ESC / MAH and Ripple Current. Experts weigh in please.

[nmnorth]

to answer prior questions . no batterys were not at all hot and can't get data info because castle has controller and they are deciding whether or not they will repair it , waiting to hear btw , all they told me is caps are puffed , but was not working when i sent it to them

[Varooom]

Wow, this really sucks!
I have not even gotten my build in the water yet now I hear my ESC is junk.

I have a 36 inch mono I am building for sport, and maybe race Q-mono.

I bought a Neu 1527 1.5D motor thinking I wanted a quality motor (and I still think it is).

I bought a Castle Hydra Ice 240 thinking it was expensive, but a quality controller. IMO by discontinuing them Castle is admitting they are junk. I haven't even soldered connectors to it yet. Now I find out its junk.

I am not a rich man, $300.00 for a junk esc is a lot of money. I did my research, asked a lot of questions and then bought what I thought was a good ESC. My bad!

I wonder if Castle will take it back since they discontinued them.

This really sucks!

Varooom

[T.S.Davis]

It's not junk. I have a half dozen castles myself. Some of mine are 5 years old. I'm still running some discontinued Hydra.

I think the problem is/has been that guys come from cars, planes, and heli and think boats are just the same. They don't do what you did. They don't research the best way to get where they want to be. They slap it together, put a 465 prop on, bake it, and then want it warrantied.

So when they say "it's a business decision" it's likely not because the product is bad. It's about dollars.

[tlandauer]

I run this exact ESC in my 34" mono with a Castle-Neu 1515/ 2200kv for sport and fun, it's working out well so far. That said, I have two 4s 6000mAh/65C batteries totalling 12,000mAh ( 4s2p), temp is cool and I see no problem.
Castle to my knowledge has great customer support, I bought mine from Tower Hobbies and the plastic casing was DOA, they took it back and gave me a brand new one. I have talk to them for other topics and one thing I like is that I get to talk to someone at the factory. Regardless where it is made.
Steven here is great and stands behind what he sells, but sometimes I want to pick up the phone and chat with a technician at the factory.

[RaceMechaniX]

This thread is going in all directions but, The Castle ICE 240's are good ESC's. They work reliably like the older Hydra 240's and some are constructed better than others from my experience. Just luck of the draw.

There are many of good ESC manufacturers. MGM has really stepped up their game in the last 2 years. They are on par with Schulze's, YGE's and Kontronik's. Yes they are expensive, but you get what you pay for.

TG

[Varooom]

Thanks guys, that makes sense, I do have a cap bank. I guess I could run 6s2p but I think the extra weight might make me not competitive.

I also wonder if I can fit 2 6S packs in the hull and still keep a decent COG. Hull is a TFL Ariane 2, cf.

Varooom

[T.S.Davis]

Cap bank is a good add to the Castles.

[Mike Caruso]

Great info from all you guy's. When I can build something that will require a large ESC I have a better understanding now and I agree you get what you pay for most of the time.

[jcald2000]

I have been running Swordfish ESC's since they came out, the 120 and 200, still racing the originals. I bought the 300 last year for my 8s 2p 19 lb. sport hydro with 1530 1y Castle cap bank, 8 gauge wire and 8mm bullets. Racing Gas sport hydro's, runs fine at 180 amp constant and 250 peaks.

[photohoward1]

Jim,
You don't return calls anymore?

I have been running Swordfish ESC's since they came out, the 120 and 200, still racing the originals. I bought the 300 last year for my 8s 2p 19 lb. sport hydro with 1530 1y Castle cap bank, 8 gauge wire and 8mm bullets. Racing Gas sport hydro's, runs fine at 180 amp constant and 250 peaks.

[nmnorth]

castle says , must run min. of 8500 mah to prevent ripple from causing damage , so if we run 5000 mah with extra cap bank , will we be OK?? anybody know??

[jcald2000]

Only when I am home at the phone Howard.

[Fluid]

castle says , must run min. of 8500 mah to prevent ripple from causing damage...

That Castle chart on the Neu site was put together several years ago by a well-known FE racer. Those were his recommendations, not something which Castle actually tested. Obviously with today's cells and a boater with a lick of sense, these values are conservative. But for the average boater they are still excellent guidelines today.

http://www.neumotors.com/Site/Boat_motors.html

.

[f1rogers]

How much ripple is too much, on my Genisis w/ 5S I see max ripple of 2.8, and I am running the CC cap pack on my ICE 240.