Black Jack Esc shutdown

[Dragonturbo3]

I had 5 brand new black jacks out of the box doing the same thing this weekend. I plugged the programming card into each one changing the voltage cutoff to low and problem solved. We keep the card at the local hobby shop now and pre-program them before they leave the shop.

[kburrows]

So did it?

Found the problem with the ESC shutting down, keep your finger on the throttle of your radio, while pluging in Batteries, release trigger after esc makes 3 sets of beeps last one should be voltage count off batteries, then it just keeps repeating same tones.

[dendrobate]

I had 5 brand new black jacks out of the box doing the same thing this weekend. I plugged the programming card into each one changing the voltage cutoff to low and problem solved. We keep the card at the local hobby shop now and pre-program them before they leave the shop.

So with a pair of venom 4200 6 cell packs ,if I get the programmer this should solve the cut off issue?
Thanks

[Wakesurfer]

Took my boat out for its second run this evening. Got the Spektrum in it, and throttle resopnse was a lot smoother up to about 3/4 throttle. And then it shut down. Hope that programming card is at the LHS Wednesday. Why even put a LVC on a Nimh setting?

[Jeepers]

because even NiMh shouldnt be drained to far.

[dendrobate]

What is the max battery that can be used with a stock BJ?

[dendrobate]

Anyone recommend the ESC programmer settings when using with a pair of venom 4200 6 cell pack ?
Thanks

[Wakesurfer]

because even NiMh shouldnt be drained to far.

I suppose some people may not realize that when the RC slows down the batteries are running low and need to be recharged. But for the rest of us, I think a LVC that comes from the factory set to high is pretty rediculous. If people don't have enough common sense to stop when the batteries are starting to dump they are probably prime candidates for a Darwin Award and should stick to text messaging while driving instead of getting into a hobby like RC. OK, I'll stop ranting now. My programing card will be in Wednesday after work. Time to go LiPo and see what this boat can really do.

[ETOWNE]

If people don't have enough common sense to stop when the batteries are starting to dump they are probably prime candidates for a Darwin Award and should stick to text messaging while driving instead of getting into a hobby like RC.

Dude that's really funny. I have been using my BJ w/ 2 Orion 4800 Lipos w/o the program card. When the boat starts slowing down, if you can't tell this revert to wakesurfers comment,bring it in. I love these batteries, I have smc IB4200 race packs,they lose cells nonstop. Those of you that are having problems w/ Nimh,run a volt meter across each cell. Dead packs should show 1.2o volts on each cell. Charged cell should be in the 1.5 to 1.6 range.Hope this helpss some of you.

[dendrobate]

Dude that's really funny. I have been using my BJ w/ 2 Orion 4800 Lipos w/o the program card. When the boat starts slowing down, if you can't tell this revert to wakesurfers comment,bring it in. I love these batteries, I have smc IB4200 race packs,they lose cells nonstop. Those of you that are having problems w/ Nimh,run a volt meter across each cell. Dead packs should show 1.2o volts on each cell. Charged cell should be in the 1.5 to 1.6 range.Hope this helpss some of you.

I thought I read that you require the program card to set the esc for lipo ?

[dendrobate]

Anyone recommend the ESC programmer settings when using with a pair of venom 4200 6 cell pack ?
Thanks

[DonVlcek]

Part 1 Solving the Blackjack 26 ESC Shutdown Problem

The first time out with the Blackjack 26 Brushless the boat functioned perfectly. I ran the boat all over the lake until the battery voltage went low. When the voltage went low boat just stopped in the water, and when I released and reapplied the trigger on the transmitter (the throttle), the boat just went a short distance and stopped. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I could only go to half throttle without cutting out, so I returned the boat ashore. Not bad for the first day, and I liked the low voltage cutout feature of the Blackjack 26 ESC.

After recharging the batteries the second time out was a different story. Every time I tried to advance the throttle, the boat just went as short distance and stopped, so I just returned ashore at half throttle.

The third time out was just about the same as the second, what has happened to my ESC? Knowing that most of the problems we have with electronic devices are self inflected, I decided to look at what I was doing wrong. OK, time to read the manual. Wamo, there it was. I was just leaving the switch turned on and just connecting the batteries. The manual didn’t say “With the transmitter turned on and the ESC switch turned off connect the batteries, then turn ON the ESC switch. You will here a Low/Hi beep”.

The correct power on sequence is:
• Check to see if the ESC switch is turned OFF
• Turn on the transmitter
• Connect the batteries
• Turn on the ESC switch (Low/High confirmation beep)

Using this sequence the Blackjack 26 Brushless ran like the first time out. After running for a while, I did notice that in tight turns, just a fraction of a second after heavy cavitation, the LVC kicked in. This was probably due to a drop in voltage when the prop re-caught, just after the cavitation. If I loosened up a bit in the turns, the LVC would not kick-in. After a couple more laps, the LVC started kicking in, and it was time to bring it in.

While I was back home, recharging the batteries and greasing the drive shaft, I decided to raze the strut and re-test. This should lower the current and raze the voltage, especially in the turns. While attempting to raze the strut I didn’t get very much so I decided to reprogram the ESC

Before reprogramming the ESC checked the cutoff voltages in the manual

High Cutoff Mode
• The Cutoff voltage for NiMh is .9 volts per cell or (.9x12 cells = 10.8 Volts)
• The Cutoff voltage for LiPo is 3.0 volts per cell or (3.0x4 cells = 12 Volts)
Low Cutoff Mode
• The Cutoff voltage for NiMh is .7 volts per cell or (.7x12 cells = 8.4 Volts)
• The Cutoff voltage for LiPo is 2.7 volts per cell or (2.7x4 = 10.8 Volts)

Once the batteries were recharged, I checked the charging Milliamps/Time at 3160 MAh and 101 minutes, at a charge rate of 2 Amps. Using two 3800 MAh batteries is appeared the batteries were going dead and the Voltage Cutoff operated correctly.

I decided to go ahead with the ESC reprogramming, and reset the ESC with the programming module, to the settings below, and take the boat back to the pond.

ESC programming:
• Battery Type, NiMh
• Cutoff Voltage, Low
• Cutoff Type, slow Down
• Break, Off
• Timing Low, In runner Motor
• Throttle Curve, Linear

Well I guess all you guys out there with Blackjack 26 Brushless are going to have to purchase the programming module. The little missile turned on like I would never expected from the Duratrax 3800 MAh batteries. The Low Voltage Cutout never operated and never s kicked out in the turns. I could tell when the boat slowed down it was time to come in (why push it).
I don’t know what kind of a program the ESC had in its little brain box, but the program module fixed it! I will rename this file to Part 1 Solving the Blackjack 26 ESC Shutdown Problem. The next testing will be done with LiPo’s.

[dendrobate]

Thanks for the info , nice to see a new member help out another new member.

[DonVlcek]

I think the problem started when I plugged in the batteries with the ESC switch still ON and the transmitter turned OFF. The ESC reprogrammed itself. It’s a different kind of a beep when the ESC excepts a new program.

Now that I am using the correct power on sequence I haven’t had any cutting out problems.

[Chop]

I too have been having problems with my Blackjack. I followed this thread and programmed it as suggested with one exception:

ESC programming:
• Battery Type, NiMh
• Cutoff Voltage, Low
• Cutoff Type, slow Down
• Break, On
• Timing Low, In runner Motor
• Throttle Curve, Linear

The boat, on two occasions has gone out, about 150 yards and then just quit.

Any suggestions?

[DonVlcek]

Here as few things that you can try:

1. When the boat cuts out raise the transmitter over your head and try again.
2. I would strongly recommend a ground range check (most important).
3. If you are using a retrieval boat, take the transmitter with you, and give it a quick try when you get closer.
4. Try a second battery powering the receiver, your BEC may be cutting out.
5. Try backing down on the throttle trim just a bit.

Most of the problems show up on a ground range check.

I hope this has been of some help.
Don

[Chop]

I tried again today. This time I set the throttle to “Logrithmic” thinking that W.O.T. was the issue. The same thing happened. The boat went out about 200 yards and then just quit. It was along the shoreline and I was no more that 100 feet from it.

Once the boat was back on shore the ESC would not arm.

I will try the “keep your finger on the throttle of your radio, while plugging in Batteries, release trigger after esc makes 3 sets of beeps last one should be voltage count off batteries” next.

[Wakesurfer]

Was the power switch off when you plugged the batteries in? I missed it the first time. Kinda hides in the tupperware bowl. Is your steering servo still responding when the ESC cuts out?

[Chop]

No. The steering was lost too.

[Wakesurfer]

Hmmm...That doesn't sound like the usual low voltage cutoff issue. Until I programmed mine with the card, the ESC would cut the motor at full throtle, but I still had steering. And if I'd lift and gas again it would go. If the BEC in the ESC is weak, a reciever battery might keep it going. Sounds like a Tx/Rx issue to me though. Do you have access to another 2ch Tx/Rx system to try? If it won't work with a different radio, then the ESC is probably the culprit. Good luck!

[electric]

We bought three of these boats and two of them have the same problem you are describing. I spoke with Horizon Hobby and they said to pull the motor and the esc and send it in to be looked at. I am going to try the throttle deal this weekend and see if that works. I did wonder if possibly the boat is losing the signal and the esc is shutting down because of that? I might drop an extra spektrum I have in and see if that makes a difference. If neither of these work I give up. I am going to drop in some old SV internals and send the rest in to be checked out. Sure takes all of the fun out of having the boat.

[electric]

Well, reprogrammed it and that seemed to correct the problem. The boat ran great this weekend with no problems.

[G-UNIT]

Same problem here, tried the full throttle/battery hook up trick,
no work, venom 3600 nimh batts. When i get a day off i'm going to mlh and pitch b***h, batterys are only 3 1/2 weeks old with about 11 runs on them, hopfully they will replace them ( wishfull thinking ) maybe when i tell them i will be buying lipos and charger , fullers hwd ect
they will accomadate me.

[jamespl]

I'm having the same problem, I have 2 sets of nimh the first ones I bought for the boat 4600 vp racing ones then I bought a set of 5100's that is when I had the cutoff problem so I tried my origional 4600 vp ones and no problem. I then bought a pair of 4300 vp racing batteries and these cut off aswell so I belive it may be the batteries that are not upto the job. Do you have to charge and discharge nimh batteries. A number of tomes before they start working at their full potential?

[animigan]

This issue has come up numerous times (even in the past few weeks) on this forum and the solution is always the same. Old posts are more detailed, but NiMH batteries just can't hack it, and nobody has problems with ESC cutoff when using LiPOs. Ditch the old technology, and never look back.

Andre

[G-UNIT]

Yea the batts are crap see my responce under at a stand still.
How many amp charger are you using?
To high a charging amperage will not full charge the battery properly.

[jamespl]

My charger is preset to 1.2ma from the mains so that's what I'm charging them at. I think lipos is the next step but it's a lot of cash for a new charger and 2 packs specialy as I'm getting married next year the other half is moaning about how much I'm spending on this boat! I'm looking at £200 for a charger and 2 packs that's about $350-375