it still dont work. call aquacraft.

also double check the crystals are the same in the radio and the reciever.

[ice329]

Its actually the motor that beeps not the ESC.

[Chop]

The crystal is O.K., I moved the SV's Rx into another boat and it works fine.

I will try that stuff a little later, I've got company right now.

Thanks for the help!

[Chop]

O.K. I am starting out with the stock, SV radio...
Freshly charged batteries.
Rudder plugged into slot 1, ESC into slot 2

Like I said turn the throtal trim ccl, plug in the batterys, turn on the radio, one beep, pull trigger, one beep relese 5 beeps.Turn things on as you described and I get no beeps at all


Now if it dont work first try the throtal rev switch, if that dont work check to make sure you have the esc wire and servo leads in the correct slots. This doesn't make a difference either


If that dont work try swaping one of the motor leads, just switch any two. Ditto above.

[ice329]

Your gonna have to prove every piece of equipment. The beeps come from the motor. Maybe your reciever, maybe your speed control. your just gonna have to systematically test every piece. Or send it to me....heheh G/L

[Chop]

O.K. I tried again tonight. This time I put the Futaba radio and receiver back in along with a freshly charged set of batteries.

Turn transmitter on,
Plug in first battery pack,
Plug in other battery pack
I get a single beep when the batts are plugged in.
Pull trigger to W.O.T., get another single beep, let go and get four rapid beeps.

I wait a few seconds and pull the trigger and the motor chirps (and you can feel it vibrate if you touch it) as if it is trying to turn, and then quits. I have turned the motor over by hand, so it is not binding.

Never do I get any movement from the rudder.

[Rex R]

hmm lets try something different. do you have availible a rx batt pack? if so, unplug the esc and plug in the rx pack just to see if the radio(&servo) is working when installed in the boat. if you now have rudder control then you can prolly safely eliminate the radio as the problem. I have heard of folks having issues w/ poor/bad motor connectors...

[fastbaltek]

my red and yellow wires are swapped to be able to run. dont know why....i tried to put the to normal but it made the motor run in reverse.

so its:

Motor/ESC
blue/blue
red/yellow
yellow/red

[Chop]

I won’t be able to work on it until tonight after work (@^$*! work!). I do not have a receiver pack and will probably pick one up on the way home. Seems like it could be a useful troubleshooting tool and something I might use if I try to run 14 cells.

I did switch two of the wires around on the motor and it made no difference. The connections are tightly plugged in. I will have to check for a loose connection somewhere else.

Thanks for the help!

[Rex R]

my bad, should have been more specific. I meant bad solder joints on the motor wires. another diagnostic 'tool' would be a known good bl motor(I know, not every one has spares just setting about).

[Chop]

After pondering all the possible scenarios and giving all the advice some thought, I figured that the ESC might be bad.

If it wasn’t bad, I should probably have one on hand because I would need another sooner or later. I ordered one from Steven and it was at the door almost before I hit the “confirm” button.

I installed it this weekend and it armed on the first try (I guess that’s how it should work; it’s not like trying to start an old lawn mower). I took the boat to a pond that had started to thaw and gave it a good run.

I’m gonna like this hobby.:banana:

Thanks for all your help. :beerchug:

[Darin Jordan]

I've had trouble getting mine to arm in the past... What I've found it usually takes is to set the trim on my throttle to about 45-50 in the reverse direction... Took a LOT of playing around to figure this out... but eventually it armed...

[Daveo]

O.K. I tried again tonight. This time I put the Futaba radio and receiver back in along with a freshly charged set of batteries.

Turn transmitter on,
Plug in first battery pack,
Plug in other battery pack
I get a single beep when the batts are plugged in.
Pull trigger to W.O.T., get another single beep, let go and get four rapid beeps.

I wait a few seconds and pull the trigger and the motor chirps (and you can feel it vibrate if you touch it) as if it is trying to turn, and then quits. I have turned the motor over by hand, so it is not binding.

Never do I get any movement from the rudder.


This is exactly what mine did and I ended up taking it to the hobby shop. They replaced the esc and the motor. It still did not work. They sent it to Aquacraft and they said no problem found. I used different batteries and then it worked. The problem was the voltage cutoff. It was the exact same symptoms as Chop is describing.

[Chop]

O.K., How about this:
Had a good run today. Brought the boat in after the batteries wore down and replaced them. Unplugged one dead battery, plugged in one fresh one (ESC beeped), unplugged the other and replaced it with another fresh battery.

Now the ESC beeps (continuous), I have rudder, but no throttle. I’m guessing that I messed something up by plugging in a fully charged pack before I disconnected the other drained one.

I know that I've seen this question in the SV forum but I can't seem to find it. Any ideas on what's going on with the ESC?

[Chop]

Oops, I Figured it out. I had to turn down (counter-clockwise) the throttle trim.

Stupid rookie mistake.