Expensive & Frustrating Problem
 

Hey guys, last night I was playing with the trail basher. Setup was Novak SS5800 geared 8/90 in a Pede trans, 6 cell 3300 nimh packs, Futaba servo and Futaba radio gear. Got half way up a steep hill when it lost all power. No steering or throttle control whatsoever. I figured that maybe the battery had come unplugged. After the truck stopped its nasty tumble down the hill I found the battery was indeed still plugged in.

I then went back to the house and grabbed a new receiver, just to start narrowing down the problem. The new receiver worked for about 30 seconds and then once again I have no response. Tried new crystals, same thing. Tried the two receivers that had worked the day before on a known good esc setup, no dice. I then figured that maybe, with the Novak system being 4 + years old, that maybe an internal voltage regulator that controls voltage to the receiver had shorted out and it was overpowering the receiver, thus letting out the smoke.

So, I bought a NIB Novak XRS and a new Hitec receiver from my girlfriend's father. Today, after installing it, I was playing around the yard. With the Magnetic Mayhem being geared so low, nothing got warm. It was working pretty well. After about 20 minutes I set down the controller and walked away to grab something, with both the truck and controller still powered up. Now it is doing the same thing it did last night. It isnt receiving any kind of input.

What gives? Is it possible that the servo may be the culprit? I cannot keep wrecking speed controls and receivers. This makes 3 receivers and 2 speed controls, one being a Novak brushless and the other a brand new Novak XRS, in 2 days!

Also, forgot to mention, I tried an identicle known-good transmitter as well to rule out that aspect. Any suggestions? Tissues to wipe my eyes with?

From what you said the servo is the only common factor. So I would try a known good servo and try again.

Have you tried charging your battery or putting in a different pack? Could have knocked something loose in the pack.

Sparky, that is what I figured. I plan on putting a new one in before I try anything else. Dont need to ruin anything more.

Sven, I tried multiple packs with the same results. I thought something came loose as well, but everything is tight.

is the servo drawing too much current for the bec? try a cc bec

Well, I swapped out servos (and receiver, as the other one was now garbage) and ran for a few hours last night without issue.

Im not sure it was a BEC issue. Something was literally frying the receivers. It must've been something in the servo. It sucks because the servo was a newer Futaba high torque metal-gear unit. Ah well, such is life.

Thanks for the replies! ;-)