New and confused! Help with Mad Monkey PLEASE
 

Hi All

Really would appreciate some help. I have a new Mad Monkey, brushless, and am becoming more confused by the day! Can anyone help with the following?

1) After only a short time (a few mins), the car goes into a slow mode, and the blue light on the std Ansmann ESC flashes. If I turn car off and on, all seems fine again for a short while, but soon repeats itself. I checked the battery (LiPo 2S 20C 4000), and it read 7.5 v, after only a few minutes! is this right, does the blue flashing mean low battery? My also new HPI battery duff?

2) I fitted uprated Aluminium shocks, but one rear driveshaft seems to pop out of the diff occasionally. Checked the length of the shocks, and the std ones measure 95mm ctr to ctr, but the uprated ones are 5mm longer... Any ideas, as this 5mm contributes to the wrong driveshaft angle.

3) Can anyone recommend another LiPo that will fit? I think it need to be rounded, with deans connector. Looking for about 4000mAh.

Sorry for all of the questions, but a search has just confused me more!

Thanks

It could be a number of things, but check the simple things 1st.. try resetting the speedo & matching it to the transmitter using the set-up process for the speedo.
If your LiPo is reading low voltage after a short use this could indicate a battery fault. I know it's a rather daft question to ask, but have you been charging it on a proper LiPo charger at the same rating as the battery (LiPo's should only be charged at 1C or in other words if it's a 2S 4000 battery, only charge at 4000 on a 2S setting.

If the shocks are longer the shafts will pop out as the wishbones will drop too much when the car is in the air. You can limit the drop by putting some plastic tube on the shock shafts on the inside of the shock body - about 3mm thick tops should be plenty. RC fuel tube seems to work well or you could use an o-ring.... or just move the shocks to a different hole.

Any brick LiPo should fit, but for the monkey but ideally you need one with the wires coming out of the top rather than the side or with 4mm connectors built into the battery instead of wires & make up a flying lead to connect the battery, or you could go for the rectangular Plazma battery.

On the HPI you are probably using (i'm guessing it's the Plazma with a rounded case that looks like a regular stick pack with the wires coming out of the side. This battery will work fine (i use one myself as it's a BRCA listed LiPo) but does push the shell out slightly on the one side where the wires overhang slightly, all you have to do is make sure you put the balance lead in the gap on the chassis to protect it under the power wire & try to get the leads (including the end of the balance lead) under the battery strap, personally i have the deans plug near the motor with the wires going under the strap with the cable inset between the LiPo & the battery post located nearest the motor wires.

to add to the lipo question, did you charge the lipo before you used it?

i'm not familiar with the ansmann speedo, but could it be a thermalling issue?
When this happens is the speedo hot to the touch, or the motor extremely hot?

Well, thanks guys for your replies!

This is the battery I have:
http://www.apexmodels.com/gbu0-prodshow/101941.html
Yes, I have a fusion charger, set to LiPo, 0.5A 2S. Charged at this slow rate from new (2 weeks ago). Balance charged.

Perhaps I will see if I can return to the retailer. So is a reading with a multi meter of 7.5v after a few minutes low? Any links to any recommended straight fwd fit batteries?

Shocks - so I need to take them apart and fit some tubing. 3mm internal diameter? Anyone have a link to instructions and fuel tube required? I though about running a die up the shaft and cutting it down - recommended or a silly idea?

Thanks again

you should be charging at 1c or 4 amps really, 7.5 volt is pretty much flat, a charged lipo will read around 8.3 to 8.4 volts on your multimeter. on .5A you will take over 8 hours to charge the battery

OK, this is just about starting to make sense....

So as the battery measured 7.5v it must have been almost flat after a few minutes of use, hence the blue flashing LED on the ESC?

I was told to charge at 0.5a to preseve the battery. So could this be my problem, shall I increase the rate, or will this simply quicken the charge time?

Thanks yet again!

Without a doubt yes.
If you can set your charger to 4amps, then that it perfect for that battery.

From completely flat it will take an hour to charge then; and should read 8.4v on the voltmeter when fully charged.

Hope it helps :)

Just to be Newbie clear, could the reason that the battery isn't lasting long when fully charged (8.41v) be because I have charged too slowly? How can this be, as fully charged is fully charged?????

Thanks

Very true.
Fully charged = fully charged.

If you have tested after charging and its at 8.41v then something is wrong.

The battery sounds defunct and its not holding the charge anymore.

Easiest way I can think of to diagnose this, is to run with another battery from someone who can assure you its working ok.
If you still get the blue light and cut off power then something else wrong, but I would guess that (if you meter readings are right:p) its the battery thats the problem.

Is this the charger ? http://www.wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/62617/

max 3amps charging, still less than a hour charging (always really topping the battery up).

I don't think 7.5volts is a discharged battery, someone may correct me.

You should be able to monitor the amount of charge that is put back into the battery. Remember your esc should have a 'lipo cutoff' I would have thought nearer to 6.5volts.

Perhaps you can find a local club, all will be pleased to help out and give hands on advice, perhaps something rubbing and over working the esc, thermalling issue as Jim has suggested.

This is the charger:

http://www.rcmightymodels.co.uk/shop...oducts_id/4803

http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk...d.asp?id=29083

so max of 4amps, perfect.

Fully charged the battery will read 8.4 volts, 7.5 volts will be about half charged and when it gets down to around 6.4 - 6.6 volts it's pretty much flat. Does the charger tell you how many MAH it's putting back in the battery? If so charge it back up and see how many MAH go back in, you should get a figure of 1600 - 2000 if you do the battery is fine.

I cannot recal seeing a MAH reading, only voltage going in?

Ok you may have to press something on the charger to see it have a look at the instructions, if it isn't able to display it it's no problem.
When you say a few minutes running did you time it? I would say it would take about 10 minutes to get that battery down to 7.5 volts.

Hi, sorry, I didn't time it, perhaps I should........ but why the blue flashing LED and reduced speed mode? The Anmsmann manual is not too clear, but suggests that this light is voltage related, with the other light (yellow/amber if I recall corectly) relating to cut out?

another thing to try, is to reprogram the esc to accept nimh's, i have come across this problem on 2 other ansmann bl esc's and fit a fan to the esc too.

hope this helps :)

I don't have any means of programming I'm affraid. Any idea which fan, and how to fit/connect?

Although if the blue flashing light does refer to voltage, I'm guessing this is not a heat type issue?

Thanks

the battery is the same as the one i use.. if anything when the battery is fully charged on mine it's registering at about 8.42 volts.

Try balancing the battery rather than just charging. You should when charging or balancing the battery notice the battery charge is quite high & then the current will gradually drop as the battery charges until it practically drops to next to nothing before the charger starts beeping & shuts itself off. if it starts quite low (starts charging at 0.5amps or below on a 4000mah charge), this indicates the battery hasn't had much use since it's last charge, so stop the charger & you should get another 5 minutes out of the battery before it needs to be recharged.

Also with a LiPo don't be tempted to re-peak the battery - i.e. charge it fully, let it stand then before you go out & play give it a quick charge just to top it up - with a LiPo you should never do this. As well as this don't store the battery charged.. your charger should have a charge option for storage if not, run the car for a few minutes & then put the battery away & recharge fully the next time you go out with the car, best to do it immediately before putting the shell on & going out rather than letting the battery stand.

I know it sounds daft but the battery could be what's causing the cars ESC to act all wonky, if you have a regular 7.2v NiMH or NiCad stick pack, just try it & see if it will work - always worth keeping a stick pack handy if only to test for problems such as this & they are cheap enough these days as nobody wants them, if it does work on a stick pack we have eliminated the ESC problem & possibly also any radio issue but pointed the fault at the battery.

I still think you will do well to find a local club, I know it ain't that easy. There is good advice on here, even if you can run for 1hr6min please don't, you will burn out your motor, they can get quite warm after 5minutes, let the car cool between runs. Also never leave the battery connected to the electrics when storing the car, just pull the deans apart, we have all seen over discharged/unrecoverable batteries - "I switched it off, honest" yea we know.

Good cars, great value, most change the esc/motor combo after a while, new combo may cost more than original rtr car !!

Thanks agian for the advice guys.

I will time use and charge time as suggested. I have also been advised that I should get rid of the ESC to battery convertor lead, and fit a Deans onto the ESC. Also going to fit a fan, and reset the ESC.

Any ideas for a good battery that will fit no problems!?? It might need to be rounded, have Deans and a balance lead to fit the charger I have (link on other page)? 4000+, 25C+?

Cheers

I use a Turnigy 5000mah (5.0) which is spot on. Not sure you can still get them but the 4.0 is still available on egay. The 6.0 is a bit tall.

http://tinyurl.com/9zr43jl

try vapex, they do a decent 4000 2s Lipo that will fit a treat.

http://www.vapextech.co.uk/acatalog/...Batteries.html

Well, an update!

Ansmann have been really helpful, and offered to collect the car to investigate the flashing light on the ESC. I opted to try a program card to reset the settings, which they sent to me. The also sent a fan, which I fitted at the same time. Following both of these steps, after a short test this evening, all appears to be working well now!

I will look into the battery recommendations - thanks.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to the thread, and help me. Just looking to see what upgrades I can get for the Mad Monkey now! Towers? Diff balls coming, uprated idler gears fitted. Bearings ready to replaced bushings

Anyone know where I can get the short parts that fit where the shocks mount at the top of the towers. The screw goes through the tower, this part and then the shock. Std are black plastic, quite fancy green - I think I've seen them on the X2C.

Thanks again!

I use hpi saddles in my x2c and they are the best value for money, high mah and one of the highest constant c rating at 95c

Upgrades i would suggest..
1) bearing kit (if you haven't already) + ceramic diff balls.
2) adjustable turnbuckles (part number 125000533)
3) better shocks.
any other upgrades, you can use pretty much any part from or that fits the X2c except the chassis plate, shell & battery strap as it's a different battery layout with a narrower chassis than the monkey, unless you wanted to run the X2c chassis configuration but this would mean a change of batteries from brick type battery packs to saddle pack - in which case it may be easier to just buy the X2c if you are also considering better shocks, etc as all the come with the X2c as standard.

On the point of shocks, ideally you want 75mm shocks on the front & 95mm on the rear.. the X2 / X2c shocks will fit straight on the monkey & are pretty much made specifically for the car, but can be expensive unless you drop on some 2nd hand ones, a cheap alternative I suggest is to buy the regular Ansmann metal bodied shocks (part number 201000037 for the 75mm for the front & 201000039 for the 95mm rear) & put the kit shock innards into them basically replacing the weak plastic shock body for the stronger metal one but stick with the other parts from the kit including the springs as the ones that come on the metal shocks are rock hard. Also consider drilling out the holes in the pistons to 1.4mm, this will help as well as you can run thicker oil in the shocks (rather than that 20wt oil that comes in the kit) up to 40wt to soak up the bumps nicely but ideally you want a 30wt oil in the front & a 25 in the rear if running the upgrades or the X2 shocks as a good all-rounder. With a bit of tinkering the kit shocks with upgraded alloy bodies can be almost as good as the X2/X2c pro shocks, the big difference being you won't have an adjustable tuning ring with infinite tuning but have to use c spacers to adjust them & they are a bit more of a faff to fill with oil as there is no bleed hole, but if you are not bothered about that, for about £20 you can improve the car no end.

The stand-offs for the shocks should be available from anywhere who deals with Ansmann the stand-offs are part number 125000462 - both the same part number for the pro or the blingy ones so i'm guessing they will supply the blingy ones & the plastic ones are just included with the non x spec car kits. Really these parts have no performance benefit being metal or plastic, all the metal ones do is offer more strength if you run firmer shocks & add a bit of bling. You will need these if you are using the Ansmann pro shocks or the standard kit shocks, any other shocks from another car (such as associated, Losi etc) you may need to use the standard mount that is bespoke to those shocks possibly with a spacer behind to offset the top of the shock so they run parallel & don't foul on the shock tower or so the spring rubs on the tie-rods.

Thanks very much indeed, so very useful info shared here!

Cheers

One thing I am struggling with, getting the correct length stainless steel screws....

I got a kit from RC Racing, but several sizes were missing, as they supply the next closest. However, in some cases the next size up is too long, and the next shortest too short (i.e. b/box to motor plate - the suggested alternative is too long, and catches the gear behind)!

Same with several other suppliers I have contacted - M3x22 and M3x27 appear to be non standard sizes, and impossible to source.

Any ideas, thanks!