Volcano SC300 User manual

FMA LIMITED WARRANTY ON ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROLLER PRODUCTS
THE WARRANTY
FMA, Inc. warrants this speed controller to be free of manufacturing defects for the term of 90 days
from the date of purchase. Should any defects covered by this warranty occur, the speed controller
shall be repaired or replaced with a unit of equal performance by FMA, Inc., or an authorized FMA
service station.
LIMITS AND EXCLUSIONS
This warranty may be enforced only by the original purchaser, who uses this speed controller in its
original condition as purchased, in strict accordance with the VOLCANO owner's manual. Speed
controllers returned for warranty service to an FMA service center will be accepted for service when
shipped post-paid, with a copy of the original sales slip or warranty registration form, to the service
station advised by FMA, Inc.
THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT APPLY TO
1. Consequential or incidental losses resulting from the use of this speed controller.
2. Damage resulting from accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, electrical surges, reversed polarity
on connectors, lightning or other acts of God.
3. Damage from failure to follow instructions supplied with the product.
4. Damage occurring during shipment of the product either to the customer or from the customer
for service (claims must be presented to the carrier).
5. Damage resulting from repair, adjustment, or any alteration to product by any one other than
an authorized FMA technician.
6. Installation or removal charges, or damage caused by improper installation or removal.
CALL [phone] FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICE AND WARRANTY REPAIRS.
1. ABS BRAKING - The ANTI-LOCK BRAKING option available in the VOLCANO is
designed to operate much the same way as do ABS brakes in full-size vehicles. By
eliminating brake locking, the VOLCANO will provide improved cornering and stability
especially suitable to on-road and touring vehicles.
2. OVER-TEMPERATURE SAFETY CUT-OUT - If at any time the temperature of the
VOLCANO exceeds maximum ratings, the OVER TEMPERATURE SAFETY CUTOUT
will temporarily shut off power to the motor to prevent permanent damage to the unit. If
this happens repeatedly, make certain that your vehicle’s drive train is free of binding,
that the motor pinion is meshed correctly to the spur gear and that there is nothing
restricting the rotation of the wheels. If this does not solve the problem, verify that your
motor is in good working order and that the brushes are seated properly. Finally, make
certain your motor’s current requirements do not exceed the VOLCANO’S maximum
limits. You may need to increase the number of windings or gear the motor lower.
3. PUSH-PULL PAUSE PROTECTION - In a typical ESC, jamming the throttle from full
forward to full reverse too quickly can cause damage to the motor and place excess
stress on the batteries as well as the drive train of the vehicle. By means of a built in
pause timer circuit, PUSH-PULL PAUSE PROTECTION prevents damage to the vehicle
by sensing the motion of the wheels, ensuring that the wheels cannot spin backwards
before the vehicle has stopped moving forwards. The combination of PUSH-PULL
PAUSE PROTECTION and ABS braking greatly enhances handling and control in a
racing environment.
• ACCESSORIES:
Various rapid chargers, battery conditioning systems, SANYO batteries, receivers as well as a
full line of standard and coreless servos are available for use with your FMA / RCLine
VOLCANO either direct or from your local FMA dealer.
MODEL SC300 HI FREQUENCY, REVERSIBLE,
MICROPROCESSOR CONTROLLED, SPORT
SPEED CONTROLLER
OWNER’S MANUAL
INTRODUCTION:
Thank you for purchasing the FMA Direct / RCLine VOLCANO reversible, high
performance, sport electronic speed controller (ESC). The VOLCANO is one product in
a family of quality ESC devices available from FMA, Inc. Designed from the ground up to
offer fast and efficient throttle control and standard or ABS braking, the VOLCANO is
designed around state-of-the-art, high current / low loss HYPERFETS. Capable of
turning a 12 turn motor at 30 amps continuous power, the VOLCANO is the perfect step-
up from mechanical, less reliable speed controllers. Featuring high-frequency operation
and advanced power filtering, this microprocessor controlled ESC will provide you with
smoother throttle response, better acceleration and braking in curves or on straight-
aways, longer run-times, and improved radio reception through lower noise. Packed
with extra features like EZ SETUP, which makes it a snap to interface your ESC with any
R/C system, over-temperature safety cut-out, and push-pull pause protection, the
affordably-priced VOLCANO has everything you need to stay ahead of the competition
without breaking your budget!
NOTE: PLEASE READ MANUAL COMPLETELY BEFORE OPERATION
FMA, Inc.
5716A Industry Lane
Frederick, MD 21704
Sales: [phone] -Technical: [phone]
SIZE: 1.65"L X 1.86"W X 0.83"H
WEIGHT: 2 OUNCES.
FUNCTION: FORWARD, REVERSE, BRAKE (STANDARD OR ABS), B.E.C.
INPUTS / CONNECTIONS: 4 TO 10 CELL NICAD BATTERY
1 R/C RECEIVER
OUTPUT CAPABILITIES: 1 D.C. MOTOR - 12 TO 36 TURNS
MAIN CONTROL: MICROPROCESSOR
SECONDARY CIRCUITRY: OVER TEMPERATURE SAFETY CUTOFF AND PUSH-PULL
PAUSE PROTECTION
FREQUENCY: 1 kHz
CONTINUOUS CURRENT: 116 AMP (FET RATING) - 30 AMP (TESTED 3.5 MIN.)
PEAK CURRENT: 400 AMP (FET RATING)
RDS: .007 OHM FORWARD / .016 OHM REVERSE
SPECIFICATIONS:

Figure 1 - ESC Installation
INSTALLATION
• RECEIVER / MOTOR / BATTERY CONNECTIONS
Refer to figure 1 when connecting the VOLCANO to your R/C receiver, motor, and battery
pack. Please read the following section completely making certain to follow the directions in
the proper order before applying power to the unit.
1. Plug the three wire servo type connector into the throttle output on your receiver. The
VOLCANO comes equipped with a “JR” style connector making it automatically
compatible with any standard servo configuration whereby the battery and signal
polarity is negative, plus, signal. CAUTION: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO INTERFACE
THE STANDARD CONNECTOR PROVIDED WITH THE UNIT TO AN “OLD STYLE”
AIRTRONICS RECEIVER OR DAMAGE WILL RESULT TO THE SPEED
CONTROLLER AND THE RECEIVER NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY! Should you
elect to interface the VOLCANO to an “old style” Airtronics receiver, the proper
connector shell is provided for this purpose. Follow the directions included with the
shell to replace the standard JR type connector shell with the Airtronics shell. Make
certain to maintain the proper polarity as indicated in the illustration. Remember, “old
style” Airtronics connectors are the reverse polarity of industry standard and are wired
positive, negative, signal! If you are unsure of the polarity of your receiver, contact your
local dealer or phone FMA Direct immediately at [phone] for assistance!
2. Connect the heavy, WHITE wire from the ESC to the positive (+) terminal on your motor.
Connect the BLUE wire from the ESC to the negative (-) terminal on your motor. For
your convenience, the VOLCANO comes equipped with “bullet” type connectors for this
purpose. If your motor is not equipped with the mating “bullet” socket, contact your
local hobby dealer or solder the wires directly to the terminals of the motor.
3. Care must be taken when connecting a battery to the VOLCANO. Make certain that the
ESC switch is in the off position. Connect the heavy, RED wire from the ESC to the
positive (+) terminal on your battery. Connect the heavy, BLACK wire from the ESC to
the negative (-) terminal of the battery. Your VOLCANO comes equipped with a
standard “TAMIYA” connector for this purpose. If your battery power pack is not
equipped with the mating “TAMIYA” connector, contact your local hobby dealer for
assistance. Be certain to maintain proper polarity between the battery and the
VOLCANO. Failure to do so will result in damage to the unit not covered by warranty!
4. Secure all wiring to appropriate chassis components using wire tie. Fasten the ESC
securely to the vehicle chassis using double-sided tape or the like.
EZ SETUP OF THE VOLCANO TO YOUR RADIO SYSTEM
RED WIRE BATT (+)
WHITE WIRE MOTOR (+)
BLUE WIRE MOTOR (-)
BLACK WIRE BATT (-)
• OVERVIEW
The EZ SETUP feature of your VOLCANO enables it to interface properly with your radio
equipment. Performing the following EZ SETUP steps with your specific transmitter/receiver/
ESC combination will: 1) SET NEUTRAL (no motor movement); 2) SET FULL THROTTLE
(full current will be applied to the motor); 3) SET FULL BRAKE AND FULL REVERSE (a
complete stop of the motor, followed by reverse); and 4) ACTIVATE OR DE-ACTIVATE ABS
BRAKING FEATURE. You may choose to complete any one or all four of the steps outlined
above sequentially while within EZ SETUP as many times as needed to assure proper setup of
your vehicle. Each time you enter EZ SETUP, the new configuration changes you make will
replace the current settings. You will also need to perform all EZ SETUP steps each time you
use a different receiver/transmitter combination with the VOLCANO. NOTE: EZ SETUP is
initiated by pressing the EZ SETUP button until the GREEN LED begins flashing. If the
GREEN LED stops flashing, you are no longer in EZ SETUP mode, you are in RUN mode. If
the motor responds to your throttle commands, you are no longer in EZ SETUP mode. For
each EZ SETUP step, it is important that you know what the GREEN, RED, or GREEN/RED
combinations of flashing LEDs indicate and that you respond with the proper inputs on the
transmitter. EZ SETUP progresses rapidly once it is initialized, so it is important that you read
the following descriptions of each step several times until you get the hang of it. Then it will
become second nature. An EZ SETUP QUICK REFERENCE is provided to assist you as well.
• EZ SETUP PREPARATION
1. Verify that the VOLCANO is mounted in the vehicle as illustrated in Figure 1 and
described in the previous section, RECEIVER / MOTOR / BATTERY CONNECTIONS.
2. Make certain the battery pack connected is fully charged.
3. CAUTION: Before you attempt EZ SETUP of the VOLCANO, elevate the vehicle’s
wheels above the bench so that it cannot go anywhere when the wheels spin. Although
no power is applied to the motor while EZ SETUP is commencing, it will take a little
practice before you know when you are in or out of EZ SETUP mode and you will wish to
test your settings after you complete any portion of EZ SETUP.
4. Turn on your transmitter and make certain the throttle trim is reset to neutral.
5. Turn on the ESC power switch. With battery power applied to the VOLCANO and the
transmitter on, the GREEN indicator LED should glow continuously. NOTE: If this is the
first time you have used EZ SETUP, the GREEN LED may not glow at all.
• EZ SETUP STEPS
1. SET NEUTRAL - With the transmitter throttle at neutral, press and hold the EZ SETUP
button until the GREEN LED begins flashing. Neutral is now set.
2. SET FULL THROTTLE - Make certain you are in EZ SETUP mode; i.e. the GREEN LED
is flashing. Push the throttle to full forward and hold it there for 3 seconds. The
microprocessor will memorize the full throttle position and the RED LED will glow
continuously. Note: If the RED LED does not light when you push the throttle full forward
for 3 seconds, you must set the throttle channel reverse switch on your transmitter to the
opposite position and begin this portion of EZ SETUP again. Return the throttle to neutral
and the GREEN LED will begin flashing again.
3. SET FULL BRAKE / FULL REVERSE - Make certain you are in EZ SETUP mode; i.e.
the GREEN LED is flashing. Pull the throttle back for full brake / full reverse. Both the
RED and the GREEN LED indicators will light simultaneously indicating that the full
brake / full reverse point is set. Re-position the throttle to neutral and the GREEN LED
will begin flashing again. Within 3 seconds, the RED and the GREEN LEDs will begin
flashing in turn.
4. SET ABS BRAKE - You can elect to activate the ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM while
the RED and GREEN LEDs are flashing by setting the transmitter around half throttle until
the RED LED begins flashing by itself to indicate ABS has been set. Return throttle to
neutral. After about three seconds, the RED LED will stop flashing and the GREEN LED
will light continuously. If you elect not to activate ABS braking, simply leave the throttle at
neutral while the RED and GREEN LEDs are flashing and standard braking will remain in
force.
5. EZ SETUP is complete when the GREEN LED lights continuously. You may test your
settings now. NOTE: After cruising at full speed, when you apply full brake, the vehicle
will automatically reverse after approximately three seconds of braking.
• SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE VOLCANO DESCRIBED