RCCrawler Forums

Locked Up · 12-17-2007, 09:45 PM

I got my BEC in and it seems to be working fine (powering servos), but when I went to fiddle around with the Castle Link software, it doesn't find the BEC. It shows a green light for the "USB Connection Status" but red for the "Device Connection Status".

I can unplug the BEC then plugin my Mamba Max and it finds that instantly.

The adapter piece shows a red light but the BEC itself has a little green light that lights up.

Any suggestions? I sent an email to Castle but I'm hoping one of you has had a similar issue and will respond before them.

While I'm on the topic...

I'm using MG945 Tower Pro servos (which I've seen rated for 7.2v) but I would think setting the BEC at 7.2V if you are running 7.2v batts would be a bad idea due to voltage drop. So how many volts would I need coming out of the battery to enable me to bump of the output on the BEC to 7.2 and not have any problems? 8.4? Is there a drop table anywhere?

STEW<CO> · 12-17-2007, 10:30 PM

I'm sorry to say I don't have any answers to your questions. But I am curious to see if you get any replies or if castle has a solution because I had a similar problem with my friend sloths bec.
I would hook my bec up too the link and it would read it just fine and I could make adjustments, but when I unhooked mine and tried it on sloths it would do exactly the same thing as yours. I'm curious if they sold a bad batch or what is going on too.

CD13 · 12-17-2007, 10:54 PM

You need to download the new software from castle.Your disk is for the mamba max.you need the drivers for your castle link.
http://www.castlecreations.com/downloads.html

Anthony.L · 12-17-2007, 11:58 PM

FYI, a buddy's BEC did the same thing and it turned out to be bad. Same laptop, cable, and software worked great with my BEC.

Locked Up · 12-18-2007, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CD13

You need to download the new software from castle.Your disk is for the mamba max.you need the drivers for your castle link.
http://www.castlecreations.com/downloads.html

It auto downloaded version 3.01 & installed the drivers when I plugged it in. So I guess I got a bad BEC. Awesome ... Once Castle confirms it I guess I'll be returning it.

Makes me wonder how many people got one that "works", but can't be programmed and don't know it.

jcnalley · 12-18-2007, 08:17 AM

Mine did the same thing with a friend's Castle Link.Once I hooked up my battery pack,the Link picked up the BEC immediately.Give it a try before you start tearing your truck apart.

jcnalley · 12-18-2007, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locked Up

(
So how many volts would I need coming out of the battery to enable me to bump of the output on the BEC to 7.2 and not have any problems? 8.4? Is there a drop table anywhere?

Go ahead and set it at 7.2 if you want,but the BEC is only going to deliver what power is available.For example,mine is set at 6 volts,but once my battery drops below 6 volts the BEC will only send to the servos what is available.Whether it be 5.9,5.6 or whatever.

Locked Up · 12-18-2007, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcnalley

Mine did the same thing with a friend's Castle Link.Once I hooked up my battery pack,the Link picked up the BEC immediately.Give it a try before you start tearing your truck apart.

Awesome! .... that did it!

I wonder why they don't mention that in the instructions?

Locked Up · 12-18-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STEW

... I am curious to see if you get any replies or if castle has a solution because I had a similar problem with my friend sloths bec.

FYI...

Castle responded at 10:52AM with the same advice about plugging in the battery. Seems that if you have a CC Esc soldered in it will rob the power from the BEC.

STEW<CO> · 12-18-2007, 08:53 PM

Just to let you guys know, we did plug a battery in and it still would not read the bec.

Anthony.L · 12-19-2007, 01:49 AM

Same with my friend's, battery or no battery, still wouldn't recognize. Mine however, straight out of the package, no battery, works great with the castle link.

jcnalley · 12-19-2007, 05:05 AM

How do you guys have yours wired? My BEC leads are soldered onto my deans plug where the battery connects.Stew,do you get a green LED lit up on your BEC? Did you pull the red wire out of the ESC plug where it goes into the receiver? Stupid question....was the battery charged,or did you try a different battery?

SACCO · 12-19-2007, 07:09 AM

I had to unplug my Mamba Max from the reciever and the BEC from the reciever to get mine to recognize.

Locked Up · 12-19-2007, 08:01 AM

I had the red lead removed from my MM, but it was still plugged in. BEC was soldered to a deans plug with the ESC leads that connects to the battery.

SACCO · 12-19-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locked Up

I had the red lead removed from my MM, but it was still plugged in. BEC was soldered to a deans plug with the ESC leads that connects to the battery.

mine too, still had to remove both of em from the reciever to get either of em to be recognized by the program.

I had to unplug the bec from the mamba battery connection too. If I do all that it works everytime. If not, no dice.

EDIT: It couldnt be hooked to the MM in any way for mine to work. Good luck!

JohnRobHolmes · 12-19-2007, 09:38 AM

Yes, whenever anything is being programmed it is generally best to unplug it from everything else so there is no interference. If two MM are plugged into an RX, neither will program. Same for a BEC and MM.

AMorgan · 12-19-2007, 10:36 AM

The hole battery thing is confusing me. I programmed my CCBEC before I hooked it into anything... maybe it makes a difference if it's already installed on a system?

newbe · 12-19-2007, 05:49 PM

Man, I guess I was never able to set mine and now reading all this, Im not sure I even have mine hooked up right. Say Im running a clod with MM esc and CCbec. Am I suppose to take some wires out of the connectors to the receiver and from the BEC.

JohnRobHolmes · 12-19-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbe

Man, I guess I was never able to set mine and now reading all this, Im not sure I even have mine hooked up right. Say Im running a clod with MM esc and CCbec. Am I suppose to take some wires out of the connectors to the receiver and from the BEC.

For programming or general running? For programming just unplug the BEC from the main pack and plug in the RX lead to the Castle Link. For general running plug the BEC into your radio and main pack, the RX lead on the mamba max will need the middle red wire disconnected from the RX.

newbe · 12-19-2007, 08:10 PM

1 more question. How do I know when Its in the program stage. Does it say bec or something.

12-17-2007, 09:45 PM	#1
Locked Up SCALE PERFORMANCE PARTS Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cedar Park Posts: 5,453	Castle BEC & Castle Link - not finding BEC I got my BEC in and it seems to be working fine (powering servos), but when I went to fiddle around with the Castle Link software, it doesn't find the BEC. It shows a green light for the "USB Connection Status" but red for the "Device Connection Status". I can unplug the BEC then plugin my Mamba Max and it finds that instantly. The adapter piece shows a red light but the BEC itself has a little green light that lights up. Any suggestions? I sent an email to Castle but I'm hoping one of you has had a similar issue and will respond before them. While I'm on the topic... I'm using MG945 Tower Pro servos (which I've seen rated for 7.2v) but I would think setting the BEC at 7.2V if you are running 7.2v batts would be a bad idea due to voltage drop. So how many volts would I need coming out of the battery to enable me to bump of the output on the BEC to 7.2 and not have any problems? 8.4? Is there a drop table anywhere?

12-17-2007, 10:30 PM	#2
STEW<CO> Rock Crawler Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Man Cave! Posts: 892	I'm sorry to say I don't have any answers to your questions. But I am curious to see if you get any replies or if castle has a solution because I had a similar problem with my friend sloths bec. I would hook my bec up too the link and it would read it just fine and I could make adjustments, but when I unhooked mine and tried it on sloths it would do exactly the same thing as yours. I'm curious if they sold a bad batch or what is going on too.

12-17-2007, 10:54 PM	#3
CD13 Holmes Hobbies Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: No Where Posts: 2,751	You need to download the new software from castle.Your disk is for the mamba max.you need the drivers for your castle link. http://www.castlecreations.com/downloads.html

12-17-2007, 11:58 PM	#4
Anthony.L Newbie Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 46	FYI, a buddy's BEC did the same thing and it turned out to be bad. Same laptop, cable, and software worked great with my BEC.

12-18-2007, 08:17 AM	#6
jcnalley Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Henderson Posts: 384	Mine did the same thing with a friend's Castle Link.Once I hooked up my battery pack,the Link picked up the BEC immediately.Give it a try before you start tearing your truck apart.

12-18-2007, 08:53 PM	#10
STEW<CO> Rock Crawler Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Man Cave! Posts: 892	Just to let you guys know, we did plug a battery in and it still would not read the bec.

12-19-2007, 01:49 AM	#11
Anthony.L Newbie Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 46	Same with my friend's, battery or no battery, still wouldn't recognize. Mine however, straight out of the package, no battery, works great with the castle link.

12-19-2007, 05:05 AM	#12
jcnalley Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Henderson Posts: 384	How do you guys have yours wired? My BEC leads are soldered onto my deans plug where the battery connects.Stew,do you get a green LED lit up on your BEC? Did you pull the red wire out of the ESC plug where it goes into the receiver? Stupid question....was the battery charged,or did you try a different battery?

12-19-2007, 07:09 AM	#13
SACCO I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Moscow Mills MO Posts: 2,204	I had to unplug my Mamba Max from the reciever and the BEC from the reciever to get mine to recognize.

12-19-2007, 08:01 AM	#14
Locked Up SCALE PERFORMANCE PARTS Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cedar Park Posts: 5,453	I had the red lead removed from my MM, but it was still plugged in. BEC was soldered to a deans plug with the ESC leads that connects to the battery.

12-19-2007, 09:38 AM	#16
JohnRobHolmes owner, Holmes Hobbies LLC Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Volt up! Gear down! Posts: 20,290	Yes, whenever anything is being programmed it is generally best to unplug it from everything else so there is no interference. If two MM are plugged into an RX, neither will program. Same for a BEC and MM.

Sponsored Links

12-19-2007, 10:36 AM	#17
AMorgan Rock Stacker Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 98	The hole battery thing is confusing me. I programmed my CCBEC before I hooked it into anything... maybe it makes a difference if it's already installed on a system?

12-19-2007, 05:49 PM	#18
newbe Rock Stacker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Lousyana Posts: 85	Man, I guess I was never able to set mine and now reading all this, Im not sure I even have mine hooked up right. Say Im running a clod with MM esc and CCbec. Am I suppose to take some wires out of the connectors to the receiver and from the BEC.

12-19-2007, 08:10 PM	#20
newbe Rock Stacker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Lousyana Posts: 85	1 more question. How do I know when Its in the program stage. Does it say bec or something.

RCCrawler Forums

Thread: Castle BEC & Castle Link - not finding BEC