Sidewinder v3 surging throttle

[B94Cast]

Edit: fixed! See post #19 below!

Howdy,

I read a few threads here and other places of people having the exact same issue I am having with a brand new sv3.

Essentially, at above roughly 3/4 throttle it starts to surge - almost as if I was rapidly going full throttle then almost no throttle manually 2-3 times per second.

All of this system (CC bec, HH 27 pro, as-3 servo) works perfect with both a rooster crawler, an ae-2 axial, or a couple of other non-crawler esc's. I read this exact same issue here and some other places, but never saw what anyone had found as to what the solution was. Due to that - asking here to see if there was a firmware I could get or anything short of having to send in a brand new esc.

Thanks for any help!

[Valreesio]

My SV3 has done the same thing since I got it a couple months ago. I would also like an answer to this problem.

[B94Cast]

Well - apparently this is a KNOWN ISSUE. Just got off the phone with Castle Creations - they said essentially
"Yup - we know brushed motors dont work. This is a problem with all SV3. Nothing I can do for you. Anything else I can help you with?"

[B94Cast]

Ok - now that I am a little less ticked - ;)

It is a known issue - supposedly going to be fixed by a firmware update at some point in the future. No known dates, nothing as far as "will definitely be fixed".
What was definite - Brushed and the v3 according to them will all have same issue I was listing above. No known fix, and they will not do anything about it. So if you have one - its a paperweight or go brushless.
So... I ordered a HH BRXL - and I have a nice expensive paperweight unless they actually do release a fix...
but for the time being -

Dont get the V3 if you are wanting brushed!

[904crawler]

you wanna sell that sv3

[B94Cast]

Originally Posted by 904crawler

you wanna sell that sv3

Since its new and never used - want what I spent for it, so wouldn't make sense to sell it since you would want a deal... As I would as well. Will keep it for my on road cars maybe, or hope that they actually release a firmware update to make brushed usable.

Still though - it would take 30 seconds for them to post that this was an issue, rather than try and hide it or not care, whichever the case may be. Since it is a known issue as they told me on the phone today, this seems only reasonable.

[904crawler]

How much did you pay for it.

[mitchr97]

I had the same prob with my sv2. I called castle and the guy I talked to gave me a manual fix (with the throttle on my tx) and I brought the surging wwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy down (a lot less notifiable) then we talked motors and then we just had a little convo. I don't remeber his name, but i think it might be ryan on tech support. Really like the customer support there!

[904crawler]

Yeah you have to calibrate the tx/rx to the esc

[B94Cast]

Nothing like what you are describing - but thanks for the input!
CC said its a known firmware problem, nothing to do with the basics like calibrating etc...

[Valreesio]

I can see it is causing a problem but it is far from a paperweight and not worth ordering a hundred plus dollar replacement. I do not even notice when it is powering the truck. I definitely notice with the wheels off the ground though. But it is not so bad. I am pleased to hear they are working on it though.

[B94Cast]

Its unusable in current form - heres a video, perhaps that will make more sense once you see it.

[Valreesio]

Mine is exactly the same, and I guess it is what you expect out of it. I am not running full throttle or even 3/4 throttle most of of the time because I do a lot of crawling. But when I ask it to have wheel speed and climb steep hills, it does the job. To each their own. I just do not want this thread to turn someone away from what is a good ESC IMO. $70 bucks for a fully submersible water proof ESC. Good Luck with the new one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6HEDGI3ZMs

[Charlie-III]

Is there a way to "back date" the firmware to an earlier "good crawler" version"?
I would have to check on what I run.....

[B94Cast]

Originally Posted by Valreesio

Mine is exactly the same, and I guess it is what you expect out of it. I am not running full throttle or even 3/4 throttle most of of the time because I do a lot of crawling. But when I ask it to have wheel speed and climb steep hills, it does the job. To each their own. I just do not want this thread to turn someone away from what is a good ESC IMO. $70 bucks for a fully submersible water proof ESC. Good Luck with the new one.

Axial 27t motor cutting out at mid throttle. - YouTube

It's junk in its current form - it doesn't do what it is supposed to, so it's not a good esc - it's junk. I would hope it turns people away, if I had seen this I wouldn't have spent money on it.

[B94Cast]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

Is there a way to "back date" the firmware to an earlier "good crawler" version"?
I would have to check on what I run.....

I tried searching around for older firmware, but couldn't find any. According to the CC guy, he said its a known problem with all v3 - so he couldn't get me a different one, or different firmware.

If they do actually fix this, and it does what an esc is supposed to do will happily revise my view of these - but right now anything is better than this.

[2.slowduo]

I have a sv3 running a hh35t. Seems ok. I noticed last Sunday that it does surge in reverse. But only when I hold the truck in the air does not seem to do it on the ground and I've never had it happen in forward progress.
I love this esc. I want to get a brxl but only so I can run a puller on 6s. Then the sv3 will go in the drift car brushless

I would still reccomend this esc to anyone. Can't beat it for the money

[B94Cast]

Originally Posted by 2.slowduo

I have a sv3 running a hh35t. Seems ok. I noticed last Sunday that it does surge in reverse. But only when I hold the truck in the air does not seem to do it on the ground and I've never had it happen in forward progress.
I love this esc. I want to get a brxl but only so I can run a puller on 6s. Then the sv3 will go in the drift car brushless

I would still reccomend this esc to anyone. Can't beat it for the money

Doesnt matter if its in the truck or on the table - in the truck it just jumps around worse. Im glad yours is less pronounced - and I am not anti CC by any measure - I just want them to provide a functional SV3 firmware to fix this. I have other castle ESC's in my other systems, they are great. The SV3 just isn't a good esc right now if you are brushed.

[B94Cast]

Howdy
I just wanted to report that after a lengthy interaction with CC, and finally Mr. Castillo, that the issue is fixed! There was a new firmware/software update that was released today that fixed ALL the issues I (and most other sv3 owners running brushed) were having!
Go grab the update here: update
And update the firmware on your sv3 - the re-upload your settings, and it's all how it should be!

[mjc597]

Done and done...wooohoooo!! No more issues with mine..the pulsing throttle issues are gone! Thanks castle creations...and thanks for posting that they fixed it..

-sent from my smarter than me phone