Help Needed

[Cornbread77]

I bought a new venom 5000 NiMH battery for my stampede. I ran the truck one time with it and no problem. Now it'll charge but will only last about 1 minute. Any idea what could be wrong? Thanks.

[Fboylstein]

I bought a new venom 5000 NiMH battery for my stampede. I ran the truck one time with it and no problem. Now it'll charge but will only last about 1 minute. Any idea what could be wrong? Thanks.

What kind of charger are u using?

[Cornbread77]

What kind of charger are u using?

Prophet sport. Never had a problem with it with the original battery or 1st charge on new one.

[grizzly03]

Check to see if your ESC is in LiPo mode. It should be in NiMh mode when using NiMh batteries.

[Cornbread77]

All the charger shows is 1,2,4 amp. It's 4 to 8 cell NiCd and NiMH charger

[jpelt78]

All the charger shows is 1,2,4 amp. It's 4 to 8 cell NiCd and NiMH charger

It may be that your car has been switched to Lipo mode. A NiMH battery pack will only stay above the Lipo shutdown voltage for a very short time. Is your ESC light green or red when you turn your car on? It should be red for your battery. If it is green you need to change your ESC setting.

[Cornbread77]

Green. How do I change the ESC? As you can see I'm not really up on this stuff. I just like to run the truck around for the kids in neighborhood.

[jpelt78]

To switch to NiMH mode power on and get the green light. Then press the button again and hold it down. The light will go out then after about 10 seconds of holding the motor will beep three times and the light will turn red. Release the button and it should be in NiMH mode now.

[Cornbread77]

Did that and no luck. It'll run wide open then just slows down to almost a stop. Could something be going on with motor?

[Cornbread77]

Called Traxxas and guy said since ESC would not turn to red light instead of Lipo mode is that the ESC is going bad. Thoughts....

[grizzly03]

Called Traxxas and guy said since ESC would not turn to red light instead of Lipo mode is that the ESC is going bad. Thoughts....

If you can't turn the LiPo mode off there's nothing more you can do. Unless you want to get a LiPo battery and use LiPo mode.

[Cornbread77]

So need to get new ESC?

[ThatTraxxas]

Yup, or get lipo
U might have “fried” it from doing nimh on lipo mode.

[Cornbread77]

Ok. Thanks for the help..

[ElectricPropils]

Yup, or get lipo
U might have “fried” it from doing nimh on lipo mode.

I don't know if that would've actually fried the ESC unless switching it between LiPo and NiMH physically changes the circuitry. The LiPo mode just adds a LVC nothing else really.

[Double G]

I don't know if that would've actually fried the ESC unless switching it between LiPo and NiMH physically changes the circuitry. The LiPo mode just adds a LVC nothing else really.

This is true.



Clarify a few things: is it the XL-5 ESC or the VXL? How old is it? Once the battery is charged - or at least the charger "says" it is, how many volts does it show? Have you talked to the vendor of your battery or the manufacturer? Are you able to load test the battery? Do you have another battery to test the system? Does it still happen if the servo is disconnected (bench test recommended only - don't drive without steering)? Have another motor to test with? When this happens what is the voltage of the battery? Any wires hot? Other batteries come off the charger fine?

You'll need to eliminate some of the variables so that you are pointed to the issue.