Tactic receiver goes up in flames !

[properchopper]

Here's what happened : Ran my Shovel out from the stand, turned right & forgot to reverse the steering from my UL-1 setting, { yeah, I know, should'a checked it first :doh:} so I flipped it - 60 mph hydros don't like left turns :w00t:. Got the rescue boat out to the shovel; blipped the throttle & it worked. Got back to the table, untaped & the rcvr was on fire !! Melted all the connectors & the case. Here's 3 possibilities :

1] My CC BEC was prgrmd for 6V out [ leftover setting from my LSO boat which needed some grunt to steer left]. I metered the BEC & it was right at 6V out.The UL-1 BEC puts out 5.2 V at 2 Amps ; the CC BEC puts out a "max" of 10 Amps. Overload ?

2] seemed wet, although it was Corrosion X'd, possible water shorting ?

3] random smoke-exiting for unexplained reasons.

I'm liking #1 explanation & will eliminate the CC BEC & use a rcvr pak most likely. Be Advised !!

This was right before I destroyed my sweet, sweet VS-1 by running it into a turn Buoy. What a day !! :ohmy:

[Flying Scotsman]

Tony, #1, never use BEC

Douggie

[theShark]

Whoa, hope nothing else got buggered. I use BEC in everything even if the esc has a bec an external will let the esc run cooler.

[properchopper]

Tony, #1, never use BEC

Douggie

the Hydra 240 BEC that I was running has the BEC bypassed [ red wire interrupted]. I was using an outboard CC BEC.

[properchopper]

Whoa, hope nothing else got buggered. I use BEC in everything even if the esc has a bec an external will let the esc run cooler.

That's exactly why I run an external BEC on pretty much all my fleet except for the watercooled, Etti-capped CC 80 in my UL-1 which stays within a reasonable range [ @ 110 deg]

[Steven Vaccaro]

Wow Tony thats the first I've heard of any rx. Did you see an actual flame or just smoke?

For years I have always just a cheapo 4 aa holder. So far they have never failed me, but I do use lots of Energiser batteries.

[Simon.O.]

Wow Tony thats the first I've heard of any rx. Did you see an actual flame or just smoke?

For years I have always just a cheapo 4 aa holder. So far they have never failed me, but I do use lots of Energiser batteries.
Tony, without seeing your setup, as seen and smoking, I can not offer a lot of help other than a 6V pack vs a 4.8V pack for a LSO justified by a powerful steering servo is a bit off.
I run a super-crawler, local mates only style comps and a 6V rx pack is fine (needed) there. These run 15 kg (35+lb) servos.

Fwiw. For a Rx pack for my boats I use a 9V flat cell that is commonly found in domestic smoke alarms, I hope you all have one or more and they work.

These are a low Ah cell but have high V for the Rx. They work for me well.

I have had one of my favourite Rx's wet so many times it is well less than funny. Each time it comes back for more. I have to do a waterproof rx box for the opc tunnel

I am surprised that a Rx would fry, including smoke.

[Steven Vaccaro]

Tony, without seeing your setup, as seen and smoking, I can not offer a lot of help other than a 6V pack vs a 4.8V pack for a LSO justified by a powerful steering servo is a bit off.
I run a super-crawler, local mates only style comps and a 6V rx pack is fine (needed) there. These run 15 kg (35+lb) servos.

Fwiw. For a Rx pack for my boats I use a 9V flat cell that is commonly found in domestic smoke alarms, I hope you all have one or more and they work.

These are a low Ah cell but have high V for the Rx. They work for me well.

I have had one of my favourite Rx's wet so many times it is well less than funny. Each time it comes back for more. I have to do a waterproof rx box for the opc tunnel

I am surprised that a Rx would fry, including smoke.

Simon I also used to run the 9v packs when I first started, but when the esc switch was rolling towards brushless, we were all told that brushless esc's would have issues with 9 volts. Wonder if that was false?

[RayR]

2.4 MHz recievers do not like 9V.

Ray

[bustitup]

the Hydra 240 BEC that I was running has the BEC bypassed [ red wire interrupted]. I was using an outboard CC BEC.

those can be just as bad....I never use a bec any more..... ALLWAYS RX BATT PACK NOW

[SJFE]

Wow sorry to hear you had such bad luck Props :sad:.

[Flying Scotsman]

the Hydra 240 BEC that I was running has the BEC bypassed [ red wire interrupted]. I was using an outboard CC BEC.

Woops, sorry Tony I did not see external BEC. Although, that was possibly the cause with a malfunction or more likely a RX issue
I run a external 5 cell NI-MH 1400mah packs and have had no problems. I just do not like BEC circuitry within the RX

Douggie

[Ub Hauled]

I was present at the time, it's a matter of fact, I asked him to go out one more time to play, I feel a little guilty but not much ;)... it would have gone up in flames anyhow...
I think the only reason there weren't any flames it's 'cause the Rx was in a balloon and had no air, it was a pretty thick smoke. I wanna say it was some sort of Rx failure, specially since it worked a couple for a rounds earlier.
Does anyone have an instruction sheet for the Rx? What is the max voltage specified for it?

[Flying Scotsman]

Simon I also used to run the 9v packs when I first started, but when the esc switch was rolling towards brushless, we were all told that brushless esc's would have issues with 9 volts. Wonder if that was false?
The problem with 9v nominal is that many servos will self destruct, as they are designed for 6v nominal, give or take 25%. Ask a Hitec service tech this question and you will have an interesting answer.

Douggie

[AndyKunz]

Rex - Spektrum takes 9V just fine. Read the specs here: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPMSR3100

6V is usually not going to be a problem. I'd be very surprised if the Tactic rx fried from that, since most guys run 5-cell batteries on their receivers. Tower doesn't have a voltage spec on their website.

The CCBEC is a pretty good product.

Andy

[properchopper]

The UL-1 speed control puts out 5.2 V from the BEC circuit and apparently is designed to be compatible with the Tactic Rx since the UL-1 comes that way. It also outputs 2 amps. The Castle BEC was putting out 6V [ I metered it] although it can put out "up to" 10 Amps according to it's label. This was a pretty serious meltdown and I'm still a little baffled !

[Blackjack-sven]

The Castle BEC was putting out 6V [ I metered it] although it can put out "up to" 10 Amps according to it's label. This was a pretty serious meltdown and I'm still a little baffled !

I'm guessing that there was a closed short within the Rx when it got wet allowing all 10amps from the cc bec through all at once. I've seen this happen a few times before. Also, the pic you show above shows that the heat generated from whatever went through the bec port.

[properchopper]

I'm guessing that there was a closed short within the Rx when it got wet allowing all 10amps from the cc bec through all at once. I've seen this happen a few times before. Also, the pic you show above shows that the heat generated from whatever went through the bec port.

I'm inclined to put this explanation on top of the list of probable causes. Thanks for the input. :tiphat:

[theShark]

The tactic is marketed for Cars, Trucks, Boats, Nitro, Gas and Electric so its more than likely it can take 6V

[LuckyDuc]

I have 70 + runs on my Tactic Rx in my UL-1. I have a an external ParkBEC supplying 6volts to it. No problems here.:confused2: I think you had a short and it dumped 10amps into the Rx all at once.