3Racing winch issue - only pulls one direction

[Nickle]

So I hooked up my 3Racing winch tonight. However, the winch only works in two modes: neutral (i.e. no movement) and release of the winch line. The winch will not retract unless I reverse the positive and negative leads between the winch controller and winch. Doing this still only provides two modes: now neutral and retract.

To make things even weirder, with the winch disconnected from the controller, I measure a potential difference between the + and - leads coming off the controller to be +5.6V in position 1, 0.0V in position 2, and -5.6V in position 3. However, with the winch connected to the controller, I measure +5.6V in position 1, 0.0V in position 2, and 0.0XXmV in position 3. This is true regardless of whether I change positions via the Tx or button on the controller. How's that work? Is there a short in the winch? If so, how can the winch work in either direction, just not at the same time? How do I fix this problem?

BTW, I'm powering the controller off the ESC's BEC, which is set to 6.0V. I performed this mod to make that possible. I attribute the 0.4V loss to the winch controller because it measure at 6.0V before it.

I am using a DX3E with Ch3 set to 3-position mode and the limits maxed. And yes, I did search both RCC and Google, but resorted to starting a new thread after every result had to do with someone trying to make a winch work on a 2-position channel. This in not the case here, I am using a 3-position channel.

Thanks guys.

[chevellian]

Sounds like the winch controller is at falt.

[Nickle]

Originally Posted by chevellian

Sounds like the winch controller is at falt.

That's my gut feeling as well, but I can't get my mind around the whole voltage difference thing. Why would the voltages be different when the winch is plugged in or not? That part doesn't make sense.

[asw27x]

this is very weird i have really no idea but it does sound like the controller and there might be something when wrong when puttung it together and or a short or something did not get sodered together correctly in the controller

is it new or is it used

[Nickle]

The winch controller is new, but modified. I performed [URL="http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2334854&postcount=8"]this[\URL] mod. I did it twice actually. After completing the mod and testing the winch, I thought I had mad a mistake because the line wouldn't retract, so I redid it. Same results both times. Then I pulled out the multimeter and discovered the weird voltage thing.

[chevellian]

When you test it without the winch hooked up there is no load, and everything seems fine. Once the winch is hooked up it will draw a load and the controller can't supply it, I bet one of those little electronic thingies is fubared. possibly damaged from the jumper wire mod.

I would try to undo the mod and power it with a 6v to 7.4v battery and see if it works. I am thinking it won't. I had one go bad on me, it got wet, it worked at first, then when I had everything put back together it crapped out. Upon close inspection one of the components on the board was cooked.

I know guys have used old servos as winch controllers, but not sure how it's done. Good luck!

[envious8420]

I know I raised this from the dead, but im having the same issue except I didn't mod anything. same radio too. looking at the plug to the winch from the controller, the wires seem to be switched . If plugged in correctly the polarity is switched. red to black and black to red which in the DC world doesn't mean squat, The power input was the same way black soldered to pos. and red to neg. I found this after hooking it all up and trying it out and it didn't work. now its been so long ago that I bought it that I don't even remember who I bought it from. I do know it was off of ebay but passed that Im blank.

So am I just screwed and need to find another way of powering this one or does 3racing have CS that speaks engrish so I can try to warranty this one out?

[JokersWild]

Sounds like your controller..... If it is just go with a heyok and be done.