Err Help please! my RC car goes backwards instead of forwards

[Roog]

I have been running my Hobbywing EZRUN 4274 motor from a matched 150A ESC for about a year now and it has worked as expected, during my last run, I did nothing new, but it ran backwards instead of forwards. When pushing the trigger it ran forwards but only up to partial speed.

I have checked the configuration tool but can find no way to reverse this. Also swapping the 'stick' throw on the TX makes no difference!

Perhaps I should try new batteries?

 

[Tunedfrog]

Check to see if you accidently hit the servo reverse on your transmitter if it has one.
You might have to re-calibrate also.

 

[Roog]

Check to see if you accidently hit the servo reverse on your transmitter if it has one.
You might have to re-calibrate also.

Thank you for the idea,@Tunedfrog , whilst I was in a state of confusion at the track I recon I have tried that.
I did wonder if it might have been caused by a spark when connecting the Lipo?

Happy to start ESC config all over again, just wondered if there was a factory reset?

The fact that it runs very well backwards means I might keep it that way, I would just like to know how to fix it if the mood takes me!

 

[WickedFog]

I have never heard of this happening on it's own like this. If you didn't flip a reverse switch on your Tx, this is a strange one. The first thing I would do is go into the ESC and reverse the throttle setting, then recalibrate. You might simply try recalibrating first to see if that fixes it. Let us know what you figure out.

 

[Roog]

I have never heard of this happening on it's own like this. If you didn't flip a reverse switch on your Tx, this is a strange one. The first thing I would do is go into the ESC and reverse the throttle setting, then recalibrate. You might simply try recalibrating first to see if that fixes it. Let us know what you figure out.

I think I’ll start with new batteries and run through all of the TX and ESC settings.
It does feel like a configuration glitch

 

[Mrgoodwrench35]

I've had the same thing happen with hobbywing electronics. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not. Usually when I've left the esc powerless for an extended period of time. A simple recalibration should fix your issue provided you havn't switched motor wires around.

The spark when connecting the lipo is normal. I dont like it, but its normal. There are companies that make antispark connectors that eliminate it. I use QS8 antisparks and love them. The bigger the lipo, the bigger the spark and the 8s spark is more than i like. It actually damages your connectors over time so I think its worth switching out connectors.

 

[Roog]

I've had the same thing happen with hobbywing electronics. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not. Usually when I've left the esc powerless for an extended period of time. A simple recalibration should fix your issue provided you havn't switched motor wires around.

The spark when connecting the lipo is normal. I dont like it, but its normal. There are companies that make antispark connectors that eliminate it. I use QS8 antisparks and love them. The bigger the lipo, the bigger the spark and the 8s spark is more than i like. It actually damages your connectors over time so I think its worth switching out connectors.

The spark thing is just a hunch on my part, I have had diy circuits go faulty due to electromagnetic effects from motor circuits, but never with commercial products. The system works perfectly it just goes backwards! My mates suggested swapping two of the motor connections but that doesn’t resolve why it happened.

My system uses XT90 connectors so these should go some way to shield the spark, but not the electrical pulse generated. Interesting problem to have!

I’ll run through the system config at the week end after I have done my duty and hung the curtain poles in our living room!

 

[Mrgoodwrench35]

The spark thing is just a hunch on my part, I have had diy circuits go faulty due to electromagnetic effects from motor circuits, but never with commercial products. The system works perfectly it just goes backwards! My mates suggested swapping two of the motor connections but that doesn’t resolve why it happened.

My system uses XT90 connectors so these should go some way to shield the spark, but not the electrical pulse generated. Interesting problem to have!

I’ll run through the system config at the week end after I have done my duty and hung the curtain poles in our living room!

XT series connectors are what I was running before I switched to QS8's. The spark was getting bad enough that it actually began to degrade one of the terminals. I assumed that over time, the capacitance in the esc degraded enough that it lost memory but that's just my guess.

 

[RustyUs]

I have been running my Hobbywing EZRUN 4274 motor from a matched 150A ESC for about a year now and it has worked as expected, during my last run, I did nothing new, but it ran backwards instead of forwards. When pushing the trigger it ran forwards but only up to partial speed.

I have checked the configuration tool but can find no way to reverse this. Also swapping the 'stick' throw on the TX makes no difference!

Perhaps I should try new batteries?

What is the ESC that is in the equation? If it's an EZRun Max8, I bet you can simply change the direction of motor in the settings. The V3 offers that option. Even without a LED program card, or LCD program box... easy, peasy.

 

[Roog]

What is the ESC that is in the equation? If it's an EZRun Max8, I bet you can simply change the direction of motor in the settings. The V3 offers that option. Even without a LED program card, or LCD program box... easy, peasy.

I think that’s the one, I need to read the instructions, I remain puzzled as to how this happened though.

 

[WickedFog]

I think that’s the one, I need to read the instructions, I remain puzzled as to how this happened though.

It just lost it's memory I'm guessing. Ivenever had one do this, but who knows man. Ghost in the machine kinda stuff.

I ran Haas CNC mills for most of my career. On 3 different occasions the machine just stopped right in the middle of the program. Spindle still turning, but machine frozen in time. They called it the ghost in the machine, and it happened from time to time. You simply reset the toolpath and it would finish just fine next go round. Nothing changed, so it never made sense. The Haas guy said it was likely a slight power surge or something that caused the machine to dump it's memory in the middle of a move, causing it to forget what it was doing.

 

[RustyUs]

I think that’s the one, I need to read the instructions, I remain puzzled as to how this happened though.

Like @Mrgoodwrench35 said, maybe lost its memory for some reason. The more I think about it, I swear I had some speed controls revert back to their default LVC after I had adjusted them. I'm talking about a good length of time like from fall until summertime.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Like @Mrgoodwrench35 said, maybe lost its memory for some reason. The more I think about it, I swear I had some speed controls revert back to their default LVC after I had adjusted them. I'm talking about a good length of time like from fall until summertime.

My Spektrum did this too. I replaced the batteries, hooked up the programmer and it was fixed. No clue why or how so not much help to diagnose other than to confirm that it does 'just happen'.

 

[Mrgoodwrench35]

I wonder if 'accidentally' allowing the disconnected esc battery plug make contact with something conductive is enough to zap the capacitance out of the esc. Thats my best guess but I just chalk it up to ' happens'.

 

[nino]

ESCs sometimes forget.