[Sparks333]

Hey all!
Been awhile...
Just my thoughts: I have seen a couple vics blown out in several ways. The most common I have seen (and yes, I am ABSOLUTELY SURE this is what I saw) is people pushing their robots when they are off. This creates juice from the motors, which goes where? the victor. (I really don't recomend this, but if you backdrive the motors and look at the victors, sometimes the lights will turn on. Again, because of the previous point, I don't recomend this.) Push it hard enough, they can zap themselves. This is what I think happened with the hand-cranking the winch, and also it makes sense that only one set of FETs would blow out if you're only wheeling it one way, so the other direction should still work. Also, check the main capacitor in the middle. Another man I once met inspecting the Vics noticed some sticky stuff on one of his, and said it's electrolyte. I don't know how much truth there was to this, but if your capacitor's top is bulging, then it's gonna blow. Replace it before bad things happen.

Hope I am 1)helping, not hindering, and 2)not going over old territory.

Sparks

Oh, and Bob? That white stuff, I'd bet, is electrolyte. I could be wrong (you're not supposed to see it, so I don't know what color it is) but that seems to be the best guess I have.