TRAXXAS light kit and non-TRAXXAS ESC?

[MeanTT]

So I ripped up the TRAXXAS eac the first week I had the truck and put a Mamba X in with a 2850 motor. I also acquired the TRAXXAS LED kit.

After I installed it I realized that the LED controller has two inputs, one plug to the receiver with a red wire and a short plug that is to be connected to the TRAXXAS ESC. I tried to rewrite things a bit but it seems like the LEDS run on more than 6 volts. I could get the blinker lights to come on but the light bar was very dim.

Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

Thanks all.

[RayB]

I came across the same problem when I replaced my esc/motor.

I ended up ditching the traxxas junction box for the lights & got a RC4WD light controller. Not a bad piece for $30 & you can control the light bar, rock lights & tail/headlights independently.

[MeanTT]

Did you have to change the plugs on the TRAXXAS lights as well? Also, if the rc4wd kit is direct 6-9 volts can anyone confirm if the TRAXXAS piece steps down voltage? Seems like there should be an easy fix. Otherwise it is off to my trick RC for their kit and a self induced lunch in my own face for wasting money.

There has to be a way to do this!

[RayB]

It is not necessary to change the light connectors. The RC4WD light controller accepts JR or Futaba connectors but the Traxxas light connectors will work just fine.

I can't answer about the Traxxas light box as I never used it...

[magic_yeti]

The Traxxas lightbox is just a DC/DC converter, that puts out 3v and max 500mA.
I use a cheap adj. one from the bay set to 3V to power the rocklights in my trex.

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[MeanTT]

Originally Posted by magic_yeti

The Traxxas lightbox is just a DC/DC converter, that puts out 3v and max 500mA.
I use a cheap adj. one from the bay set to 3V to power the rocklights in my trex.

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Sorry for the repeated question, but did you use the TRAXXAS rock lights or another company’s LED lights? Do you also happen to know how much the TRAXXAS converter tries to step down power?

Thanks,
Tom

[magic_yeti]

Originally Posted by MeanTT

Sorry for the repeated question, but did you use the TRAXXAS rock lights or another company’s LED lights? Do you also happen to know how much the TRAXXAS converter tries to step down power?

Thanks,
Tom

I use the org. Traxxas Rock lights.

Here ist a Pic with all lights on, Not a perfect quallity Pic ...

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[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by magic_yeti

The Traxxas lightbox is just a DC/DC converter, that puts out 3v and max 500mA.
I use a cheap adj. one from the bay set to 3V to power the rocklights in my trex.

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Do you have a link to the one you purchased?

The Traxxas light kits are simple and plug and play. They aren't cheap though. I'm waiting for the Bronco kit from Traxxas.

Light kits from other companies can be more complicated and often less expensive.

[magic_yeti]

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/traxxas-trx-4/592674-power-traxxas-rock-lights-direct-rx.html#post5775799

Here in this Post you find the Link and specs of the DC/DC converter i used.

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[Terryk2003]

Couldn't you just wire a JST plug into the battery wires? Thats essentially what Traxxas did. The JST coming off of the stock traxxas ESC outputs battery voltage which is what the light kit uses.

[Stewdog]

I had the same issues with the Hobbywing 1080 I put in place of the stock ESC.

You can read it here:
Lights power supply

I just ended up wiring a JST plug straight into the battery wires coming out of the ESC.
I just stripped a little insulation, wrapped the new JST wire onto the ESC wire, solder it together, slather some liquid electrical tape on the exposed wires and you're good to go. Super easy and you don't have to buy more stuff if you already have the stock lighting set up.
There is a step down in the Traxxas power supply to pull the ESC power down around 3v, so you don't burn out your LED's.

[HumboldtEF]

Yep I did the same, just wire in a JST plug off of the battery connector on the ESC, the Traxxas light controller box handles the voltage, it steps it down quite a bit.

[MeanTT]

Originally Posted by HumboldtEF

Yep I did the same, just wire in a JST plug off of the battery connector on the ESC, the Traxxas light controller box handles the voltage, it steps it down quite a bit.

Are you running 2S or 3S?

[Stewdog]

Originally Posted by MeanTT

Are you running 2S or 3S?

I'm running 3s.

[MeanTT]

Originally Posted by Stewdog

I'm running 3s.

Easy fix then. Thanks!!

[HumboldtEF]

3S, but that shouldn't matter if you use the traxxas power supply/controller


single red wire is plugged into the lowest channel 1 port



the other plug with the 2 black wires go to power. I found that the black wire with the white stripe was positive and the solid black was negative.



is it possible you have a poor connection at the junction plug?



try wiggling the wires at the connection points or at the leds themselves, you may find a connection thats to blame.

[BashNSlash]

Originally Posted by RayB

I came across the same problem when I replaced my esc/motor.

I ended up ditching the traxxas junction box for the lights & got a RC4WD light controller. Not a bad piece for $30 & you can control the light bar, rock lights & tail/headlights independently.

I just got one yesterday, but I'm waiting for my Traxxas light kit to arrive so I can set it all up.

How are you powering the rc4wd controller? Power tap? External battery? Do you know if it automatically steps down the voltage? The rc4wd website and instruction manual are unhelpful.

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[Hogan]

I think I understand this, but I would like a conformation. I have a Hobbywing 1080 ESC and a Traxxas LED Lighting Module. My understanding is I can wire the LED Lighting Module directly to the battery. The black wire with the white (gray) stripe is positive and the solid black wire is negative. The single red wire goes to the receiver.

It doesn't matter the battery voltage, the Traxxas LED Lighting module will drop the voltage to 3v to the lights.

Thanks

[amigaman]

If you're driving 2S or 3S Lipo then yes.
The rx cable needs to be 6V just to enable the lights and takes almost no current.

The supply box makes 2.85V from this, the lamps have no resistors. So you may just take some BEC, a switch module/light controller and a bunch of resistors and do away with the "always on" TRX box.

[Hogan]

Thanks I'll be running 3s max.