I did email technical support and outlined a few concerns that were being voiced on this site. Hopefully Alpha can also have some input for us. I agree with Dai that we should have little to worry about after spending nearly 600.00. The boat is very nice, but realiability is also important.
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Bancroft PT-596 Patrol Boat - RTR
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Rascal76,
LCV is low cell voltage. Another term is LVC or low voltage cutoff. Most ESC's will monitor a battery back (Lipo, Li-Ion, Nihm etc) at a certain threshold the ESC stops the motor. But will allow other functions to continue to work. It will allow short bursts of motor but nothing long. This is done to protect the battery.
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Ok. I did a little math. If the NiMH setting is used the ESC is looking for 4.8 to 10.8 volts. If the LiPo setting is used it is looking for 7.4 to 11.1 volts. Doesn't sound like that should be enough of a difference to burn out an ESC.
If the LVC is just to protect the battery then maybe it was just low grade electronics.
Has anyone out there not had this problem? If so we're the jumpers in the correct positions?
I just want to run the boat.
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Rascal76
I believe they installed low grade electronics. The other option is poor designed to have a marine ESC and not keep it cool with water. I haven't put my boat into the water yet. I am planning to next weekend at the campground. However, I am concerned that if I get it on the lake I might not get it back without renting a canoe to go fetch. Hoping someone can chime in on their successful run. Also, hoping RSRN receives some news from his email.
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Originally posted by pdansalvish View PostRascal76
I believe they installed low grade electronics. The other option is poor designed to have a marine ESC and not keep it cool with water. I haven't put my boat into the water yet. I am planning to next weekend at the campground. However, I am concerned that if I get it on the lake I might not get it back without renting a canoe to go fetch. Hoping someone can chime in on their successful run. Also, hoping RSRN receives some news from his email.
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Originally posted by pdansalvish View Postdia phan,
Wondering if our problems are three motors running off one ESC. The Fletcher captains have not reported any problems with their ESC's. According to them they are only running two motors.
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This is what I recieved from Andrew the tech rep today. I going to take the boat out tomorrow am, will report back.
Michael
Michael,
Do your ESC/motors currently work? Did anything get hot? I am a long time boater and work directly with Alpha. It's a 120amp ESC powering 3 brushed motors so it should be plenty.
Regards,
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Yes it's a 120 amp speed control. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like it was good one.
I just finished setting up all the drive of my boat. From the motors to the props. Adding thrust washers were they should be, checking for binding etc.
I hooked the motor set up to my large DC power supply. At 7.4 volts DC the motors are only drawing 6.5 amps. This is no load spinning in the air.
If I drove the voltage quickly up from 0 the load went up to almost 10 amps and then settled down to the 6.5 amps. (startup load, to be expected)
I took it out to my pond had it in the water restrained. Unfortunately I couldn't get a reading as it exceed the 10 amps my supply can provide.
I can say the the motors did not get hot. They seem to run well.
As I said in post 40 after the system failed (about 4 minutes of running time) and retrieval the motors were not hot, not even really warm. There was a burnt electronics smell.
I agree that a 120 amp ESC should handle these three motors easily.
I believe it was just a case of the failure of a cheap electrical component.
Rascal76
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