it8ezbngrn
Rock Stacker
I have discovered an issue with the Proline LED light bar and the Castle BEC 2.0 water proof version. I have 2 crawlers wired exactly the same but one has the waterproof version of the new Castle BEC 2.0 and the other is the standard 2.0 version. I have tested the light bar on both vehicles and I also had the older Castle 10A BEC in the same configuration. I only have issues with the LED bar on the WP version.
If the Castle BEC has the output plug with the red & black wires plugged into the receiver and the other output, the one used for programming is plugged into a Y harness or a terminal block such as the Futaba S Bus 4 way terminal and those connections are shared with the Proline light bar, the light bar will not light up. If it does and you unplug your battery and plug it in again, it won't light up again. If you swap the BECs outputs around or disconnect one it will work. All other LEDs, servos, winches etc work fine either way. Just the Proline LED bar has issues with it.
I spent an hour or so trying different things and I checked all my wiring and I even tried the light bar on my other crawler which is wired exactly the same but uses the non water proof version and the light bar worked.
Both of my crawlers use the same RX. They are wired in the exact same configuration. I even unplugged all other items from the RX. All I can tell you is that when the BEC 2.0 WP has the red/black wired plug plugged into my RX's Batt port and the other (3 wire) is plugged into a Y harness or similar terminal block and that is connected to a channel on the RX and also the LED bar, it won't work. I even tried new harnesses. Like I said it may work one time but as soon as you disconnect the light bar or power, it won't light up again. The only thing that works is having the 3 wire programmable wire output of the BEC going to the RX and the other to the LED bar.
The weirdest thing is, if I connect both of the BECs outputs to the LED bar directly (no RX) there is no issue. There is also no issue with the older 1 wire output castle BEC or the non waterproof version.
I don't know why this is so but I spent an hour trying different things and this is the only thing that works. I'm not ignorant on electrical stuff either. I installed car audio for 20 years and I repaired communications equipment for the military.
The only other thing I can think of is that the futaba RX also plays a role in this somehow since , when the BEC is wired directly it works fine but it also works fine with the same RX on the non waterproof version. So I happen to think that there is something there but its probably more it being cause its a receiver in general and not a brand or model specific thing.
I didn't plug both BEC outputs directly into the RX cause I usually always have all 4 channels used and I also like to leave the connection outside the RX box for quick programming as I do this with my Castle/HH ESCs. Also if one output is plugged into a Y harness that is also connected to your servo or winch its like the Holmes RX bypass since current should follow the path of least resistance. The reason the BEC has two outputs is cause the connectors are limited on how much current they can handle. So using a heavy duty Y harness and plugging your servo or winch into it along with one of the BECs outputs will allow power to go to the RX and or the servo/winch. If the winch draws a lot of current that current will flow directly and bypass the RX. Thats good it the things burns up besides not everybody has 3 or more channel receivers anyway.
Posting this just in case you end up like me. Installing it and it works, then go to use it and it doesn't. So you tear into it and get it working cause it will light up once and then you button everything back up to not have it work 5 minutes later. Then you repeat this a few more times and get really frustrated cause its some odd dumb issue that shouldn't happen.
I don't know if the issue is Castle's or Proline's. All other electrical items on the crawler work no matter how I have the outputs connected and the LED bar will light up once and stay lit up till its unplugged or power is lost.
If the Castle BEC has the output plug with the red & black wires plugged into the receiver and the other output, the one used for programming is plugged into a Y harness or a terminal block such as the Futaba S Bus 4 way terminal and those connections are shared with the Proline light bar, the light bar will not light up. If it does and you unplug your battery and plug it in again, it won't light up again. If you swap the BECs outputs around or disconnect one it will work. All other LEDs, servos, winches etc work fine either way. Just the Proline LED bar has issues with it.
I spent an hour or so trying different things and I checked all my wiring and I even tried the light bar on my other crawler which is wired exactly the same but uses the non water proof version and the light bar worked.
Both of my crawlers use the same RX. They are wired in the exact same configuration. I even unplugged all other items from the RX. All I can tell you is that when the BEC 2.0 WP has the red/black wired plug plugged into my RX's Batt port and the other (3 wire) is plugged into a Y harness or similar terminal block and that is connected to a channel on the RX and also the LED bar, it won't work. I even tried new harnesses. Like I said it may work one time but as soon as you disconnect the light bar or power, it won't light up again. The only thing that works is having the 3 wire programmable wire output of the BEC going to the RX and the other to the LED bar.
The weirdest thing is, if I connect both of the BECs outputs to the LED bar directly (no RX) there is no issue. There is also no issue with the older 1 wire output castle BEC or the non waterproof version.
I don't know why this is so but I spent an hour trying different things and this is the only thing that works. I'm not ignorant on electrical stuff either. I installed car audio for 20 years and I repaired communications equipment for the military.
The only other thing I can think of is that the futaba RX also plays a role in this somehow since , when the BEC is wired directly it works fine but it also works fine with the same RX on the non waterproof version. So I happen to think that there is something there but its probably more it being cause its a receiver in general and not a brand or model specific thing.
I didn't plug both BEC outputs directly into the RX cause I usually always have all 4 channels used and I also like to leave the connection outside the RX box for quick programming as I do this with my Castle/HH ESCs. Also if one output is plugged into a Y harness that is also connected to your servo or winch its like the Holmes RX bypass since current should follow the path of least resistance. The reason the BEC has two outputs is cause the connectors are limited on how much current they can handle. So using a heavy duty Y harness and plugging your servo or winch into it along with one of the BECs outputs will allow power to go to the RX and or the servo/winch. If the winch draws a lot of current that current will flow directly and bypass the RX. Thats good it the things burns up besides not everybody has 3 or more channel receivers anyway.
Posting this just in case you end up like me. Installing it and it works, then go to use it and it doesn't. So you tear into it and get it working cause it will light up once and then you button everything back up to not have it work 5 minutes later. Then you repeat this a few more times and get really frustrated cause its some odd dumb issue that shouldn't happen.
I don't know if the issue is Castle's or Proline's. All other electrical items on the crawler work no matter how I have the outputs connected and the LED bar will light up once and stay lit up till its unplugged or power is lost.
