Castle Creations XLX-2 just released

[deezomaxima]

I can't believe that castle would not immediately apologize and put a statement out saying there is an issue.
Yet the only public response is to attack a customer tell him he is lieing and continue to sell an esc that you know has issues. I own one castle and motor combo, I'm afraid that it will be my one and only. I can't trust a company that can produce such a dangerous product knowingly

I'm sure everyone is on vacation. Let's give it time.

 

[bkhlouf]

I can't believe that castle would not immediately apologize and put a statement out saying there is an issue.
Yet the only public response is to attack a customer tell him he is lieing and continue to sell an esc that you know has issues. I own one castle and motor combo, I'm afraid that it will be my one and only. I can't trust a company that can produce such a dangerous product knowingly

I am in the same position, waiting for a couple of parts to start testing my new xlx2 combo. What to do ?

 

[L3phturn]

I can't believe that castle would not immediately apologize and put a statement out saying there is an issue.
Yet the only public response is to attack a customer tell him he is lieing and continue to sell an esc that you know has issues. I own one castle and motor combo, I'm afraid that it will be my one and only. I can't trust a company that can produce such a dangerous product knowingly

Don’t pull this. You can’t expect a company to respond with no data or information. Even in that case, @robert@castle is not a spokesman for the company. If this community causes enough of a stir what will likely happen is that he will no longer be able to communicate here.

If you get bent out of shape that someone who works at an RC company reacts in a genuine and human way then your alternative is nothing. How many other official representatives contribute to this forum?

Chill. @robert@castle contributed a great deal and has excellent knowledge and insight. I would like to see MORE contributors like him, not less. Cause enough of a stink and we will wind up with none.

 

[rotauq]

For me it all still feels like putting nitro in a diesel car, top gear style. Overvolting the motor with 40%+. The big ZTW's didn't like it either. Though they did last longer. Yet, bursting into flames should not happen this easy.

 

[robert@castle]

For me it all still feels like putting nitro in a diesel car, top gear style. Overvolting the motor with 40%+. The big ZTW's didn't like it either. Though they did last longer. Yet, bursting into flames should not happen this easy.

If there is a short in the system, like the issue we are having with the XLX2, there isn't much to stop a fire except removing the batteries. As long as there is a power source there is no way to stop the issue from escalating to a fire. If you hear a pop or start to see smoke, unplug ASAP. Removing the battery from the circuit can be the difference between a ruined ESC and a ruined everything.

 

[L3phturn]

Question @robert@castle , will a meter across the black and red contacts of the ESC identity a short without power applied? I don’t have a multi-meter (yet) but some of us do. Is there any other way to detect a short without hooking up the battery? I mean that in two ways, first, to detect this specific issue, and second, as a regular check we could all do before we plug in any new ESC as a precaution.

 

[jkflow]

I doubt that would have helped in this case. As you can see, the battery was plugged in and no short existed, it caught fire after applying throttle.
Measuring resistance ahead of connection will therefore not help.

What you could do, build your own fuse for an initial checkout, maybe use an automotive 50A(?) fuse and see if anthging bad happens. Really depends on your motor but this would be freely spinning and not for driving around. After initial checkout that setup could be removed.

 

[L3phturn]

I doubt that would have helped in this case. As you can see, the battery was plugged in and no short existed, it caught fire after applying throttle.
Measuring resistance ahead of connection will therefore not help.

What you could do, build your own fuse for an initial checkout, maybe use an automotive 50A(?) fuse and see if anthging bad happens. Really depends on your motor but this would be freely spinning and not for driving around. After initial checkout that setup could be removed.

Interesting idea. With the Y cable we run in the power supply to the ESC we could wire something up on the second male plug with the appropriate connector, or have a connector with the fuse wired into it. Would that make sense? Then whenever I install a new ESC or new connectors or even a new motor I can plug a 4S or single 6S into one connector and my fuse rig into the other and give it a quick spin-up on the bench. This seems like a cheap and simple safety step.

Would such a thing prevent smoking the ESC if you wired a connector with reverse polarity? (Also - it sucks that BLX-185 ESCs come with both wires BLACK.) Just in case someone were to do something stupid like solder new XT-90 connectors on their brand new Notorious at 11:30 on a Friday night after a few drinks... I know... so unlikely. I mean, who would do such a thing?

 

[thebigbc]

ooops

 

[jkflow]

Ouch, I doubt that would help in reverse polarity. Damage gets done quickly and faster than any fuse could disconnect.

 

[L3phturn]

Ouch, I doubt that would help in reverse polarity. Damage gets done quickly and faster than any fuse could disconnect.

Meh, lesson learned. I got a great deal on a Hobbywing QuikRun 150 amp and had it next day. I also learned from this forum and got a better soldering iron too. Some things we learn best the hard way. ?‍

 

[Taztaz]

Ive seen about 8 pics of failed xlx2s.
I tested mine briefly - a quick plug in and quick drive up garden path but now feel it needs to be ran properly, in a spare car.

 

[TwoBelugas]

Does anyone know if KT adjusted his timing on the esc to 0 before blipping the throttle unloaded If the motor is a D motor? those D wind motors are no joke when it comes to current draw. I usually under drive my TP motors by one cell at least unless it’s a car I only run in wide open space with nothing around that could catch fire.

But no, fire is no good in amy case.

 

[jkflow]

No idea what his settings were but, with his Lipos, he was nowhere near what others have drawn (Amps) for longer periods of time.

 

[maxxximatoze]

Here we go, another one... I'm not really sure to ever turn mine on in my dbxl... I do NOT like to play to the russian roulette with only one chamber emtpy in the cylinder... Castle, you have to do something, and do it quickly (and let your customers know about the process) before someone get hurts or a house get burns. It seems that the futur of this ESC is at stakes.

 

[Hammer Down]

 

[rotauq]

Quoting my own youtube comment
"Respect Raz! I agree completely. XLX2 is Lamborghini 'tank' and in a league of it's own. Castle is not some dodgy company and they will certainly do what they deem to be necessary. No need to bash the company that is actually trying to give us what we desire, while others are not. Can you even be a fanboy, if no one else is capable/dares to make an equivalent product? I think not."

 

[ARRMA King]

What I don’t get in that video is he only ran it at 6s claiming “it’ll pull more amps vs 8s” making a serious gross assumption as if the motor was power capped, which we all know it isn’t.

If this was the case why not then run 4/5s and pull “more amps”? ??‍

We all know higher voltages allow more current so 1) this test should ideally be re-run at the ultimate stress this was spec’d for and 2) his explanation really makes me question his level of basic knowledge

 

[jkflow]

It's pretty obvious that the current draw, under normal conditions, has nothing to do with anything for the issue at hand. Nitpicking comments on that is not value add imho.

I'm sure they will figure it out. I'm also sure they are working it but I have no insight into reality. This is a major issue and these things can take down a product-line or worse.

 

[Boodaggy]

What I don’t get in that video is he only ran it at 6s claiming “it’ll pull more amps vs 8s” making a serious gross assumption as if the motor was power capped, which we all know it isn’t.

If this was the case why not then run 4/5s and pull “more amps”? ??‍

We all know higher voltages allow more current so 1) this test should ideally be re-run at the ultimate stress this was spec’d for and 2) his explanation really makes me question his level of basic knowledge

6s @ 500 amp is less than 8s @ 500 amp. It's called wattage, and while I'm no expert, I would like to beleive there is a reason its rated up to 8s. Imo, your correct in your views.