OptiDrive or FailSafe

novaguy · 06-08-2006, 08:55 AM

What is the difference between the OptiDrive and FailSafe units?

Nitronaught · 06-08-2006, 08:58 AM

Optidrive senses the speed of your tranmission and prevents shifting into forward or reverse when going too fast. It also will prevent you accelerating if it senses low battery voltage in the rcvr. It does not prevent runaways due to radio interference.

Failsafes sense battery voltage as well as prevents a runaway truck when there is signal interference or a stray radio signal (Opridrive does not do this).

novaguy · 06-08-2006, 09:12 AM

great thanks

Kernal H · 06-08-2006, 10:08 AM

It depends what optidrive you have, I knwo the new REVO 3.3 optidrive has a built in failsafe... but i'm not totally sure about the t-maxx.

Nitronaught · 06-08-2006, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernal H

It depends what optidrive you have, I knwo the new REVO 3.3 optidrive has a built in failsafe... but i'm not totally sure about the t-maxx.

Incorrect it does not have a built in failsafe. It only monitors the rcvr battery level. Failsafes deal with false and stray signals. The 3.3 Revo Optidrive does not do this.

Crrazy · 06-08-2006, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitronaught

Incorrect it does not have a built in failsafe. It only monitors the rcvr battery level. Failsafes deal with false and stray signals. The 3.3 Revo Optidrive does not do this.

How does a failsafe deal with a false or stray signal?

A failsafe will treat any signal that the receiver sends to the throttle as a valid signal it is when that signal stops or the voltage of that signal drops below a preset point that the failsafe works.
The optidrive does the same thing it is how it handles it that it differs from a failsafe.
when a failsafe stops receiving a signal or when the voltage of that signal drops below a preset point then the failsafe applies the brakes to the set point.
With the optidrive when the voltage drops below 4.3 volts it will apply 25 percent brakes. When the optidrive stops receiving a signal it then stops controlling the throttle allowing the return spring to stop the truck

BennyMax · 06-08-2006, 11:41 AM

It's a failsafe in the sense when something fails, it fails safe.

Nitronaught · 06-08-2006, 12:15 PM

OK I have done some extra reading, the new Optidrive does have a built in fail safe. The older one just had the battery sensor.

Thanks for setting me straight and apologies for any confusion.

Crrazy · 06-08-2006, 12:20 PM

It would be nice if the optidrive did apply the brakes for loss of signal the same way it does for low voltage but that will have to wait for Traxxas to change that.

Kernal H · 06-08-2006, 12:24 PM

OK, as I said earlier I wasn't sure about the t-maxx's opti-drive. The optidrive on the T-Maxx (2.5 or 3.3) DOES NOT have a failsafe that I know of... Traxxas doesn't say that it does so I am assuming it doesn't, as they say that the REVO 3.3 does. This was copied from teh details of the T-maxx 3.3:

OptiDrive™ Electronic Shift Module
• Microprocessor senses vehicle speed and
optimizes forward and reverse shifting.
• Allows constant drive engagement for
smooth, responsive acceleration.
• Allows a lighter transmission with fewer
moving parts for reduced inertial mass
and greater torque handling.

So Nitronaught you were not totally wrong... although all I was saying was saying in my previous post was that the REVO 3.3 had one built in. Just to say again the T-maxxs DO NOT have a failsafe built into the opti-drive.

EDIT: This is confusing now... just thought i should read the spec on the 2.5r and it says it DOES have a failsafe???? This is very confusing the 2.5 doesn't have the optidrive, the 2.5r has an optidrive with failsafe, but the 3.3 doesn't have a failsafe. Hmm... I have no idea now!:S

Crrazy · 06-08-2006, 12:34 PM

Kernal,
Read the right side of page 15 of the manual where it explans the optidrive operation.

Nitronaught · 06-08-2006, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernal H

OK, as I said earlier I wasn't sure about the t-maxx's opti-drive. The optidrive on the T-Maxx (2.5 or 3.3) DOES NOT have a failsafe that I know of... Traxxas doesn't say that it does so I am assuming it doesn't, as they say that the REVO 3.3 does. This was copied from teh details of the T-maxx 3.3:

OptiDrive™ Electronic Shift Module
• Microprocessor senses vehicle speed and
optimizes forward and reverse shifting.
• Allows constant drive engagement for
smooth, responsive acceleration.
• Allows a lighter transmission with fewer
moving parts for reduced inertial mass
and greater torque handling.

So Nitronaught you were not totally wrong... although all I was saying was saying in my previous post was that the REVO 3.3 had one built in. Just to say again the T-maxxs DO NOT have a failsafe built into the opti-drive.

EDIT: This is confusing now... just thought i should read the spec on the 2.5r and it says it DOES have a failsafe???? This is very confusing the 2.5 doesn't have the optidrive, the 2.5r has an optidrive with failsafe, but the 3.3 doesn't have a failsafe. Hmm... I have no idea now!:S

That makes 2 of us

The part # 5398 (Optidrive unit) is the same on the Revo 3.3 TMAXX 3.3 and the TMAXX 2.5r so go figure.

texasracer · 06-08-2006, 01:27 PM

Optidrive is the most confusing product Traxxas makes apparently.

There are two types of optidrives floating around out there:

-PRE 3.3 release OD's have low-batt failsafe but no loss of signal failsafe. ONLY came on Revo 2.5 trucks.

-All POST 3.3 release OD's are full fledged failsafes- low voltage and loss of signal protection in addition to the present transmission control functions. That means Maxx 2.5R, 3.3, current Revo 2.5R and 3.3.

OK?

Nitronaught · 06-08-2006, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasracer

Optidrive is the most confusing product Traxxas makes apparently.

Man am I glad I have FOC. just to avoid that confusion.lolll

Kernal H · 06-08-2006, 01:38 PM

I need a FOC... I got a failsafe but it doesn't work with my optidrive - Grrrrrrr!
Guess I just need to wait to strip reverse lol can't be too long.

Mach1Guy · 06-08-2006, 01:39 PM

Couple nights ago while driving my Tmaxx 3.3 another guy was playing with a air plane of some sort and my truck stopped. I had no thottle responce. It did that another time when my buddy brought out his 30.00 R/C car....my truck wouldn't move

But....last time I was at the races I watched a Tmaxx 3.3 going full thottle up the parking lot

So I'm not sure what is with that.

I was looking at buying a fail-safe and probably should some day. I guess having the brakes turned on when something goes wrong is a good thing. Plus u'r not aloud to run at the track with-out one.

Nitronaught · 06-08-2006, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernal H

I need a FOC... I got a failsafe but it doesn't work with my optidrive - Grrrrrrr!
Guess I just need to wait to strip reverse lol can't be too long.

It might be. The optidrive system is much more efficient in how the forward and reverse gears shift.

cavicatz24 · 06-08-2006, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mach1Guy

Couple nights ago while driving my Tmaxx 3.3 another guy was playing with a air plane of some sort and my truck stopped. I had no thottle responce. It did that another time when my buddy brought out his 30.00 R/C car....my truck wouldn't move

But....last time I was at the races I watched a Tmaxx 3.3 going full thottle up the parking lot

So I'm not sure what is with that.

I was looking at buying a fail-safe and probably should some day. I guess having the brakes turned on when something goes wrong is a good thing. Plus u'r not aloud to run at the track with-out one.

Agreed. I've seen two runaways that a failsafe would have prevented. I put one on my truck with the quickness - I can't afford to do a total rebuild thanks to a runaway crash!

kaotikMaxx · 06-08-2006, 02:27 PM

Tmaxx 3.3 and Revo 3.3 both have the same transmission in a sense. Tmaxx is a "flipped" version of the revo trans, ie, revo has the shift rod on the left side of the trans, maxx is right side. The output shaft of course between the maxx and revo are different, but most of the transmission is the same.

They both use the opti drive esm ( Electronic Shift Module ) with a built in "fail safe".

The fail safe on these modules monitors battery voltage. When the voltage hits a certain low point, the module will engage the brake and hold it there.

Also, the module monitors the transmission rpms. Even if your maxx/revo is creeping, it will not allow you to shift into reverse/forward while in any state of motion.

A standalone fail safe does just what the ESM for the maxx/revo does. It monitors your vehicles battery voltage and radio signal ( At least mine does ). Mine will apply the brakes just like the ESM when the rx battery voltage is low. It will also apply the brakes just a bit when there is any moment of radio interruption, ie, little to no signal between transmitter and receiver.

Hope this helped to explain this a bit more to most people....kaotik

rkilling1 · 06-08-2006, 03:37 PM

i have read on here, i think it was in the revo forum, that the "set" wording on the opitdrives are different colors for the different versions of them.

my revo has white lettering and my t-maxx has the newer version with black lettering.

again this is just from what i have read.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaotikMaxx

Also, the module monitors the transmission rpms. Even if your maxx/revo is creeping, it will not allow you to shift into reverse/forward while in any state of motion.

it also monitors the position of the throttle servo prior to letting you shift.

kaotikMaxx · 06-08-2006, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkilling1

it also monitors the position of the throttle servo prior to letting you shift.

Correct, I forgot about that one.

Nitronaught · 06-09-2006, 01:42 PM

This is one of the more informative threads I've seen in a while btw.

legendsracing · 11-26-2006, 01:41 PM

can u put a fail safe on a 3.3 tmaxx with a optidrive system its about a couple months old

liquid 1 · 11-26-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legendsracing

can u put a fail safe on a 3.3 tmaxx with a optidrive system its about a couple months old

, yep i got a venom on mine works great..It came with my truck new..venom/speed meter..

BigDaddyMaxx · 11-26-2006, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legendsracing

can u put a fail safe on a 3.3 tmaxx with a optidrive system its about a couple months old

You don't need a failsafe with the optidrive system. The optidrive is also a failsafe. The old optidrives in the first revos didn't have this but now they all do.

liquid 1 · 11-26-2006, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyMaxx

You don't need a failsafe with the optidrive system. The optidrive is also a failsafe. The old optidrives in the first revos didn't have this but now they all do.

yep seems to be correct, I use venom, more for the voltage monitor and speedometer when I get the sensor mounted, the opti worked well by its self
before i wired the venom in, save money and just install a throttel return spring..plus the lights on the opti is a great trouble shooting tool..