Radio Range

[OBX OSE]

I have a shockwave 26 and it runs off by its self after about 100-150ft.I have tried a differnt radio out of a traxxas blast and it still runs off at the same range??The cappacitors are good on new motor.Could this be caused by interferece from the esc?I have run at two different locations and still have the same problem.I have tried different radios and crystals.I have no clue what is goinig on.I appreciate any help iam out of ideas!LOL

[Rex R]

range is dependant on a number of factors...signal strength, signal pattern. make sure the tx antenna is clean(where it screws in) and firmly screwed in, hold the tx with the antenna straight up and down(do not point it at the boat), be sure you have good batteries in the tx.

[OBX OSE]

Thanks for the reply Rex.The boat and tx (transmitter iam guessing)are new.The batteries in tx are new and show full strength on led light.Antenna is screwed in tight and it does not matter what way iam holding the controller it loses control at 150' range.Could i have a bad esc that works intermitantly?I have my blast nautica esc i will try that after work and see if that does anything.I have gotten luky when it has run off for like 6 times no damage but how long can luck hold out?If anyone has any ideas please help.Thanks

[Flying Scotsman]

As Rex has stated it may be a local situation where you run. have you done a range check in a different area? Have you tried an FM system?
Douggie

[ReddyWatts]

Is your boat antenna wire not vertical, slipped down the tube or laying in the hull? I have seen this decrease the distance.

[OBX OSE]

I have tried to run at different locations still have the same problem.The traxxas blast i have run at these locations and never had a problem.The anntena is in the tube vertical about 20" tall.Both radio systems are A.M. i believe. Like i said i have run the blast with no problem in these same locations.I am guessing it could be an inside problem in the proboat transmitter or maybe the ESC.Has anyone had a problem like this in the ESC or should i look elesewhere?Thanks for the replies iam stumped.

[Flying Scotsman]

To eliminate radio problems, replace with a friends fm tx and rx system or even another total am system. If you have the same problem you have an RFI problem. Possibly a bad motor etc.
Douggie

[Darin Jordan]

The boats I've had the used an AM system (AquaCraft ProFisherman, SV27), wouldn't get much more than 150-200ft from the shore before it'd lose radio signal... I swapped out these systems for a good (Hitec) FM RX and used them with my JR radio and never had a problem again...

AM seems to work fine in my Traxxas Stampede, but that's usually running fairly close to me... I would never use an AM radio in a high-performance boat, personally... Just too many glitches and range issues...

I know it's sometimes a tough pill to swallow having to pony up for a new radio... but for about $125.00 or so, you can get yourself a nice multi-model radio setup that will allow you to program 3 or 5 or even 10 models into the radio... then all you have to do is get an RX for each boat programmed... It's money well spent in terms of being trouble free.... Trouble free usually equates to much more FUN times...

[OBX OSE]

Hi ,So the range that my system is getting sounds about right? .I will test both boats this weekend if the weather is descent Could a bad crystal contribute to this.I had never heard that A.m. systems do not work well in boats.I gues i'll look into an FM radio the future. Thanks for the information.

[rcmaster1029]

For not much more you could make the jump to 2.4GHz which I recommend. Better than both AM and FM and the antennas are smaller.

[OBX OSE]

Hello all,I think i found the problem.I tried my proboat transmitter and noticed even at close range the steering servo was glitching like crazy out of the water.I decided to try my traxxas tx and bingo no glitching:).I tried changing the crystal in the proboat tx and still glitching like crazy.So proboat tx must be bad.I can use the taxxas transmitter but when i push throttle stick forward prop turns backwards, and push down on stick it goes forward.I installed the traxxas radio also and still had control reversal problem. Is there a way to change this?Thanks

[Darin Jordan]

.I installed the traxxas radio also and still had control reversal problem. Is there a way to change this?Thanks

I'll have to check when I get home, but I believe that my Traxxas radios have servo reversing on them...

Check on the radio and see if there is a way to reverse the throttle channel... I think it's a switch on the back of the radio...

[rcmaster1029]

There is a switch on the front of the radio at the bottom.

[OBX OSE]

Wow, you are right rcmaster i can't beleive i missed that.lol I was hitting the button to the right of the throttle joystick neutral control switch i guess.I hit the switch on the bottom and it works right now!Thanks rcmaster.This weekend i will test on the water and hopefully it will have better range now!I will post my results this weekend.Maybe proboat will warranty their transmitter without having to send the whole boat back? thanks to everyone for their help!!:)

[rcmaster1029]

I'm glad you got it working, man! I hope it works well for you when you go run it.

[OBX OSE]

Well, I ran the boat today and the range increased greatly.:)The boat ran excellent, good speed much faster than stock.But the battery life was not what it should be.Here are the runtimes 2400mah 2 min,2200mah 4 min,1500mah 30sec.The 2200mah is new less than month old and the 1500mah is new.The 2400mah is about 1-2years old.I bought a new charger when i bought the batteries a prophet plus charger any ideas?The new motor is a trinity komodo dragon 19t turning a Octura y535 prop.

[rcmaster1029]

That's pretty weird. You may need to cycle the batteries. Charge and discharge them a couple of times.

[OBX OSE]

Thanks for the reply.I have cycled the batteries several times each.I don't know what the heck is going on new charger 2 new batteries 1 older battery that i know worked before. I have tried my old hobbico 900 auto charger.Iam pretty much out of ideas as to what is wrong.These problems all started back like the middle of dec. with my blast boat.I bought all this stuff and even a new boat (my shockwave 26) i still cannot get a battery to charge.I charged the 2400 real slow one time like .17 amp and got 8min did the same thing the next time and got like 2min.Even with stock boats i have had this problem.I guess iam cursed. I should name my boat the titantic.LOL

[ReddyWatts]

Check for loose connections on your batteries and charger wires. Watch for hot spots when you run them.

[OBX OSE]

I have checked the connections on the chargers and batteries and they look good.By hot spots do you mean one or two cells getting hotter than the others?The battery packs get warm but not real hot.I have not noticed any hotter spots but will defintly check when i run tommrow.Thanks for the reply

[Rex R]

which type of connectors are you running? if they are the tamiya(white clunky) type, that may be the culprit right there...I have another name for 'em...I call them fuses

[OBX OSE]

Yeah you are right rex i got the clunky tamiya connectors.lol But everything is new so i though it would work for a while.So do these connectors just blow like a fuse?I guess i will have to try the new style connectors.Iam out of ideas. thanks for the reply

[Rex R]

actually they tend to melt when used in boats. they also have annoying habit of not making a good connection(not a big prob in cars as the vibration will usually jiggle them enough to reconnect electrically). the solution; wire cutters, 25watt iron, solder, and several packages of 'deans ultra plugs' (note the deans packages have instructions and suggested usage(female plugs go on the batteries))

[rcmaster1029]

Like Rex said, I would suggest getting Deans connectors. They are well made, they do not melt (unless you throw them in a fire lol), and they can make your boat a tiny bit faster because of better flow of electricity. I have them in all my cars and my boat and I love them. I doubt they will do much for your battery life, though. I recommend getting some newer batteries like the EP4600s or the Ener-G 4600s or even going to LiPo if you have the money.

[Rex R]

if the tamiya connectors aren't allowing the cells to fully charge, changing over to deans could make quite a difference in performance(also motor temps, so keep an eye on the temps)

[OBX OSE]

Hi guys, well from what you all have told me and what i have read iam going to invest in some new deans plugs and hopfully a new higher mah battery pack when pay day rolls around.I ran this afternoon and the boat ran great with the 2400 about 6min, 2200 about 2min, and 1500 20sec.Last night i charged the 2400 and it seemed to actualy peak right it got warm to the touch but the other batteries didnot.I did not notice any hot spots and the motor, esc got warm but not hot. The water here is still pretty cold upper 40s i would say what about summer.Maybe esc cooling is in the works for summer?Thanks for the input

[SweetAccord]

I know you addressed your radio issue, but here are some tips for such issues. Here are main points you should be aware of to fix a glitch(s) and I'm sure there is more people will contribute to this.

1. Contrary to what you hear and read, it's a fact that AM does have a longer wider range than FM. It is subject to interference more than FM.

2. Due to the frequency modulation, FM radio has the advantage of being inherently more resistant to noise and interference than AM. FM signals operate by line of sight, this of course limits the coverage area of FM.

3. Be sure that the Rx antenna is not bundled up inside the boat, run the antenna line right out and cap off outside the boat.

4. Any excess do not shorten as that will make your range worse, just cap it off and let it hang. Cutting the antenna wire on your RC can increase the chance of interference while trying to operate the RC causing glitches. Don't cut the antenna wire. To keep the antenna from dragging, you can thread it through an antenna tube -- if you don't have an antenna tube you can try soda straws, hollow coffee stirrers, or other semi-rigid plastic material. Some radios may operate fine with shorter antennas. Cut the receiver antenna only if the manufacturer says it is OK. Be sure not to cut it any shorter than the manufacturer recommends.
If the long antenna is really bugging you, you can try securing the excess wire inside the vehicle. Be careful not to coil or bunch it too tightly as this can cause glitches. You can attach the excess antenna to the inside of the body, but this can make it difficult to remove the body to get at the internal parts. Even better, after running the antenna through the antenna tube, wrap the excess around the outside of the tube in a spiral. Don't wrap it too loosely but do space it out so that it isn't all bunched up in one spot. Use a little piece of electrical tape to secure the loose end to the tube. Add an antenna cap to further secure it. To keep the antenna from sliding back through the tube, tie a knot in the end (only works with very narrow tubing) or add a rubber or plastic antenna cap on the end.

5. Even though you may have caps on the motor, check they are working properly-they may be bad-even though it's rare.

6. Radio batteries are dead or dying. Replace/charge transmitter batteries and receiver pack. Check the voltage is at correct value at the Rx plug.

7. Receiver is improperly installed. Cushion the receiver with foam if it's installed inside a radio box. Install the servo on its side with the antenna up. Do not run the antenna along graphite or aluminum chassis plates.

8. Bad servo. If the "glitch" is only in one servo, it's probably not a radio glitch at all. First, try mounting the servo with the included rubber grommets (the little black things you threw away, remember?) to insulate it from vibration. If that doesn't do the trick. Replace the servo if it's a cheap one, or return it to the manufacturer for repair if it's worth keeping.

9. While it's best to match the length used on the receiver originally, sometimes that just isn't possible. So if you don't know what the original length was, you'll want to use around 27 inches of wire for 27 MHz. If you're receiver operates in the 75 MHz range, you'll want to use around 20 inches.

10. Crystals may be bad. Swap/replace transmitter and receiver crystals.

11. If antenna wire is frayed, severed, shortened or if you find a break, repair it without shortening the wire.

12. Transmitter antenna is damaged or not connected. If the antenna cannot be screwed in until it's tight, the internal mount may be loose. Carefully open the transmitter to check it out. Also check the wires that attach to the mount; if they are broken, that's your problem.

13. ESC or servo plugs are damaged or dirty. Make certain that the metal contacts are fully inserted into the plugs. Clean the plugs and the prongs in the receiver with an electronics- and plastic-safe spray cleaner.

14. Capacitors are not installed on motor (not needed if using brushless motors). Install the capacitors recommended by the kit or ESC manual.

15. Motor brushes are severely worn or broken. replace brushes.

16. Motor brush shunts are frayed or broken, replace brushes.

17. Commutator is severely worn. Remove the comm and have it trued; if it can't be saved, replace the armature or the entire motor.

18. Route that antenna away from any other electronic device, ESC, servo, motor, and batteries as possible.

19. Because your radio's frequency is not exclusive to you, there's always a chance that you'll have glitches even when nothing is wrong with your equipment. Are you the only one on your frequency? Are you under fluorescent lighting? Could large metal utility poles, chain-link fences, metal buildings, or other large structures in your driving area “confuse” your car? All of these environmental factors can cause glitching. When in doubt, run your car elsewhere and check again. Sometimes, it's the environment—not the equipment.

20. Purchase a frequency scanner and check that no one else is on or close to your channel. If you are on 70 and you have others on 71, 68 or within 1 or 2 channels you are prone to overlapping frequency even with a FM PCM for example.

21. Twist the motor wires together. If the ESC and motor check out, but you still have throttle trouble, try twisting the positive and negative leads together. At the very least, keep them close together; if you separate them, electrical noise will radiate between them.

22. In a vehicle equipped with an electronic speed control, the onboard battery doesn't just power the motor; it also powers the receiver and steering servo. Since the receiver operates on less than 7.2 volts, the ESC reduces the voltage sent to the receiver. If the voltage-reducing circuitry is damaged or fails, it may cause glitching.

Hope that helps.

[OBX OSE]

Thank you for the very detailed info.I believe that the problem is in the tx that came with the boat.Since the boat is new i plan on trying to get the tx covered under warrenty if they dont make me send the whole boat back.You seem to be very knowledgeable could you offer any advice as to what is going on with my charger and batteries.I have charged my old 2400mah pack successfully about 2 times (got 8min runs) the other times the battery does not even get hot or last like it should.I have charged this battery the same way each time so i know it is still good.The 2 new packs i have have never even got hot on the same charger and have short run times.I am stuck with the taymia connectors for now.I tried charging tonight and my 2200mah pack went up to 5900mah but without heat it was reading like 8.40v.All the connections look good on battery and charger.What could cause this hit and miss charging?I charge the 2400mah at the same rate and it does peak or get hot.Since the 2400 has charged twice properly it seems to me to rule out the batteries.Mabye somthing with the charger?The charger seems to read battery voltage when the charger is not pluged into the wall so it has a good connection.Thanks for the replys

[rcmaster1029]

You may want to test out someone else's charger. It sounds like it could be part of the problem.

[SweetAccord]

Could be the charger I agree. Maybe also possible there is one or more ad bad cells in the pack? Who makes the batteries, how old are they? Who makes the charger and how old is it?