Mamba Monster X 8S, 33.6V ESC

This FAQ is applicable to the following ESC: Mamba Monster X 8s

Special Note: Calibration/manual programming with Spektrum AR6100AT receivers. See Question 28.

1. What is the difference between the Mamba Monster X 8s and the Mamba XL X?
Both the Mamba Monster X 8s and Mamba XL X handle up to 8s (33.6v).
The Monster X 8s is waterproof, the Mamba XL X is not.
The Monster X 8s supports sensored operation, the Mamba XL X does not.
The Monster X 8s has 10AWG battery wires, the Mamba XL X has 8AWG battery wires
The Monster X 8s has 6.5mm female motor bullets, the Mamba XL X has 8mm female motor bullets.
The Monster X 8s has Cryo-Drive, the Mamba XL X does not (see question 2 for more details)
The Mamba XL X has more raw current handling power at full throttle compared to the Monster X 8s. This is important for high performance applications like drag racing and high speed runs. The Monster X 8s is NOT a direct replacement of the Mamba XL X. In terms of current handling capacity at full throttle the Mamba XL X still reigns supreme.
The Cryo-Drive feature allows the ESC to run cooler during partial throttle operation. Most RC vehicles are driven at partial throttle and only run at full throttle for short bursts.

2. What is Cryo-Drive and how does it help the ESC?
Castle’s newest software technology, CRYO-DRIVE™ minimizes the amount of time the ESC's electrical components spend generating heat by optimally controlling which components are being used while driving the motor. This is happening thousands of times per second, which greatly reduces the rate at which the ESC heats up.  This results in significantly improved thermal performance during partial throttle operation where the majority of driving occurs. Your setup will be able to handle higher gear ratios, in heavier vehicles, with longer runs  

3. How do I utilize the sensored mode on the Mamba Monster X 8s?
You will need the Castle X series sensor harness to connect to a standard sensor wire and your sensored motor; the sensor harness is included with the Mamba Monster X 8s. Make sure the A, B and C wires between the ESC and motor are correctly aligned. There are no settings that need to be changed on the ESC to utilize the sensored function of the ESC.

4. Is there a special color sequence I should plug the motor wires into the Mamba Monster X 8s?
There is no polarity with a sensorless brushless motor (all Castle motors). This means the color coding does not matter at all. Simply plug the wires into the speed controller. If it runs the motor the wrong direction simply swap any two wires between the motor and ESC or plug the ESC into your Castle Link and reverse the rotation of the motor using the software. If you are running a sensored motor then you MUST keep A, B and C orientated properly. To change the motor direction with a sensored motor you must change the Motor Direction setting on the Castle Link USB programmer, B-Link Bluetooth adapter or using the built-in manual programming (see Driver’s Ed Guide for instructions)

5. Why does the fan on my Mamba Monster X 8s stop running when the ESC arms?
The fan on the Mamba Monster X 8s is thermally controlled. When you first power up the ESC it will do a power on self-test to show you the fan is functional. When the ESC arms the fan will stop running and then only turn on when the ESC reaches 140° F/60° C.

6. What is the auxiliary wire and do I need to hook it up to my receiver?
By default the auxiliary wire is disabled and does nothing. If you are not utilizing this function you can leave the auxiliary wire (white wire) disconnected from the receiver. The auxiliary wire gives you the ability to adjust 1 of 7 ESC settings from your transmitter, via an auxiliary channel and dial/toggle switch, while you are operating the vehicle. To use this function you must program the auxiliary wire to one of the 7 available setting on the Castle Link; it is located on the “Advanced” tab. The 7 selectable settings are:

Sensored motors: If you are running a sensored motor then you MUST keep A, B and C orientated properly. To change the motor direction with a sensored motor you must change the Motor Direction setting on the Castle Link USB programmer, B-Link Bluetooth adapter or using the built-in manual programming (see Driver’s Ed Guide for instructions).

9. What do the flashing LEDs mean?
If you are not calibrating and have not applying throttle or reverse (trigger at neutral) then:

12. My ESC may or may not arm, but it will not calibrate to my transmitter.
Most calibration issues can be solved by settings on the transmitter. Make sure you have both your throttle and reverse endpoints (called EPA, ATV, or Travel on your radio) on the throttle channel out to 100 to 120%. If you have a Spektrum transmitter and have an “A” and “B” slider switch near your thumb, adjust the throttle dual rate slider out to the maximum value as well. If you have a Futaba or Futaba made transmitter, set the throttle channel to the reversed position.

13. I’m setting up a new car. How do I know which speed controller/motor to buy?
That’s what our expert technical support staff is for. Give them a call at 913-390-6939 or send them a message. They’ll be more than happy to assist you in deciding on a product.

14. Is my Mamba Monster X 8s speed controller waterproof?
Yes! Although Mamba Monster X 8s and Castle brushless motors are waterproof, they are not intended for operation while completely submerged in liquid. They are designed to handle normal wet conditions like driving through puddles, wet grass and snow; they are not designed to be submerged like a submarine. The ESC can corrode when exposed to corrosive materials, such as salt water. Always rinse the ESC and motor with clean water after exposure to corrosives or dirt. While the motor and controller may be waterproof, we suggest users confirm that the rest of their vehicle, including the batteries, servos, radio and chassis are also waterproof before exposing them to liquids of any kind.
The fan must also be removed when exposed to wet conditions as it is not waterproof.
The motors require additional maintenance to prevent rust and corrosion. Please refer to our Running and Maintaining Castle Motors in Wet Conditions document for more details.

15. What is the brushed motor turn count limit on my Mamba Monster X 8s ESC?
Any 540 or 550 brushed motor in forward only or forward with reverse. With brushless the limit is the equivalent kv, motor size, and voltage as the Castle combos.

16. My fan has stopped working on my Mamba Monster X 8s. What can I do?
Replacement fan offerings are coming soon.

17. What brushless motors can I use my Mamba Monster X 8s with?
You can use the Mamba Monster in a variety of situations and with a variety of motors. They will handle any of our CM36 2 pole motors (4600, 5700, 6900, 7700, 9000), 1406 4 pole motors (4600, 5700, 6900, 7700), 1410-3800, 1415-2400, 1512-2650, 1515-2200, 1512-1800, 1518-1800, 1520-1600, 1717-1650, 2028-800. Our ESCs will also drive ANY manufacturer’s sensorless and sensored motor provided the kv, size of the motor can, and application are all at or below the recommendations for the equivalent Castle motor. With the sensor harness you can use any 550 or 1/8th scale sensored brushless motor. If you have questions about using another manufacturer’s motor with your Castle ESC please give our technical support department a call at 913-390-6939 or send them a message. They’ll be more than happy to assist you.

18. I broke my Mamba Monster X 8s, and it was my fault. Am I stuck with a dead controller?
No, all Castle speed controllers have a core value. You can visit our Repair Center for details on how to send in your ESC for non-warranty replacement. Or you can contact our repair department regarding details. 913-390-6939, or send them a message.

19. When I plug in my Mamba Monster X 8s into my Castle Link it doesn’t connect. What’s up?
First, make sure that on your Castle Link screen in the lower left hand corner you have a green USB connection status. If you do, the next step is to plug the ESC into the Castle Link. On the Castle Link circuit board just behind the three pins there are marks for positive (+), negative (-), and signal (?). The orange signal wire goes where the ? pin is, the red goes where the “+” is, and the brown wire goes where the “-“ is. If you have disabled the red (+) wire going to the receiver you will need to plug in a battery pack to power the ESC. Anything above 2s LiPo will do. Plug the ESC in first, then the battery pack. The ESC should then connect. It will not work in the other order (battery first, then ESC to computer) so be sure to connect in the proper order.

20. When I plug in my Castle Link I do not get a green USB connection status, thus making it impossible for me to connect my Mamba Monster X 8s to my computer. How do I fix this?
Please refer to the Castle Link FAQ section on loading the driver software onto your computer. This will solve your USB connection status issue, and get you connected to the computer.

21. I’m getting an error whenever I try to update settings or update the firmware on my speed controller. What is wrong?
There may be an issue with the processor on the speed controller. Try un-installing the Castle Link firmware on your computer or another computer, try downgrading to a different version of firmware, try unplugging the Castle Link chip from the end of the USB cable and plugging it back in, and see if any of these resolve the issue for you. If you are still having issues please contact Castle Creations tech support at 913-390-6939 or send them a message.

22. What Auto-LiPo Volts/cell cutoff should I be using with my Mamba Monster X 8s?
You should use whatever your battery manufacturer’s recommendations are. Your speed controller came with a factory cutoff of 3.2v/cell. If you need to adjust this you can use a Castle Link or Field Link to program the speed controller for anything from 3.0v to 3.5v per cell.

23. Can I change the BEC output voltage on my Mamba Monster X 8s?
The BEC can be set to 5.5, 6.0, 7.5 or 8.0 volts via the Castle Link; the default is 5.5 volts.

24. My speed controller beeps approximately every 15-20 seconds. What is that?
That is a feature we added called the “Power On Warning Beep”. It lets you know that your battery pack is still plugged in whenever the speed controller is seeing zero throttle or no throttle from the transmitter at all. This is a safety feature implemented due to the advent of LiPo technology. You can disable it if you would like using the Castle Link software, but it is recommended that it be kept enabled.

25. Will cutting the switch off my Mamba Monster X 8s ESC void my warranty?
No, it will not void the warranty as long as you only cut off the switch, solder the wires together, and cover them with shrink tubing on the outside the controller. Opening the controller and bridging the connection on the circuit board WILL void your warranty. ANY soldering on the speed controller will immediately void the warranty, no exceptions. You can also purchase a replacement receiver harness which includes a new switch.

26. What is the maximum voltage for the Mamba Monster X 8s ESC?
The maximum input voltage is 33.6v (8s LiPo). NiMH use is not recommended except in very specific applications (such as when a Castle product is powering another manufacturer’s vehicle as these applications have been thoroughly tested). Nearly every other application will draw too much current and can cause speed controller failure using NiMH cells.

27. Why does my ESC beep 4 times at neutral?
This is an “error” code that indicates the on-board data logger is full and the ESC has stopped recording new data. To stop this error you must clear the data log. re are 4 options to clear the error or prevent it from happening in the first place.

Option 1: You can clear the data log by powering up the ESC at full reverse and after you hear a long beep it will clear the data log; go to neutral and the ESC will arm as normal. When the log fills up again it will generate the error code again.
Option 2: You can connect the ESC to the Castle Link and click the “Clear Logged Data” button on the logging tab. This will clear the error code until the data is full again.

Option 3: You can force the ESC to reset the data on start-up which will clear the data every time it is powered up; it can still fill up during the run and generate the error code. To do this you will need to set the “Automatic Data Reset” setting on the Logging tab to “100% (Always)”.

Option 4: You can disable the data logging completely and it will never fill up because it is not logging and will not generate the error. To do this set the “Sample Frequency” on the Logging tab to “Disabled”.
 

28. Why does my ESC not beep and show a solid red when trying to calibrate with a Spektrum SR6100AT receiver?
We have found that Spektrum has added a safety feature that interferes with our normal calibration and manual programming process. Our ESCs require you to power up the ESC at full throttle; the Spektrum AR6100AT receiver will not boot up properly until the throttle trigger is at neutral.
The solution we have found is to power up the ESC at neutral, wait for the receiver LED to turn solid amber, then apply full throttle; this allows the receiver to boot up properly.
WARNING: REMOVE Pinion gear or disengage motor from spur gear! You must apply full throttle BEFORE the ESC arms (double chime after LiPo cell count), but AFTER the receiver boots up and goes solid yellow. If the ESC arms and then you apply throttle the motor will run! We have found that waiting until the Auto LiPo feature counts the 3rd cell the receiver is operational and full throttle can be applied.

29. Will cutting the switch off my Monster X 8s ESC void my warranty?

No, it will not void the warranty as long as you only cut off the switch, solder the wires together, and cover them with shrink tubing on the outside the controller. Opening the controller and bridging the connection on the circuit board WILL void your warranty. ANY soldering on the speed controller will immediately void the warranty, no exceptions. A replacement switch can be purchased by replacing the receiver harness; you can purchase a new receiver harness here (p/n 011-0106-00)

30. I'm trying to calibrate my ESC in my X-Maxx with the stock Traxxas 2.4GHz radio system, but it won't calibrate. Why?

Make sure you have the stock temp sensor and voltage sensor installed in the receiver. The grey plug needs to be in the V/T slot at the top right corner of the Traxxas receiver, the red plug in either channel 3, 4 or 5. Without these plugged in the ESC will not receive the proper signals from the transmitter & receiver