SIDEWINDER 4 SENSORLESS ESC BASHER EDITION W / 1406-4600 SENSOR READY MOTOR

1. What is the difference between the Sidewinder 4 and the Copperhead 10?
The Sidewinder 4 uses a fixed 5v 2A peak BEC whereas the CH10 has a 5.5v or 7.5v adjustable 6A peak BEC. The Sidewinder 4 is capable of 2-3S LiPo while the CH10 is capable of 2S-4S LiPo. The CH10 has data logging capability and is able to run sensorless, sensored and brushed. The Sidewinder 4 is sensorless and brushed only.

2. What do the flashing LEDs mean?

The LEDs can have different meanings depending on what you are doing.

If you are not calibrating and have no throttle input then:

• Flashing Green OR Red = Speed control has not been calibrated and is not armed; or throttle sub-trim is not at 0.
• Solid Green OR Red = should not happen when at neutral, indicates full throttle/reverse
• Yellow LED flashing - Indicates the ESC at neutral. Motor type set to Sensored only brushless mode with CHEAT mode disabled; ESC is armed and ready to drive.
• Yellow LED is solid – Indicates the ESC at neutral. Motor motor type set to Smart Sense Brushless or Sensored only brushless mode with CHEAT mode enabled; ESC is armed and ready to drive.
• Flashing green, red and yellow while beeping = speed control is not receiving a valid signal from the receiver, usually indicates the receiver wire is plugged in backwards into the receiver; possible problem with controller or with throttle channel on receiver

If you are applying throttle or reverse when NOT calibrating:

• Flashing Green OR Red = indicates partial throttle (green) or reverse (red)
• Solid Green OR Red = indicates full throttle (green) or reverse (red)
• Flashing green, red and yellow while beeping = speed control is not receiving a valid signal from the receiver, usually indicates the receiver wire is plugged in backwards into the receiver; possible problem with controller or with throttle channel on receiver
• Solid or Flashing Yellow - ESC is seeing a neutral signal. If it does not change then you are either plugged into the wrong channel on the receiver or there is a problem with your radio.

If you are applying throttle or reverse WHEN calibrating:

• Flashing Red and Yellow = should not happen when calibrating
• Flashing Green and Yellow = should not happen when calibrating. Battery voltage mat be below cut-off voltage.
• Flashing Green OR Red while beeping = indicates speed control is looking for full throttle (green) or full reverse (red). If it continues for more than ~ 8 seconds, indicates speed control is seeing partial throttle (green) or reverse (red), increase endpoints on transmitter so speed control sees full throttle/reverse.
• Solid Green OR Red = indicates full throttle (green) or reverse (red) has been read
• Solid or Flashing Yellow - ESC is seeing a neutral signal. If it does not change then you are either plugged into the wrong channel on the receiver or there is a problem with your radio.

Flashing green, red and yellow while beeping = speed control is not receiving a valid signal from the receiver. Usually indicates the receiver wire is plugged in backwards into the receiver; also happens when speed control has accepted a calibration setting (throttle, reverse or neutral) and flashes/chimes 4 times before moving to next calibration point; or problem with throttle channel on receiver.

3. I’d like to make sure I’m getting everything I can out of my Sidewinder 4 system. What are the best batteries to use?

OUR MINIMUM BATTERY RATING FOR ALL 1/10th AND 1/8th APPLICATIONS IS 5000mah AND 30C CONTINUOUS DISCHARGE. Feel free to give us a call if you'd like to know if your particular pack is going to handle the discharge currents these systems are capable of producing. Please keep in mind there are numerous brands on the market and we simply cannot know them all...our tech guys are good, but aren't that good.

4. I’ve calibrated, but the car goes backwards with forward throttle.

Make sure the green LED is showing when you give forward throttle. If it is, then just swap any two of the ESC to motor wires to reverse the rotation direction of the motor (see note below for sensored operation). You may also reverse the direction of the motor using the Castle Link software. If the ESC shows the red LED with forward throttle, you will need to reverse your throttle channel on your transmitter (via a micro switch, or within the programming of the radio) and recalibrate.
 

5. My battery pack is plugged into the ESC, and nothing is working - no steering, and no throttle.

Make sure the ESC is plugged into channel 2/throttle on the receiver, and that it's plugged in with the correct orientation. Double check your solder connections on the battery plug. Generally if you have no steering with everything plugged in correctly, then your receiver is either not getting power or not getting a signal from your transmitter.

6. My ESC calibrates for the full throttle and full brake positions, but won't calibrate to the neutral throttle position (yellow LED keeps flashing and ESC is beeping).

The ESC should flash the yellow LED when it is armed; this indicates the ESC is logging data. If it is flashing yellow AND beeping, try moving the throttle trim one way, then the other (usually towards the throttle side is best). If your transmitter has a 50/50 and 70/30 setting for the throttle, set it for 50/50 and retry calibration.

7. My ESC may or may not arm, but it will not calibrate to my transmitter.

Most calibration issues can be solved by settings on the transmitter. Make sure you have both your throttle and reverse endpoints (called EPA, ATV, or Travel on your radio) on the throttle channel out to 100 to 120%. If you have a Spektrum transmitter and have an “E” and “F” slider switch near your thumb, adjust the throttle dual rate slider out to the maximum value as well; some also have a "Throttle Limit" switch, make sure it is set to 100. If you have a "Brake Rate" setting, make sure it is turned full Clockwise. If you have a Futaba, Tactic or FlySky transmitter, set the throttle channel to the reversed position.

8. I’m setting up a new car. How do I know which speed controller/motor to buy?

That’s what our expert technical support staff is for. Give them a call at 913-390-6939 or send them a message. They’ll be more than happy to assist you in deciding on a product.

9. Is my Sidewinder 4 speed controller waterproof?

Yes! Although the Sidewinder 4 ESC and Castle brushless motors are waterproof, they are not intended for operation while completely submerged in liquid. They are designed to handle normal wet conditions like driving through puddles, wet grass and snow; they are not designed to be submerged like a submarine. The ESC can corrode when exposed to corrosive materials, such as salt water. Always rinse the ESC and motor with clean water after exposure to corrosives or dirt. While the motor and controller may be waterproof, we suggest users confirm that the rest of their vehicle, including the batteries, servos, radio and chassis are also waterproof before exposing them to liquids of any kind.
The fan must also be removed when exposed to wet conditions as it is not waterproof.

10. What is the motor turn count limit on my Sidewinder 4 ESC?

With brushed you can use 15T brushed with reverse, 9T with forward only, and with brushless the limit is the equivalent kv, motor size, and voltage as the Castle combos.

11. My fan has stopped working on my Sidewinder 4. What can I do?

A replacement fan for the Sidewinder 4 is available for purchase on the website. The part number is 011-0140-00. Available here.

12. What brushless motors can I use my Sidewinder 4 with?

You can use the Sidewinder 4 in a variety of situations and with a variety of motors. They will handle any of our CM36 2 pole motors (4600, 5700, 6900, 7700, 9000), 1406 4 pole motors (4600, 5700, 6900, 7700), 1410-3800, and 1415-2400. Our ESCs will also drive ANY manufacturer’s sensorless motor provided the kv, size of the motor can, and application are all at or below the recommendations for the equivalent Castle motor. If you have questions about using another manufacturer’s motor with your Castle ESC please give our technical support department a call at 913-390-6939 or send them a message. They’ll be more than happy to assist you.

13. I broke my Sidewinder 4, and it was my fault. Am I stuck with a dead controller?

No, all Castle speed controllers have a core value. You can visit our Repair Center for details on how to send in your ESC for non-warranty replacement. Or you can contact our repair department regarding details. 913-390-6939, or send them a message.

14. When I plug in my Sidewinder 4 into my Castle Link it doesn’t connect. What’s up?

First, make sure that on your Castle Link screen in the lower left hand corner you have a green USB connection status. If you do, the next step is to plug the ESC into the Castle Link. On the Castle Link circuit board just behind the three pins there are marks for positive (+), negative (-), and signal (?). The orange signal wire goes where the ? pin is, the red goes where the “+” is, and the brown wire goes where the “-“ is. If you have disabled the red (+) wire going to the receiver you will need to plug in a battery pack to power the ESC. Anything above 2s LiPo will do. Plug the ESC in first, then the battery pack. The ESC should then connect. It will not work in the other order (battery first, then ESC to computer) so be sure to connect in the proper order.

15. When I plug in my Castle Link I do not get a green USB connection status, thus making it impossible for me to connect my Sidewinder 4 to my computer. How do I fix this?
Please refer to the Castle Link FAQ section on loading the driver software onto your computer. This will solve your USB connection status issue, and get you connected to the computer.

16. I’m getting an error whenever I try to update settings or update the firmware on my speed controller. What is wrong?

There may be an issue with the processor on the speed controller. Try un-installing the Castle Link firmware on your computer or another computer, try downgrading to a different version of firmware, try unplugging the Castle Link chip from the end of the USB cable and plugging it back in, and see if any of these resolve the issue for you. If you are still having issues please contact Castle Creations tech support at 913-390-6939 or send them a message.

17. What Auto-LiPo Volts/cell cutoff should I be using with my Sidewinder 4?

You should use whatever your battery manufacturer’s recommendations are. Your speed controller came with a factory cutoff of 3.2v/cell. If you need to adjust this you can use a Castle Link, Field Link or B-Link to program the speed controller for anything from 3.0v to 3.5v per cell.

18. Considering buying a system? Have one and are considering dropping it in a vehicle, but don’t know whether it will work with your vehicle?

Please contact Castle Creations tech support at 913-390-6939 or send them a message and they will be happy to assist you in finding the appropriate product for your vehicle.

19. Can I change the BEC output voltage on my Sidewinder 4?

The BEC is fixed at 5v output on the Sidewinder 4 ESC.

20. My speed controller beeps approximately every 10 seconds. What is that?

That is a feature we added called the “Power On Warning Beep”. It lets you know that your battery pack is still plugged in whenever the speed controller is seeing zero throttle or no throttle from the transmitter at all. This is a safety feature implemented due to the advent of LiPo technology. You can disable it if you would like using the Castle Link USB programmer or B-Link Bluetooth adapter, but it is recommended that it be kept enabled.

21. Is there a special color sequence I should plug the motor wires into the Sidewinder 4?

There is no polarity with a sensorless brushless motor. This means the color coding does not matter at all. Simply plug the wires into the speed controller. If it runs the motor the wrong direction simply swap any two wires between the motor and ESC or plug the ESC into your Castle Link and reverse the rotation of the motor using the software.

22. Will cutting the switch off my Sidewinder 4 ESC void my warranty?

No, it will not void the warranty as long as you only cut off the switch, solder the wires together, and cover them with shrink tubing on the outside the controller. Opening the controller and bridging the connection on the circuit board WILL void your warranty. ANY soldering on the speed controller will immediately void the warranty, no exceptions.

23. What is the maximum voltage for the Sidewinder 4 ESC?

The maximum input voltage is 12.6v (3s LiPo). NiMH use is not recommended except in very specific applications (such as when a Castle product is powering another manufacturer’s vehicle as these applications have been thoroughly tested). Nearly every other application will draw too much current and can cause speed controller failure using NiMH cells.

24. Can I use a Sidewinder 4 for No Prep drag racing?

A Sidewinder 4 does not have the current handling capability that is required for drag racing. We HIGHLY recommend you use a Mamba X ESC for any motor 5T and higher (5.5T, 6.5T, etc), and a Monster X for anything lower than a 5T (4.5T, 3.5T, etc).

25. Why does my ESC not beep and show a solid red when trying to calibrate with a Spektrum SR6100AT receiver?

We have found that Spektrum has added a safety feature that interferes with our normal calibration and manual programming process. Our ESCs require you to power up the ESC at full throttle; the Spektrum SR6100AT receiver will not boot up properly until the throttle trigger is at neutral.

The solution we have found is to power up the ESC at neutral, wait for the receiver LED to turn solid amber, then apply full throttle; this allows the receiver to boot up properly.
WARNING: REMOVE Pinion gear or disengage motor from spur gear! You must apply full throttle BEFORE the ESC arms (double chime after LiPo cell count), but AFTER the receiver boots up and goes solid yellow. If the ESC arms and then you apply throttle the motor will run! We have found that waiting until the Auto LiPo feature counts the 3rd cell the receiver is operational and full throttle can be applied