Just another reason why the Cheap ESC's are looking better and better

[Raydee]

Before I hear anyone say that these were prob burnt from a poor setup well you are dead wrong.

My bud has been running these Cuda ESC's in his Whiplash for the last two season's and they have been great with the exception that they have been using the 1.03 firmware and the timing was wrong (right from Castle's Mouth!). Three weeks ago we decided to update the firmware on his controllers to 1.04 and one by one each controller failed to work after the update. Now before you say that I must have updated them wrong, I have updated at least 15 different Castle controllers (Car, boat, Heli and airplane) so I know what I am doing. Anyway my bud sends these controllers back to Castle and they were all fixed FREE of charge (Great service). Three weeks later the 3 ESC's show up and a quick inspection shows that two of them have new Radio boards on them. One of them has no shrink wrap on it but def has a new board. So we throw them all on the Castle link to find that two are updated to 1.04 and one is still on 1.03. Why would Castle only update two of the ESC's and not shrink wrap one of them?? Anyway at the pond tonight he plugs one of the controllers in and POOF up in magic smoke. He then decides to try the second one. On the water the hull sounds like it is surging to he turn the boat to bring it in and it stops dead in the water and smoke pours out of the hull, By the time we got it in it was charcoal.

Another guy in our club is running is Bitburger Cat on 4s1p pulling no more than 70 amps and his Etti 150 decides to grenade as well. That sucker sure did smole like I have never seen before. I would say it burned less than the Castle with 4 times the smoke.

I don't know if it was just a weird day at the pond or what but we are def going to try the cheaper Seaking esc's to see if we have better luck.

[screwball]

i had my sidewinder micro turn into charcoal on my micro scat cat, about 5 minutes ago i just finished up an order at hobbycity and got 2 mystery 40A esc`s for 25 each less than the price of one sidewinder micro lol

[Doug Smock]

Thst sucks Raydee!!
My controls are running just fine on the 1.03v firmware, most over three years old. I have no intentions of updating anything!!!
Hope you get it sorted out.
Doug

[Raydee]

Well we probably should have left well enough alone and left them on 1.03. I have had good luck with all my Castle controllers this year on 1.04....so far anyway. If they burn I will be switching to cheaper brands as well, just can't aford to pay top dollar for anything anymore.

[domwilson]

You're scaring me. I have a couple of CC120 hydras that I have been scared to run because of all these issues and the warranty changes.. I was starting to think it was ok to run them now with the new firmware. I guess I'm going to have to get some more himodels or something cheap like that. What good is a warranty if you have to pay for it to be repaired?

[Raydee]

I have a CC120 that is acting funny. I pulled it from my hull before it got a chance to grenade...who knows if it even would but I def didn't want to take that chance. It still runs but my boat is slower with it over the 240 that replaced it leading me to believe that is is going bad. I am either going to send it in to Castle (not sure if it is worth it) or sell it real cheap to someone that wouldn't mind sending it in for a replacement or just have it checked out.

[domwilson]

I sure wished I had of read more before I plunked down over $300.00 dollars for these two. I could have bought 6 himodels and felt a little more comfortable. Instead I followed the masses.

[Hydromaniac]

I have been running CCs for over 5 years and still run a 5 year old Barracuda 125 uncooled in 1 of my boats. I have had 1 issue with a hydra and Castle took care of the problem in less the 1 week, I recently bought 2 Turnigies to try in a spec boat set up and smoked them both on the bench on initial plug in, Customer support from Hobby King has been non exsistant thus far. I would like to point out that I have not done any up dates on any of the CC esc's I have ran them as the came from the factory with out any issues.

[Rumdog]

I don't believe that statement for one second. You're just trying to push American products. It's very obvious man.

[Rumdog]

They just smoked on plug in huh? Any one else have this happen with a turnigy? Please share!!

[Hydromaniac]

I don't believe that statement for one second. You're just trying to push American products. It's very obvious man.

You are Right I'll support American Companies Like Chevrolet, OSE, Thunderpower, Castle anytime I can. Here are some photos of the products I have mentioned. You'll see the the Castle Esc's I own, the 2 burned Turnigies, as well as the old Barracuda in one of my current race boats, would you like more proof??

[Jeff Wohlt]

As much as you stated all the checks I would swear you have another problem with motors or soemthing. Burning three like that says something but I bleive you and it sucks. When you play with programming on the castle you are really risking issues...no matter what is said.

If you have one that is doing well forget upgrading it. 1 bug ends up being another.

Hey, if we can build it == they can build it cheaper and sometimes better over there. Just the way it is. Of course their QC is lacking but looks like ours just about matches up.

[Jesse J]

I gotta admit that I smoked one on the bench as well. then when I plugged in a battery it POPPED like it was arcing a closed circuit. We will see what their replacement policy is - they are not very reassuring - no human to talk to, no email reply to the claim I filed - just send it in and hope...

Besides the issue of American - nonAmerican, I still think talking to a person who actually helps you with your problem and is also in email contact is quite reassuring. I may be kissing my cash away sending the unit back to Hong Kong.

[Hydromaniac]

I gotta admit that I smoked one on the bench as well. then when I plugged in a battery it POPPED like it was arcing a closed circuit. We will see what their replacement policy is - they are not very reassuring - no human to talk to, no email reply to the claim I filed - just send it in and hope...

Besides the issue of American - nonAmerican, I still think talking to a person who actually helps you with your problem and is also in email contact is quite reassuring. I may be kissing my cash away sending the unit back to Hong Kong.

And there is another 1

[Jeff Wohlt]

So now we know they all smoke.

How about someone send the Turnigy back and let's see what happens and how long. I do know there ar people out there waiting on caslte for 2 months.

I support american as well. But I also get tired of castles crap.