Spartan ESC

[Brushless55]

this kinda sucks...
how the heck did this boat make boat of the year for 2010?

[wilsta67]

this kinda sucks...
how the heck did this boat make boat of the year for 2010?

it did

[Brushless55]

it did

yep, boat of the year durring the long delay.....

[shctexas]

My motor fried due to temp sensor failure. I'm not even going to mess with Traxxas. Another name consideration "Frankenstein" because of all the mismatched mods we've gone through....just a thought.

[wilsta67]

My motor fried due to temp sensor failure. I'm not even going to mess with Traxxas. Another name consideration "Frankenstein" because of all the mismatched mods we've gone through....just a thought.

lol i cant be bothered with them either im going to stick in a castle set up in mine and be done with it. and just get the word out that these boats are junk. i wish i wasn't in such a hurry to rush out and buy one.

[mickvk]

I don't get this?
I thought traxxas put a temp sensor in the esc to shut it down when it got to hot...

I checked the manual, you're right there is thermal protection on the esc in addition to the motor.

[Brushless55]

I checked the manual, you're right there is thermal protection on the esc in addition to the motor.

that's what I was thinking bro!

[scootmagrutes]

Warranty Replacements for the Traxxas Spartan...You cant be serious. Regardless of the replacements of the stock parts the boat cant handle the capacity, especially if you intend to use lipos. I'll repeat again, they manufactured a boat as cheaply as possible for MAXIMUM profit margin regardless of the circumstances.

Bottom Line...Anyone who purchases this boat is at risk. The Esc went up in smoke without warning and burnt my hand.

[mickvk]

Such Garbage the Spartan is, just look at all the people having problems with the Spartan and having to upgrade it to try and make it work correctly, thats so very sad.
To upgrade it like most people are doing it will cost you well over $500. SO be ready, if you are going to purchase the Spartan to pay $400 for the boat, than another $250+ plus for lipos and Then.....Dump another $325+ into it to upgrade it to try and get it to work correctly.

READ BELOW.......

I sent my boat in well over 2 weeks ago because not only did the esc fry up, but it destroyed my batteries as well and it burnt up my boat. I still have not heard from Traxxas nor have I received a replacement boat as of yet. Just imagine how many other people have just taken the hit and not even posted their problems with the Spartan on the internet.
Buyers Beware

Scoot, I'm sorry you're so frustrated. What were the circumstances of your ESC failing?

[martin]

How on earth did this piece of junk get The Boat of the year award, Not sure on whether its down to purly a mag giving this award but they must eccept some responsability if this was the case on potential sales of this boat. We heard enough about this boat before its release through mags on how good it was i suspect we wont hear any negatives about this boat from them even though their catching fire. They dont wont to upset their pay masters by loosing advertising money. If this wasnt a model boat & some sort of house hold item i suspect it would be with drawn immediatelly & no more sold untill its proven safe to use.

[scootmagrutes]

mickvk asked about the circumstances of the esc failing.

How about at there were No initial warnings from the esc or the receiver that the esc was about to catch fire as well as sending a sudden pulse to my batteries which sent them up in smoke as well. I followed the instruction booklet that came with it word-for-word and look what happened. It sickens me that I see all these videos on youtube and on google of people having to pull out the stock components and upgrade the motor, esc, rudder and tubeing just to get the boat to work correctly without frying the esc or overheating the motor.
Shame on Traxxas for not thinking this project through and for not testing the boat thoroughly.

My heart goes out to all those Spartan owners who are dealing with this bull*!***!***!***!** like I am.

Im 40 and have been in RC since I was 13 and this is by far the worst heart wrenching experience I've had to this date.

Boat was sent back well over 2 weeks ago and they have not contacted me as of yet.

All my components were stock, the only thing I purchased additionally was 3S 3400mah lipos from a local hobby shop that recommended them. The batteries are Racers Edge which are well known batteries used in a wide range of rc vehicles.

[sonic77]

Spoke with Traxxas today and they said my esc and motor were replaced but my transmitter checked out fine hmm? So I asked how I could be assured this will not happen again? they said they had heard claims of the issue but hadn't received many in so they have not updated the parts I don't think its going back in my boat I just received my castle motor today I plan on selling the other stuff when it comes back anyone else here back from Traxxas yet they didn't seem too helpful when I called
Justin

[scootmagrutes]

There not helpful, they only tell you what you want to here, NOT the Facts. You can be reassured that they are inundated with with problems with the Spartan. Just do google searches or checkout actual video footage on youtube. I already had replaced the esc and it went up in smoke. Sad but true.

[sonic77]

so what are you putting in the boat now I am putting i a castle 1520 and a turnigy 180 esc
Justin

[ray schrauwen]

Well, I hate to say... o.k. maybe not hate but, I have to say i told you so.

Waaaay back when they were first promoting this boat, I warned people.

Sometimes it's good to listen to those that have been doing this for 20+ years now.

You can't expect too much from a plastic boat with an XL 2 pole motor, it just isn't enough.

I offered my technical experience to Thunder Tiger and they basically told me to F- off.

How many people own a TT OBL ????? I think they may have sold about 200 of them, if that.

This boat was only a hair better, I won't say which hair .

[martin]

Thunder Tiger have just launched a new cat artr in the UK, Its 46" long with a 60esc & OBL motor whatever that is. Wouldnt touch it with a barge pole.

[ray schrauwen]

Thunder Tiger have just launched a new cat artr in the UK, Its 46" long with a 60esc & OBL motor whatever that is. Wouldnt touch it with a barge pole.

NO WAY, you are joking right? Holy Carp, who is in their Tech Dept ? Smoke on the Water!

[ray schrauwen]

Well, I just took a look at it and well, same old, same old...

It says in the instruction booklet that it was developed in co-operation with hydro world champion Jorgen Anderson.

They did put a larger motor in this than the mono, that was a 36mm outrunner. This one has a 43mm outrunner but, still only a 60 amp Seaking esc....

Runs on 4s1p and instructions say MAY reach 30 mph.

Uses captive Asian style square drive flex shaft that forces you to remove the strut each time, errr, or as it says only every 5 runs

[martin]

Its kinda funny i thought it has an apt name, Desperado Offshore Racer. They have a video of it running. Looks slow. Martin.

[bigcam406]

makes ya wonder why Tim Roberts,the boats so called designer,doesnt work for Traxxas anymore.he bailed awhile ago even before the boat was re-re-released.

[mickvk]

mickvk asked about the circumstances of the esc failing.

How about at there were No initial warnings from the esc or the receiver that the esc was about to catch fire as well as sending a sudden pulse to my batteries which sent them up in smoke as well. I followed the instruction booklet that came with it word-for-word and look what happened. It sickens me that I see all these videos on youtube and on google of people having to pull out the stock components and upgrade the motor, esc, rudder and tubeing just to get the boat to work correctly without frying the esc or overheating the motor.
Shame on Traxxas for not thinking this project through and for not testing the boat thoroughly.

My heart goes out to all those Spartan owners who are dealing with this bull*!***!***!***!** like I am.

Im 40 and have been in RC since I was 13 and this is by far the worst heart wrenching experience I've had to this date.

Boat was sent back well over 2 weeks ago and they have not contacted me as of yet.

All my components were stock, the only thing I purchased additionally was 3S 3400mah lipos from a local hobby shop that recommended them. The batteries are Racers Edge which are well known batteries used in a wide range of rc vehicles.

I guess my question was too vague:

• How many minutes were a typical run for you?
• What were the motor, esc, and battery temps?
• How many amps went back into your packs?
• Where you running loose or tight?
• What speeds were you getting typically?
• How many runs do you have on this setup?
• At what point during the run did the failure happen?
• Have you measure your amp draw or ripple? The packs you ran did not meet the mAh requirements in the manual.

[Brushless55]

I guess my question was too vague:

• How many minutes were a typical run for you?
• What were the motor, esc, and battery temps?
• How many amps went back into your packs?
• Where you running loose or tight?
• What speeds were you getting typically?
• How many runs do you have on this setup?
• At what point during the run did the failure happen?
• Have you measure your amp draw or ripple? The packs you ran did not meet the mAh requirements in the manual.

do you relize the stock packs are 3000mah?
reason they say bigger is for the runtimes!

[Brushless55]

Well, I hate to say... o.k. maybe not hate but, I have to say i told you so.

Waaaay back when they were first promoting this boat, I warned people.

Sometimes it's good to listen to those that have been doing this for 20+ years now.

You can't expect too much from a plastic boat with an XL 2 pole motor, it just isn't enough.

I offered my technical experience to Thunder Tiger and they basically told me to F- off.

How many people own a TT OBL ????? I think they may have sold about 200 of them, if that.

This boat was only a hair better, I won't say which hair .

one is me, but I replaced the 60amp esc (for sale by the way) for a T180 and the stock motor for a CC1717

[ray schrauwen]

one is me, but I replaced the 60amp esc (for sale by the way) for a T180 and the stock motor for a CC1717

Now yer Talkin' !!!

[Brushless55]

Now yer Talkin' !!!

Heck ya Ray!
this is the mount with one of my CC1717 motors ready to go into the OBL

[ray schrauwen]

Sweet! Is that Green hull, if you have aa green one.. is it 39" long, hull only?

I wanted that hull, just hull only but, could not get one.

Great for Q mono! That motor should rock & roll.

Back to the thread.... what was the topic?


Ohhh yeah, the Spartan.....

[mickvk]

do you relize the stock packs are 3000mah?
reason they say bigger is for the runtimes!

Of course I did but run time is not in fact the only that mAh capacity affects. When the mAh rating is low, voltage sag and ripple increases especially at higher loads such as a 6S setup resulting in increased chances of an ESC failure... And it's a reason that an ESC could fail electronically without overheating....

[Brushless55]

Of course I did but run time is not in fact the only that mAh capacity affects. When the mAh rating is low, voltage sag and ripple increases especially at higher loads such as a 6S setup resulting in increased chances of an ESC failure... And it's a reason that an ESC could fail electronically without overheating....

so the spartan comes with 3000mah packs
these packs only put out 30amps cont
people are running the stock packs and having issues and some don't, some are running 5000mah packs and having more issues, and some even are running 6500mah packs with issues still
the so called ripple is not what is causing the issue here

[Brushless55]

Sweet! Is that Green hull, if you have aa green one.. is it 39" long, hull only?

I wanted that hull, just hull only but, could not get one.

Great for Q mono! That motor should rock & roll.

Back to the thread.... what was the topic?


Ohhh yeah, the Spartan.....

that's the one bro!

[Make-a-Wake]

Wow Brushless..............That is one good lookin boat there! Big ol' wide thing too! So 1717 going into it? I feel a 60 mph boat coming...................