Grrr... Spektrum DX2.0 won't talk to Flux ESC
 

Ok, this is pissing me off. Got a nice spanking new Spektrum DX2.0 for my Savage Flux to get rid of the crappy AM stock radio and i'm having issues with the thing. I can bind the radio to the receiver following SPektrums instructions, no problem them. When I try to do the Castle/HPI setting the throttle and braking point by holding down the throttle while powering up the ESC, I get the usual power up beeps, and it see's me holding the throttle, LED changes to green while doing so and does it little jingle till it changes to red and then I go to full brake for a few seconds and it supposed to jingle and then ask me to put it back to neutral and then its happy and done. Except the damn thing keeps blinking red with a beep at the same time. The steering works no problem but it just refuses to accept my throttle inputs. I tried changing throttle to reverse in the DX2.0 and very oddly, it allows me to do THAT and I brake becomes throttle and throttle becomes brake. WTF? So I plug in my old stock AM HPI radio and try again, and it works just like a charm.

Arrrrg, what am I doing wrong here?

Damn, now it just gets weirder! I went ahead and tried rebinding the thing with throttle and steering in neutral and followed Spektrums steps and then all of a sudden, the ESC chimmed and it was ready and it worked normal with throttle and brake? Uhhh.....how is that possible? I haven't even programmed the ESC with the throttle endpoints! So, I power down the ESC and power it up with my throttle down and once again, it will not take the reverse/brake input even though it sees and reacts to my throttle input. What is going on here????

I use a DX 2.0 with my MMM and it works just fine. Mine has a bad spring which makes it not center on neutral very well so if the red light stays on I pull the throttle a slight bit to where neutral is and it fires up no problem. Try going in through Castle Link (I know you have it :wink:) and widening the dead band, I run mine fairly wide with throttle EPA at 125% and trim at 0. Once all that is done make sure you re-program the ESC to the radio and it should work fine.

Make sure brake is at max (thumb button)

on the DX 2.0/3.0 you need to turn the brake EPA up to 125% in order for castle speedos to see the endpoint, can turn throttle up too, but not necessary.

Make sure the radio epa is set to max and the trim is at 0.

You will have to wait for the reciever to bind before setting your ESC up.

Use the Castlelink to set the arming time a little longer and the dead band a little wider.

Go from there.

I thought setting the throttle EPA to max will fry the motor and ESC? Castle, whats your take on this? I don't wanna fry anything.

epa has nothing to do with that.. it is solely the signal value that the transmitter sends out. i have bound my castle speed controllers form150% down to about 75.. i guarantee that nothing will fry because of this- if it does ill by you a new esc :lol:

yea where did you hear that? always set everything at 0 and up to 125 or 100% when setting up

You can burn up digital servos by turning up the endpoint too high and burning it out (basically you get to the end of the throw on whatever your servo is hooked to but it keeps trying to push and burns itself out) but an ESC cannot be cooked by setting the EPA wrong. I'll pitch in with Ben (brushlessboy) to buy you a new MMM if you cook yours with an EPA adjustment :lol:

I wish Castle would comment on this

Epa on the throttle channel will not cause any issues. Turn it up to 110 and try to get it to initialize. Also check to make sure you do not have the throttle or brake exponential adjusted off 100%. I did this once accidentally and had a field day trying to get a bunch of equipment to work with my radio...

You can also increase the arming time on the castle link setup. IIRC that caused some issues with CC speed controls and spectrum radios. Never given me an issues so I leave it stock.

From the Castle Drivers Ed little book thing, pg. 36.

Problem: My Castle ESC may or may not arm, but it will not calibrate to my transmitter.
Solution: Most calibration issues can be solved by changing settings on the transmitter. Make sure you have both your throttle and brake endpoints (called EPA or ATV on your radio) on the throttle channel out to between 100 to 120%. Make sure if you have a Futaba or Futaba made transmitter to have the throttle channel set to the reversed position.

Odd, caues someone said to crank the brake on the A trigger to full 125.

If endpoints are at 100% the brake should be as well, if endpoints are at 125% brake should be as well. Increase the arm time in castle link as others have said, I have had this problem with spektrum and some castle controllers before.