Jimmie Neutron's Build

[krallopian]

I almost bought some 6000s today but ... didn't.

When I got home I took mine out to my forest for about an hour, most of it was crawling but a good 10 minutes worth of 2nd gear bashing. I'm pretty sure the stock nimhs lasted the longest they ever have, at LEAST 45 minutes! 2nd gear totally kills these crappy batteries, but they seem to last forever if you're just crawling.

Get that video up!

[Jimmie Neutron]

I was going to go with 6000s... didn't because they were borderline on providing enough amps if I were to go brushless.
(ordered the batteries before I even had the Summit)

Let's try this video thing...

I wouldn't even attempt this scenario if it were 1:1.
I also was able to climb up a grass covered, extremely uneven, bumpy, rocky hill that I could not even climb up myself. But, I did not get that on film. lol
It took two hands.

[snowslider]

Any news on when your servo is coming?

[Jimmie Neutron]

Still on back order.

[Jimmie Neutron]

I love this thing!!

I have been out an a few hikes now...
bashing through some pretty rough stuff and have not broken a single part!!

Now the rear is starting to really squat when I pull the throttle back. Hope to get to do some clean up in the beginning of next week... everything is getting really dusty.

Should I try some heavier oil in the back?
Crank down on the preload?

[Jimmy1971]

Are you still running the stock spring in the rear? If so change it for a double orange, which is the same as the front. They're cheap and easy to install.

[Jimmie Neutron]

I've switched springs around already.
I will have another double orange set coming eventually for the front.

[varunaX]

If you want less squatting you need lighter oil with stiffer springs

[Jimmie Neutron]

I have most of the squat eliminated now... just cranked the preload from 0 to about 1/4"

I think I might be having some ESC issues... I am not sure if it is radio related or not.
Every once in a while, it will just quit responding... the motor fan is still running and the servos hold center, but no input is being registered. I will shut everything off, unplug the batteries, wait 30 seconds or so and then hook everything back up and it is good to go. This seems to coincide with reverse not engaging even with multiple attempts.... then it goes all at once.

[krallopian]

Sounds like BEC issues to me. Try this:

Turn the car on, turn the steering back and forth repeadedly while driving slowly forwards, if it cuts the esc off then 100% that's the issue.

[OnebadTMAXX3.3]

i would run a external bec. i run one and it takes alt of strain off of the esc.

[DadC14]

I used to experience those same issues, installed an external bec and I haven't had any problems since.

[Jimmie Neutron]

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised... I am powering two Rx's off from the ESC.
I have a few BEC's to choose from... waiting on my Tx battery to come into stock so the rest of the shipment, which includes my Rx/BEC battery, can be shipped.

[Summit33]

I had a question about removing the chrome from your stock wheels...does the yellow cap cleaner not cause any damage to the rubber of the tires

[Jimmie Neutron]

I did not experience any damage what so ever.

[Jimmie Neutron]

I need some help resolving an issue...

This has been happening more and more:
Sometimes, it simply will not engage reverse.

I have tried resetting the Tx/Rx and ESC.

I will push the trigger for reverse and it will do absolutely nothing.... multiple times. Going back to neutral then reverse again; it still doesn't engage reverse. I will continue to bump forward > reverse > forward > reverse and sometimes it will suddenly work, most of the time it will not. This used to happen every once in a while... now it is doing it more and more often. (and getting VERY annoying)

Does anyone have any pointers??
What am I doing wrong?
Is there something I can do?

or is it time to call Traxxas??


I think I got reverse to engage a total of 10-15 times during a 1.5hour bash/crawl session today.

[varunaX]

Reading around, I understood that behavior is common with the evx2. I know it happens to me too. I had to get used to it

[krallopian]

That doesn't sound good Jimmie... I know sometimes reverse doesn't work for me if I don't "do it right" perhaps your trims are off? As in when you go back to neutral on the remote, it's actually not REALLY neutral? Try going forwards, then stop, then reverse.. if it doesn't go reverse, pull the throttle a TAD so you don't actually move, and then try reverse. Understand? Good luck!

[snowslider]

Jimmie, have you gotten your ESC wet? I've heared several stories about people driving ''near water'' and afterwards they've had problems with reverse. This shouldn't happen though, the ESC is waterproof.

[Jimmie Neutron]

I will try that, Krall.

The Summit has never seen water... other than the tires... when they were not attached.

If this is something I "need to live with" I will be looking for another ESC.

[snowslider]

By the way, that avatar is scary!

[Jimmie Neutron]

I am still playing around with my avatar... haven't found one that I like (that works) just yet. lol


Well, I think I have the issue fixed.
The green LED would not always shine when in neutral. I have recalibrated neutral on the ESC, but this time I also calibrated with the multifunction throttle trim set at 0 and then locked it down.
Ever so slightly pulling throttle allowed the LED to shine as is should (thanks Krall for the guidance). This led me to believe that everything needed to be recalibrated once again. I really spend some time making sure that the throw of the multifunction was dead center of the throw of neutral... if you know what I mean.

While I was digging through the paperwork, I also found a LED code guide for the new EVX2... I am looking for this page/download on the site so I can link it. It is not a part of the manual, but a separate sheet.

[krallopian]

That's great news! I was afraid you were going to say, "Having my dual remote, wrecked everything!!" haha. You found some top secret LED Code Guide!?

[Jimmie Neutron]

Yeah... there is NOTHING on this site about it anywhere... I found it over at Ultimate RC.




I still need to power my Rx's with a UBEC... but that will wait until I get all the parts in to finish my Summit project. I am just glad it is at a point that I can still use it... so far, that is the only downfall to the dual remote -- brown out.

[krallopian]

EVX2 doesn't want to power both receivers? I've not even tried to power them both yet, I've been using my VXL3S on a 1/16lipo for the past couple weeks.

[Jimmie Neutron]

There is a couple of clues that it is a power issue...
(I have yet to confirm this, btw)

I am only getting around 300' of distance before I lose control.
I use the same remote to control my MERV... I have no range issues with that; so I know it is not the Tx.

Every once in a while, in a heavy servo use moment, it stops responding.
Once I shut it down, wait a moment, and replug/restart; it works fine.

[slash116vxl]

Must be a power issue. You are powering 2 RXs and 4 servos.

[Jimmie Neutron]

Yup... already know that.


Krall was asking about running two Rx's with the EVX2 due to his radio project (sort of) inspired by mine, he is just taking it to the next level with FPV so I reiterated my power issues so he knows what the downfalls may be without running a BEC/UBEC.

I am sure my range/connectivity issues will disappear once I install one of my BEC/UBEC's. I have both a linear and switching one to try out... hoping the switching will work as it is smaller and will fit in my second Rx box. The linear one will have to be mounted on the BEC/UBEC battery and waterproofed.... even though my Summit will never see serious water, there always is a chance of a splash here and there from washing.
Honestly, I would like to use the same battery that is in my radio without a BEC/UBEC. I am sure it will fit in the second Rx box along with the other electronics. The battery is a 2S LiFe and tops out at 7.4 volts... I know my still-on-back-order steering servos and Punk steering PC will handle the extra voltage, but I am not sure about the shifting servos.

So I guess that leads me to a question:
Can the micro servo's handle 7.4 volts?

[krallopian]

Wouldja hurry up and install them already so I know! :P

[Jimmie Neutron]

Entirely my fault... forgot I had the diffs locked.

[Jimmie Neutron]

What is the part number for the stock spring in the servo saver??
I think (if I am reading the parts list right) 5344x... the heavy duty one.
I just want to make sure...

[maxi single]

Entirely my fault... forgot I had the diffs locked.

How did this happened?

I've forgottened to unlocked many times, even drove in hi gear but it's never broke. Sorry about the damage btw.

[krallopian]

I've had the diffs locked in high a few times too, but fortunately never had THAT happen, just lousy steering haha.

[jolynsbass]

You could run HV servos directly off of the battery power (just connect the red lead from the servo wire to a positive battery lead on the ESC batt connector.) Then the amperage comes directly from the batt to the servo, and not through the rx or BEC. You can still run the receiver and extra PC card at 6V, along with the shifting servos (which I think will not handle 7.4 well, at least not for long...)

Also, The locked diff carnage can be avoided by combining the functions of the diff lockers with the transmission shifting. I've done this, so that my chan 4/5 switch does the following:
1) Low gear + all locked (for tough crawling)
2) Low gear + all unlocked (for regular driving)
3) High gear + all unlocked (for speed)
You lose the ability to have a single diff locked (but who locks just one anyway?), and the danger of running in high gear with locked diffs is now impossible. I think it's a nice solution, plus it frees up the thumb switch on my controller. I'll be installing some kind of lights switch with that one...

[BAMAFAN]

How exactly would you go about doing this? I'm rewiring as we speak. I would love to have mine set up this way.

[jamann]

I myself prefer to be able to lock just the front for climbing and a poor mans front dig sorta


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[ksb51rl]

What is the part number for the stock spring in the servo saver??
I think (if I am reading the parts list right) 5344x... the heavy duty one.
I just want to make sure...

You are correct.

[jolynsbass]

How exactly would you go about doing this? I'm rewiring as we speak. I would love to have mine set up this way.

I'll assume you are referring to my post just above yours...

In channel 4, you hook up both diff servos (use a y-harness to hook them both up to the same channel)
In channel 5, you hook up the transmission servo.

I had to reverse one of the channels (4 or 5, I forget which) in the remote to make it work the way I wanted, but after that, it's been perfect.

Then, channel 3 (thumb switch) is totally freed up. From what I understand, this channel is actually a 3 position channel, so, if you replace the thumb switch with a three way switch, you can have even more options...

[jamann]

I spliced a two position switch in line on ch 3 to run my home made winch.the rocker switch became line in/out the inline switch was on/off like




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[Jimmie Neutron]

Maxi:
I had been running in sand in high gear... testing the traction differences between locked and unlocked. I had dug myself a pair of deep ruts and was rocking the wheel side to side; locked in high and full throttle... must have caught something solid and she snapped.

Joly:
I have a SuperLINK radio... a heavily modified LINK system with 8 channels. I like my system as it gives me full control over the options that the Summit offers.

ksb:
Thanks for the confirmation. I guess I will remove that from my order. lol