1 • TR A X X AS
Use the Right Charger
The most convenient type
of charger is an AC peak-
detecting charger that plugs
directly into an AC wall
outlet. It contains special
peak-detection circuitry
that automatically shuts the
charger off when the battery
is fully charged.
If you’re using a 15-minute
timed charger, always fully
discharge NiMH battery
packs before each charge.
Some high mAh battery
packs (1500 mAh or higher)
require more than the
standard 15 minutes of
charge time. If the battery
pack is cold after 15 minutes
of charging, add another
5 minutes of charge time.
Closely monitor the battery
pack and stop charging
when it begins to feel
warm to the touch. Never
leave a battery charging
unattended. Always follow
charger manufacturer’s
instructions.
For Lithium Polymer batteries,
only use a charger designed
for LiPo batteries.
See LiPo
battery warnings on page 4.
Radio and Power System Terminology
Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these radio and
power system terms. They will be used throughout this manual.
BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit)
- The BEC can either be in the
receiver or in the ESC. This circuit allows the receiver and servos
to be powered by the main battery pack in an electric model. This
eliminates the need to carry a separate pack of 4 AA batteries to
power the radio equipment.
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.
Channel
- The 27 MHz frequency band is divided into 6 channels
so that up to six models can be operated simultaneously. Each
channel is referred to by its flag color and channel number, as
shown below.
Clearing your frequency
- A routine, verbal check to make sure
nobody else in your area is operating on the same channel.
Always clear your frequency by calling out your channel number
before operating your model. Wait or move to another area if
your channel is already being used.
Cogging
- Cogging is a condition sometimes associated with
brushless motors. Typically it is a slight stutter noticed when
accelerating from a stop. It happens for a very short period as the
signals from the electronic speed control and the motor synch
with each other. The VXL-3s electronic speed control is optimized
to virtually eliminate cogging.
Crystal (X-tal)
- The plug-in device that determines which channel
the radio system will operate on. For each channel, there are two
crystals, one for the receiver and one for the transmitter. Of those
two crystals, the one marked with the lower number (.455 MHz
lower) must be inserted into the receiver.
Current
- Current is a measure of power flow through the
electronics, usually measured in amps. If you look at wire like a
garden hose, current is a measure of how much water is flowing
through the hose.
ESC (Electronic Speed Control)
- An electronic speed control is the
electronic motor control inside the model. The VXL-3s electronic
speed control uses advanced circuitry to provide precise, digital
proportional throttle control. Electronic speed controls use
power more efficiently than mechanical speed controls so that
the batteries run longer. An electronic speed control also has
circuitry that prevents loss of steering and throttle control as the
batteries lose their charge.
Frequency band
- The radio frequency used by the transmitter to
send signals to your model. All Traxxas RTR models operate on a
27 MHz frequency band.
kV Rating
- Brushless motors are often rated by their kV number.
The kV rating equals no-load motor rpm with 1 volt applied. The
kV increases as the number of wire turns in the motor decreases.
As the kV increases, the current draw through the electronics also
increases. The Velineon 3500 motor is a 10-turn, 3500 kV motor
optimized for the best speed and efficiency in lightweight 1/10
scale models.
LiPo
- Abbreviation for Lithium Polymer. Rechargeable LiPo battery
packs are known for their special chemistry that allows extremely
high energy density and current handling in a compact size.
These are high performance batteries that require special care
and handling. For advanced users only.
mAh
– Abbreviation for milliamp hour. A measure of the capacity of
the battery pack. The higher the number, the longer the battery
will last between recharges.
Neutral position
- The standing position that the servos seek when
the transmitter controls are at the neutral setting.
Channel
Frequency
Band
Flag
Color
Traxxas
Part No.
1
6.995
Brown
031
7.045
Red
03
3
7.095
Orange
033
4
7.145
Yellow
034
5
7.195
Green
035
6
7.55
Blue
036
The TQ Radio and Velineon Power System
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