FIRMA SPMXSE Series 40A Brushed Smart ESC User Manual

FIRMA SPMXSE Series 40A Brushed Smart ESC

Spektrum Firma 40A Brushed Smart ESC Spektrum Firma 60A Brushed Smart ESC
Spektrum Firma 40A Brushed Smart Regler Spektrum Firma 60A Brushed Smart Regler
Spektrum Firma 40A Contrôleur à balais Smart Spektrum Firma 60A Contrôleur à balais Smart
Spektrum Firma 40A Smart Brushed ESC Spektrum Firma 60A Smart Brushed ESC

Scan the QR code and select the Manuals and Support quick links from the product page for the most up-to-date manual information.

NOTICE
All instructions, warranties and other collateral documents are subject to change at the sole discretion of Horizon Hobby, LLC. For up-to-date product literature, visit horizonhobby.com or towerhobbies.com and click on the support or resources tab for this product.

MEANING OF SPECIAL LANGUAGE
The following terms are used throughout the product literature to indicate various levels of potential harm when operating this product:
WARNING: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of property damage, collateral damage, and serious injury OR create a high probability of superficial injury.
CAUTION: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of physical property damage AND a possibility of serious injury.
NOTICE: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create a possibility of physical property damage AND a little or no possibility of injury.

WARNING: Read the ENTIRE instruction manual to become familiar with the features of the product before operating. Failure to operate the product correctly can result in damage to the product, personal property and cause serious injury.
This is a sophisticated hobby product. It must be operated with caution and common sense and requires some basic mechanical ability. Failure to operate this Product in a safe and responsible manner could result in injury or damage to the product or other property. This product is not intended for use by children without direct adult supervision. Do not attempt disassembly, use with incompatible components or augment product in any  way without the approval of Horizon Hobby, LLC. This manual contains instructions for safety, operation and maintenance. It is essential to read and follow all the instructions and warnings in the manual, prior to assembly, setup or use, in order to operate correctly and avoid damage or serious injury.
Age Recommendation: Not for children under 14 years. This is not a toy.
NOTICE: This product is only intended for use with unmanned, hobby-grade, remote-controlled vehicles and aircraft. Horizon Hobby disclaims all liability outside of the intended purpose and will not provide warranty service related thereto.

Waterproof Component
Your new Spektrum® 40A or 60A Brushed Waterproof ESC has been designed and built to allow you to operate the product in many “wet conditions,” including puddles, creeks, wet grass, snow and even rain.
While waterproof, this component has not been designed to be immersed in water for long periods of time and should NOT be treated like a submarine. In addition, most metal parts, including any screws and nuts, as well as the contacts in the electrical cables, will be susceptible to corrosion if additional maintenance is not performed after running in wet conditions.
To maximize the long-term performance of your ESC and to keep the warranty intact, it should only be used as described in the “Usage Conditions” section of this manual. Additionally, the procedures described in the “Wet Conditions Maintenance” section must be performed regularly if you choose to run in wet conditions. If you are not willing to perform the additional care and maintenance required, then you should not operate your vehicle in those conditions.

CAUTION: Failure to exercise caution while using this product and comply with the following precautions could result in product malfunction and/or void the warranty.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

• Read through the wet conditions maintenance procedures and make sure that you have all the tools you will need to properly maintain your ESC.
• Do not operate your ESC where it could come in contact
  with salt water (ocean water or water on salt-covered roads), contaminated or polluted water. Salt water is very conductive and highly corrosive, so use caution.

USAGE CONDITIONS
Your ESC will operate successfully in any of the following, individual-usage scenarios:

• 2 hours continuous operation in damp grass or vegetation.
• 2 hours continuous operation in heavy fog (95% humidity, saturated air, condensing water).
• 1 hour continuous operation in light rain (<0.10 in/2.5mm per hour).
• 15 minutes continuous operation in heavy rain (>0.30 in/7.6mm per hour).
• 1 hour continuous operation in light sleet (<0.10 in/2.5mm per hour).
• 1 hour continuous operation in light snow (<0.25 in/6.35mm per hour).
• 45 minutes continuous operation in standing or running fresh water (the water level should always remain below the vehicle frame), or constant splashing water, without any immersion of waterproof component(s).
• 5 minutes continuous operation in standing or running fresh water (the water level should never rise higher than 0.5 in (about 10mm) above the vehicle frame), constant splashing water, or frequent, intermittent immersion of waterproof component(s).
• 1 hour continuous operation in damp sand, dirt, mud or snow (the material level should always be below the vehicle frame), constant splatter without any immersion or coverage of water-proof component(s).

Furthermore, when appropriate maintenance procedures (as described below) are performed promptly following exposure, the ESC will remain best protected from corrosion or other long-term, water-related damage.
WET CONDITIONS MAINTENANCE

• Gently rinse the mud and dirt off the ESC with a garden hose.
• Remove the battery pack(s) and dry the contacts.
• If you have an air compressor or a can of compressed air available, blow off the ESC to help remove any water that may have gotten into small crevices or corners. Dry any water that may be inside a recessed connector housing.
• Let the ESC air dry before you store it. Water may continue to seep or evaporate out of tight areas for a few hours. NOTICE: This ESC is waterproofed for use in wet conditions. Make sure the other components in your vehicle are waterproof or water-resistant before driving in wet conditions.

System Specifications

• Type : Brushed
• Constant/Peak : 40A/160A | 60A/180A
• Function : Forward/Reverse; Forward/Brake/Reverse, Forward/Brake (Can be programmed via the Spektrum ESC Programmer Box or through the push button on the switch)
• Programming Port : Optional Programming Box
• Auxiliary Power Outputs : (2) Standard Female Servo Connectors for Lights, etc @ 6V/7.4V (Power Sup-plied by BEC)
• Vehicle Type : 1/10 On-Road, Off-Road, Scaler, Crawler
• Optional Features : Can be programmed via the Spektrum ESC Programmer Box or through the push button on the switch
• Battery Type/Input  Voltage : 2–3 Cell Li-Po/Li-Fe; 5–9 Cell Ni-MH/Ni-Cd
• Recommended  Motor Type : 540-/550-Size Motors
• Compatible Motors (Based on Battery  Voltage) : Below 8.4V; Down to 12T; Below 12.6V; Down to 35T
• BEC Output :  6V/7.4V – 4A (Shared Between Receiver and Auxiliary Light Outputs)
• Dimensions : 36mm x 30mm x 18.2mm (w/o tabs)
• Weight :  40A: 1.69 oz/48g | 60A: 1.76 oz/50g
• Battery Connector :  IC3™ Connector (EC3™ compatible)
• Motor Connector :  4mm Female Motor Bullets

Wiring Diagram

NOTICE: Always disconnect the battery from the ESC when you have finished operating your vehicle. If you leave the battery connected with the power switch in the OFF position, the ESC will continue to draw current when connected to the battery, resulting in possible damage to the battery through over-discharge.
NOTICE: Do not connect a dedicated receiver battery to the servo or programming ports. When the ESC/Receiver is turned On it will provide the servo ports with 6V regulated power from the main battery. If a dedicated receiver battery is connected to the servo ports, the ESC/receiver may be damaged.

Installation

1. Determine how to mount the ESC as specified by your vehicle’s instruction manual, or in an area with adequate airflow and protection from damage. Ensure all wiring connections can be reached prior to mounting.
2. Use double-sided foam tape or the mounting tabs with screws on the bottom of the case to secure the ESC in position. The switch can be mounted with double sided foam tape.
3. Connect the red power connectors together and the black power connectors together between the ESC and the motor.
4. If you need to reverse the motor direction you can reverse the power connections between the motor and ESC.

ESC and Transmitter Calibration

When using a new ESC it is important to calibrate it so the ESC matches the throttle range on your transmitter. If you install a new radio system, or make changes to the throttle/brake values in your transmitter, you must redo the ESC Calibration Process. Failure to calibrate the ESC to your radio system will result in the ESC not working correctly. Set the Fail Safe on your radio to a neutral position to ensure the motor stops in the event of a signal loss.

1. Power ON the transmitter, and begin with throttle values at 100% for dual rates and travel and at neutral for trim and sub-trim.
   Verify there are no ABS braking functions activated before proceeding with calibration.
   For transmitters without an LCD, turn the D/R knob to the max setting, and center the throttle trim.

2. Connect a battery to the ESC.

3. Press and hold the programming button on the switch case, power on the ESC.
   The red LED on the ESC will flash, and the motor will beep. Release the programming button.
   The ESC will enter the programming mode if the programming button is not released within 3 seconds.

4. With the throttle trigger and trim in the neutral position, press and release the programming button. The red LED will flash once, and the motor will emit 1 tone.

5. Pull the throttle trigger to full throttle. Press and release the programming button. The red LED will flash twice, and the motor will emit 2 tones.

6. Push the throttle trigger to full reverse. Press and release the programming button. The red LED will flash 3 times, and the motor will emit 3 tones.

7. Power OFF the system with the ON/OFF switch.

8. Power ON the system with the ON/OFF switch. The system is ready for operation
   TIP: Beeps from the motor may be quiet and difficult to hear, use the LED status to help verify settings.

Operation

1. Power on the transmitter.
2. Power on the receiver.
3.  Disconnect the battery from the ESC after operation.

ESC Programming via Switch Push Button

1. Power ON your transmitter. Connect a battery to the ESC and power it ON.
   NOTICE: The transmitter and receiver must be connected.

2. Press and hold the programming button for 1 second. OPTIONAL: Press and hold the programming button for 5 seconds to reset all ESC programming options.

3. Release the programming button. The red LED will blink to indicate it has entered programming mode

4. The red LED blinks (and the motor beeps) to indicate the pro-gramming item. Press the programming button for 1 second in order to toggle through the programmable items.

   • 1 red LED blink for item one, 2 red LED blinks for item 2, etc.
   • Items 5 and above: 1 long LED blink for item 5, 1 long LED blink and 1 short LED blink for item 6, etc.
   • Items 10 and above: 2 long LED blinks for item 10, 2 long LED blinks and 1 short LED blink for item 11, etc.

5.  Press and hold the programing button for 3 seconds when you want to enter a programming item.

6. The LED blinks to indicate the programming value within the item selection.

7. Press and hold the programming button for 3 seconds when you want to select a programming value.

8. Power off the ESC.

9. Begin the process again to change any other programming values. One long LED blink and one long beep will indicate when the ESC is ready to run.

Programming the ESC via the Spektrum ESC Program Box

1. Begin with no battery connected.

2.  Connect the cable for the programming box into the programming port as shown.

3. Connect a battery and power ON the ESC.
   OPTIONAL: The ESC settings can be reset to default by pressing “Reset” and then “OK” buttons.

4. Press Select button on the program box once.

5. Select the programming choices. Press SAVE after any changes are made.

6. Power off the ESC.

7. Disconnect the cable for the programming box.

SPMXSE40/SPMXSE60 Programmable Features

1. Running Mode
2. Lipo Battery
3. Cutoff Voltage
4. Initial Start Force (%)
5. Max Forward Force (%)
6. Max Reverse Force (%)
7. Max Brake Force (%)
8. Initial Brake Force (%)
9. Drag Brake (%)
10. Drag Brake Rate (Level)
11. Neutral Range (%)
12. Start Mode / Punch (Level)
13. PWM Frequency
14. BEC Voltage

SPMXSE40/SPMXSE60 Programmable Values

| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| 8| 9
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
1| Fwd/Brk| Fwd/Rev/Brk| Fwd/Rev| | | | | |
2| ON| OFF| | | | | | |
3| Disabled| Auto (Low)| Auto (Med)

4

| Auto (High)| | | | |
4| 0| 2| 6| 8| 10| 12| 14| 16
5| 25| 50| 75| 100| | | | |
6| 25| 50| 75| 100| | | | |
7| 0| 12.5| 25| 37.5| 50| 62.5| 75| 87.5| 100
8| 0

0

| 6.25| 12.50| 18.75| 25| 31.25| 37.50| 43.75| 50
9| 5| 10| 50| 60| 70| 80| 90| 100
10| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| 8| 9
11| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7

5

| 8| 9| 10| 12
12| 1| 2| 3| 4| 6| 7| 8| 9
13| 1K| 2K| 4K| 8K| 16K| | | |
14| 6.0V| 7.4V| | | | | | |

Blacked out cells with white text represent the default settings.

LED Indicator and Motor Sounds

Upon powering on the ESC, the LED will blink and the motor will emit a series of beeps to indicate its status.
First it will display the battery mode selection, second the drag brake setting, and then it will indicate it is ready to operate.

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem          Possible Cause          Solution

ESC ON – No

motor function, audible tone or LED

| Battery/connection issue| Recharge/replace battery. Secure all connections
Damaged ESC/ switch| Repair/replace ESC switch/ESC
Damaged motor| Repair/replace

Motor – Stops and LED blinks

| Low voltage protection| When the ESC LED blinks, recharge/ replace battery

Overheat protection

| When the LED blinks, let motor/ESC cool, change set up or gearing to avoid overheating

Motor – Acceler- ates irregularly

| Battery issue| Repair damaged wir- ing/replace battery
Incorrect gearing| Adjust/replace gearing
Worn or dam- aged motor| Repair/replace motor
Motor – Does not turn continuously in response to throttle|

ESC/motor damaged

|

Repair/replace wiring or motor/ESC

Motor – Slows but will not stop

|

Incorrect transmitter/ESC calibration

| Adjust throttle travel/ other throttle settings on the transmitter/ ESC. Repeat the ESC Calibration Procedure
Problem          Possible Cause          Solution

Steering Servo – Operates; motor does not run

|

Damaged motor

| Test the motor apart from the vehicle system, repair/replace motor as needed

Incorrect transmitter/ESC calibration

| Adjust throttle travel/ other throttle settings on the transmitter/ ESC. Repeat the ESC Calibration Procedure

Steering/Motor – Do not function

| Low battery voltage| Recharge/replace

Wrong model memory selected on transmitter

| Select correct model settings on your transmitter, refer to transmitter and/or receiver manual
Receiver not bound to transmitter| Bind transmitter to receiver, refer to transmitter and/or receiver manual

Vehicle – Does not operate at full speed

| Battery issue| Recharge/replace

Incorrect transmitter/ESC calibration

| Adjust throttle travel/ other throttle settings on the transmitter/ ESC. Repeat the ESC Calibration Procedure

1-Year Limited Warranty

What this Warranty Covers – Horizon Hobby, LLC, (Horizon) warrants to the original purchaser that the product purchased (the “Product”) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.

What is Not Covered – This warranty is not transferable and does not cover (i) cosmetic damage, (ii) damage due to acts of God, accident, misuse, abuse, negligence, commercial use, or due to improper use, installation, operation or maintenance, (iii) modification of or to any part of the Product, (iv) attempted service by anyone other than a Horizon Hobby authorized service center, (v) Product not purchased from an authorized Horizon dealer, (vi) Product not compliant with applicable technical regulations, or (vii) use that violates any applicable laws, rules, or regulations. OTHER THAN THE EXPRESS WARRANTY ABOVE, HORIZON MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, AND HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE PURCHASER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THEY ALONE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE PRODUCT WILL SUITABLY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PURCHASER’S INTENDED USE.

Purchaser’s Remedy – Horizon’s sole obligation and purchaser’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be that Horizon will, at its option, either (i) service, or (ii) replace, any Product determined by Horizon to be defective. Horizon reserves the right to inspect any and all Product(s) involved in a warranty claim. Service or replacement decisions are at the sole discretion of Horizon. Proof of purchase is required for all warranty claims. SERVICE OR REPLACEMENT AS PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY IS THE PURCHASER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY.

Limitation of Liability – HORIZON SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSS OF PROFITS OR PRODUCTION OR COMMERCIAL LOSS IN ANY WAY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH CLAIM IS BASED IN CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, EVEN IF HORIZON HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Further, in no event shall the liability of Horizon exceed the individual price of the Product on which liability is asserted. As Horizon has no control over use, setup, final assembly, modification or misuse, no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any resulting damage or injury. By the act of use, setup or assembly, the user accepts all resulting liability. If you as the purchaser or user are not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of the Product, purchaser is advised to return the Product immediately in new and unused condition to the place of purchase.

Law – These terms are governed by Illinois law (without regard to conflict of law principals). This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. Horizon reserves the right to change or modify this warranty at any time without notice.

WARRANTY SERVICES

• Questions, Assistance, and Services – Your local hobby store and/or place of purchase cannot provide warranty support or service. Once assembly, setup or use of the Product has been started, you must contact your local distributor or Horizon directly. This will enable Horizon to better answer your questions and service you in the event that you may need any assistance. For questions or assistance, please visit our website at www.horizonhobby.com, submit a Product Support Inquiry, or call the toll free telephone number referenced in the Warranty and Service Contact Information section to speak with a Product Support representative.

• Inspection or Services – If this Product needs to be inspected or serviced and is compliant in the country you live and use the Product in, please use the Horizon Online Service Request submission process found on our website or call Horizon to obtain  a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. Pack the Product securely using a shipping carton. Please note that original boxes may be included, but are not designed to withstand the rigors of shipping without additional protection. Ship via a carrier that provides tracking and insurance for lost or damaged parcels, as Horizon is not responsible for merchandise until it arrives and is accepted at our facility. An Online Service Request is available at http://www.horizonhobby.com/content/service-center_render-service-center. If you do not have internet access, please contact Horizon Product Support to obtain a RMA number along with instructions for submitting your product for service. When calling Horizon, you will be asked to provide your complete name, street address, email address and phone number where you can be reached during business hours. When sending product into Horizon, please include your RMA number, a list of the included items, and a brief summary of the problem. A copy of your original sales receipt must be included for warranty consideration. Be sure your name, address, and RMA number are clearly written on the outside of the shipping carton.
  NOTICE: Do not ship LiPo batteries to Horizon. If you have any issue with a LiPo battery, please contact the appropriate Horizon Product Support office.

• Warranty Requirements – For Warranty consideration, you must include your original sales receipt verifying the proof-of-purchase date. Provided warranty conditions have been met, your Product will be serviced or replaced free of charge. Service or replacement decisions are at the sole discretion of Horizon.

• Non-Warranty Service – Should your service not be covered by warranty, service will be completed and payment will be required without notification or estimate of the expense unless the expense exceeds 50% of the retail purchase cost. By submitting the item for service you are agreeing to payment of the service without notification. Service estimates are available upon request. You must include this request with your item submitted for service. Non-warranty service estimates will be billed a minimum of ½ hour of labor. In addition you will be billed for return freight. Horizon accepts money orders and cashier’s checks, as well as Visa, Mas-terCard, American Express, and Discover cards. By submitting any item to Horizon for service, you are agreeing to Horizon’s Terms and Conditions found on our website http://www.horizonhobby.com/content/service-center_render-service-center.
  ATTENTION: Horizon service is limited to Product com-pliant in the country of use and ownership. If received, a non-compliant Product will not be serviced. Further, the sender will be responsible for arranging return shipment of the un-serviced Product, through a carrier of the sender’s choice and at the sender’s expense. Ho-rizon will hold non-compliant Product for a period of 60 days from notification, after which it will be discarded.

Warranty and Service Contact Information

Country      Horizon          Contact

of            Hobby         Information     Address Purchase

United States of America

| Horizon Service Center (Repairs and Repair Requests)| servicecenter. horizonhobby.com/RequestForm/|

2904

Research Rd. Champaign, Illinois 61822

USA

Horizon Product Support (Product Technical Assistance)| productsupport@horizonhobby.com
877-504-0233

Sales

| websales@horizonhobby.com
800-338-4639

FCC Information

SUPPLIER’S DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

CAUTION: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Horizon Hobby, LLC
2904 Research Rd.,
Champaign, IL 61822
Email: compliance@horizonhobby.com Web: HorizonHobby.com

IC Information

CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)
This device contains license-exempt transmitter(s)/receivers(s) that comply with Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada’s license-exempt RSS(s). Operation is subject to the following 2 conditions:

1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

Compliance Information for the European Union

EU COMPLIANCE STATEMENT:
Hereby, Horizon Hobby, LLC declares that the device is in compliance with the following: 2014/30/EU EMC Directive; RoHS 2 Directive 2011/65/EU; RoHS 3 Directive – Amending 2011/65/EU Annex II 2015/863.
The full text of the EU declaration of conformity is available at the following internet address: https://www.horizonhobby.com/content/support- render-compliance.

EU Importer of Record: Horizon Hobby, GmbH Hanskampring 9
22885 Barsbüttel Germany

EU Manufacturer of Record: Horizon Hobby, LLC
2904 Research Road Champaign, IL 61822 USA

WEEE NOTICE:
This appliance is labeled in accordance with European Directive 2012/19/EU concerning waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This label indicates that this product should not be disposed of with household waste. It should be deposited at an appropriate facility to enable recovery and recycling.

© 2022 Horizon Hobby, LLC. Firma, the Firma Logo, IC3, EC3, DSM2, DSMR, the Smart Technology logo, and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, LLC.
The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bach-mann Industries, Inc.
All other trademarks, service marks and logos are property of their respective owners.
US 9,930,567. US 10,419,970. SPMXSE40 | SPMXSE60 Created 03/2022

References

• RC Airplanes and Helicopters, RC Cars and Trucks, RC Boats, RC Radios | Horizon Hobby
• RC Airplanes and Helicopters, RC Cars and Trucks, RC Boats, RC Radios | Horizon Hobby
• RC Cars, RC Trucks, RC Airplanes, Model Trains, and Slot Cars at Tower Hobbies
• RC Airplanes and Helicopters, RC Cars and Trucks, RC Boats, RC Radios | Horizon Hobby
• RC Airplanes and Helicopters, RC Cars and Trucks, RC Boats, RC Radios | Horizon Hobby
• RC Airplanes and Helicopters, RC Cars and Trucks, RC Boats, RC Radios | Horizon Hobby

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