Castle Ice controllers

[Eric Bourlet]

I just got off the phone with Castle Tech Support. They recommend starting with a 12kHz pulse width for inrunners. Anyone have any hard data on what the UL-1 motor likes best for settings.

[Fluid]

I just got off the phone with Castle Tech Support. They recommend starting with a 12kHz pulse width for inrunners. Anyone have any hard data on what the UL-1 motor likes best for settings.

The AQ controller for the UL-1 runs 8 kHz. That's what I run on my ICE100 and it works great. The stock UL-1 controller has 10 degrees of timing advance, I run 15 with the ICE100.




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[Eric Bourlet]

The AQ controller for the UL-1 runs 8 kHz. That's what I run on my ICE100 and it works great. The stock UL-1 controller has 10 degrees of timing advance, I run 15 with the ICE100.




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I was told by the tech support that the timing numbers on most speed controllers can be rather arbitrary and to use the normal setting as it will change the timing to what the motor needs. They also told me not to use the out-runner mode but to set it to 12Khz for my specific motor. Have you tried the normal timing and compared it to the fixed 15 degree setting?

Hey Joe, get it on your list to add a remote temp sensor to the ICE so we can monitor motor temps with the recorder. That would make other recorder solutions obsolete for boats.

[sailr]

The Khz has nothing to do with timing, that is the PWM, Pulse Width Modulation. Timing is in degrees.

[Eric Bourlet]

The Khz has nothing to do with timing, that is the PWM, Pulse Width Modulation. Timing is in degrees.

I did not say they had anything to do with each other. I was just looking for what people are actually running.

[AndyKunz]

Actually, timing and frequency ARE related. At a higher frequency, the timing can be done with better resolution and will allow the motor to turn up higher. But it costs in ESC heat. If the ESC is adaptive with its timing (like Shulze) then the higher frequency allows the ESC to fine-tune itself to the motor better.

You don't get something for nothing, but if you're running the ESC cool then the higher frequency can pay off.

As long as the motor isn't too inductive.

Andy

[sailr]

Eric, I didn't say you did! I didn't quote you did I? It's just that the conversation in this thread and elsewhere people start mixing apples and oranges (timing and PWM). Just wanted to make sure they know to differentiate!

K?

I did not say they had anything to do with each other. I was just looking for what people are actually running.

[Eric Bourlet]

Well I have been working on the water cooling modifications. Thanks to Mark Anderson for helping with the machine work. You can find photos here.

[tharmer]

I plugged in my ICE 160 HV today and it almost exploded on the bench. Never even got to the water. I had programmed it the day before and it worked fine. Only difference was that I sprayed its internals with Corrosion-X. Could that have caused it to blow? It appeared to be a complete short when I attached the 8s batteries.

-terry

[Raydee]

I plugged in my ICE 160 HV today and it almost exploded on the bench. Never even got to the water. I had programmed it the day before and it worked fine. Only difference was that I sprayed its internals with Corrosion-X. Could that have caused it to blow? It appeared to be a complete short when I attached the 8s batteries.

-terry

Did you make sure the radio board was secured to the fet boards before you used it? Castle has a recall on the Ice 160 and 200 ESC's right now.

[Raydee]

http://www.castlecreations.com/support/service_advisory/sa-ice200icehv160.html

There is the link.

[Eric Bourlet]

I doubt that the Corrosion X caused your problems but I would never recommend putting a penetrating lubricant on any PC board. If you check out http://www.corrosionx.com/ you will see that they describe their product is designed for many uses but I have not found where they say that they recommend it for Electronic PC boards. I may have missed it but if I have please someone show me where the manufacture recommends it for use on Electronics, or PC boards. Here is the statement taken from their web page
“Stop rust and corrosion in its tracks with products from Corrosion Technologies. Advanced technology and formulas create products with nearly unlimited applications. Home, aviation, industrial and marine uses abound. “ “In addition to its corrosion fighting properties, CorrosionX is also a super lubricant and penetrant. It lubricates under heavy loads and high temperatures. Use it on sheaves, hinges, locks, cables/wire ropes, windlasses or other rotating devices. It is ideal for fishing reels and guns. And, CorrosionX penetrates like nothing you've ever used. Corroded or rusted nuts, bolts or fittings can usually be removed within a few minutes.”
As you can see they make no mention of using it on Electronics. While it is probably useful around electrical contacts, PC boards are made up of several layers of fiberglass and copper not the kind of thing you want to put anything that can penetrate on. You should use a good conformal coating designed for electronics. I have found that PlastiDip works well and does not attack or penetrate the circuit board or traces. PlastiDip does provide a little more physical protection that a silicone conformal coating but it harder to remove if you need to re-solder something. I have found that when I have had to remove PlastiDip from either battery packs or PC boards to replace wires at a later date that the traces on the board look as good as they day they were originally coated. While it may be tempting to use household silicone sealants most of these give off an acidic acid during the cure and should never be used in or around electronics as it will eat the copper traces off the board (I have personally witnessed this on State Patrol Radars just from being used to seal the lids and case halves).
This story comes to mind every time I here of people using a penatrant like Corrosion-X on PC boards.
There is a guy that every day is seen standing on a busy street corner fervently snapping his fingers. After seeing this every day for several weeks a gentleman approaches the finger snapping man and ask why he is always on this same corner snapping his fingers. The man replies” to keep the lions away” . To this the inquisitor states “there are no lions in this busy town”, The finger snapping man responds “see it works”.

[Fluid]

This is an old topic well discussed in the past. You might want to read the following from Corrosion-X themselves and put your mind at ease.

http://www.corrosionx.com/animations/CorrosionX.ppt

and these:

http://www.buycorrosionx.com/ccp1-display/ste_cxapplications.html

http://www.corrosionxproducts.com/Aviation.htm

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...hp?prod=corr-x

Like any non-OEM treatment - use at your own risk. Sorry, no humorous folksy stories to repeat.



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[Eric Bourlet]

Well the links you gave do have some anecdotal postings by users but all I see the manufacture recommend is for Electrical contacts and connectors, the aviation link has to do with metal parts of the aircraft as most of the links do. But as you stated use at own risk. I will certainly not subject a PC board to any form of penatrant. But I guess that comes from being a radio electronics technician for the last 25 years. I hope that it works well for you.

[tharmer]

Thanks for the Reply, eric. I see your point. I didn't check with the mfg, just took all the comments in favor and used it. The CX had only been on the board for 24 hours. Is that long enough to ruin it?

Have I destroyed my CC warranty? Should I just not send it back? What do you suggest?

-t