Fried servo after B.E.C. install

[sedanman67]

I have been having an issue with my rig shutting down under load. I have a 35 turn brushed motor, Hi-tec servos (645mg steering, 225mg for VF dig) Tekin FX-R speed control and a Spektrum 3.0 with an SR3000 receiver. I thought the b.e.c. circuit in the speed control was not up to the task so I installed a Castle B.E.C. tonite. I backed the red wire out of the esc connector and taped it back to the harness. I ran it on the same battery that had given me problems. I ran it around the house for a few minutes and started smelling something odd. I let all of the smoke out of the dig servo but the steering servo seems fine. I have the battery in question on a discharge cycle right now and will shortly know how dead it was. It IS possible that I was trying to run the rig on too little voltage, still I fail to see how this would cook a servo.

I am open to ANY and ALL input.

Update: My 989 super brain took 135 ma out of the battery before calling it discharged. I WAS running on no reserve. Still, is this what cooked my dig servo or does anyone think there is something else wrong?

[Kranberry]

what amp was it at?

[sedanman67]

Please clarify, amp setting on the discharger or something else. I think the discharge is set to 3.3 amps. I am currently charging another battery so I can't look.

[sedanman67]

The other battery finished, I am running 3300 mah 6 cell packs and charging/dis-charging at 3 amps.

[Robbob]

I think he means what amperage was the CC BEC set at. you may have over juiced the servos with the BEC.

[scuzzy51]

from what i have gathered from the board is that the 225 SUCKS! everybody i know burns them up. so didn't even mess around when i put my VF dig in... i put a big digital servo up there powering it! it goes when i say go. and there's never a time it gets stuck in lock. i think the 225 is not up for the task everyone is asking it to do.

[SeanD]

What VOLTAGE was the BEC set at? Did you leave it at the "factory setting" of 5.1 volts or did you you ramp it up using the Castle Link? If you did up the voltage, maybe it was to something that the 225 coukd not handle.

[sedanman67]

The bec was set to the factory default, I did not buy the link to program it. I am goint to go though my dig and make sure there is no bind. Is there another servo the size of the 225 that is stronger? I like the mounting location on the VF dig.

[jwcustomwurks]

You can always make a full size servo mount in the stock VF location if you have the tools. I did

[mysharona]

set your epa on your steering servo. there is nothing wrong with the 225's, people just have them traveling too far, burning them up. set your epa's with a new servo and you will have no problems

[jamesdicken]

epa!

[RJD4CARS]

Originally Posted by mysharona

set your epa on your steering servo. there is nothing wrong with the 225's, people just have them traveling too far, burning them up. set your epa's with a new servo and you will have no problems

Mysharona is correct on the importance of the correct EPA’s for the 225 as I smoked one also before I got the EPA’s correct. I have two VF digs; also both cars have the CC BEC and Spektrum radios running 7 cells. One with a 225 and the other I bought a full size servo mount from Crawford Performance Engineering and redrilled the mounting holes to match the dig holes. Why, because I have a boatload of full size servos lying around and wanted to see if I could make one of those work. I mounted an old Traxxas 2018 servo and it works great. Really a fifteen minute job.
But the key to longevity on the 225 is the EPA’s. Start at zero and go up until you reach the desired throws and stop. Both digs have been in now for about two mounts with zero problems. I know your Spektrum has the EPA adjustment, but those that don’t have EPA adjustment may want to try a full size servo and play around with the servo horn length to get it to work right and not stress the servo or the dig. A full size servo probably can take a little more stress than the smaller one if it’s not spot on IMO.

[HomerJ]

Originally Posted by RJD4CARS

Start at zero and go up until you reach the desired throws and stop.

That is the major thing that I think others have done wrong when setting up the vf dig servo. I'm thinking a lot of people start their epa's at the top and work down. Do it like RJD said and it should be fine I suspect.

[sedanman67]

I put a new 225 in tonite and am absolutely certain I have the epa's set right, The servo is silent in both positions, I listened with a stethoscope! I KNOW it's not binding now. Thanks for all the tips.