AE-2 Esc on the fritz

[SynisteR6]

Hey gang, I'm wondering if anyone here can help me out. I finished my wraith kit build back around christmas and decided to use stock running gear for now and upgrade later. I bought a new AE-2 ESC off ebay that was removed from a new unit.

I ran it for roughly 2 months problem free, probably 10-12 packs through it, mostly 2S with 1 or 2 3S tries. The last time I had it out was on 2S out in the snow and it ran fine. A week later when to use it again and it doesn't work. The ESC beeps, and turns on red/green flashing at first, a few beeps, then flashes rapidly green. The LED light kit turns on and I have steering, but no forward/reverse.

I've tried switching motors, rebinding Tx/Rx, calibrating ESC. It won't let me calibrate btw, it just goes to the same rapidly flashing green light and won't let me calibrate.

Any suggestions? I've emailed axial support but its been days with no response. I will try calling today, but just wondering if anyone of you geniuses here might be able to help me out

Thanks!

[pstar26]

Download the AE2 ESC pdffrom Axial site. It has the LED fault codes on it. If you got the first gen AE2 it is not water proof. Good luck. Just google the above if you can't find the PDF on axial website

[SynisteR6]

I did find that, I spend hours trouble shooting it. The code indicates that it doesn't read throttle input, however it will not let me calibrate it :S I even completely swapped out Tx/Rx to try and rule that out but no luck.

[tgh117]

Check the trims on your radio also. Every once on a while my sons gets moved, and the esc won't finish the arming process to let it drive.

[SynisteR6]

Originally Posted by tgh117

Check the trims on your radio also. Every once on a while my sons gets moved, and the esc won't finish the arming process to let it drive.

all at zero :(

Any other thoughts?

[Bansh88]

3s burned it up? I dont think they're rated for 3s

[allanon1965]

Been running my ae2 on 3s for months now, but I also run a CC BEC.....

[SynisteR6]

They say it's rated for 3S :S. Sucks... Gotta buy another one I guess

[tgh117]

It's a decent esc for the cost. Did you try putting it in some rice incase the snow made it wet? They are not waterproof to my knowledge. I doubt the 3s took it out, as my sons truck has ran it a few times. It could however be the moisture.

[mjc597]

Have you checked your receiver? Possible that your channel for the esc may be causing the issue?

[spookyseven]

Originally Posted by tgh117

Check the trims on your radio also. Every once on a while my sons gets moved, and the esc won't finish the arming process to let it drive.

Originally Posted by SynisteR6

all at zero :(

Any other thoughts?

Since you didn't hear the second set of beeps it's not arming. The trim value may be set to zero on your radio but the esc might still think it has throttle input which stops it from arming. If this is the case you can turn it on and slowly apply throttle or reverse until the esc finds zero which it should arm. When doing this make sure the vehicle can't drive anywhere while working on it. Unfortunately I have a feeling that if you can't calibrate it it didn't play well with the snow.

[J5races]

Do you have a BEC?

If not that's possibly what killed the esc.

[SynisteR6]

I do not, but could you explain what a BEC does and how it would have saved the ESC?

Thanks Spooky. I tried the slow application of throttle but no luck. Took the ESC apart and have it in rice now but the board looks perfect. Dry, nothing burned out :S baffling... maybe the 3s was too much, I did _just_ notice it has 2S on the side of it :(

I have to say I'm pretty dissapointed in Axial's customer service on this one. When I assembled my Kit and it had the old axles in that caused alot of binding, even though they re-released the axles as it was a known error, they wouldn't help me where I bought the kit second hand, however, at least they responded to me. I've sent them two emails over a week and no response. I did try to call but their 1-800 # doesn't work from canada apparently :S Its a shame, I love their product but after dealing with traxxas customer service this is leaving a lot to be desired.



well, I'm at a loss, just tried a frest Tx/Rx, battery, and motor and same result from the ESC :( the thing looks perfect, nothing burned up, nothing jumpered... I just don't understand why all of a sudden it doesn't work? :S

[allanon1965]

sometimes electrical parts just stop working. but the 3s was probably too much for the built in BEC in the esc and it stopped working which would kill the esc but still have steering...an external BEC like a CC BEC will work with a 3s where the stock esc in this case wont. buy a new ESC and hook up a CC BEC per instructions, not forgetting to remove the red wire from the new ESC rx plug.

[SynisteR6]

Does anyone have experience with warranty work on one of these? I finally called and got "hobbico" and they said send it in with original receipt. Well, I bought it off ebay, and I've also opened the case (cutting the sticker) to see if there was anything obvious.

I'm just curious is anyone has dealth with axial on warranty with an ESC before and what their experience was.

[DrDiff952]

I have NO problems what so ever with my CC BEC at 7,2 volts and 3S pack with my AE-2 ESC

[allanon1965]

Originally Posted by SynisteR6

Does anyone have experience with warranty work on one of these? I finally called and got "hobbico" and they said send it in with original receipt. Well, I bought it off ebay, and I've also opened the case (cutting the sticker) to see if there was anything obvious.

I'm just curious is anyone has dealth with axial on warranty with an ESC before and what their experience was.

if you opened it up there wont be any warranty they will give you unless they make an exception, but being as it was bought off of ebay, then the case opened up....99.9% chance they will not warranty it.

[Richterat83]

So running 3s with internal bec. That's bad
Playing in snow without any waterproofing. That's bad
Thinking a company will warranty a prduct you bought off ebay and then used in a manner they won't warranty then opened it and put it in rice to fix? That's bad

Personally, i'm running 3s in my SCX10 on my used ebay AE2 for months but i've got a CC BEC so the internal BEC gets to take a vacation. I also plastidipped the ESC and RX.


Sounds like it's time to buy a new ESC

[DrDiff952]

Holms Hobbies waterproof and a Castle Creations BEC is what I'd replace it with

[allanon1965]

the ae-2 is waterproof if it has the version with the epoxy coating. you can see it if you look thru the vents on the case. Mine is the waterproofed version...

I run it in snow so much its pack with snow when i stop and it has no issues (running the cc BEC) on my 3s 5000mah...but i think the earlier versions were not epoxy coated?