Help - Melted the wires to ESC

[paulct]

I have an RC10T3 truck. Been using it for about 6 months with NiCDs.

Yesterday I put in my first 3000 NiMh battery (Peak). I run a Novak Rooster and Chameleon 19 turn with a 19 tooth pinion.

I was amazed at how long it was running, until it just stopped. Lots of full speed running around a circular driveway.

Opened it up and saw the ESC wires, just past the battery connector were melted and I was in a dead short. I'd say the batteries were shorted for about three minutes before I realized what was up.

Two questions: Why did it melt and are the batteries shot? Do the NiMH's push that much more current?!
Thanks!

Paul

[AudiTT-Quattro]

What connectors are you using?

What ESC? Wire gauge?

[paulct]

Novak Rooster. Whatever came with it, which I believe is 16 ga. Standard Tamiya connectors.

Paul

[AudiTT-Quattro]

I'm 80% sure the Rooster comes with 13ga. wire, but I doubt thats the problem (at least the Roosters that came with clear translucent speaker wire). I bet the melt down was caused by the Tamiya connectors though. Try Deans or Powerpoles.

[born2rc]

Originally posted by paulct
Novak Rooster. Whatever came with it, which I believe is 16 ga. Standard Tamiya connectors.

Paul

The same thing happened to me. I caught the problem before it ruined my batteries though. The tamiya connectors have too much resistance. If you ran it longer and faster than ever before, then the connectors probably overheaded.

Some things that you could do to fix it are:

~Replace the tamiya connectors with low resistance connectors such as Deans or powerpole. I prefer the deans though.

~Change the wire gauge from whatever it was to 13 or 12 that will make the current travel through the wires better.

~Don't run your car full throttle around for a very long time. That is probably what caused the problem in the first place. You shouldn't run that fast for that long. It will make your electronics overheat.

~If you have it overgeared you might want to check that too. You should be able to hold your finger on the motor for 3-5 seconds without burning yourself

~your drivetrain could be binding and that could cause extra motor work and heat build up

Good luck trying to fix your problem.

pm me if you want to know anything else

[paulct]

Thanks all.

I am not overgeared, I do check that. The melting started just past the connector, so the resistance thing makes sense.

I've read a little about deans. I assume its not a total nightmare to install them? I am pretty handy with a soldering iron.

Are they easy enough for a kid to separate? My son needs to be able to change his batteries, and if we do my car, we will do his too so we can share batts.

Paul

[3Nracer]

ya, they aren't really hard to separate. it might even be easier for your son since he has smaller fingers.

[scorpien boats]

i had the same prob. with those same batteries

i never figured out what happend

[rocknbil]

Dude for sure the Tamiya conectors could have contributed to the problem. They have a pretty high resistance and this causes heat at the joint and decreases your power and run time. Even with brand new ones, feel the connectors after a run. They will be warm, or hot, and as they get used a bit this gets worse and worse. The wires probably got hot, melted through the insulation, then *poof* . . . .

[gizmoguy303]

Deans are no trouble to install. Just make sure to slip the heatshrink tubing over the wires BEFORE you solder the connectors on. (I forgot to do this just about every time. :D)

As for them being hard to separate, they're pretty tough, but if you pinch the "spring" lightly with some pliers it becomes much more tolerable.

Good luck,
Bobby

[born2rc]

if u cant pull them apart by the connector just grab the wires and pull hard, if it comes loose it means it was a bad solder joint