Why of why did my hydra 240 fry..??

[ghostofpf1]

See attached pics.I ran this exact same setup ...Feigao 8XL....38mm prop...5s 5000mah lipos x2....on a hi-model 200(??) amp controller with no problems except it would thermal out after a few laps.My remedy was to replace with a new Castle Hydra 240 and this is the result.FECALC predicted about 120 amps and less than 40krpm on the motor
All setting were on default and the only wiring change made was to add short 2" adapters to step down from the 8mm esc connector to the 6mm motor connector....
2 laps with the new Hydra and it started to slow so I brought it in to find smoke inside and temps over 200 deg on the motor,esc obviously very hot and batteries were barely warm.

My motor now spins VERY freely and I wonder if it's toast as well.How do I check for dead shorts and if it's demag'ed due to the heat without risking hooking it up to another controller ??

thanks in advance
Steve

[video200]

funny how that one looks like my hydra 240 after trying it in my drifter S on 5s elite 4800. feiago 9XL and x637. mine lasted less then 1 minute. killed the motor as well.

[RCprince]

Yea I've had 3 CC burn up on me, and my 24.00 esc have only died because of water, not moisture..That's all I use now and their pistol compatible.

[video200]

so far my mystery 200 amp that was an awsome $34 with shipping have outpreformed my hydra 240 and then some. aldo i got my hydra 240 repaired i still need to arm it every time i take the boats out for a spin. it is NEVER in the same place on the controller

[ghostofpf1]

Well Joe Ford has already sent me an email enquiring about the problem I've always had good service from Castle and good performance with their products.Between all the Castle plane, car/truck,motorcycle and heli controllers I have there are probably close to 20 or more floating around my house somewhere
I just want to know if it's something I did so I don't repeat it with the replacement whether I have to pay for it or not.

Ghost

[video200]

i hope that you find out what went wrong with yours. i never did with mine. but i did learn that next time i get s esc it wont be a castle. they way to exspencive for me in the long run.

[Flying Scotsman]

See attached pics.I ran this exact same setup ...Feigao 8XL....38mm prop...5s 5000mah lipos x2....on a hi-model 200(??) amp controller with no problems except it would thermal out after a few laps.My remedy was to replace with a new Castle Hydra 240 and this is the result.FECALC predicted about 120 amps and less than 40krpm on the motor
All setting were on default and the only wiring change made was to add short 2" adapters to step down from the 8mm esc connector to the 6mm motor connector....
2 laps with the new Hydra and it started to slow so I brought it in to find smoke inside and temps over 200 deg on the motor,esc obviously very hot and batteries were barely warm.

My motor now spins VERY freely and I wonder if it's toast as well.How do I check for dead shorts and if it's demag'ed due to the heat without risking hooking it up to another controller ??

thanks in advance
Steve

Steve, there have been many with the same problems, above 4S seems to be an issue. What hull are you running and if you were thermalling on the other ESC, it may have been a motor or drive issue, which sent your amps soaring.

Douggie

[ghostofpf1]

Hi Douggie

It's a 33" V hull from promise hobby.The previous hi-model would thermal but only after 5 or 6 full throttle laps.My driveline is so free that with the now demag'ed motor I can spin the prop from behind and it keeps going for some while.
In talking to Joe Ford about this it's his position if I understood correctly that I demag'ed the motor with excess heat and that took the esc with it through an increasing kv/current draw.I guess the next time I'll make sure I don't go over 4s with that KV motor because possibly the high rpm's created enough heat to demag it .
I really bought this controller to use on a 6s 40" hull I'm slowly building with a KB45 XL w/boca bearings I'm just worried that to push it to 55mph or so will smoke another controller .I guess 1 lap and check things will be the rule with the replacement controller until I get things worked out for sure...
thanks
Ghost

[Fluid]

There are several clear problems with your setup....

- The power wires are far too long, and adding "short adapters" to the motor wires is probably all it took to increase the total impedence to excessive levels. The longer the motor wires, the more difficulty the ESC has in reading the motor's rotor position, effecting timing.

- That is simply too much motor for 5S in that hull. FECalc is not the holy grail and it was not designed to predict amp draw from LiPos and BL motor combinations.

- Your ESC was thermalling before, that was a warning that your setup was too hot.

- The Castle has much lower resistance than the cheap ESC, allowing additional amperage and voltage to run to the motor, heating everything up.

- Running the previous setup probably damaged the motor magnets. I found out the hard way that damaged magnets will eventually fry every ESC you connect that motor to.

- Never run a new setup on anything but the lowest timing setting. The Castle default is probably higher than the cheap ESC was using.

- Finally, the 240LV is a 4S controller for max performance use, even Castle has implied that.

You will run faster and with fewer problems if you replace that 8XL with a quality motor having closer to a 1600 Kv. That allows you the option to prop up, something you cannot do with your current setup.


.

[ReddyWatts]

Watch your WATTS

Another problem is the setup was using 2128 WATTS on a motor rated at 800 watts. I have run Fiegao XL's up to 1600 watts max with water cooling, but if anyone wants to run more power than this use a KB45 or Neu motor and you will be ok. Watts are heat and it ruined the motor magnets and probably the controller.

We are getting back to the problems of brushed motors. The motor used to be the setup limiting factor. The controllers will now handle double the power of some of the motors again.

Always calculate your total watts when selecting a motor.

Loaded Volts(x) Amps = Watts

17.5 V (times) 121.6A = 2128 Watts


FeCalc was giving this info. Be sure and look at the calculated watts and know the motors rating.

[ghostofpf1]

I honestly didn't think adding 2 " to the motor /esc connector would make a huge difference and the motor on the previous esc never got hotter than about 145 deg.
I also thought even less about adding long battery leads but I'll make a support over the motor or something so I can make everything as short as possible which I've always know to be a good idea generally but never considered to be a potentially fatal flaw...
Still learning expensive lessons as they may be. So if I understand correctly all these things contributed and MUST be all changed
1)next time run the esc as close as possible to the batteries to shorten those ungainly leads
2)remove the 2" long adapters and figure out how to get a good solder joint from an 8mm connector with holes in it's sides to a BL motor wire
3)run 4s max with that KV motor
4)start with lowest timing first off regardless



thanks
Ghost

[Avanti]

the short reason is IMO the cc esc is a POS
knock on wood mine has been fine so far, but there are several members in our club that have hydras back at castle.
the good news is castle stands behind their units.
send it back with your receipt and wait for its return along with the rest of the cc owners.

[Mich. Maniac]

the short reason is IMO the cc esc is a POS
knock on wood mine has been fine so far, but there are several members in our club that have hydras back at castle.
the good news is castle stands behind their units.
send it back with your receipt and wait for its return along with the rest of the cc owners.

What is it you propose we do? honestly not being an ass. I have seen many chinese products fail along with hearing about castle's fail. It stinks... literally! I am at the breaking point running a castle in my sv with 8xl. with 642 prop even it peaks well over 100A. I wonder if a 4 pole motor would be better. To loose some torque and spin a 4 pole motor might be the way to go?

[Flying Scotsman]

What is it you propose we do? honestly not being an ass. I have seen many chinese products fail along with hearing about castle's fail. It stinks... literally! I am at the breaking point running a castle in my sv with 8xl. with 642 prop even it peaks well over 100A. I wonder if a 4 pole motor would be better. To loose some torque and spin a 4 pole motor might be the way to go?

Look at the response from Fluid. He will not state he knows it all, but I would take his advise as a starter.
PS welcome back JT
Douggie

[Doug Smock]

Look at the response from Fluid. He will not state he knows it all, but I would take his advise as a starter.
PS welcome back JT
Douggie