extreme brushless power extreme brushless power system owners manual PART #3350
3 before you proceed 4 safety precautions 6 introduction 7 anatomy of the vxl-3s and velineon 3500 8 TERMINOLOGY 10 velineon system specifications 11 velineon system installation 16 vxl-3s Setup and Operation 22 GEARING OPTIONS Traxxas 1100 Klein Road Plano, Texas 75074 Phone: 972-265-8000 Toll-free 1-888-TRAXXAS Traxxas U.K. P.O. Box 1128 Winterbourne, Bristol BS36-2SH England Phone: 44-117-956-1002 Internet www.Traxxas.com E-mail: support@Traxxas.com Entire contents ©2007 Traxxas.
Before You Proceed Carefully read and follow all instructions in this and any accompanying materials to prevent serious damage to your system. Failure to follow these instructions will be considered abuse and/or neglect. Before using your system, look over this entire manual and examine the system carefully. If for some reason you decide it is not what you wanted, then do not continue any further. Your hobby dealer absolutely cannot accept a system for return or exchange after it has been used.
Safety Precautions VXL-3s Electronic Speed Control • Water and Electronics Do Not Mix: Do not operate in or around water. Never allow water, moisture, or other foreign materials to get inside the speed control. • Disconnect the Batteries: Always disconnect the battery pack from the speed control when not in use. • Transmitter on First: Switch on your transmitter first before switching on the speed control to prevent runaways and erratic performance.
Safety Precautions LiPo Batteries Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries are becoming popular for use in R/C models due to their compact size, high energy density, and high-current output. However, these types of batteries require special care and handling procedures for long life and safe operation. Warning: LiPo batteries are intended only for advanced users that are educated on the risks associated with LiPo battery use.
Introduction Thank you for purchasing the new Velineon™ Brushless Power System. The Velineon Power System lets you experience the best that brushless motor technology has to offer. Incredible speed, efficient operation, long run times, and low-maintenance operation are just some of the benefits. We are confident you will be rewarded with high-speed performance in a durable, long-lasting product. This manual contains the instructions you will need to operate, and maintain your system.
Anatomy of the VXL-3s and Velineon 3500 Traxxas High-Current Connector (Male) to Battery to Motor Motor Cap (see page 15) Rotor (Magnet) Bullet Connector Cooling Fan Connector Heat Sink (for optional use) LED Auxiliary Port (for optional use) to ESC EZ-Set Button (On/Off Button) Receiver cable (RX wire) Windings (Coils) Ball Bearings Motor Shaft VELINEON POWER SYSTEM •
Terminology Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these terms. They will be used throughout this manual. Brushless Motor - A D/C brushless motor replaces the brushed motor’s traditional commutator and brush arrangement with intelligent electronics that energize the electromagnetic windings in sequence to provide rotation. Opposite of a brushed motor, the brushless motor has its windings (coils) on the perimeter of the motor can and the magnets are mounted to the spinning rotor shaft.
NiMH - Abbreviation for nickel-metal hydride. Rechargeable NiMH batteries offer high current handling, and much greater resistance to the “memory” effect. NiMH batteries generally allow higher capacity than NiCad batteries. They can last up to 500 charge cycles. A peak charger designed for NiMH batteries is required for optimal performance. Resistance - In an electrical sense, resistance is a measure of how an object resists or obstructs the flow of current through it.
Velineon System Specifications VXL-3s Specifications: Input voltage: 4.8 - 11.1V (4 - 9 cells NiMH or 2S - 3S LiPo) Supported motors: Brushed / Brushless / Sensorless brushless Motor limit: None Continuous current: 200A Peak current: 320A BEC voltage: 6.0V DC Transistor type: MOSFET On-resistance: 0.00075 Ω Max (0.006/8 FETs) PWM frequency: 12,000Hz Battery connector: Traxxas High-Current Connector Motor connectors: TRX 3.
Velineon System Installation The following instructions cover installation of the Velineon System in an XL-5 equipped Rustler (Model 3705), Bandit (Model 2405) or Stampede (Model 3605). The Velineon System is capable of extreme power, and the drivetrain upgrades below are recommended to increase the performance and durability of the XL-5 equipped model being upgraded to Velineon Power.
Velineon System Installation 4. Remove the Speed control’s XL-5 plug from Channel 2 of your receiver (see wiring diagram, next page). 5. Remove the two 3x12mm washerhead screws that hold the XL-5 to its mount (C). Remove the XL-5. 6. Remove the four 3x8mm washerhead screws from the ESC mount. Remove the mount and discard (D). C Installation of the Velineon System: 1. Install the included ESC mounting plate using the 3x8mm screws (E). E 2.
Wiring Diagrams Velineon System Installation Antenna Cooling Fan Connector (for optional use, see page 14) Traxxas High-Current Connector (Male) to Battery (see page 15) Receiver Velineon 3500 Brushless Motor Channel 1 Channel 2 Not Used Channel 2 Electronic Speed Control Channel 1 Steering Servo Motor Cap VELINEON POWER SYSTEM • 13
Velineon System Installation Installing the Velineon System in Other Models Some users may wish to experience the power of the Velineon Brushless Power System in other applications. Here are some tips: ventilation and cooling will prevent premature thermal shutdown. There are many options available that will help you monitor temperatures and cool your components: Temperature gauge - An on-board temperature gauge such as the Traxxas part #4091 can aid you in monitoring your motor temperature.
Velineon System Installation • Graphite or metal chassis have been known to transmit The Traxxas connector’s gold-plated terminals with a large contact surfaces ensure positive current flow with radio noise generated by the motor. If the receiver the least amount of resistance. Secure, long-lasting, and is to be mounted on the chassis, position it so the easy to grip, the Traxxas connector is engineered to crystal and antenna are as far away from the chassis as possible.
VXL-3s Setup and Operation Traxxas TQ Radio Systems Before attempting to program your VXL-3s, it is important to make sure your TQ transmitter is properly adjusted (set back to the factory defaults). Otherwise, you may not get the best performance from your speed control. The transmitter should be adjusted as follows: 1. Set the throttle neutral switch to the 50/50 setting. This adjusts the transmitter’s throttle trigger throw to 50% for throttle and 50% for braking and reverse.
VXL-3s Setup and Operation positive, the black wire is negative, and the white wire is the control wire. Warning: On some older Airtronics® radio systems, the positive and negative terminals are opposite of the VXL-3s and an adapter is required. Crossing the red (+) and black (-) wires could damage the receiver and the VXL-3s. Study the manufacturer’s wiring diagrams closely, or consult your hobby dealer.
VXL-3s Setup and Operation To turn Low-Voltage Detection on (LiPo setting): 1. Make sure the LED on the VXL-3s is 1 on and red. 2. Press and hold the EZ-Set button for ten seconds. The LED will turn 2 off and then light green. Also, a “rising” musical tone will be emitted from the motor. 3. Low-Voltage Detection is now ON. VXL-3s Setup Programming (Calibrating your ESC and transmitter) Read through all of the programming steps before you begin.
VXL-3s Setup and Operation 1. With the transmitter on, press and release the EZ-Set button. The LED will shine green. This turns the VXL-3s on. 2. Apply forward throttle. The LED will turn off until full throttle power is reached. At full throttle, the LED will illuminate green. 3. Move the trigger forward to apply the brakes. Note that braking control is fully proportional. The LED will turn off until full braking power is reached. At full brakes, the LED will illuminate green. 4.
VXL-3s Setup and Operation B 3. When the LED blinks red once, release the EZ-Set button. 4. The LED will blink and One blink Red then turn solid green (Low-Voltage Detection ON) or red (Low-Voltage Detection OFF). The model is ready to drive. C Release D Solid Green Selecting Race Mode (Profile #2: 100% Forward, 100% Brakes, No Reverse) A B 1. Connect a fully charged battery pack to the VXL-3s and turn on your transmitter. 2.
VXL-3s Setup and Operation VXL-3s LED Codes and Protection Modes • Solid Green: VXL-3s power on light. Low-Voltage Detection is ON (LiPo setting). • Solid Red: VXL-3s power on light. Low-Voltage Detection is OFF (NiCad/NiMH setting). • Fast Blinking Red: Thermal Shutdown Protection Stage 1. If the motor has lower than normal power and the VXL-3s is hot, the VXL-3s has entered Stage 1 Thermal Shutdown Protection to guard against overheating caused by excessive current flow.
Gearing Options Battery choice and gearing determine the speed of your model. The following gearing options cover Traxxas Rustler, Bandit and Stampede models. For other applications, refer to the model manufacturer’s documentation. Gearing Speed Changing the gearing allows you to fine tune the speed of Use the following formula to calculate the overall ratio: the model and control the temperatures of the battery pack # Spur Gear Teeth x 2.72 = Final Gear Ratio and motor.
Gearing Compatibility Chart The chart below shows recommended gear combination ranges when using a NiMH battery pack to power a Rustler, Bandit, or Stampede equipped with the Velineon System and upgraded drivetrain components. In the red range, use a battery that has a continuous rating of at least 70A. Spur Gear 76 83 86 90 76 83 86 90 12 - - 19.50 20.40 24 8.62 9.41 9.74 10.20 13 - - 18.01 18.82 25 8.27 9.03 9.36 9.79 14 - - 16.70 17.49 26 7.94 8.67 9.00 - 15 - 15.
Motor Options The VXL-3s electronic speed control is capable of controlling brushed, brushless, and sensored brushless motors. The VXL-3s auto-detects the motor type and has numerous built-in safeguards to prevent damage from miswiring or damaged wiring. Sensored brushless motors The VXL-3s is fully compatible with sensored brushless motors. Sensor motors use an additional sensor installed in the motor to communicate rotor position to the speed control.
• Motor positive (+) should be connected to phase A (blue). • Phase B is not used. • Motor negative (-) should be connected to phase C (white). If the wiring is reversed, the motor will operate in reverse. If the motor is wired incorrectly (using phases A+B or B+C), the VXL-3s will send short pulses to the motor and turn off the LED indicating a fail safe mode. It will not return to normal operation until wired properly.
Troubleshooting This guide describes possible speed control problems, causes, and simple solutions. Check these items before contacting Traxxas. Steering channel works but the motor will not run: • The speed control has thermally shut down. Allow the speed control to cool down. Use a milder motor or a smaller pinion gear. Check the drive train for restrictions. Check the motor connections. Check the motor. • Make sure the speed control is plugged into the throttle channel of the receiver.
Model runs slowly / slow acceleration: • Check the motor and battery connectors. • Check to see if VXL-3s is in Profile #3 (50% throttle) • Bad battery or motor. Check the operation with known good battery and motor. • Incorrect transmitter or speed control adjustment. Refer to the “Transmitter Setup” and “VXL-3s Setup Programming” sections. • VXL-3s is in Thermal Shutdown Protection. Allow to cool and check for proper gearing. • VXL-3s has entered Low-Voltage Protection.
1100 Klein Road, Plano Texas 75074 1-888-TRAXXAS 070706 KC1076
