Castle Link

[mikemcE]

And now we have a 20a wp bec, sensored motors and the aux wire on the "X" versions, Positive thinkers get ahead, Robert is also liking that IIRC.


Hang up and Drive

[MattySlimz1987]

Originally Posted by 84yoda

Lol, good luck. This has been brought up for like 7 years and castle said they were looking into it. Still nothing.

Wow 7 years!? It must be the demand or somthing similar, afterall it must take a lot of time and money to develop an app like this with what seems like much complexity.

[durok]

Here's 3 Castle Link items - The Duo is for Aux Channel users:

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by durok

Here's 3 Castle Link items - The Duo is for Aux Channel users:

That's what I thought. Robert just said it wasn't needed with the X series. I'm confused.

[84yoda]

Originally Posted by mikemcE

And now we have a 20a wp bec, sensored motors and the aux wire on the "X" versions, Positive thinkers get ahead, Robert is also liking that IIRC.

Ya be positive when its been 7 years, yet nothing. And those 3 items you mentioned goes to show what the demand or more important items are. They haven't been talked about for 7 years.

Originally Posted by MattySlimz1987

Wow 7 years!? It must be the demand or somthing similar, afterall it must take a lot of time and money to develop an app like this with what seems like much complexity.

Look at tekin, they got bluetooth. They listened.

[durok]

Originally Posted by robert@castle

Using an extension is fine by us, just can't use a Y harness. Hooking up with a Y harness can burn up the link because it would by trying to power the RX and servos through your computer's USB.

The quick connects have a chip in them that detects if power is coming from the Castle link, and disconnects power from the RX so the USB is only powering the ESC. You also don't need to buy the Duo if you are using a Micro-X, Mamba-X, or Monster-X. You can use the regular and then run the AUX wire straight to the RX. The Duo just gives a pass through for the AUX wire that can disconnect the second BEC line. It is needed on the BEC 2.0, Mamba XLX, Talon 120, and Phoenix Edge Line.

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

That's what I thought. Robert just said it wasn't needed with the X series. I'm confused.

Does this help?

The Duo is seemingly a matter of convenience for Aux-channel Castle ESCs...

Edit from Castle page:

"Keep your wires neat!

Experienced modelers go to great pains to tie down their servo and throttle leads, and some find unplugging a Castle controller from the receiver disrupts all their work. Many have asked for something like a Y connector that gives an open lead for easy Castle linking, but a traditional Y harness doesn't work when the other branch of the Y is connected to a receiver - the signal line must be disconnected from the receiver.

Quick Connect Duo detects the presence of a Castle Link adapter on the free lead and switches the controller's signal line from the receiver to the Castle Link.

Quick Connect Duo supports all Castle Link capable ESCs but is designed specifically for use with Castle ESCs featuring AUX wire technology.

The Quick Connect Duo is recommend for the following ESCs:

Surface - Sidewinder 8th, Mamba Monster X, Mamba X, Mamba Micro X.

Air - Talon, Talon HV, Phoenix Edge, Phoenix Edge HV."

[robert@castle]

Originally Posted by nedmo

Hey Robert. Can you please clarify connecting a field card/USB to computer onto a new X. Just bought one and have a field card on the way. Are you saying we can use the aux plus to connect the field card to that??

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

The card works just like a castle link. USB cord from the card goes to a port on your computer and then you hook the 3 wire rx wire from the esc up to the header on the card. You can not use the white AUX wire to castle link.

The Quickconnect that was talked about here is a tiny little module that sits inline of the rx wire and gives you a wire to hang out of your car so that you don't have to unplug your ESC from the receiver.

Edit: Tiny bit of clarification:
The field link card isn't 100% compatible with the quickconnect. It will work when hooked up to a computer's usb, but will not work as a standalone card. I need to run a test on it sometime because I have a theory that it will work if you power the card with a usb battery(cell phone external battery pack) before plugging it into the quick connect.

[robert@castle]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

That's what I thought. Robert just said it wasn't needed with the X series. I'm confused.

I think I partially misspoke. We recommend the Duo for all X series controllers because it makes the wiring of the AUX wire easier. It is possible to wire up a normal quickconnect to most x series controllers, but not as easy to convey to the end users, so we normally just tell people to get the Duo to simplify the process.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by robert@castle

I think I partially misspoke. We recommend the Duo for all X series controllers because it makes the wiring of the AUX wire easier. It is possible to wire up a normal quickconnect to most x series controllers, but not as easy to convey to the end users, so we normally just tell people to get the Duo to simplify the process.

You have to disconnect the Auxiliary Wire from the receiver when using the single/normal quickconnect with the X series ESCs, correct?

[whitrzac]

Originally Posted by robert@castle

Using an extension is fine by us, just can't use a Y harness. Hooking up with a Y harness can burn up the link because it would by trying to power the RX and servos through your computer's USB.

The quick connects have a chip in them that detects if power is coming from the Castle link, and disconnects power from the RX so the USB is only powering the ESC. You also don't need to buy the Duo if you are using a Micro-X, Mamba-X, or Monster-X. You can use the regular and then run the AUX wire straight to the RX. The Duo just gives a pass through for the AUX wire that can disconnect the second BEC line. It is needed on the BEC 2.0, Mamba XLX, Talon 120, and Phoenix Edge Line.

...

[robert@castle]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

You have to disconnect the Auxiliary Wire from the receiver when using the single/normal quickconnect with the X series ESCs, correct?

I'm trying to come up with a good way of explaining what happens, which is why we just told people to buy the Duo. It makes sense in my mind, but then I type it out and then it sounds confusing when I read it back.

The Quickconnect Duo only disconnects rx wire and the red wire from the wire going to the receiver. The rx signal wire is disconnected to prevent interference in the castle link communication. The red wire is disconnected to keep the radio and servos from powering up off the castle link. I just looked at the schematic of the Duo and it leaves the AUX wire hooked up to the receiver at all times.
The Duo is only truly required if the AUX wire has an extra set of BEC and ground wires attached to it like it is on the Mamba XLX. We recommend it for all AUX wire products because it is hard to explain when people need it and because it simplifies the wiring slightly to have all wires from the ESC going to the quick connect.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by robert@castle

I'm trying to come up with a good way of explaining what happens, which is why we just told people to buy the Duo. It makes sense in my mind, but then I type it out and then it sounds confusing when I read it back.

The Quickconnect Duo only disconnects rx wire and the red wire from the wire going to the receiver. The rx signal wire is disconnected to prevent interference in the castle link communication. The red wire is disconnected to keep the radio and servos from powering up off the castle link. I just looked at the schematic of the Duo and it leaves the AUX wire hooked up to the receiver at all times.
The Duo is only truly required if the AUX wire has an extra set of BEC and ground wires attached to it like it is on the Mamba XLX. We recommend it for all AUX wire products because it is hard to explain when people need it and because it simplifies the wiring slightly to have all wires from the ESC going to the quick connect.

It makes sense. And this is the way Castle should explain it. The more expensive and complicated Duo, albeit slightly, shouldn't be recommended by default.

[Thomas Porfert]

To add a bit more to the discussion of the Quick Connect versus Quick Connect duo and when to use each one.

The only surface ESC that absolutely needs the Duo is the Mamba XL X (1/5th). But Castle Tech Support has been recommending the duo for the Mamba X and Monster; but not because of the auxiliary wire but due to current ratings of the on-board BEC versus the original Quick Connect.

When the regular Quick Connect was released we didn't have high amperage on-board BECs that the Mamba X and Monster X utilize. The BEC's on the Mamba X and Monster X are rated for more current than the Quick Connect. Running a single servo should be fine; but when you start adding in a winch, diff/shift servos you may pull too much current through the Quick Connect. This can potentially damage the Quick Connect or cause voltage drops to the receiver and leads to brown outs/glitching.

The Quick Connect Duo's amperage rating was increased to match the upgraded BEC capabilities of the X-series.

TL;DR: The Quick Connect should work with most applications; but the Duo is preferred when using more than a single servo due to the current draw and current capabilities of the Quick Connect.

Hope this helps clear things up a bit!

Thomas Porfert
Tech Support
Castle Creations

[robert@castle]

Good call Thomas, I was only thinking about Castle Linking though the Duo and forgot about the BEC current handing of it.

[DukeMinnix]

Originally Posted by MattySlimz1987

Wow 7 years!? It must be the demand or somthing similar, afterall it must take a lot of time and money to develop an app like this with what seems like much complexity.

Just to update because it was brought to my attention I failed to do so, my bad...

MattySlimz did provide me with a castle link code (stand up of the man to do, need more of this kind of thing in the community) it worked flawlessly and I had my very own castle link in about 9 days or so. I will say for anyone who utilizes a code, it does not come with attachment cable for a computer so you'll need one. I happened to have an old charging cable from Playstation controllers that works like a charm.

Thanks again MattySlimz, stand up guy!!