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How to work around Sabertooth BEC?
Topic Started: Jan 22 2013, 05:12 PM (1,101 Views)
ZippoMan
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Is it just as simple as removing the red wires from the servo connections to the receiver? I was thinking of using my CC BEC set to 6V rather than the Sabertooths lame 5V out! My receivers and fans are happier with 6V so is this the way to do it? I know on my axial AE-2 ESC I just cut the red wire from it and connect my BEC to the Receiver. I use 7.4V on my Wraith for the steering servo and power my LED lights and the Rx too. :D

I hope the Sabertooth is similar. I am thinking that is why my Losi motors glitch, receiver does not have enough juice.

Oh maybe the capacitors on the motor are too small too. I did an experiment by clipping them off, bad choice. The Losi Insanes run worse without the capacitors......I have no idea why?? All other motors have worked fine without the caps.

I dub my SR the nightmare RC!! It has been my worst enemy since owning it!!

I can't wait to get the DF conversion. I am sick of the SR. :(
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mazdaxxx
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I power my lights not the receiver with a Novak bec #5463.
I plug the power wire of the bec directly on the sabertooth terminals.
It work great my lights need 6 volts.
On the Titan 380, i keep the capacitors on and work great.
Send me your sr...I love the 2 i have.
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ZippoMan
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I want to power my Rx and fans so I have to figure out how to eliminate the Sabertooth BEC. It must be as simple as I said. I will ask Dimension Engineering.

I will be putting the Titan 380's in soon, once my pinions get here. I just wanted to add the plow back for kicks but with bigger motors it will never happen. They run fine with no caps. Unlike the Losi stinkers!! Sensitive little 370's. What a waste of money they were. I don't even have a Losi crawler to use them in....lol

I won't sell my SR....It can be "Shelf Ready" if I get too ticked off with it. I am doing a DF-300 conversion on my other SR soon and it will be much more fun.
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mazdaxxx
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On a regular esc you have a switch, the sabertooth doesn't have one.
When installing a bec on a regular esc , you turn on the bec switch to control the power of the model.
If the esc switch is turned on damage can occur.
So i don't know for the sabertooth.
Your best bet is contact Dimension Engineering...
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ReaperGN
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All you have to do is disconnect the red receiver wire that comes from the esc. Then you can plug in a battery or external bec. And dont concentrate on volts. You need to look at the amp out put. Amps are the pushing power. I bet the Losi insane's are glitchy due to the low amps of the Sabertooth. If the motor is not getting enough amps it will run strange and generate extra heat.
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REAPER
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"It's only Money"
You still have to match the volts needed to run your accessories, amps and volts go hand and hand some what. Volts is a unit of measurement that is used to quantify the voltage needed or provided by specific devices. Amps is an abbreviation of the term Amperes which is the unit of measurement for current or the rate that electricity flows. Volts and amps are not independent of each other as they are related by Ohm’s law along with resistance. Given two fixed variables, you can always compute for the third.
Edited by REAPER, Jan 23 2013, 09:49 AM.
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galaxiex
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I did some BEC tests awhile ago on RCGroups. In the link below don't be put off by the tests of R/C airplane BEC's....there are also some tests of stand alone BEC's.

Maybe some folks will find this useful... :)

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1277428
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ZippoMan
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ReaperGN I think you are right about the Sabertooth not having enough output amps for the Losi Insanes! If I go to full throttle quickly they glitch and yes the heat is intense too. I have dual fans but they glitch even when cold. I have the capacitors back on the motors and they help a little with the glitch.


I have written Dimension Engineering but I do believe in order to run my own external BEC I will disconnect one if not both red wires from the Sabertooth. You can't add an external BEC to power your receiver and have the Sabertooth plugged into it too. There would be a conflict of voltages and current. I don't need to fry my receiver or Sabertooth.
Edited by ZippoMan, Jan 23 2013, 01:33 PM.
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ZippoMan
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galaxiex
Jan 23 2013, 10:07 AM
I did some BEC tests awhile ago on RCGroups. In the link below don't be put off by the tests of R/C airplane BEC's....there are also some tests of stand alone BEC's.

Maybe some folks will find this useful... :)

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1277428
Very nice job!! Great to see your tests! I really like the CC BEC.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15616715&postcount=44
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REAPER
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"It's only Money"
You can pull the red wire pins from the saber tooth leads and then use an external power supply for your receiver. You just need to keep the ground wire for the signal to be sent and received properly. This has worked for other applications I don't see why it wouldn't work for this one.
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ZippoMan
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Thanks Reaper!! Dimension Engineering just wrote me back. They said the same thing about the BEC, just remove the red wires and use your own BEC.

They also said my Sabertooth I sent them was fine and nothing wrong!! Good to know that but sad I had to ship it to find that out...lol.

I guess the Losi Insanes are too powerful for the 2x12RC!! They said the glitching is due to the current limiter kicking in on the Sabertooth....good to know it works..lol. So onto plan B.....use the bigger 380's and have no plow for now!!

Now we all know you can't use Losi Insanes without being Insane!! LOL

Case closed!! DOH!!
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Glacier Girl

Zippoman, something you should look into, it's the #1 tool for electric flying, is a Watt Meter.

Will tell you everything you need to know about your set up. Great tool, for finding out if you are over amping your system, if you have a pack that's sagging/weak, or even if you are running under spec, to mention a few.

In your case, would tell you whether it's the Sabertooth that's at fault or the Sabertooth doing it's job because of a faulty pack.
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ZippoMan
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I just found out that my one Losi motor was faulty from the start. That ticks me off. It causes glitches big time. It must have a short in the windings or something. I can't work it out. The other motor is smooth as butter. I did a test one motor at a time on the Sabertooth and also each motor spot on it. The good motor works nicely in either slot and the bad motor, well is a dud in both slots of the Sabertooth. I am hoping Losi can help with replacement....but almost have to write this set up off. Sadly.

Where can I get a good Watt Meter? That sounds interesting for sure. I am a relative rookie with electronics even though I went to college many years ago for Telecommunications Technician. My brain is dead since...lol
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Glacier Girl

Check out hobby king for them.
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ZippoMan
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Is this any good? http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25703__Turnigy_2_in_1_Power_Meter_Servo_Meter_1_5_TFT.html
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