Novak Activ8-ST Track Guide--With Super-Tuner firmware (55-1725P-1 Rev.2) - Manual

NOT ALL TRANSMITTERS HA
VE THESE ADJUSTMENTS
activ 8- st track guide
11-2012 #55-1725P-1 Rev.2
P5
Transmitter adjustments may not be needed to operate this ESC, however,
if you have any problems with ONE-TOUCH PROGRAMMING, adjust the
transmitter as follows and repeat the ONE-TOUCH PROGRAMMING step.
THROTTLE CHANNEL ADJUSTMENTS
A. Set HIGH ATV
or EPA to 100% setting. [amount of throw at full throttle]
B. Set LOW ATV, EPA, or ATL to 100% setting. [amount of throw at full brakes]
C. Set EXPONENTIAL to zero setting. [throttle channel linearity]
D. Set THROTTLE CHANNEL REV. SWITCH to either position.
E. Set THROTTLE CHANNEL TRIM to middle setting.
[adjusts neutral position/increases or decreases coast brakes]
F. Set ELECTRONIC TRIGGER THROW ADJUSTMENT to 50% throttle and
50% brake throw–best for reversible ESCs.
[adjusts trigger throw electronic/digital pistol-grip transmitters]
G. Set MECHANICAL TRIGGER THROW ADJUSTMENT to position with 1/2
throttle and 1/2 brake throw.
transmitter adjustments
With the ESC connected to (at least) a charged battery pack, the receiver, and the
brushless motor’s sensor harness:
1. TURN ON THE TRANSMITTER’S POWER
2. PRESS & HOLD ESC’S ONE-TOUCH/SET BUTTON
3. TURN ON THE SPEED CONTROL’S POWER
With transmitter throttle at neutral, and still pressing the SET button, slide the
ESC’s ON/OFF switch to ON position.
4. CONTINUE HOLDING SET BUTTON UNTIL RED LED COMES ON
5. RELEASE SET BUTTON AS SOON AS LED TURNS RED
6. PULL TRANSMITTER THROTTLE TO FULL-ON POSITION
Hold it there until the green status LED turns solid green.
Note: Motor will not run during programming even if connected.
7. PUSH TRANSMITTER THROTTLE TO FULL-BRAKE/REVERSE
Hold it there until the green status LED blinks green.
8. RETURN TRANSMITTER THROTTLE TO NEUTRAL
The red status LED will turn solid red, indicating that speed control is at neutral and
that proper programming has been completed. White LED may also be on and blinking,
indicating that Dynamic Timing Advance is OFF and the timing is set to a level of 0%.
If transmitter settings are changed, the One-Touch Programming must be repeated.
If you experience any problems, turn off ESC and repeat One-Touch.
NOTE: The speed control will NOT revert back to the factory-default settings when the
One-Touch Programming is performed. Refer to ‘Data Reset’ in Custom Programming.
The Super-Tuner Upgrade brings the Activ8 ESC up to date with
the latest brushless racing ESC firmware and is factory loaded with
numerous programmable features including enhanced Dynamic
Timing Advancement plus Novak’s Xtra-Timing TM when operating on
2S input battery voltage. While this may seem overwhelming at first
glance, this Super-Tuner Track Guide was designed to keep with you
at the track to use as a quick-reference and help walk you through the
explanations and programming of all of the speed control features.
Take the time to thoroughly read through this programming guide
before operation to fully understand the different ESC parameters,
and how they can be used to fine tune your speed control’s feel and
performance. Most importantly, enjoy all of the technical benefits and
features that this ESC has to offer.
Visit our web site for the most up to date information and to learn
more about other Novak products and services.
P8
one-touch programming
esc parameters
www.teamnovak.com
With the higher performance of brushless systems, undesirable radio system
noise may occur when used with lower quality radio systems. 2.4GHz radio
systems are the best to use. FM radio systems are acceptable, as long as
the system is high quality. AM radio systems are NOT recommended.
Best to use
2.4 GHz
OK to use
FM
Do not use
AM
GOOD QUALITY RADIO SYSTEM SUGGESTED
proper gear selection
Motor operating temperature is the ONLY
way to properly set vehicle gearing
Motor & ESC should NEVER exceed 160°F MAX during a run!
Change the gearing to avoid overheating!
DO NOT FREE-REV MOTOR !
Free-running your brushless motor in a no-load condition can cause rotor failure
& ESC transistor damage that will not be covered by the product’s warranty.
Because of the potential danger of overheating, ESC/motor damage & failure,
you must start with VERY small pinion sizes and check ESC & motor
temperatures at multiple times throughout the initial runs. This is the only
way to ensure that you are not causing excessive heating.
If ESC & motor temperatures remain low & stable, you can slowly increase
the pinion size while again monitoring the temperatures to determine the
safe gearing for your vehicle, motor, and climate/track conditions. Because
these variables can change or be modified, you MUST continually monitor
ESC & motor temperatures to protect your electronics from damage.
To conform to ROAR’s Sportsman Class rules and help organizers monitor driver
compliance in non-timing race classes, we have included a feature in this ESC to
indicate when the ESCs electronic motor timing advancement feature de-activated.
At all times when the speed control is powered on and the Dynamic Motor Timing
is turned OFF (electronic motor timing advancement is set to zero), the ESC’s white
status LED will flash during normal operation.
Due to the nature of timing advance ESCs, vehicle/motor tolerances, settings, and
performance, it is impossible to recommend settings that allow ESCs & motors
to be used at their highest performance levels without potential for unwanted
damage. You MUST use extreme caution setting up electronics and carefully
test the application to avoid overloading/overheating either the ESC or motor.
These are racing electronics used in racing conditions, and therefore damage
resulting from excessive overheating will not be covered by product’s warranty.
Electronic motor timing advancement can generate extrememly high speeds and
result in an uncontrollable vehicle. Use caution when operating vehicle and do not
operate around other people or in an unsafe manner to avoid injuries or damage.
timing esc warning
timing indicator led
If used properly, the built-in Smart-Stop Voltage Cut-Off Circuitry allows you to
safely use 2-4S LiPo batteries, without letting the battery’s drop below their critical
safety voltage which causes internal damage. The ESC’s default is LiPo cut-off is
turned ON. If using NiMH or NiCd cells, you will need to switch this feature off.
Note: ESC will NOT revert to LiPo ON setting when the One-Touch Programming is performed.
DO NOT USE LiPo BATTERIES WITH VOLTAGE CUT-OFF TURNED OFF
At power-up, the ESC test lights each LED in order, then flashes the green, red, yellow,
& blue LEDs the same number of times as the number of LiPo cells it sees connected.
voltage cut-off circuitry
trouble-shooting guide
Steering Channel Works But Motor Will Not Run
• Possible receiver damage––Check operation with a different receiver.
• Possible internal damage––Refer to ‘SERVICE PROCEDURES’ section.
• Check motor or motor connections.
• Make sure ESC is plugged into the throttle channel of receiver. Check wiring color
sequence of receiver signal harness (Refer to STEP 1).
Receiver Glitches/Throttle Stutters During Acceleration
• Receiver or antenna too close to ESC, power wires, battery, or motor.
• Bad motor sensors, sensor harness, or connections––Check wiring, sensor harness, &
connections, perform hall sensor test (Refer to ‘MOTOR HALL SENSOR TEST’ section).
• Low voltage to receiver––Try Novak Glitch Buster capacitor on receiver to help retain
power during high current draw situations (Novak accessory #5626).
• Power Trans-Cap Module damaged/missing––Replace Power Trans-Cap Module.
• Battery pack damaged or weak––Try a different battery pack.
• Motor magnet weak or overheated––Replace rotor (Refer to motor manufacturer’s website).
• Excessive current to motor—Use a milder motor or a smaller pinion gear.
• Untidy wires or signal and power wired bundled together. Input harness and servo
wires should be bundled separately. Power wires should be as short as possible.
Motor and Steering Servo Do Not Work
• Check wires, receiver signal harness wiring & color sequence, radio system, crystals,
battery/motor connectors, & battery pack.
• Possible receiver damage––Check operation with a different receiver.
• Possible internal damage––Refer to Service Procedures.
Motor Runs Backward
• Improper One-Touch set up––Refer to ‘ONE-TOUCH PROGRAMMING’ section.
Timing Does Not Operate Properly
• Improper gearing––Refer to ‘PROPER GEAR SELECTION’ section.
• Timing not turned ON––Refer to ‘CUSTOM PROGRAMMING’ section.
• Timing Set Points set incorrectly––RPM values may be set incorrectly. Refer to
‘CUSTOM PROGRAMMING’ section.
Xtra-Timing Does Not Operate Properly
• Battery Voltage Too High––Xtra-Timing function ONLY functions on 2S input voltage.
• Timing Level set too low––Timing must be turned ON and the Timing Level must
be set to a value of 45° or higher. Refer to ‘CUSTOM PROGRAMMING’ section.
Speed Control Runs Excessively Hot
• Electronic motor timing set too high––reduce timing level setting in ESC.
• Gear ratio too low––Increase gear ratio/Reduce pinion (refer to ‘PROPER GEAR SELECTION’).
• Motor is damaged––Try a different motor.
Model Runs Slowly/Slow Acceleration
• Gear ratio too high––Reduce gear ratio/Increase pinion (refer to ‘PROPER GEAR SELECTION’).
• Check battery & connectors––Check battery pack & connectors. Replace if needed.
• Incorrect transmitter/ESC adjustment––Refer to ‘TRANSMITTER ADJUSTMENTS’.
• Power Trans-Cap Module damaged/missing––Replace Power Trans-Cap Module.
ESC Is Melted Or Burnt/ESC Runs With Switch Off
• Internal damage––Refer to Service Procedures.
No Power to the BEC
• Check power wire connections to your battery, ESC and BEC unit.
• Check that the input harness from the BEC is plugged into the receiver correctly
and the red wire from the ESC’s input harness is removed.
• Be sure that the BEC unit switch is turned ON.
error codes
• Red & Green status LEDs on solid––Check input signal harness connections at ESC
and receiver. Check input signal harness wiring sequence––Refer to STEP 1.
• Red status LED on solid & Green LED blinking––Check motor sensor harness
connection. Possible internal motor damage.
• Blue & Green status LEDs both blinking. Possible ESC shut-down due to locked
rotor detection––return throttle to neutral position to regain motor control––check
vehicle’s drive train for free operation.
• Blue & Red status LEDs blinking. Possible ESC thermal shut-down––Check gear ratio
& free operation of drive train for possible overloading/ESC is being severely over-
loaded––allow system to cool & return throttle to neutral position to regain motor
control. LEDs will continue to blink until system is cooled down.
• Blue & Green (Locked Rotor Detection), or Blue & Red (ESC Thermal Shut-Down)
status LEDs blinking. ESC may have shut-down & ESC’s neutral point is too far off
to sense that transmitter throttle has been returned to neutral (Refer to ‘ONE-TOUCH’
& ‘TRANSMITTER ADJUSTMENTS’).
• White status LED blinking. ESC timing is turned OFF. ESC is operating normal.
Check Novak’s web site for additional information.
1. Throttle Profile (1 of 5) .................................................................... 1-5
2. Drag Brake (1 of 10) .................................................................. 0-30%
3. Minimum Brake (1 of 10) .......................................................... 0-30%
4. Brake Frequency (1 of 10) .................................................1.6-10.0KHz
5. Timing Level--10’s (1 of 5 adjustments of 10°--only 3 on 2S) ..............10-50°
6. Timing Level--1’s (1 of 9 adjustments of 1°) ........................................1-9°
7. Timing Start RPM (1 of 10 in 6 ranges) .............1500-30000 RPM (2-pole)
8. Timing Final RPM (1 of 10 in 6 ranges) .............4000-40000 RPM (2-pole)
9. Timing RPM Range (1 of 6 tables of 10) ............1500-40000 RPM (2-pole)
10. Drive Frequency (1 of 10) ........................................................8-36KHz
11. Dead Band (1 of 5) ...................................................................... 2-8%
12. Minimum Drive (1 of 10) .......................................................... 0-15%
13. ESC Reversing Functionality .................................................... OFF/ON
14. Voltage Cut-Off Circuitry ........................................................OFF/LiPo
15. Xtra-timing (1 of 8; on 2S only)............................OFF-Dangerously Fast
16. Dynamic Timing Advance ....................................................... OFF/ON
This speed control has a built-in diagnostic temperature monitoring feature
that lets you quickly check the ESC’s operating temperature at any time.
While connected to a battery and with the ESC powered ON, simply tap
the ESC’s SET button and one (or all) of the on-board LEDs will flash 4
times to indicate the operating temperature of the speed control.
If all 5 LEDs light up momentarily after the temperature LED flashes, this indicates
that the ESC’s Thermal Protection Circuitry has previously been turned OFF.
WHITE flashing LED = normal operating temp-- under 135°F (57°C).
BLUE flashing LED = medium operating temp-- 136-147°F (58-64°C).
YELLOW flashing LED = hot operating temp-- 148-167°F (65-75°C).
GREEN flashing LED = hotter operating temp-- 168-194°F (76-90°C).
RED flashing LED = hottest operating temp--195-215°F (91-102°C).
You are pushing ESC extremely hard--Be very careful to avoid overheating & shut-down.
All LEDs flashing = DANGEROUS operating temp-- 216-239°F (103-115°C).
Your ESC is now about to thermally shut-down.
--Reduce pinion size or timing to avoid overheating & potential ESC damage--
temperature monitoring
The Hall Sensor Test diagnostic feature in this ESC allows you to easily check the
sensors in the brushless motor connected to the ESC to determine if they are
operating normally. This will help you pinpoint the cause of problems in your system,
and hopefully reduce the down time and expenses associated with sending your
product in for service when you can resolve the issue yourself.
To access this feature, simply follow these steps to navigate through the ESC’s
‘CUSTOM PROGRAMMING’ selection process to access the ‘Hall Sensor Test’
option via the ESC’s SET button:
The Hall Sensor Test is at the very end of the programmable parameters after ‘Thermal
Protection’ -- it is #19 and is indicated by the BLUE LED BLINKING.
1. Connect the speed control to a fully charged battery pack, the receiver,
and the brushless motor’s sensor harness.
2. Slide the ESC’s power switch to ‘ON’ posistion.
3. With ESC at neutral, Press & Hold ESC’s Set button. Release Set button once
the BLUE LED is Blinking (not ON solid--that is Drag Brake).
4. Slowly rotate the motor’s output/pinion shaft. If motor is installed in a
vehicle, slowly rotate the drive train so that the motor also rotates.
5. The status LEDs on the speed control should cycle through illuminating
the BLUE, YELLOW, and RED status LEDs.
If the BLUE, YELLOW, and RED LEDs light up one after another as the motor’s shaft
is rotated, the Hall Sensors in the motor are operating normally.
If any one of the BLUE, YELLOW, or RED status LEDs do not light up when rotating
the motor, there is a either a problem with the Sensor Harness Cable (or its
connections at the motor or ESC end) or with the motor’s Hall Effect Sensors.
If your motor has a user-replaceable sensor harness, try another one to determine
if this is this source of the problem. If, after replacing the harness, all three of the
LEDs still do not light up, it would appear that one of the sensors inside the motor
has been damaged--replace the timing section of your motor, or if your motor
is not user-rebuildable, send it in the manufacturer for the appropriate service.
motor hall sensor test
This ESC’s temperature overload protection will turn off the Dynamic Timing
Advance feature and limit the power to the motor in an attempt to prevent
thermal overloading of the ESC. This feature can not guarantee the survival
of the ESC when subjected to conditions that produce excessive heating of
the electronics, it does provide you a tool to help avoid extensive damage.
If you notice a significant decrease in performance of your brushless
system during a run, immediately check the ESC & motor temperatures.
Reduce gearing or ESC timing settings to lower temperatures!
The ESC’s Thermal Protection Circuitry can be disabled, if needed.
Follow the steps in the ‘CUSTOM PROGRAMMING’ section to access
the ‘Thermal Protection’ option via the ESC’s Set button.
Using ESC with Thermal Protection disabled lets you to push the equipment to
the absolute limit, and well beyond it very quickly. Use EXTREME CAUTION
to avoid severe ESC damage! Any damage that occurs after the Thermal
Protection Circuitry is turned OFF will NOT be covered by warranty!
Yellow & White LEDs flashing 1 time = Thermal Protection OFF
Yellow & White LEDs flashing 2 times = Thermal Protection ON
Note: The thermal protection circuitry can be triggered by heavy BEC loading
from high-power servos. An external BEC or receiver pack can solve this problem
& allow you to keep the thermal protection turned ON for maximum security!
thermal protection circuitry