Motor keep stopping...

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  • TINFISH
    Lieutenant
    • Apr 2019
    • 64

    Motor keep stopping...

    Hi guys,
    I have just completed my first rc submarine. It is the ArkModel Type VII. I am using a VEX radio and Dave Merriman WTC. Everything is about two years old.

    I have it balanced at both surface and dive positions with no issues. My problem comes in the motor operations.

    When I first turn the radio on and move the throttle gimbal-no response. After that first movement everything works perfectly!

    I took it to the lake and the motors became intermittent after 15 minutes of operation. They would stop then suddenly start working again, then stop, then start. You get the picture.

    I pulled it from the lake and back on the work bench everything worked perfectly, other than that first gimbal movement. I cannot get the motors to not run.

    I pulled everything form the WTC and checked all wiring and installed. The ESC lights up each time the throttle gimbal is moved.

    Back at the lake, it ran great for about 30 minutes then it stopped all together and would not restart. All other commands work as they should.

    Back on the work bench, it initially did not run then after a few gimblal moves, everything started working again.

    The antenna is run along the length of the WTC inside a plastic tube, capped on the end.

    Can someone shed some light on this. I am a newbie to subs but not rc modeling.

    All help and advice will be appreciated.

    Thanks,
    TINFISH
  • dimtim
    Ensign
    • Aug 2020
    • 2

    #2
    Hi Tinfish,

    Are both the motor ran off one speed controller. As you still have other functions it's not a BEC issue, It sounds like the speed control if over heating and shutting down. Do the motors work again after few minutes ?

    Cheers.
    Tim

    Comment

    • TINFISH
      Lieutenant
      • Apr 2019
      • 64

      #3
      Hi Tim,
      First, thank you for taking the time to address my motor issue. All other commands work properly without issue.
      Now, yes, both motors run off of a single ESC. The speed controller lights every time power is applied, as I believe it should. Also, when I was balancing it the motors were working intermediately and they were only in the water a couple of minutes which would eliminate over heating.
      First time at the lake, the trouble started after about 10-15 minutes. Last time out, it was 30 or so.
      I keep hitting my head every direction I turn. I have a new receiver coming tomorrow. I'll try that first.
      Thanks again,
      Mike

      Comment

      • trout
        Admiral
        • Jul 2011
        • 3545

        #4
        Mike,
        May I ask what speed controller? I'll tell you why I am asking. Some speed controllers have overheat or protection to stop from damaging itself from too much drain on it. It will do what you are saying, run for a little bit, overheat, stop, cool down, run again, overheat .....you get the picture.
        Beautiful sub you have there.
        Peace,
        Tom
        If you can cut, drill, saw, hit things and swear a lot, you're well on the way to building a working model sub.

        Comment

        • He Who Shall Not Be Named
          Moderator
          • Aug 2008
          • 12253

          #5
          Originally posted by TINFISH
          Hi guys,
          I have just completed my first rc submarine. It is the ArkModel Type VII. I am using a VEX radio and Dave Merriman WTC. Everything is about two years old.

          I have it balanced at both surface and dive positions with no issues. My problem comes in the motor operations.

          When I first turn the radio on and move the throttle gimbal-no response. After that first movement everything works perfectly!

          I took it to the lake and the motors became intermittent after 15 minutes of operation. They would stop then suddenly start working again, then stop, then start. You get the picture.

          I pulled it from the lake and back on the work bench everything worked perfectly, other than that first gimbal movement. I cannot get the motors to not run.

          I pulled everything form the WTC and checked all wiring and installed. The ESC lights up each time the throttle gimbal is moved.

          Back at the lake, it ran great for about 30 minutes then it stopped all together and would not restart. All other commands work as they should.

          Back on the work bench, it initially did not run then after a few gimblal moves, everything started working again.

          The antenna is run along the length of the WTC inside a plastic tube, capped on the end.

          Can someone shed some light on this. I am a newbie to subs but not rc modeling.

          All help and advice will be appreciated.

          Thanks,
          TINFISH
          That non-start of the motor after switching on the SD is an artifact of the MTroniks start-up protocol. Not to worry. It's normal for those ESC's.

          As we discussed during today's video chit-chat the bad-guy here is likely an overworked BEC within the ESC. Buy a dedicated BEC, install it and plug its 4.8-volts into an unused receiver port -- that will insure enough current to drive all the servos and other devices without this glitching. Here's a good source for said BEC:

          https://www.amazon.com/DGZZI-Plastic...037666&sr=8-75

          When you plug the dedicated BEC into your SD make sure to pull the red wire from the ESC's servo lead... not the blue wire or we all die horribly!!!

          David
          Who is John Galt?

          Comment

          • TINFISH
            Lieutenant
            • Apr 2019
            • 64

            #6
            Thank you so much Dave. I have it ordered and should be here Tuesday. I'll get in installed in time to go to the SubFest 2020 and try it out there.
            I really appreciate the help
            Mike

            Comment

            • He Who Shall Not Be Named
              Moderator
              • Aug 2008
              • 12253

              #7
              Tim and Tom are making valid points -- could be the ESC itself. Stick the propellers in the water and put an Ampere meter in series with the battery, go full throttle (the propellers deep enough not to suck surface air) and record the total current draw. Discount one Ampere as hotel load, the balance is what the motors are drawing. Is that number over the continuous current rating of the ESC?

              David
              Who is John Galt?

              Comment

              • type7
                Lieutenant Commander
                • Apr 2009
                • 152

                #8
                If you put together the drive train according to the Arkmodel instructions there may be too much friction in the system. There is not enough clearance for the plastic sleeve unless you removed a bunch of plastic around it. I used brass tubing with a very loose fit on the drive shaft instead. Too much friction overheats the motors and reduces their life and creates too much current draw thru the speed control.

                Comment

                • Bob Gato
                  Captain
                  • Feb 2019
                  • 826

                  #9
                  Originally posted by TINFISH
                  Hi Tim,
                  . Also, when I was balancing it the motors were working intermediately ...
                  Mike
                  Hi mike...I am jumping in here late...but the above statement glared out at me-When you say intermediately,when they are running, are they both running at the same time? or is one motor running faster then the other? If both motors are controlled by one (the same) ESC and both motors were working at different RPMs intermittently, then it has to be a wiring problem-whatever the ESC is putting out to two motors in parallel, the motors have to run at the same RPM...BUT WAIT! any chance that you have wired the two motors in series? .-BG
                  Last edited by Bob Gato; 09-14-2020, 08:30 PM.

                  Comment

                  • TINFISH
                    Lieutenant
                    • Apr 2019
                    • 64

                    #10
                    Thanks for the input guys. I took the boat to the lake today and it ran perfect, with no start/stop issues, for about 30 minutes.
                    yhe only thing I know may be different was I have certain the antenna was completely stretched out and not curled up inside the hull. Which I wouldn't think would be an issue.
                    well see how it runs in Cohutta this weekend.
                    mike

                    Comment

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