45" Dumas Scarab

[tlandauer]

I thought that was your boat, never mind.
You mean as a cap to protect?
I use heat shrink tube, I heat enough so that the top shrinks more and forms a handle, the main section is just tight enough with friction so it doesn't fall off, Mickey Mouse but works.

[flraptor07]

You could run it the way it is, it's programed to all the preset settings which are pretty conservative.

[Ken_NJ]

I'm reading the ESC instructions. On the transmitter throttle trigger I have it set to go from neutral to full throttle. I'm not using max reverse as the zero throttle point. The instructions mention LED's but must not be my model, I see no LED's.

The 8 beeps I heard when it was turned on was the ESC detecting the batteries. Batteries are 8s4p. So this is good. So with the 8s battery and LVC of 3.0v, the LVC will be 24 volts?

The grease is now getting sucked into the stuffing tube, yea!

Default settings
LVC HV ESC: 4s
LVC per cell: 3.0v
Brake type: Close (disabled brake)
Timing: Auto
Cutoff type: Hard
Startup type: Standard
PWM Rate: 8KHz

I think I'm set. Any other words of wisdom or guidance??? Our club is running at our usual lake tomorrow, I'll have my camcorder and someone recording this. Nice big lake, plenty of room, we have a rescue boat. I'll have to shove in some flotation. You can see the lake in this video. None of those boats are mine as I am the videographer. Our club is all scale, so this will be a new experience.

[tlandauer]

LVC should not be any lower than 3.3v/cell, are you sure the default is 3.0v/cell? No Matter, time your run so the batteries don't get drained down to that critical threshold (3.3, Not 3.0)

[Ken_NJ]

Page 4 of the instructions show the default for cutoff voltage per cell as 3v. I attached the instructions in my previous post.

I'll be running slow to get use to it at first and see how she responds. Not rushing this at all. I'll have my battery checker and bring it in after a bit to see how the batteries are. Wish the damn program box was working.

[flraptor07]

Ken, I love those old wood runabouts they are just cool, I could get into one of those. Some of the real slow stuff like the tugs, not so much. That SS Miss Belmar was one of your boats, right? That lake is huge, I'd love to have a place like that to run!!

[tlandauer]

I am sorry first of all that I didn't mean to interrupt you guys' chat, just couldn't help myself.
Yeah, I read that, I don't know why, that is too low in my book, once when you get your program box or USB link, set it at 3.2v/cell at least. Chris' post #224 calls the "...destructions that come with the ESC...." ( What a brilliant Freudian slip)

He is right! Your batteries will be destructed if they are run that low.

[Ken_NJ]

Someone in our club has MACK products as his business. He makes the Legend model boat line which is all those wood runabouts you like.

http://www.mackproductsrc.com/scale_boats_p2.htm

Just noticed Lenny's avatar is on that page.

Yup, SS Miss Belmar is mine, all scratch. Link to the build below.

[Ken_NJ]

No problem tlandauer. I don't know real names, I know Lenny and Shawn, and now Chris since you mentioned it.

Will set it to 3.2 as soon as I can.

I could get into one of those.

Go ahead! Build one!

[tlandauer]

...... I use heat shrink tube, I heat enough so that the top shrinks more and forms a handle, the main section is just tight enough with friction so it doesn't fall off, Mickey Mouse but works.

DSCN7024.jpg
I have a local electrical supply shop when I get these tubes relative cheap, I have been doing this for awhile, there is a fellow who sells silicone caps which are very nice and provides a good fit.
DSCN7023.jpg

[flraptor07]

OK I'm dyin' here, how'd it go today?

[Ken_NJ]

Crap, computer running low on disk space, clearing some out.

[Ken_NJ]

Exporting the video from iMovie now, then have to upload to YouTube so this may take a while. Sixteen minutes of video.

Have things that need to be worked out. Hopefully you guys can help me on that.

Overall I'm a happy camper!

[flraptor07]

That's what I wanted to hear!!!

[Ken_NJ]

Thanks to you guys and this forum!

While the MacBook is doing it's thing, here are my observations, and you will see some of this in the video. Listing these line by line. I used clear plastic with electrical tape as a cockpit cover. Steve responded in email about the Program Box, have to read it and respond to him.

• When the boat starts out with either prop, there is a lot of cavitation. You can hear it sucking air and you can see the bubble behind the boat as it moves. I think as the boat gets going that bubble might go away, not sure. Boat is slow accelerating.
• At the far (left) end of the lake, there must be a dead radio spot. The boat stops coming out of the turn. My radio is on 75Mhz. Someone else's 2.4 also stopped sometimes.
• At the close (right) end of the lake, same thing sometimes, but not all the time. Boat seems hard to get moving at this end at times.
• First run I did not have the transmitter rudder adjustment giving me full throw so the boat was not turning well. Adjusted that for the second run, better.
• All cell's started out at 4.2 volts, after almost 25-30 minutes of running, cells ended up at 3.86 volts (end of the day all done).
• Only saw cooling water coming out on high speed passes, nothing at all at moderate or slow speeds.
• Swordfish temperature after getting the boat out of the water and on the table was about 115˚F. Used a temp gun.
• Motor was slightly warm to the touch. Batteries and wires not even warm.
• Boat trim looks good in the video, maybe move the batteries forward some? You tell me.

BTW, it looks faster in person then the video. I never opened the throttle all the way. Near the end of the video there are a few shots where I almost opened it up.