Mamba Max PRO from Horizon Hobby UK

[jimmy]

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/misc/news/mambapro.jpg


Horizon Hobby UK, the Castle Creations UK distributor have been in touch to tell us about their new Mamba Max Pro ESC which they’ve been testing over the past few weeks.
Apparently testing has been conducted a range of 1:10 electric buggies, touring cars and 1:12 racers, the Mamba Max Pro has demonstrated incredible levels of adjustability and exhibits excellent low speed throttle modulation whilst retaining the punch and high speed capability that top level national racers demand.

One of the neatest features is the Castle High Energy Advanced Timing (CHEAT) mode that allows the user to program the motor timing to adjust itself at a definable rpm point (requires Windows compatible computer and optional Castle Link USB interface and Software).
Capable of running upto a 6S LiPo in either sensored or sensorless motors and able to self-switch itself into sensorless mode for improved motor efficiency, the Mamba Max Pro is keenly priced at £129.99 and is available to order via your local Horizon Hobby retailer.
A specific 1 cell variant is also available that will appeal to 1:12 and 1:10 World GT class runners which shares the same features but does not have any BEC or cooling fan thus making it easier to fit under the low-slung pan-car bodies.

At last, it seems Castle have created a system that racers will take seriously!

Details
Mamba Max Pro 2S-6S CCR6600 RRP £129.99
Mamba Max Pro 1S CCR 6699 RRP £129.99

Check out the website on the Horizon UK page here: http://www.horizonhobby.co.uk/autoonline/j24castle/j24home.html

[hide]

Well priced compared to similar ESC's of the same spec. Over £70 cheaper than a Tekin RS Pro and LRP SXX!

[TryHard]

Having actually run one in my TC, and seen them going round in a 12th, they are deffiently right up (if not faster) there with the afforementioned... If you get the castle link software as well, you have a lot of tuneability in terms of how the timing kicks in.
Big wide band for a smooth build, or keep it short for a proper thump... and you can also tune as to where exactly in the rev range it occurs, to suit motors and tracks...
Also need to mention that Castle are bring out updates to the software, so potential to get faster, and for free :D (we like free ;) )

Basically, for the money, cannot be beaten. :)

[stical]

Does anybody have experience with it in 1/12th ?

The one thing that bothers me is that it doesn't contain a BEC so most
probably you will need a booster to run 4.8v ( 4 sub-c cells )
or 3.7v ( 1s lipo) ?

Erik

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Does anybody have experience with it in 1/12th ?


Erik

Erik

try rctech or racechat for your answer on that one. rctech would be the better bet of the two ;)

[TryHard]

Does anybody have experience with it in 1/12th ?

The one thing that bothers me is that it doesn't contain a BEC so most
probably you will need a booster to run 4.8v ( 4 sub-c cells )
or 3.7v ( 1s lipo) ?

Erik

Hey Erik,

There's two versions avaliable, a 2s version that does have a BEC circuit, and a 1s version that doesnt (and doesn't have a fan either).

I've seen the non-1s version used quite happily in 12th/4cell (as that does have a BEC), albeit with booster and reciever pack.

They've removed the BEC from the 1s version for a reason, as in all honesty, you really shouldn't run without a booster/reciever pack in 1s, the voltage from the cells isn't high enough to run both the speedo and servo... or to put it another way, would you really want to run a 6v servo on almost half the volts? So why have a BEC there if its no use?
To solve this, that's where the boosters/reciever packs come in :)

HiH
Ed

[Alfonzo]

Still sensorless I see. Hope it's smoother than the std Mamba Max, which TBH I have found not as 'nice' to use as a sensored system.

Rock solid reliability though.

[jimmy]

?

It's sensored

[TryHard]

Still sensorless I see. Hope it's smoother than the std Mamba Max, which TBH I have found not as 'nice' to use as a sensored system.

Rock solid reliability though.

Err no, they are sensored... Software gives the option of running in full sensorless, a hybrid sensor/sensorless mode (low rpm it's sensored, and switched to sensorless at top), or fully sensored (which is the only way to activate the CHEAT mode)

HiH
Ed

Edit - Hehe, Jimmy beat me to it...

[Gnarly Old Dog]

Still sensorless I see. Hope it's smoother than the std Mamba Max, which TBH I have found not as 'nice' to use as a sensored system.

Rock solid reliability though.

exactly what TryHard said - the Pro features both sensored and sensorless operation and can switch between the two in certain modes when programmed using the optional castlelink software.

I suspect the confusion is caused in part because the Pro uses the same case as the Mamba Max which you correctly identify as sensorless only. The pic doesn't show it but the sensor connector sits by the fan connector on the opposite end of the case to the switch / Rx lead outlet.

I've been using it with Sensored Losi Xcelorin motors (5.5T, 6.5T and 7.5T) and it is amazingly smooth in sensored mode with no detectable cogging (well I can't detect any) and it gives you embarassingly easy throttle control compared to other controllers that I've used in the past.

Hope this helps clarify.

[pugboy]

Ran mine in xx4 at Worksop the other week and was really impressed. I just wondered if anyone had run it without the fan as although it fits it's tight under the shell (running stick lipo setup) so as it was the fan wouldn't have really done much. I was wondering whether to drill a few holes in the shell above the fan or just run it without. I don't know if there is any guidance as to whether the fan is really necessary, it didn't seem to run particularly hot despite giving it a fair bit of stick. There is still a heatsink under the fan that would remain.

Cheers

[Gnarly Old Dog]

I'd run the fan just to be safe. I've run mine in my XX4 as well but I used a heat gun and a spoon to re-shape the shell a tiny bit just to give it more headroom.

The fan cuts in only when the unit exceeds 80deg C and I did temp gun mine after an indoor club TC meet where it only got to 48 deg C running a 6.5T Losi motor on 2S LiPo. The motor also ran just under 50 deg C :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[pugboy]

I'd run the fan just to be safe. I've run mine in my XX4 as well but I used a heat gun and a spoon to re-shape the shell a tiny bit just to give it more headroom.

The fan cuts in only when the unit exceeds 80deg C and I did temp gun mine after an indoor club TC meet where it only got to 48 deg C running a 6.5T Losi motor on 2S LiPo. The motor also ran just under 50 deg C :thumbsup::thumbsup:


That's too technical for me, I'd mess that up for sure, I think I'll just drill a few small holes over the fan then. I ran exactly the same as you, Losi 6.5, 2s lipo and the motor was significantly cooler than usual so that smartsense thingy must really work. It is so smooth in throttle response too, I'm going to experiment with a few setting after reading this thread.

Cheers

[Marvin]

I'm running one on 6S in an 1/8th scale - for 1/10th, chances are, the fan is not needed.

Some other things worth mentioning:
-The Castle Link is included (there is a voucher in the box for a free Castle Link - just put the voucher in on Castle's website, and you get a free Link).
-BEC has variable output voltage - therefore you can run the 'high voltage' servos at a higher voltage (7V max from the BEC).

It is best to run the fan, as the cooler it runs, the longer the components will last.

[Holeshot]

Heard great results with this ESC. Should be a top seller.