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Thread: Still struggling with ZTW200A esc calibration

  1. #1
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    Default Still struggling with ZTW200A esc calibration

    I'm hoping Peter might chime in again (please)! I see others have struggled with ZTW setup as well.

    In my case, I had no problem connecting the program card to set and save the the parameters. I have set my throttle limit (on a stick Tx, not pistol) to 100% in the full throttle position and to 0% in the reverse position. When I hold the throttle on full and plug in the ESC to calibrate, I get continuous beeps separated by about a second between each beep. This is the only kind of response I can get out of it. After that, if I reboot with the throttle in neutral, I still get the same beeps. Battery voltage is about 16.6v. In other threads I've seen some discussion about setting limits to 150% which I completely do not understand and discussion of something called Pistix. I don't know what Pistix is. If you have experiencing setting up these ESC's can you chime in please? I have no idea where to go from here. I know once I get through the set up this will be a great ESC. Thank you.

    PS - If it is relevant, the battery leads are standard from the factory and they connect to a wire Y-harness which is maybe 4 inches long to put the two 4S batteries in parallel. I've read in some threads that wire length seems to be an issue but I don't think there's anything excessive here.
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    Last edited by Timothy L; 07-19-2022 at 06:24 PM.

  2. #2
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    Default

    While calibrating the throttle position, you hold 100% throttle, plug in the ESC, wait for the beeps, release the throttle to 0%, and wait for beeps again. Then power cycle the ESC.

    Timothy L, your procedure did not mention returning the throttle to neutral after the beeps at 100%.
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  3. #3
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    Default

    Fweasel, thank you for the input. I actually did return it to neutral after the beeps, but it had no impact. On line videos show that at full throttle you hear two confirmation beeps and at neutral, two more confirmation beeps. That is not what happened. At all phases it just emitted the continuous beeps.

    The instructions say that continuous beeps, separated by 1 second between beeps, indicates incorrect voltage. I checked voltage with a meter and the voltage is correct. Still scratching my head.

  4. #4
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    Default

    To determine if it's ESC or radio issue, grab another radio and receiver and try to calibrate with it. Most of the time it's a radio issue. Sounds like it's not recognizing off throttle position.

  5. #5
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    I've never calibrated a boat ESC to a stick radio, but I suspect the trouble lies there. What if you reset your throttle to a neutral center point, with the bottom half of the travel for reverse, even though you don't plan on using reverse. Also, when I switched from Spektrum to Futaba and tried calibrating my existing setups, I was experiencing similar trouble. I eventually discovered, Futaba needs the throttle channel set to reverse (on a pistol radio). That might be something to try as well.
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  6. #6
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    Thanks all.

    I think that in my previous tries I held the full throttle too long and it was actually going into program mode.

    Now, I reset the throttle to 100% in either direction, as Fweasel suggested, AND I moved the throttle from max 100% to min 100% immediately after the beeps. It appeared to accept the calibration EXCEPT when I let go of the spring loaded stick, it centered and the motor really took off. I had to get my wife to hold the throttle back in the 100% minimum position while I unplugged the battery. So I believe this means that the ESC views the entire throw distance of the stick as increasing the throttle. That would be OK if it was not a spring centered throttle. I suppose I could pull the springs on the transmitter and make the throttle a ratchet. However, on my scale boats I've always enjoyed the fact that if I let go of the throttle it would immediately center and the engine would will shut down. I think that is much safer than a ratchet throttle. So now I'm wondering, again, how to have neutral be the bottom end of the range? Do I
    1) go to my original thought and set the minimum on the Tx at 0% and 100% for max OR
    2) when calibrating let the stick return to 0% instead of full reverse OR
    3) do both?
    My brain is spinning as it hits evening on the East Coast!

  7. #7
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    Calibrate at 100% full throttle, then at 0% centered (neutral). The ESC should be happy, sit idle when the stick is centered and go full noise when you push the stick up. Is that not what you want? Are you still trying to achieve a setup using the full throw of the throttle stick from down to up with no centered neutral?
    Vac-U-Tug Jr (13mph)

  8. #8
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    Yes, Fweasel, that is what I will do next. I must do some planting today, but I feel that the primary issue was me simply holding the stick up too long during calibration. I think when I can get back to it this afternoon, I'll limit the bottom end on the Tx again and set the minimum at neutral. I'll post results late tonight or tomorrow.

    Thanks to you and others got the great help!!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by fweasel View Post
    Calibrate at 100% full throttle, then at 0% centered (neutral). The ESC should be happy, sit idle when the stick is centered and go full noise when you push the stick up. Is that not what you want? Are you still trying to achieve a setup using the full throw of the throttle stick from down to up with no centered neutral?
    This.
    NZMPBA 2013, 2016 Open Electric Champion. NZMPBA 2016 P Offshore Champion.
    2016 SUHA Q Sport Hydro Hi Points Champion.
    BOPMPBC Open Mono, Open Electric Champion.

  10. #10
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    When you do the initial calibration, have all you throws at 100% and trims centered. After it is calibrated then you can turn down the reverse etc.
    NZMPBA 2013, 2016 Open Electric Champion. NZMPBA 2016 P Offshore Champion.
    2016 SUHA Q Sport Hydro Hi Points Champion.
    BOPMPBC Open Mono, Open Electric Champion.

  11. #11
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    I thank everybody for the input on this thread. You've been a great help. The solution can be summarized as follows:
    1) you must remove the throttle from the full on position IMMEDIATELY after hearing the first two beeps, otherwise it continues into programming mode. So you have your radio set at full throttle, plug the battery in, hear the two beeps, and let it go immediately to neutral position on a spring-loaded stick throttle. You're hear two more beeps and it's set to go.
    2) The proper way to set up the radio, in my case a Taranus 2019 Access, is to set the differential as shown on the picture below. On this particular radio there's more than one option for having a spring-loaded stick shut off in the neutral position and not function in the reverse decision. My choice was to adjust the differential. I hope this might be of help to future users of this ESC and who will use a stick transmitter.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Timothy L; 07-24-2022 at 07:48 AM.

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