RCCrawler Forums

JetskiMark · 06-28-2006, 07:36 PM

Hello Everybody,

I am new to this (very informative) forum, but not to hobby grade (cars, boats, planes & helis) RCs. I have a Crawler Store Stick chassis Clod and an SW2 TLT. (Both with 55T lathe motors.) I have been lurking here for a little while and I have found the answer to every one of my questions by searching.

I run brushless and LiPos (I still have a few left to convert) in most of my electric models. I plan on installing Holmes Hobbies Revolvers in my crawlers. I have three Mamba 25 ESCs installed in two cars and a boat. I like my Mamba ESCs, but I prefer the Tekin Mini Rage ESC that I have. I searched the forums here and found nothing on the Mini Rage. It has a 2 amp BEC, a drag brake with 13 settings and you can set it for no reverse delay. I think it would work well in a crawler IF it will smoothly operate an outrunner.

I plan on ordering three HH Revolvers when they are back in stock. In a perfect world, johnrobholmes would test the Mini Rage (hint, hint) and offer it for sale with the Revolvers by the time that they are available again. Since this is the real world, I will probably just buy one Mini Rage and test it with the Revolver in my SW2. If all goes well, I will buy two more for my Clod. I will post my results here when I have them.

Regards,
Mark

JohnRobHolmes · 06-28-2006, 07:59 PM

I do not have any plans for testing with the mini-rage, but I will tell you this-- I hear it is manufactured by a well respected brushless company in the states. The programming is not updatable, and that is all I can really comment on the controllers.

What makes you prefer the Tekin controller over the mamba?

JetskiMark · 06-28-2006, 09:01 PM

I prefer the Tekin Mini Rage because of the solder posts, the fast and easy programming and the plastic case. You can easily make your wires the perfect angle and length for your application and change them if you put it in a different car. The on board programming is fast and easy. For example, at the track I can change my timing advance or low voltage cutoff (between two or three cell LiPos) in five seconds, literally. I don’t bring my laptop with me so this is a plus. Shrink wrapped ESCs are fine in my planes and boats, but I don't like blowing out dirt, sand and pebbles from my Mambas. I like Castle Creation's products and I own many, but I will not buy any more Mambas until they come in a case with solder posts. All my other car ESCs have a case. With the Tekin, when the switch is off, there is zero current drain (measured with a digital meter). With my Mambas, I have to remove the body and unplug the battery immediately after a run because the yellow LED stays on and sometimes the motor will be running slowly even with the switch off. The switch only shuts off the BEC. When actually driving, I don't really notice any difference between the two controllers though. They both drive nicely.

Being able to update the firmware yourself on the Mamba is an advantage. But, if an ESC works well, doesn't cog and does what you want it to do, why update the firmware? I have killed two Mambas during the firmware update process. The progress bar just hangs there and after a while I try to close the program and it has stopped responding. I keep trying over and over but no luck. I still have to send one back. I am looking forward to the Mamba Max and (hopefully) a second generation Mamba 25 (in a case with solder posts). Plus the Mamba 25 and the Castle Link (sold separately and needed to interface with your PC) together are about the same price as the Tekin Mini Rage alone. I do feel that the Tekin systems are overpriced though. I'm sure that once they have been around for a while longer, the price will drop. Competition is good; the consumers win.

Regards,
Mark

microgoat · 06-28-2006, 09:05 PM

The 2A BEC sounds good for a TLT, but nowhere near enough for a Clod. So either way you're using an rx pack or a 5-cell tap, and you'd lose the programmability of the Mamba.

It could work in a TLT, but I'd sure miss that USB link. It spoils you for any other way to program a speedo.

JetskiMark · 06-28-2006, 09:50 PM

A brushless ESC will only power one motor. Since two ESCs would be required for a Clod, that would effectively become a 4A BEC.

The Mamba does offer the most programmability. The Tekin has adequate programmability though. This is copied from their site:

Drag Brake: 13 Profiles
Reverse/Brake strength: 13 Profiles (20-100%). Sets brake strength and reverse speed.
Timing advance: 13 different settings (normal to max) Sets the timing of your motor.
Throttle / Brake: 7 Profiles
Brake/ Reverse Type: 3 Profiles Reverse Lockout, Proportional Brake to immediate Reverse, "Double Tap Reverse"
Cutoff voltage; must use with Li-Po Batteries: 5 Profiles

I would like to see a second generation Mamba have USB and on board programming.

Regards,
Mark

Techball · 06-28-2006, 10:04 PM

well, i just want to wish you good luck, (and wish i had that money

)... let us hear about the results... thanks

dezfan · 06-28-2006, 10:20 PM

Let us know how it works w. Johnrobs Revolver. It may be another option for the 2.2s.

Espeefan · 06-28-2006, 11:29 PM

What are you guys using to double up the BEC when running two speed controls? A Y-harness from the speed controllers to the reciever? What if you run two speed controllers, each off a seperate channel, for independent front/rear throttles?

06-28-2006, 07:36 PM	#1
JetskiMark Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Near Los Angeles, California. Posts: 20	Tekin Mini Rage Brushless ESC Hello Everybody, I am new to this (very informative) forum, but not to hobby grade (cars, boats, planes & helis) RCs. I have a Crawler Store Stick chassis Clod and an SW2 TLT. (Both with 55T lathe motors.) I have been lurking here for a little while and I have found the answer to every one of my questions by searching. I run brushless and LiPos (I still have a few left to convert) in most of my electric models. I plan on installing Holmes Hobbies Revolvers in my crawlers. I have three Mamba 25 ESCs installed in two cars and a boat. I like my Mamba ESCs, but I prefer the Tekin Mini Rage ESC that I have. I searched the forums here and found nothing on the Mini Rage. It has a 2 amp BEC, a drag brake with 13 settings and you can set it for no reverse delay. I think it would work well in a crawler IF it will smoothly operate an outrunner. I plan on ordering three HH Revolvers when they are back in stock. In a perfect world, johnrobholmes would test the Mini Rage (hint, hint) and offer it for sale with the Revolvers by the time that they are available again. Since this is the real world, I will probably just buy one Mini Rage and test it with the Revolver in my SW2. If all goes well, I will buy two more for my Clod. I will post my results here when I have them. Regards, Mark

06-28-2006, 07:59 PM	#2
JohnRobHolmes owner, Holmes Hobbies LLC Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Volt up! Gear down! Posts: 20,290	I do not have any plans for testing with the mini-rage, but I will tell you this-- I hear it is manufactured by a well respected brushless company in the states. The programming is not updatable, and that is all I can really comment on the controllers. What makes you prefer the Tekin controller over the mamba?

06-28-2006, 09:01 PM	#3
JetskiMark Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Near Los Angeles, California. Posts: 20	I prefer the Tekin Mini Rage because of the solder posts, the fast and easy programming and the plastic case. You can easily make your wires the perfect angle and length for your application and change them if you put it in a different car. The on board programming is fast and easy. For example, at the track I can change my timing advance or low voltage cutoff (between two or three cell LiPos) in five seconds, literally. I don’t bring my laptop with me so this is a plus. Shrink wrapped ESCs are fine in my planes and boats, but I don't like blowing out dirt, sand and pebbles from my Mambas. I like Castle Creation's products and I own many, but I will not buy any more Mambas until they come in a case with solder posts. All my other car ESCs have a case. With the Tekin, when the switch is off, there is zero current drain (measured with a digital meter). With my Mambas, I have to remove the body and unplug the battery immediately after a run because the yellow LED stays on and sometimes the motor will be running slowly even with the switch off. The switch only shuts off the BEC. When actually driving, I don't really notice any difference between the two controllers though. They both drive nicely. Being able to update the firmware yourself on the Mamba is an advantage. But, if an ESC works well, doesn't cog and does what you want it to do, why update the firmware? I have killed two Mambas during the firmware update process. The progress bar just hangs there and after a while I try to close the program and it has stopped responding. I keep trying over and over but no luck. I still have to send one back. I am looking forward to the Mamba Max and (hopefully) a second generation Mamba 25 (in a case with solder posts). Plus the Mamba 25 and the Castle Link (sold separately and needed to interface with your PC) together are about the same price as the Tekin Mini Rage alone. I do feel that the Tekin systems are overpriced though. I'm sure that once they have been around for a while longer, the price will drop. Competition is good; the consumers win. Regards, Mark

06-28-2006, 09:05 PM	#4
microgoat I wanna be Dave Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 8,009	The 2A BEC sounds good for a TLT, but nowhere near enough for a Clod. So either way you're using an rx pack or a 5-cell tap, and you'd lose the programmability of the Mamba. It could work in a TLT, but I'd sure miss that USB link. It spoils you for any other way to program a speedo.

06-28-2006, 09:50 PM	#5
JetskiMark Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Near Los Angeles, California. Posts: 20	A brushless ESC will only power one motor. Since two ESCs would be required for a Clod, that would effectively become a 4A BEC. The Mamba does offer the most programmability. The Tekin has adequate programmability though. This is copied from their site: Drag Brake: 13 Profiles Reverse/Brake strength: 13 Profiles (20-100%). Sets brake strength and reverse speed. Timing advance: 13 different settings (normal to max) Sets the timing of your motor. Throttle / Brake: 7 Profiles Brake/ Reverse Type: 3 Profiles Reverse Lockout, Proportional Brake to immediate Reverse, "Double Tap Reverse" Cutoff voltage; must use with Li-Po Batteries: 5 Profiles I would like to see a second generation Mamba have USB and on board programming. Regards, Mark

06-28-2006, 10:04 PM	#6
Techball Rock Stacker Join Date: May 2006 Location: Surrey Posts: 73	well, i just want to wish you good luck, (and wish i had that money )... let us hear about the results... thanks

06-28-2006, 10:20 PM	#7
dezfan I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Happiness is a warm AK. Posts: 12,563	Let us know how it works w. Johnrobs Revolver. It may be another option for the 2.2s.

06-28-2006, 11:29 PM	#8
Espeefan Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 570	What are you guys using to double up the BEC when running two speed controls? A Y-harness from the speed controllers to the reciever? What if you run two speed controllers, each off a seperate channel, for independent front/rear throttles?

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