ESC Programming question

[scudman]

OK..first off, this is my first FE Boat. I bought it RTR. I assumed it was all set up correctly.
The first day out it ran fine. Running 3s LiPo 2200 mah, 3200KV motor and a Turnigy 120A Marine ESC.
I charged the battery that evening and took it out again the next day. On this day it ran fine, then the power dropped off and I brought the boat back to shore. I had to do it in stops and starts if you know what I mean. I opened the hatch and the battery was too hot to touch and it had swelled up.
I thought I had a bad battery.

I bought a new battery and went the next day. Boat ran fine until I lost power and had to start stop start it back to shore.
The battery was hot again and slightly swollen.

Now I am thinking the batteries are getting too low in voltage and being damaged.

I looked up the Turnigy ESC programming guide and it says the LV cutoff is factory set to 6V. But that sounds low for an 11.1 V battery. What should it be for 3s LiPo? Does the "Auto" Mode detect the battery and reset the LV cut off to a higher number if you are running a 3s, 4s or higher?

Any other things I should check?

[sailr]

You should never allow the battery to run down that low! You will continue to destroy batteries by doing so. When the boat just barely starts to slow down bring it ashore immediately. Do not try to do stops and starts to get it in. You are over discharging the battery! 6V LVC is for 2S, 7.4V, packs! It is allowing your battery to discharge below a safe level. LVC for 11.1V pack should be 9V. Not sure the auto mode will correctly set the LVC. If I were you, I'd set the LVC manually.

[srislash]

I'd like to ask what c rating the batteries are.There is a # on the battery that states the discharge rate.(ie- 20c, 30c, 40c)2200 mah is a small pack and they can get pretty warm on my little NQD and they are 25c.

[scudman]

I'd like to ask what c rating the batteries are.There is a # on the battery that states the discharge rate.(ie- 20c, 30c, 40c)2200 mah is a small pack and they can get pretty warm on my little NQD and they are 25c.

The new battery I bought and used today is a 3s, 11.1V, 3500 mAh, 30c, 10C.

I found a programming guide for this Turnigy Marine 120A. It seems it is really a SeaKing ESC. I programmed it per the instructions, but only have a 9V option for LV cutofff. so that is what I am going with.

It turns out I may have turned off protection without knowing it. I use this transmitter for sailboats as well and I reversed the Throttle Servo switch because it made more sense to me to have full throttle down and not up on the stick. I may have screwed up the ESC programming in the process of moving that switch after the xmitter was on. ??

[carlcisneros]

if it actually IS a sea king, make sure and do the Throttle calibration FIRST per the instructions.
If you are using Futaba, the throttle channel needs to be reversed.
I would highly suggest in getting the program box for it. super easy to use and good to have with
you in your boat box.