Slash shuts down upon hitting ground

[CrossedThreads]

Hi, I'm new to this site and new to the hobby so I still have a lot to learn. I got a 4x4 Slash with the BL-2s motor about a month ago. All has been fine until yesterday when it started shutting down when I land from a jump. I turn it back on and it runs fine until impact. Any ideas on what would cause this problem? Thanks!

 

[Tunedfrog]

Welcome in @CrossedThreads , sounds like you have a loose wire or bad solder joint somewhere.

 

[CrossedThreads]

Thanks! I thought about that. It's strange though, I can turn it right back on without having to fiddle with anything so if it is a bad connection somehow it always falls back into place? Any suggestions on what I could look for or test?

 

[jojobeans]

Modern Traxxas ESC's won't turn off unless you unplug the battery, so we can rule out a bad power button/switch.

Have you swapped connectors at some point or running adapters? Sounds like the battery is disconnecting from the car either through a loose adapter, wore out plug or a cold solder joint.

 

[Bwompuss]

Welcome!!

 

[CrossedThreads]

Modern Traxxas ESC's won't turn off unless you unplug the battery, so we can rule out a bad power button/switch.

Have you swapped connectors at some point or running adapters? Sounds like the battery is disconnecting from the car either through a loose adapter, wore out plug or a cold solder joint.

I have xt60 batteries and they do require an adapter to the ESC. When I check, they are tight though and it will turn on again without me having to mess with that connection so it's kind of puzzling how that would work.

 

[jojobeans]

I have xt60 batteries and they do require an adapter to the ESC. When I check, they are tight though and it will turn on again without me having to mess with that connection so it's kind of puzzling how that would work.

Are you using these adapters? If so, speaking from experience, that is 100% the issue. Those exact adapters would cause what you're describing on my MERV before I threw xt60 connectors on it. I would have to spread the bullets out with a pick just to get them to make good contact and after a few packs, they'd be back to the same issue again.

I'd solder up an xt60 to the ESC and do away with the adapters all together if you have the ability to solder, or find an adapter that uses an actual xt60 connector. Adapters are great when they work, but they hardly do.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Welcome to RCTALK.COM!!!

 

[CrossedThreads]

Are you using these adapters? If so, speaking from experience, that is 100% the issue. Those exact adapters would cause what you're describing on my MERV before I threw xt60 connectors on it. I would have to spread the bullets out with a pick just to get them to make good contact and after a few packs, they'd be back to the same issue again.

I'd solder up an xt60 to the ESC and do away with the adapters all together if you have the ability to solder, or find an adapter that uses an actual xt60 connector. Adapters are great when they work, but they hardly do.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm using! The shop where I got the car gave me a few and they had been working, but then suddenly I was having this problem no matter which one I used so maybe it's a combination of the esc connector and the adapter. Anyway, I guess I'll have to get up to speed on soldering again, it has been a while.

Thanks for helping with this problem!

 

[RetroThutmose]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm using! The shop where I got the car gave me a few and they had been working, but then suddenly I was having this problem no matter which one I used so maybe it's a combination of the esc connector and the adapter. Anyway, I guess I'll have to get up to speed on soldering again, it has been a while.

Thanks for helping with this problem!

The stickied "how to solder" is an excellent resource.

 

[CrossedThreads]

The stickied "how to solder" is an excellent resource.

Thanks. Yes I've been studying that!

 

[CrossedThreads]

I got the new xt60 connector installed and it seems to be working normally, although I need to put it to the test on some jumps this weekend, which is where the shut downs were happening.

But now I'm hearing an odd sound that I don't think was happening before. When the truck is on, I hear a sound like static. I can't tell exactly where it's coming from but maybe the receiver or the servo? Also it's intermittent. I don't know if or how that might be related to the problem with the connectors, but should I be concerned about this?

 

[RetroThutmose]

I got the new xt60 connector installed and it seems to be working normally, although I need to put it to the test on some jumps this weekend, which is where the shut downs were happening.

But now I'm hearing an odd sound that I don't think was happening before. When the truck is on, I hear a sound like static. I can't tell exactly where it's coming from but maybe the receiver or the servo? Also it's intermittent. I don't know if or how that might be related to the problem with the connectors, but should I be concerned about this?

Could be servo noise. Try and isolate where it comes from.

 

[CrossedThreads]

Could be servo noise. Try and isolate where it comes from.

OK. Maybe it's obvious, but I don't know if it's happening while it's running. I only hear it when it's turned on and not moving.

 

[OnwardGuinevere]

Welcome!
I second what @RetroThutmose said, static sound seems like a servo

 

[RetroThutmose]

OK. Maybe it's obvious, but I don't know if it's happening while it's running. I only hear it when it's turned on and not moving.

Pick it up, take the body off, put your ear up to different parts. ESC, servo, battery leads, motor, motor leads, receiver. Isolate it.

 

[CrossedThreads]

Thanks, all. I had to roll up a piece of paper to really hear where it's coming from, and it is the servo. I also noticed that I could reproduce the sound by moving the wheel on the transmitter.

So does this indicate a problem? And could it be at all related to replacing the connector on the ESC?

 

[RetroThutmose]

Thanks, all. I had to roll up a piece of paper to really hear where it's coming from, and it is the servo. I also noticed that I could reproduce the sound by moving the wheel on the transmitter.

So does this indicate a problem? And could it be at all related to replacing the connector on the ESC?

It could be normal, it could be signs it's going bad. Savox makes noisey servos of its one of those. Always make sure you set end points on your radio for steering. Otherwise the servo doesn't know when to stop and will burn it up. Does it feel hot after 5 min of running?

 

[CertifiedMike]

Neutral dead band setting on radio? Is there any binding in your steering gear when the servo is disconnected? Does the servo make the noise when the servo arm is disconnected?

 

[CrossedThreads]

It could be normal, it could be signs it's going bad. Savox makes noisey servos of its one of those. Always make sure you set end points on your radio for steering. Otherwise the servo doesn't know when to stop and will burn it up. Does it feel hot after 5 min of running?

Thanks, I don't know about setting end points, I'm just using it as it was set up out of the box. Maybe there's something on the forum that explains that process? I haven't ever noticed the servo being hot after use, although recently since this problem with the servo might have started I haven't been able to run it much because of the problem with the battery connector.