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Thread: Need Help with newest 180A SeaKings

  1. #1
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    Default Need Help with newest 180A SeaKings

    I got one of these newest Seaking 180s, the ones with the extra 4 caps, about a month ago. I finally got around to using it a couple of weeks ago, and immediately had problems.
    Then with a race in south Georgia coming up this past weekend, I ordered 2 more thinking that maybe I just got a bad one. But in racing, you have to have spares. So I rigged out the 2 new ones as usual, and once we got to the race, I tried one in practice only to find out that it does the exact same thing. And the third one does it also!

    DSC_5638.jpg


    After launching and getting up on plane, I punch the throttle and bout half way down the back straight, it shuts off. Release the throttle then get right back on it and it goes maybe a couple hundred feet and shuts off again. I can actually keep the boat running and at speed by rapidly letting off and getting back on it.

    Before you say LVC, let me say that I have tried EVERY LVC setting, 4 different motors, 4 different battery sets, 3 different boats, and at least 6 different props ranging from so small that it would barely get on plane to large enough that it SHOULD have knocked off earlier. But it usually takes about the same amount of TIME.

    They will run at half throttle just fine, but at WOT they stop.

    Also let me say that I have 5 or 6 other 180 seakings, and 4 120A SKs, and they all work great. So it's not like I don't know how to program them, unless they have changed something.

  2. #2
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    Are you running Auto-cell calculate? Or do you have the cell count manually selected? I have 4 of the new v3's and the one in my 32" rivercat is getting worked to its max, if I don't manually select the cell count it will do funky things like cut out.

  3. #3
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    This is me not saying it's the LVC.
    Paul Upton-Taylor, Greased Weasel Racing.

  4. #4
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    MXkid,

    I've tried it both ways, with 4s packs in a P, and 2 s packs in an N. Is this one (with 6 caps on the power wires) the version 3? I've not been doing FE but for 1 1/2 years, so I do not know a lot about any of the older stuff.

    Paul,

    That's what I thought. I tried EVERY setting and several different packs to try and nail down what I was doing wrong. Does the same thing no matter what I have tried.

    I can take this ESC out, and put one of my "two cap" model 180As in, and it works fine. I checked both to see if I had one set different from the other. But both had the same settings.

  5. #5
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    What kind of packs are you running? What is their discharge rate? Any of my 180a esc's will go into LVC with anything less than like a 50c battery unless LVC is turned off. The v3's seem to be alot more sensitive than the older ones

  6. #6
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    Roaring Top 60C (3 different sets) 4s2p and a TP 4070-2200....TP 4050-2390.......TP 3650-3080 on 2s2p.....Leopard 4074-2200

    I have run these same setups with some zippy 45C packs, and my older 180A SKs

  7. #7
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    Do ya'll have this newest version that I'm describing with the SIX caps on the wires. Is this the V3?

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    Quote Originally Posted by donhuff View Post
    Do ya'll have this newest version that I'm describing with the SIX caps on the wires. Is this the V3?
    Yes that is the v3. Like I said I have 4 of them and the only real problem I've ever had with them is from user abuse over-amping it which turned into a smoke show

  9. #9
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    Hummm.

    I wonder what I'm doing wrong then. I just went out to the shop and checked for the third time, to make sure I had them on the 4 cell setting, and they all were.

    Then I Load tested my batteries and the lowest voltage I saw was 14.2V This was dropping from 99% charge to 70% in about 30-45 seconds. So that should be as much or worst than when they were in the boat.

  10. #10
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    Just grasping at straws...

    I assume that your using the BEC function to power the RX (NO separate RX Pack). I would try a separate stand alone RX pack. Make sure you disconnect the power line (red wire) between speed control and receiver. I don't really have a reason why that would cause your issue, but it eliminates the BEC function as a cause.

    Later,
    Mike

  11. #11
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    Yep, tried that too!

    Look close in the picture in my first post and you can see tape holding the red wire back.

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    Do you have another receiver and transmitter to try? Might as well give it a shot if you do

  13. #13
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    Already tried it in 3 different boats.

  14. #14
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    I just rigged up a test bench using a leopard 36x50-2090 motor, 4s pack, and I used APC pylon racing airplane props for the load. with a 7.5x5 it will run till I turn it off. With an 8.5X8, it runs for about 5-6 seconds then shuts off. The green LED is flashing indicating high temp cut off. But I can put my fingers on it and hold them there all day! So it aint really hot. The motor gets hot even with the smaller prop since I do not have water running to it. 142 F was the highest I saw, but I did not run it but maybe 10 to 15 seconds.
    And just like when on the water, if I let off of the throttle and get right back on it, it does run again, but only half as long. If it was really hot, it should take a little to cool off, don't ya think.

  15. #15
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    You're one hell of a troubleshooter and I think it's fair to say you've spent enough time on this ESC and it should be replaced by the seller you purchased it from.
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

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    Quote Originally Posted by fweasel View Post
    I think it's fair to say you've spent enough time on this ESC and it should be replaced by the seller you purchased it from.
    In his first post he stated he has 3 new controllers that are all doing the same thing. I'd be pretty surprised if he has 3 brand new bad speedo's

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mxkid261 View Post
    In his first post he stated he has 3 new controllers that are all doing the same thing. I'd be pretty surprised if he has 3 brand new bad speedo's
    You're correct, I missed that. There is something to be said about production batches. So, potentially, all 3 could have the issue.
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  18. #18
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    The OP states that his old controllers work great, just the three new ones are troublesome. So it seems that either all three new ESCs are defective, or the programming is different/wrong. strange...



    .
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  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fluid View Post
    The OP states that his old controllers work great, just the three new ones are troublesome. So it seems that either all three new ESCs are defective, or the programming is different/wrong. strange...

    .
    Very strange...

  20. #20
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    Yes, I don't want to replace it with another one that will do the same thing! And since I have two doing it (haven't tried the third one) I have to suspect that there was something changed in this newest model.

    But I still think that "I" may be doing something wrong as I'm sure I am not the first one to buy this new style, and others are not having this problem.

    I found this morning that I have a different programming card than what is available today. Mine is a hobbywing, but it only supports four function changes. The newer ones have the ability to change 12 different things, with one of them being over heat protection. If I had one of those, I could turn the heat protection off and see if that "fixed" it. But I don't see why they would have lowered the limit on the new ESCs, to the point that the same setup makes them cut off, and the old ones keep running.

    And others have been telling me that running them at less than full throttle will make the ESC run hotter than when at WOT. I don't understand how that can happen but it's what I keep hearing/reading. But I can run these new ESCs at half throttle till the batts are dead, but hit full rabbit, and it'll go about a 1/4 of a lap and shut off.

  21. #21
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    I just finished reading some other post and they were saying that the V3 model has been around since 2014. So I guess all of the ones that I have are the V3 since they all look alike....except these last three. They have 4 extra caps in the shrink wrap on the power wires. And those four caps are wired together, but separate from the normal two that are usually there. And those four have a red and black wire that runs down into the potting material like the power wires do.

    So I guess this is the newest version of the V3 ?

  22. #22
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    I had one of the first v3 models from 2014 and it didn't have the 4 extra caps just the 2 on the case and the 2 on the diode board on the power wires, I burned that one up. I've heard from many others that these ESC's are designed to be run at full throttle and running it around at half throttle for a full run puts more stress on the contoller than if you were wide open the entire run. I was going to say you should check which program card you have because I'm pretty sure the v2 program card is different than the card for the V3 esc's

    Edit: It looks like the program card is the same, but the listing on OSE says it includes an adapter wire for programming a version 3 seaking ESC
    Last edited by Mxkid261; 11-08-2016 at 10:30 AM.

  23. #23
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    Can this ESC be programmed without a card using a controller?
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by fweasel View Post
    Can this ESC be programmed without a card using a controller?
    Yes absolutely.

  25. #25
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    Yes, but you can only do the basic functions with the tx same as with my simple program card, far as I can tell. Plus I'm 62 years old and can barely hear THUNDER. All that dang beeping and waiting, spinning in a circle, and clicking the heels on you ruby slippers, pizzes me off! I can never get it right, my fault I know, but I still don't like it.

    I see that they have an LCD programming card and you can do lots more with it, plus I can READ it! Since between me and my son we have 8 of these things (180s and 120s) it should be a worthwhile investment.

    While looking at several you tube videos. I saw that a couple of the helicopter guys turned off the overheat protection because it "jumps in to early".

  26. #26
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    I don't even have the option to turn off the overheat protection, I'm pretty sure you cannot disable over temp protection on any of the marine controllers. I know there is nothing in my 180a manual about turning off over-temp protection. Which program card are you using exactly? Can you post a link to it or a picture? I'm wondering if the card your using is not meant for the v3 seaking ESC. Even though it might make a tone and show you changed a parameter, it may not actually be changing. Just a thought

  27. #27
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    I don't have that option on my old card either. And your right about it not saying anything about it in the manual. But on the hobbywing direct north america web site, you can see it, and several youtube videos show it.

    I said that on the new version, and the LCD program card, you DO have that option.

    Hummm, well after looking closer. It shows that on the boat escs, you still only have control over the same four settings. Well dern!

  28. #28
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    Ya the air ESC's might have more parameter's to change than the boat ESC's. Like stated, there are only 4 parameters you can change on the boat ESC's. I'm willing to bet your program card is not actually changing the parameters of the controller. Is this the card your using? http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...-seaking-pcard

  29. #29
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    Mine looks like that other than it does not have but the four parameters on the front.

    it changes the battery voltage and timing Im sure.

  30. #30
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    Hmm...shouldn't be the card then. I'm just about at a loss then Lol. You may want to try contacting Hobbywing North America. They have warehouse's in Los Angeles and Reno.

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