Okay, the Nuclear (18v) USA1 met the neighbors house at about 40mph this morn.

[Andy in WI]

After epoxying the tires to the rims. I went out for another test run.

For some reason I lost radio contact and the throttle servo just floored after that. I think it may be the Invisible Radio Fence system in the ground for our family dog.

BOOM!!! Nailed the neighbors house. He has vinyl siding thank god. The tire marks came off with some paint thinner. The chassis broke in half.

NE1 have a good source for these parts?

Surprisingly, the wheels, suspension, and both drive trains were doing well, and are still fine.

I am only scratching the surface.... HA HA HA....(maniacal laugh)

Take Care,
Andy in WI

[r.c.dealer]

LOL. Try Tower Hobbies, They carry everything Kyosho. They should have the parts.

If its electric you should invest in the Traxxas EVX ESC.
:D

Click on the link below for tower hobbies
www.towerhobbies.com

[tperkins]

how did you get the battery to go on your usa-1? i want to do that on my rustler

[Mason Copeland]

...reason I lost radio contact and the throttle servo just floored after that.
You have a servo for throttle control? Are you using a mechanical speed control with 18 volts? If so, that's why you lost control...

[Andy in WI]

Hey tperkins,

Please understand the Nuclear USA1 is still in experimental mode. If you wire this much voltage through your truck its only a matter of time before you start blowing stuff up (as I did).

Anyway I had the battery was strapped to the bare chassis with some velcro ties (several). The kind you use for keeping extention chords. My vision is to fit the body on with the post of the battery poking out the bed. Therefore you can put the Dewalt charger upside down right on the truck for recharging.

Good luck,
Andy in WI

[Grant Tokumi]

hahahahah. I like that Dewalt drill battery deal. Looks pretty nuclear when sitting on your chassis like that.

Its a good thing you're not blowing drivetrain components.

[ChumsGum]

Careful with those plastic dogbones, those were the first thing to wear out in my USA-1.

[cm113]

dewalt makes a 24v battery for a cordless sawall[ just a suggestion] insane idea but i have to admit I LIKE IT keep us informed with your progress

[Pershaw]

Imagine they made r/c monsters with a battery input for the drill battery?!??! You could just stick it in, and it would be in there GOOD! I bet if you had an extra charger for one of those you could rip it apart and put the top in your truck with the wires connected to an industrial ESC. Whats that? Industrial ESC?? I bet they make ESC's that are made to take TONS of power for other uses. There's always ppl doing projects and getting components from non-rc manufacturers. Just an idea (A GOOD one I think)

[BAC5.2]

bomb robots must use some kind of ESC, and you think they only use 3000 MAh batts? im sure they use something a helluva lot stronger than that.

[JT3518]

Most cordless drills are variable speed controllers, I sure
something could be rigged up to control it with a servo.

BTW I hooked up a 14.4 volt battery from my dewalt 3 days
after I got my first R/C, however I wasn't smart enough to disconnect the battery elimination circuit and killed my reciever.

With a new reciever I tried again but it was too powerful.
A tamiya Super Hornet is unstable at the best of times but with
14.4 volts going through a 19 turn motor it was uncontrlable.

Just a thought...... Many dewalt kits come with a torch, I was thinking of using the connection mech to hold the battery on.

[nitro-pede]

where do you get that fail safe at??

[tperkins]

how do i connect the wires to the speed control, and still be able to use the stock drill charger?

[whyochi]

Originally posted by Pershaw
Imagine they made r/c monsters with a battery input for the drill battery?!??! You could just stick it in, and it would be in there GOOD! I bet if you had an extra charger for one of those you could rip it apart and put the top in your truck with the wires connected to an industrial ESC. Whats that? Industrial ESC?? I bet they make ESC's that are made to take TONS of power for other uses. There's always ppl doing projects and getting components from non-rc manufacturers. Just an idea (A GOOD one I think)
Most bomb desposell robots use a speed control from vantec that alows them to use tank stering on both sides with poportional control.I know this because i own one and was going to use it for a battle bot however i decided to use it in a 4wd insane willie progect it can handle 20amps and 30volts per side mine cost me $240.:(

[Reumster]

I haven't seen someone running a stock chassis on a A-1 in a LONG time! And to strap that kind of power to it! You haven't fried anything yet? I've ran 12 cells with my Super Chicken once but for a short time. Also a Sassy Chassis plate chassis would help alot, for steering.

I have a home built Aluminum plate chassis for sale with Sassy aluminum bellcrank steering. Also Soon I'll have a complete race USA-1 minus electrics ready to sell.

Here's a pic of the aluminum chassis.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid3/pc0b252c339f786561ccb4d831a2df032/fdeacc04.jpg

Note just chassis or can build a whole truck if wanted. Also the E-maxx bellcranks don't go with it. Sassy bellcranks will be included.

[R/Cbum4life]

who makes the cheapest fail safe for a nitro vehicle. I want to get one for my t-maxx.

[draggerman11]

Lets get back on topic, guys.

About the USA-1, if you keep on putting 18 volts through that MSC, it is going to have a melt down soon!:eek:

[Pershaw]

Find a drill speed controller quick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Soya]

Andy: You're a crazy bastard:D

[turbo your .15]

have you thought about using a robotics speed controller from vantec or ifi robotics. they can handel the voltage but they cost alot

[whyochi]

An ifi victor 883 will only set you back about $150

[Grant Tokumi]

The problems I've found with the robotic speed controllers is that they tend to have the motors default to brakes at neutral, so the result is there is no coasting. You release the trigger and the car comes to a screeching halt, or skidding out of control halt. Not something you're looking for in a rc car speed controller, especially in onroad. I don't have the IFI speed controller, but I've read their instructions, and their options at neutral is to either have it at brakes or coast. Having it set at the coasting setting is fine and makes it operates more like a reversible rc ESC or rc MSC. Forward, coast, reverse. Drawback is then you lose the ability to brake. Choose the braking option, then you get to have brakes, but then you lose the ability to coast.

I have a Vantec speed controller (RDFR23), and its kind of the same. It brakes at neutral. You have the option to make it coast at neutral, but at that setting, it still brakes the motor for a second before letting it coast. Perhaps Vantec's other single controller models that would suit an rc car might have settings more like an rc car esc.

[turbo your .15]

if you really want a esc with the features you want you can build your own with a basic stamp or pic controller and a H bridge. you will have to program it and do some design work. you could just use a basic stamp and i think ifi makes a plain H bridge that you could drive with the pwm output command with the basic stamp microcontroller. it might be hard to do unless you have prior experience. i read that the guys who built the battlebot killahertz were trying to build thier own speed controller.

[turbo your .15]

about the glithing i think its the fence because my dog has a shock collar and the remote jams my car's radio and if my transmitter is on buddy wont get shocked because his collar cant pick up signals from his collar remote