Solved Problem with my ESC

[potato powered warbirds]

I was given the speed build warbird combo pack for my birthday this year I had just finished building and the installing the electronics I tested them out and it worked amazingly my next act as a new pilot was to ram the plane into a wall at top speed. (never switch the up and down for throttle on the remote especially with the propeller still on) The airframe was undamaged but after I turned it back (on with the propeller off) the motor was running really slowly no matter what I did with the transmitter I thought it might be the motor so we contacted Emaxx costumer service and they said to send it in for repairs. When we got it back they said that the shaft was loose so I thought the problem might be fixed but when I hooked everything up it still was turning very slowly. Having ruled out the engine, servos (fully operational), receiver, and battery (fully charged) I think the issue is with the ESC and diagnosing it according to the manual, I think it’s in programing mode, but I don’t know what to do to get it to get out of programing mode. I have followed the steps to exit programing mode (and have heard all the right beeps that I should be hearing at this point) until it says in the instructions to set the “min” which I don’t know how to do. I am using a receiver that I had from an old plane that is now less than air worthy. It was given to me by a friend. But because where I live RC planes are a somewhat new hobby the electronics that I salvaged, specifically the transmitter and the receiver are very old, a 72mhz crystal 6 channel transmitter and I’m unsure how to do this on this type of transmitter.

 

[Hai-Lee]

The min they refer to is just minimum throttle or the stick to the bottom of its travel.

Sometimes it is possible that the throttle trim is not centred so just adjust the trim to the lowest possible setting and try the procedure again.

If it still doesn't work you may need to find someone with a programmer for the ESC type that you are using.

Have fun!

 

[Namactual]

I am with Hai-Lee on this one.

I would say the throttle trim on your transmitter is probably to blame here. You have old school analog trim tabs on your transmitter from the looks of it, just move your throttle trim all the way down and see where that gets you.

If that does not work, I would next look at a bad potentiometer in the transmitter.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Edit: wait, does that have a throttle minimum/cut off switch for gas engines?

 

[potato powered warbirds]

I am with Hai-Lee on this one.

I would say the throttle trim on your transmitter is probably to blame here. You have old school analog trim tabs on your transmitter from the looks of it, just move your throttle trim all the way down and see where that gets you.

If that does not work, I would next look at a bad potentiometer in the transmitter.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Edit: wait, does that have a throttle minimum/cut off switch for gas engines?

yes I tried that but it did not work. Is there a way to replace the potentiometer or do I need to get a new transmitter and receiver? I don't believe that it's a cut off switch it a 6-channel so I'm pretty sure that they are for 90° and 180° rotation of the servos so eventually if can ever get this to work I have options for bomb drops or something

 

[Namactual]

One last thing you could try to see if the pot is out of spec or maybe misaligned...

1: First and foremost, remove the prop.

2: Now reverse your throttle channel using the switch at the bottom of the transmitter.

3: Move your throttle stick all the way up as well as your trim tab.

4: Plug in your battery and see if you can get the ESC to arm.

 

[potato powered warbirds]

I tried what you suggested and it seemed like it armed which is progress, but it only turns really slowly or not at all. I don't see why it worked before and now it doesn't. based on the results what would you say is going on?

 

[Hai-Lee]

If you think that perhaps you have a faulty transmitter Potentiometer you can try this to see if the ESC is operating properly BUT remove the prop and use with caution.

Remove the ESC from Ch3 or what ever is the Throttle channel and plug it into the elevator channel on the Rx.
Turn on the Tx and then plug in the battery to the ESC/Rx.
The ESC should "Beep" but not respond with any rotation. It may beep continuously or even start going through the programming menu.
Move the Elevator stick on the TX to minimum or down position and hold there to see if the beeping stops and the ESC arms properly.
If not you may need to either move the elevator stick to maximum or fully position and hold.

If it has stopped beeping and perhaps even armed then move the elevator to maximum or fully up should cause the motor to rotate as per normal, (Subject to any range changes you have made).

A working ESC in the elevator position and not the throttle position means a faulty transmitter, If the ESC performs exactly the same in both positions I would think a new ESC is required.

Have fun!

 

[Andrew]

I was given the speed build warbird combo pack for my birthday this year I had just finished building and the installing the electronics I tested them out and it worked amazingly my next act as a new pilot was to ram the plane into a wall at top speed. (never switch the up and down for throttle on the remote especially with the propeller still on) The airframe was undamaged but after I turned it back (on with the propeller off) the motor was running really slowly no matter what I did with the transmitter I thought it might be the motor so we contacted Emaxx costumer service and they said to send it in for repairs. When we got it back they said that the shaft was loose so I thought the problem might be fixed but when I hooked everything up it still was turning very slowly. Having ruled out the engine, servos (fully operational), receiver, and battery (fully charged) I think the issue is with the ESC and diagnosing it according to the manual, I think it’s in programing mode, but I don’t know what to do to get it to get out of programing mode. I have followed the steps to exit programing mode (and have heard all the right beeps that I should be hearing at this point) until it says in the instructions to set the “min” which I don’t know how to do. I am using a receiver that I had from an old plane that is now less than air worthy. It was given to me by a friend. But because where I live RC planes are a somewhat new hobby the electronics that I salvaged, specifically the transmitter and the receiver are very old, a 72mhz crystal 6 channel transmitter and I’m unsure how to do this on this type of transmitter.

View attachment 108216

After reading this I think I can see and understand your problem.
You switched the "throttle servo reverse" switch causing the motor to instantly go FULL THROTTLE (into the wall).
Next time you connected power to your model to test everything it has automatically gone into program mode because the "throttle servo reverse" you made causing it go into the wall, your throttle positions are now at the wrong ends, when you connect power it goes into program mode, first program is throttle calibration and mistaking that for the normal start up tone. Now your holding the gimbal stick in the bottom position giving it a little wiggle (while in program mode) causing a false calibration and now the throttle setting are all out of place.
I would strongly suggest putting the "throttle servo reverse switch" back to where it was before it hit the wall AND do a throttle calibration to reset the esc, please remove the prop before doing this!!!

If you need to check throttle gamble trimpot/potentiometer quickest and easiest way is to plug a servo into the throttle slot on the Rx and move the gimbal stick around andthis will show any problems with the trimpot/potentiometer.
Hope you get it sorted out.

 

[Namactual]

Progress is good. It helps us narrow this down.

Both posters above bring up good points. Don't sweat the slow rotation now that you have it armed. The slow rotation now with the throttle channel reversed is probably a result of improper throttle range calibration after the initial channel reverse. That is easily fixed. The issue now is getting the throttle to zero with your throttle channel in the correct orientation.

The way those old transmitters worked, the ones I have seen anyway, is the trim tab physically rotates the potentiometer. They usually have a mechanical stop before the pot actually bottoms out. I am willing to bet all you need is another half of degree of rotation out of your throttle to allow it to zero out.

Two things to try here...

First, take your prop off.

1: Keep your throttle channel reversed and re-calibrate your ESC throttle range.
+Turn on your transmitter with the stick and trim tab all the way to the top.
+Move your stick all the way to the bottom.
+Plug in your battery and you should hear the motor beep once.
+Now slowly move your throttle stick all the way to the top and your ESC should arm.

You should now have full throttle control with the sticks reversed. Up is off, down is full throttle.

+Now Unplug your battery and reverse your throttle channel switch again.
+Move your trim tab and stick all the way to the bottom.
+Now plug in your battery and see if the ESC arms.
+If it does arm, run through another throttle calibration again with the sticks in the proper orientation. You are now good to go!

-If it does not arm again, I would see if you can't get the trim tab to rotate the pot just a hair more. This will require taking the transmitter apart. I do not recommend this unless you are comfortable with the idea. I have no idea what the inside of your transmitter looks like or how it is built so I can not really help here without seeing it.

I hope you don't need to take your transmitter apart. If you do though, post pics and we will try our best to help you sort it all out.