No I didn't fry one yet. I might do that later to get some entertainment value out of them if they turn out to be as utterly useless to my needs as I initially suspect. I'm hoping you guys can help me with something I am sincerely hoping I am missing. I just ordered my first (and probably last unless I get answers I like) batch of ESCs and opened up the package. Before I get started, I should admit that I potentially made a mistake by going with pro-boats because I could find them online. I wasn't able to locate mtronics online, but admittedly didn't look as hard as I probably should have. The first thing I did was open up the instruction booklet and begin reading it, as everyone has stressed that following the directions is paramount to success. I go to the instruction book and open it up, and look at the speed programming instructions. It appears that everytime the ESC is powered down, it needs to be re-programmed. OK the thought was to use ESCs so I could easily change between treaty speed and IRCWCC speed and to adjust my pump flow between the two formats. It seems however, the only thing I can really program on this thing is FULL POWER, which I can easily attain now anyways. So it looks like for my throttle, I can set the ship up for the speed I want it (read full power gets me to the speed I want) and will have to play with drag/prop pitch change speeds later on (exactly the same as my mag throttle). As for my pump, I'm equally hosed. I'm back to mechanical restrictiors to adjust my pump flow, because with this ESC I get all or nothing, unless I am missing something. I am sincerely hoping I am missing something and you guys will be able to clue me in. I thought I was getting something that would allow me to easily adjust the speed and pumps of my models. I'm more then a little upset at the moment as I feel like I wasted a lot of money for nothing.
Most ESCs that I know of only let you program full power (well and reverse and break setting but those arent the issue here), then you use the endpoint adjustment on your radio so that when your stick is all the way up the ESC thinks its only say 85% of the way up. However having to reprogram it everytime you turn it on sounds pretty worthless, im surprised you have to do that everytime you start it up. Seems like the pro-boat esc's are pretty worthless, I havent heard anything good about them besides them being a cheap esc but who cares if it doesnt work. Can you return them and buy something good? They dont do well with the reversing we do, least not in fast gun maybe if you dont reverse much in big gun they "might" be ok. But you're right that it seems ok for a pump motor if you need to control the flow, but not if you have to reprogram it everytime you turn it on. I would double/triple check that, it just doesnt seem right.
I was shocked that I'd have to reset it everytime I powered it up too. I rather expected it to hold whatever setting I put in until I needed to reprogram it (I rather assumed it would be like changing the freq on my Polk radio where I'd have to push a button or something so it would take a new setting) but it seemed pretty clear in the instructions that to reset it, all I had to do was power it off, then power it back on and recycle the throttle and it would take the new maximum settings. I'm really, really hoping I am having a reading comprehension problem. I'll definately shoot Mike in SC an email though and see if he can offer some tips on them. I seem to recall someone mentioning setting the throttle to like 50% forward and 100% back. If I can do something like that, maybe I can use them for throttles and find another means of regulating pump flow. If the ESC won't work, maybe a potentiometer is my best solution. Do standard radios have endpoint adjustment, or is that a feature of the newer computerized radios? I don't recall my Polk or my Futaba having those options but I don't recall looking to see either. I don't have the manuals in front of me here at work, so I can't look it up until I get home later tonight.
I do my adjustments on the transmitter. The esc itself doesn't have much actual programming in them (other than the high end airplane escs). I leave the esc on it's default programming and do all the adjustments at the transmitter. You would use the transmitter's end point adjustment to "adjust" the esc. Most transmitter's today (other than the cheapest) have end point adjustments. The adjustment is either a potentiometer pot or an electronic setting in the transmitter's computerized settings. The Polk Tracker series of radios have programmable end point adjustments. If you let me know which Futaba radio, we can find out how to adjust that one too. We can get them set. Another nice feature with the computerized radios is that you can set "dual rates". All that is setting a switch to give you two diffrent end point adjustments at the flick of a switch. Very nice feature for switching quickly between Treaty rules and fast gun rules. If you need specific help with programming the Polk or setting up another transmitter, drop me an email. mikem5334@yahoo.com.
I have several of the pro boat esc's. Yes each time you turn it on you need to run the stick to set full forward and full reverse.I then use the end poin adjustment on my transmitter to dial in the speen i need. Mtronic does remember the last stick positions you used and will always remember.For the most part i set allesc's to full fwd and reverse,then i dial in the % on my spectrum radio.MY graff-spee uses 60% and my normandie uses85% and it wil set each model and remember your setting.SO i turn on the radio and select unit 01 and it know that boat needs 60%.
I'll be playing around with them when I pick up the Salem at Ravenna. I'm not too worried about getting them working in the short term, as the Courageous is practically battle ready with the proven systems from the Invincible currently installed. I suppose I am more disappointed about my grand plan to use them as a pump controller not working out the way I wanted more then anything else.
Agreed send the PRO BOATS BACK! Unless you want to have what happened to your boat happened to mine. Run around a lake in circles at full power for an hour till it goes dead and it's dark. I was Verrry lucky to get mine back. This esc is now in a lindberg PT109 with M.A.C.k. marine motors and it has not caused one issue. However I would not use it for RC combat ever!
I disagree about the Proboat esc in general. Like I mentioned before, that esc (made in china) powers my Richelieu and Lutzow. The Richy drives two 550 motors on 6 volts. Other than the half-throttle reverse feature, the esc works very well for model warship combat.
I use this in my Des Moines driving 2 550 motors from Battlers and working them hard at that. http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/5466-Sabertooth-dual-25A-motor-driver.aspx I was using this but found the load a bit much for this unit. I will use this one in my single motor set up Konig http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/5106-Sabertooth-dual-10A-motor-driver-for-R-C.aspx These are good units as they really save their settings. I run them in defualt mode so far.
Several people in the WWCC have had problems with the Proboat ESC's. They were used in my brother's Scharnhorst, a Normandie dreadnought, and a Capitani Romani. The Scharnhorst didn't have any problems, and the Normandie was fine at first. After several battles, the Normandie's ESC began to cut out after only 5-10 minutes of running, and the same was true with the Romani from the start. We all switched to MTroniks. The Sabertooth dual motor drivers look interesting, though.
We used this in my sons Liberty ship had no trouble going to try one in my Boston crazy is this the same one you hav? http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/proddetail.php?prod=dh-prb2314
Actually, I did have a problem with the Richey esc cutting out last battle. The problem was traced to the esc's reciever plug. It was fouled with some sort of green goop that was causing intermittant pin contact. As soon as the esc lost the reciever signal, it would shut down the motors but maintain all other controls. The fix for me was a good plug cleaning. Haven't had a problem since.
PM, there are a few dealers in the states that sell the mtronics esc's ships'n'things, hobbico, harbor models and a few others I think, I'll look later. there are several models to choose from just depends on what you need. just make sure you get the marine version with reverse. I think I said this in a different post but here it is again; the only drawback is that reverse is not a powerful as forward ( can't stop as fast as I would like, but then again its mor realistic that way I suppose). If you are going to run 2 motors off one esc I'd recomend the viper 40amp if single motor go with the 15amp
