Meltdown --> HELP!!!

[Axial Rose]

Okay,

I have the following:

• Novak Rooster ESC
• Novak 55T motor
• 3 cell battery pack <<-- never used but 3 yrs old, first charged tonight
• Spektrum DX6i radio

I connected the stuff together, turned on my transmitter, turned on the on/off switch to the ESC, the lights on the receiver began blinking like crazy, then after about ten seconds, the battery began smoking and I tossed everything quickly outside.

I used pliers to disconnect the battery - the ESC cooling fins were HOT

The battery is obviously ruined, but how bad is the other stuff: ESC, motor, receivers?

I feel like such an idiot - either this is just a bad battery, or I connected the ESC, &/or receiver incorrectly, or the ESC can't handle 3 cells (even though I was told it would), or something . Either way, it's really depressing.

Thanks for any help.

[Code454]

Wow thats a real bad batt, and after it being 3yrs old i wouldnt have even tried it, but hopefully all the rest is ok

[Axial Rose]

Okay - at least one problem is the 3 cell lipo - the instructions clearly indicate using only a 2 cell lipo - so, then why did I use a 3 cell? 1, I didn't read the instructions, and 2, someone told me to use a 3 cell. He probably thought I was using a Goat, which I believe one version of the Goat ESC is made for 3 cells.

No problem - the house didn't burn down.

I'll take credit for being stupid and I'll try it again in the morning with a 2 cell battery this time.

Happy crawlin',

AR

[oldhippie]

Why is a rooster/goat not for crawling? Two cell limit!

[Code454]

you can use 3cell i have before and never ever had an issue, but with a batt that sat for 3yrs is were you messed up i wouldnt have used it when it has never been used between that time

[brokennib]

Whoah, yeah, I'd say that pack reached critical mass. Hopefully your ESC is o.k., that Rooster has a somewhat clear case, you could at least check for any obvious scortch marks on the logic board, those Novaks are pretty hardy, should be o.k. But yeah, 3cells on a Novak is a no no.

[2500hdon37s]

youll just have to check with a diffrent battery and see if it still works and the old 3 cell lipo was a stupid idea

[picklewagon]

Want to sell that lipo? Looks good! JK dude.

[Ampdraw]

Just had the same exact problem with a brand new Tekin ESC. I tested the cap with my meter before soldering it in just because I've seen too many new caps dead shorted or open in my life. Didn't bother testing the ESC though.

Hooked up the new ESC (a no brainer) and had the same thing happen, battery caught on fire.

Good news is my battery did get trashed, but the motor and Rx survived, brand new ESC was obviously fried but it was fried before I ever even hooked it up. Tested it after wards and found it was dead shorted across the motor connections internally.

What a bunch of BS, the thing was brand new and the local shop I bought it from had basically a thats too bad attitude, call Tekin. Tekin was nice enough on the phone, but its been 2 weeks since having to pay shipping to return it ($32 UPS Next Day Air) and I just received an email from them today that it is being sent back to me through the US mail, so it'll probably be another week before I see it (3 weeks total from the day I bought it).

What a F'd up deal, buy a brand new product and get screwed out of additional money spent ($32) to have to send it in out of the box just for them to send you another one 3 weeks later and still be out the battery it fried not to mention the house it could have burnt down.

When I bought my last Dell laptop they had a recall because one caused the battery to catch on fire on an airplane. I (and millions of other people) paid nothing for shipping either way, had I bought it local it would have been able to of returned replaced local,shipped and still had a new battery 2 days out, people had had laptops catch fire got full replacements. And bet your ass the person who first had one catch on fire on that airplane is probably a millionaire now better off than the new millionaire from a cup of hot McDonalds coffee just spilled in their lap.

When I get this new ESC finally back from them, I'm going to buy tickets for a $69 flight on Southwest and hook it up on the plane. If it catches fire on the plane instead of in my house this time then I bet they'll take the problems a little more seriously and I'll be a few million richer, or they will at least replace my battery their product defect in workmanship caused a failure on which almost burned down my neighborhood as a result of.

[Ampdraw]

The biggest bunch of BS in all of this is not being able to return a faulty product to the place of purchase for immediate refund or replacement. The guy on the phone at Tekin said they don't do this because some goober may have soldered all the terminals together causing the failure.

That's BS, if the authorized place of purchase can't tell that much by just looking at it then they should not be an authorized place to purchase from.

Having to pay for shipping and waiting 3 weeks (after returning Next Day Air) for a warranty replacement of a product that is failed out of the box is BS. Not to mention the fact your also out a $49 battery it caught on fire and even this is only if it didn't also catch your house on fire. I wish it would have caught my house on fire, at least then my home owners insurance would have went after them with extreme prejudice.

[Ampdraw]

There's this little thing called a fuse maybe they should check into?

[Axial Rose]

I want everyone to know - clearly - my issue is a USER PROBLEM, there was nothing wrong w/my ESC (of course, now it's fried, oh well).

As I slept on it, I realize I have no right to point fingers at anyone for bad advice - I can't imagine anyone here or at another crawler forum would intentionally give me bad advice - I was the one that didn't read the instructions, this was really 100% my fault.

Ampdraw - thanks for letting us know you had a defective product. Hopefully, all of us will check out our systems before using them - just to make sure, not that it should be necessary, but as you pointed out, you never know for sure unless you check it out before using it.

I am very grateful this thing didn't catch on fire inside my house - the damage would have been awful. As is, I can just write this boo-boo up as a bad experience and hopefully let everyone else know the obvious "READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!"

;)

Happy crawlin',

AR

[92PathSE]

I'm really glad I saw this thread. I almost ordered a 3-cell LiPo for my Goat 2s(the purple one). I just checked the instructions and it clearly states that it must use a 2-cell LiPo, if you're going to use a LiPo. I thought my current battery was a 3-cell. I can't read the specs on the label.

Glad you didn't blow up ;)

[92PathSE]

The battery I had was indeed a 3-cell. I don't know why it didn't blow up anything. I have a 2-cell now.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by Ampdraw

What a F'd up deal, buy a brand new product and get screwed out of additional money spent ($32)...

At what point in your conversation with Tekin did they imply that if you sent it next day, they would too?

Originally Posted by Ampdraw

When I bought my last Dell laptop they had a recall because one caused the battery to catch on fire on an airplane. I (and millions of other people) paid nothing for shipping either way, had I bought it local it would have been able to of returned replaced local,shipped and still had a new battery 2 days out, people had had laptops catch fire got full replacements.

Allow me to point out a few key differences here. First, laptops are much more expensive than your little esc. Second, people use laptops for much more important things that driving their little cars around. Third, when you use a laptop, you are in constant contact with it. Should it flame up, you're going to get hurt. Comparitively, you actually physically touch your esc very rarely, and most of the time it is a relatively safe distance from you should it fail spectacularly. Fourth, when was the last time you saw anyone running thier rc on a plane?

Originally Posted by Ampdraw

When I get this new ESC finally back from them, I'm going to buy tickets for a $69 flight on Southwest and hook it up on the plane. If it catches fire on the plane instead of in my house this time then I bet they'll take the problems a little more seriously and I'll be a few million richer, or they will at least replace my battery their product defect in workmanship caused a failure on which almost burned down my neighborhood as a result of.

Let us know how that works out. I'm sure the TSA and possibly the FBI or DHS will have lots to talk to you about afterwards.

[ohmyCLOD!]

^x2!!!