I don't mean to sound impatient, but I'm really disappointed that nobody from Castle has responded to my request for exchange at IRCHA. I realize it takes time to formulate these things, but the clock is ticking. At this point, any response would be welcome.

Thank you,

Scott

Originally Posted by kouasupra

Castle, you mention that the turn around for the HV120 is right away. I'm in the process of sending mine in for the recall, but there are folks on HF and RR. That had mention you guys are out of the HV120 for exchange, and that the wait would be about a month. Is there any truth to this?

BTW, would it be possible if I sent in my HV120 and trade in for the HV160 and pay the difference which I believe is around $50?

It is my understanding that all the HV series will get the same mod so the 160’s and 80’s are probably in short supply.

Has anyone found out the root cause of the failures? Looking at the recall notice that’s a little unclear?

I had to call Castle's Tech department for another reason, but while on the phone, I did ask what the approximate "turn-around" time was going to be (as they already have mine), and I was told they are waiting for parts to be manufactured for them, and that this would probably take one to two weeks (or possibly longer).

AS to the root cause, if you read the advisory notice, it seems to be one component, possibly a capacitor, (but don't quote me on this, as I am not privy to any more info than you are).

Also...for those waiting on an answer here, please read the banner at the top of the page, as it says.. "this forum is not the best way to reach them, and has a link to contact their tech support to contact them directly. Or their telephone number is... (913) 390-6939. They are not open on the weekends, but their hours are 9-5 Central time week days.

SteveT

Originally Posted by SteveTtoooo

I had to call Castle's Tech department for another reason, but while on the phone, I did ask what the approximate "turn-around" time was going to be (as they already have mine), and I was told they are waiting for parts to be manufactured for them, and that this would probably take one to two weeks (or possibly longer).

AS to the root cause, if you read the advisory notice, it seems to be one component, possibly a capacitor, (but don't quote me on this, as I am not privy to any more info than you are).

Also...for those waiting on an answer here, please read the banner at the top of the page, as it says.. "this forum is not the best way to reach them, and has a link to contact their tech support to contact them directly. Or their telephone number is... (913) 390-6939. They are not open on the weekends, but their hours are 9-5 Central time week days.

SteveT

I am aware of the banner and have written Castle in this matter since the service advisory says not to call. On another forum, Castle has asked people to not fly ICE 120HV's at all. That message does not appear here. In that same forum, after calling Castle, a person reported a 4 to 6 week turn around time for repair or replacement. My reason for asking about possible replacement at IRCHA are these:

1. I need to know what to do so I can safely fly my model.
2. Other people need to know what to do so they can safely fly their models.
3. While repair may not be possible at IRCHA, exchange may be possible.
4. If repair or exchange is not possible people may need to investigate another solution.
5. In my way of thinking, it is wise for Castle to be proactive in this matter and keep everyone informed via whatever means possible. It takes very little time to post status messages and/or acknowledge that repair or replacement at IRCHA is being investigated. It may save a few errant phone calls and E-mails as well as foster good will.

There are more reasons, and I need to ensure that everyone understands that I am in no way bashing Castle. I merely offered a suggestion and if it is not an option, I would like to know. I'm not a sponsored pilot nor do I have affiliation with anyone who could provide an answer. I am just a hobbyist who wants to fly a Furion 6 at the biggest helicopter event in the world and I want to use a Castle product to help do so.

Scott

Originally Posted by dunkonu23

3. While repair may not be possible at IRCHA, exchange may be possible.
4. If repair or exchange is not possible people may need to investigate another solution.

Notice the quote in post #10 of this thread back on page #1. They are doing exchanges so the typical person will get returned a used controller that someone else sent in and you'll have to solder your connectors on and re-program it to your settings.

They are "hopeful" to get the new parts sometime this week so assume you're going to IRCHA without the fix in place.

Originally Posted by dunkonu23

I am aware of the banner and have written Castle in this matter since the service advisory says not to call. On another forum, Castle has asked people to not fly ICE 120HV's at all. That message does not appear here. In that same forum, after calling Castle, a person reported a 4 to 6 week turn around time for repair or replacement. My reason for asking about possible replacement at IRCHA are these:

1. I need to know what to do so I can safely fly my model.
2. Other people need to know what to do so they can safely fly their models.
3. While repair may not be possible at IRCHA, exchange may be possible.
4. If repair or exchange is not possible people may need to investigate another solution.
5. In my way of thinking, it is wise for Castle to be proactive in this matter and keep everyone informed via whatever means possible. It takes very little time to post status messages and/or acknowledge that repair or replacement at IRCHA is being investigated. It may save a few errant phone calls and E-mails as well as foster good will.

There are more reasons, and I need to ensure that everyone understands that I am in no way bashing Castle. I merely offered a suggestion and if it is not an option, I would like to know. I'm not a sponsored pilot nor do I have affiliation with anyone who could provide an answer. I am just a hobbyist who wants to fly a Furion 6 at the biggest helicopter event in the world and I want to use a Castle product to help do so.

Scott

Scott, I have asked if we could have some 120 HV's to use for exchange at IRCHA. At this point I am being told it all depends on if the are available before IRCHA.

Clint,

You da man! That's what I need. Thank you so much!!

Scott

Originally Posted by Clintstone

Scott, I have asked if we could have some 120 HV's to use for exchange at IRCHA. At this point I am being told it all depends on if the are available before IRCHA.

Have they actually started shipping replacement ESC’s or are they waiting on parts?

Also I need another 120 ESC when can I expect to see them in stores?

I would really like Castle to take all the time they need and test their ESCs thoroughly this time. Telling us they found that the performance specifications of some electronic components in their ESCs might have changed between production runs is really disturbing, as this indicates insufficient to no testing went into these controllers between production runs.

Last year it was a "bad batch of glue form Henkel". This year is a bad batch of electronics from supplier X. What is it going to be next year???

From http://www.castlecreations.com/suppo...xicehv120.html:

"Castle engineers have determined that the performance specifications of certain electronic components used in the Phoenix Ice HV 120 ESCs may have changed between production runs. ESCs built using the out-of-specification components are more susceptible to failure when used with some combinations of motor and battery; and then only in certain applications. Fewer than 3% of the Phoenix Ice HV 120s produced to date have been returned for service of any kind."

Well.... for myself, I "don't" want "another" ESC. I want MINE back as mine was basically brand new, with only 3-4 flights on it. Also, As per a conversation with a lady at Castle by the name of "Kate", I had already sent my ESC in BEFORE the notice was posted not to send the ESC in with connectors on it. and I sent mine in as the complete set-up with my BEC soldered into bullet connectors with the leads from the ESC. Personally, I would rather wait a bit longer for them to repair mine, than get another one back that has more time on it.

SteveT

Originally Posted by Clintstone

Scott, I have asked if we could have some 120 HV's to use for exchange at IRCHA. At this point I am being told it all depends on if the are available before IRCHA.

Interesting statement, an I'm not saying this in a mean way but I think this could be taken that Castle is not even sure is there will even be replacements available by Aug 10th?

At any rate, with all due respect to everyone and yes everyone should get their replacements and I wish you all had them now but...

I have a $2,500 700e that is 99% completed and sitting on a bench that I have been working on an getting to that point for several months that I can't fly as it came with a HV120 that I sent in last week with in one or two days of the recall instructions. So with this whole thing I hope Castle is doing the proper thing of logging the order of which these have been received and doing a first come first serve with the replacements so that I and anyone else who has done this should be in the cue for a shipment of the new ones pretty far up.

So I just hope it can be understood that if there are only a certain number of these received and built by Castle at that point (which it sounds like they might be) that they really should go out that way and to think that people like me who have gone through the trouble of being johnny on the spot with this situation and as well have done the work and cost of the shipping their ESC's back, who as well are going to be waiting many weeks with a non-flying model as a result, that we should get them as soon as the first come first serve thing works and to think that Castle is going to take a bunch of these instead and bring them to some show so that those who are already going to be there anyway can just zip theirs off their model the day before and just get one as they happen to be already be there, all before others who have shipped theirs in get them, that this just isn't fair.

This show is weeks away, so if you want one, be fair and send yours in like the rest of us and wait in the line that all the rest of us who are not going to some show have to do.

...its only fair.

Originally Posted by SteveTtoooo

Well.... for myself, I "don't" want "another" ESC. I want MINE back as mine was basically brand new, with only 3-4 flights on it. Also, As per a conversation with a lady at Castle by the name of "Kate", I had already sent my ESC in BEFORE the notice was posted not to send the ESC in with connectors on it. and I sent mine in as the complete set-up with my BEC soldered into bullet connectors with the leads from the ESC. Personally, I would rather wait a bit longer for them to repair mine, than get another one back that has more time on it.

SteveT

Credit for being johnny on the spot SteveT, but as I'm sure you have read in the notice so you already know that this is at least what they are saying. The sent ESC's are not the ones they are sending back, so if you sent them with anything, including even any connectors, you are not going to get them back.

Hope this isn't what happens for you but as you probably already know, that is how it has been written in the notice.

So did you speak to this person Kate and explain what you did, and if so, what did she say?

Originally Posted by WBFAir

Credit for being johnny on the spot SteveT, but as I'm sure you have read in the notice so you already know that this is at least what they are saying. The sent ESC's are not the ones they are sending back, so if you sent them with anything, including even any connectors, you are not going to get them back.

Hope this isn't what happens for you but as you probably already know, that is how it has been written in the notice.

So did you speak to this person Kate and explain what you did, and if so, what did she say?

Well... Kate is not in today (at least this is what I was told), Lee, was not available (again, what I was told), I was told by the operator I would have to speak to somebody in the repair department, and I asked to speak to somebody "in charge" of the repair department, and the operator put me on hold, then came back and told me I would have to speak to a lady named "Jenny", but she was out to lunch, and had been for about 1.5 hours, so she should be back any time. So, I'm going to wait about a 1/2 hour and try calling her.

What ticks me off about this whole thing is #1....having to send my ESC in, in the first place (As I have also had to send in four ICE 100's due to failure of the adhesive holding the heat sinks together, and four BEC Pro's, due to possibility of components falling off in flight), #2, that they didn't put all the info in the first post, or that when I talked to Kate, she did not tell me it was going to be an "exchange" and therefore to send in only the bare ESC. However, again, unless they are sending me a "new" ESC, I want mine repaired as it was essentially new.

As to order of repair/exchange, I have to agree, it "should" be "first come/first served", and believe me, I bet mine was "one of" if not "the first" to be sent back for repair, as I called and talked to Kate, then pulled the "offending" ESC from my plane, and mailed it (by USPS Priority mail) with-in a couple of hours of getting the advisory...

I really like Castle products, but this is getting a bit ridiculous that every time I purchase a new product of theirs, I have to send it back due to a recall!!

SteveT

Originally Posted by SteveTtoooo

Well... Kate is not in today (at least this is what I was told), Lee, was not available (again, what I was told), I was told by the operator I would have to speak to somebody in the repair department, and I asked to speak to somebody "in charge" of the repair department, and the operator put me on hold, then came back and told me I would have to speak to a lady named "Jenny", but she was out to lunch, and had been for about 1.5 hours, so she should be back any time. So, I'm going to wait about a 1/2 hour and try calling her.

What ticks me off about this whole thing is #1....having to send my ESC in, in the first place (As I have also had to send in four ICE 100's due to failure of the adhesive holding the heat sinks together, and four BEC Pro's, due to possibility of components falling off in flight), #2, that they didn't put all the info in the first post, or that when I talked to Kate, she did not tell me it was going to be an "exchange" and therefore to send in only the bare ESC. However, again, unless they are sending me a "new" ESC, I want mine repaired as it was essentially new.

As to order of repair/exchange, I have to agree, it "should" be "first come/first served", and believe me, I bet mine was "one of" if not "the first" to be sent back for repair, as I called and talked to Kate, then pulled the "offending" ESC from my plane, and mailed it (by USPS Priority mail) with-in a couple of hours of getting the advisory...

Well I hope it all works out for you

Originally Posted by SteveTtoooo

I really like Castle products, but this is getting a bit ridiculous that every time I purchase a new product of theirs, I have to send it back due to a recall!!

SteveT

Yeah not much fun...all most as bad as owning a Horizon Hobby product.

But at least we aren't taking the thank you sir may I have another attitude to it.

I can appreciate the first come, first served thing. In so doing, I have purchased another ESC from another manufacturer to use from now until I get my ESC replaced by Castle via Steve and Tony at ExperienceRC, if possible. This means that unless the non-German ESC I purchased fails, I will just wait. How's that for fair? I didn't think this would come down to an issue of what's fair and what's not fair, though. I merely made the suggestion. In fact, I sincerely doubt replacement ESC's will be ready by IRCHA. But if they are available and my helicopter is working with the non-German replacement I bought, I'll gladly step aside. Please understand that I was in no way trying to circumvent the process.

I can appreciate the frustration of not being able to fly a 2k plus model. I'm in for about 3k on my Furion 6. I can't fly it, either. In fact, in the six months I've had it, I've had nothing but tuning issues. Clint was great to help out at Toledo with a very basic, yet troubling problem that dealt with wrong data being published by the motor manufacturer. Then there were other problems. One by one they were solved and then this. So, yeah, I'm frustrated, too.

That said, the minute that ExperienceRC gets the newer ESC's in, I'm in for it. I want to fly a Castle ESC in my Furion 6 and I damn sure will.

Note that I have no affiliation with Castle other that of a loyal customer who appreciates what they do for the hobby and... I have Castle ESC's in four of my other helicopters.

Scott