Smoked a Servo, Why?

[MOmo]

So I have an RC8TE using a HobbyWing 80a ESC. It's wired to run 2 Lipo in series (I think, pos and neg each to a Deans plug, with a wire connecting them). I'm also using a Fut. 3PKS system and FASST rec. I successfully ran my truggy for a little bit, when my steering quit working (Hitec HS985MG) and also myESC Fan stopped working. I then noticed a smell, and presumed that it was the ESC. I got a different ESC of the same type and tried again, no steering.

Shelved the car and focused on other projects and recently went back to see what happened with my steering. Once I pulled the servo, noticed the bottom of the case had burnt and clearly that's where the smell emanated from. So I dug thru the box of spares and found a Hitec 645MG. So I wired it up, had it sitting on my bench and tested it out. About 3 min in, I felt the case, and it was starting to get really Hot as well.

So what causes it? At first I thought maybe it was a lack of a good BEC in the ESC. In talking with a friend, he thought it could be the receiver itself. That's next on my list is to swap my receiver for an FM one and see what that does.

Any other thoughts? Servos should be able to handle the voltage from a lipo right? Its 2 6200 20C lipo.



MOmo

[USA-1]

I have no idea about these new systems, and if they can handle the higher voltage without damaged. but if your putting the batteries in series then your doubling the voltage, if in parallel then you doubling the capacitance. If you have a multimeter you can measure the DC voltage at the receiver pins to see if you over voltage the servo spec's.

[jwscab]

unless you are hooking the servo directly to the battery, in all cases the servo is fed from either the receiver or ESC, and should be regulated to 6 volts, nominally. The servos are generally rated at 4.8v to 6.0v, which is the range of voltage you see on a alkaline or nicd 4 cell AA pack that a receiver supports. Most newer receivers have a BEC built in, so however you have the system hooked up, the servo should be seeing regulated voltages. So I would guess a faulty regulator in your system.