Bad Holmes esc?

[Biomedchad]

Not really sure what is up but all of a sudden having some issues. I can connect to my esc with castle link and read and write to it but when I apply power nothing happens...no beeps. Brushless waterproof version. Tested the rx with a spare esc and it works. I was reconnecting my lights after a body swap and maybe plugged something in wrong idk. I've removed everything down to just the motor and the esc and a rx. Nothing. Any ideas on further testing?

[whitrzac]

Try an external BEC. The internal BEC may have died on it.

[Biomedchad]

Yes. No power from the bec. Just tested that. No lights sounds or anything. But I can connect to it from the laptop. Weird.

[HahnsB2]

Are the LEDs blinking when plugged into the battery?

[Biomedchad]

Nope. Nadda. Just soldered new connector too.

[whitrzac]

Try an external BEC or plug in an RX pack. The power will backfeed into the ESC turning on the control part.

There is power in the 'high power' area, but not the low power control circuit.

[Biomedchad]

So do you mean wire up the bec to the battery power wires and then put a battery connector on the bec and try running it that way? Set the bec for 3s input. Then do I just ignore the bec output cable.

[whitrzac]

Plug the output into the your RX.

Is the RX turning on?

[Biomedchad]

No. No power coming out of the cable from the esc. I've tested a back up esc and the rx and getting power. I have an email into Holmes to see what my options are. It's only a few months old. There's really nothing I did that could have killed it. If I switched any wires around I would of killed one set of my lights by sending 12v into them and they only except 5v. Idk

[ynmech]

If you wire up an external BEC set it to the voltage your RX can handle. Also HH only warranties there "waterproof" items for 60 days (usually).

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by HahnsB2

Are the LEDs blinking when plugged into the battery?

Originally Posted by Biomedchad

Nope. Nadda. Just soldered new connector too.

I think there would n audible/visual occurring if it's getting power correctly.
sure your battery +/- connections are correct and soldered sufficiently ?

Check the incoming voltage feeding the ESC ?
(the esc's input -/+, not the battery side)

[Biomedchad]

Tried that and can't get a reading. I even used my desktop power supply. Idk if it's the waterproof coating or what. Holmes is offering to replace it since I am so close to the warranty.

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by Biomedchad

Tried that and can't get a reading. I even used my desktop power supply. Idk if it's the waterproof coating or what. Holmes is offering to replace it since I am so close to the warranty.

Not sure what this means.

if the battery works and the plug wires are soldered/connected correctly...
the -/+ wires entering the ESC should read the voltage that the battery supplies.
Unless the battery's wiring, soldering, plug /or connections have failed.

Even if the internals of the ESC weren't working correctly
the battery's input voltage leading to the ESC should still be readable.

Check the ESC's battery wires/plug connection again to be sure !?

Not sure what you mean by checking voltage using an desktop power supply ?
I'm Not familiar with using that method ?
But if you're utilizing the plug ends... and they are the fault...
If would be better to read the voltage directly off the wires.

A standard low buck voltmeter is a simple tool to use.
The pointed test ends can penetrate the wire's sheath
and give a good reading directly from the ESC's input wires
and can be checked anywhere along the input wire's entire length.

Possibly a bad solder joint (cold)
or a broken wire internally !?

I suppose you can let JRHolmes figure it out for you
but if it's not the ESC's fault (internal failure)...
You could expect to pony up for the cost of diagnosis/shipping.

If yer not getting voltage into the ESC
then there is no way the ESC can power up.

So before you send it in for diagnosis...
I'd be sure the fault were not mine.

I'd guess that they are individually tested for function
before being bundled up and sold.
But I don't work there, so I don't know for sure.

I have two HH's ESC's, and have never had issue.
and I've not read of any production problems/failures occurring
unless someone screwed that up while making their connections.

If it were me... I'd double check and be sure before sending it in.

[Biomedchad]

Thanks for all the help. I'll update when it gets back from HH