After a great deal of consideration the ROAR Executive Committee has determined that the Trinity D3.5 motor and others based on the D3.5, do not comply with the organization’s required specifications for motors in the 17.5 stock class. The determination is based on the fact that motors being sold are built with wire that’s larger than maximum specification permitted. All of the random samples of the D3.5 based motors during the announced compliance checks tested with wire that’s larger than the maximum dimension. Rule 8.8.4.3.1 states clearly that “The three slotted stator must be wound with 17.5 turns of 2 strands of a maximum diameter of 20AWG or 0.813 mm per slot. A diameter of .813mm is the nominal measurement of 20AWG wire, and that it is the stated maximum wire diameter permitted. It’s on this basis that the Executive Committee made its determination.

Ernie Provetti, the CEO of Team Trinity, posted a response to this on rctech.net.    Here it is:

Trinity’s position on this is as follows:

1) We built a brushless motor to the specifications and rules R.O.A.R. gives us and every other motor builder. The rules are not perfect like most any rule made. But Trinity followed the “letter of the law”,

2) We have several issues here:

A) The rule reads 17.5 turns of 2 strands of a maximum diameter of 20AWG or 0.813mm per slot. A diameter of .813mm is the nominal measurement of 20AWG wire, and that it is the stated maximum wire diameter permitted. It’s on this basis that the Executive Committee made its determination.

Problem 1: There is no tolerance mentioned anywhere in this rule. It is literally impossible to manufacture any product today, especially in China with a zero tolerance. We have supplied letters from our motor company to ROAR saying that the 20AWG that we use is compliant with their rule and every copper wire that is manufactured throughout the world “has some tolerance”. ROAR says wire companies do not use any tolerance and make everything EXACT. Are we to be lead to believe that a Chinese or American wire company that has produced wire slightly larger or smaller in size “in this present world economy” is then “melting it down or throwing it away” This is not practical. It is also not practical to have any rule with zero tolerance!

Problem 2: The above rule is confusing and can be misinterpreted because it was not written correctly. You choose either .813mm or 20AWG….

We chose 20AWG wire which are motor company in China ordered and supplied ROAR with the necessary amount of samples, in the same manner Trinity and every other motor manufacturer operates. We paid for the sample motors and paid the ROAR approval fees (in excess of a thousand dollars). We then wait (like every other motor company for either an approval or an issue). If we receive the approval, we then start the production of motors, just like every other motor manufacturer.

Problem 3: We were issued an approval for the D3.5 (17.5) in April of 2012 and released the first batch of D3.5 spec motors in the R.O.A.R. pipeline and have been selling these motors for over TEN (10) months…….

Problem 4: ROAR has confirmed that they have tested recent motors, through spot-checks as well as the “original samples” that are archived at ROAR (like every other motor manufacturer) and they have concluded that the motors have never been changed by Trinity since the initial approval

Problem 5: ROAR faced a number of competing motor manufacturer’s with complaints about the motor and ROAR then purchased what they say….”more sophisticated measuring equipment to test motors” than what was available when they tested Trinity and every other motor submitted for the past several years.

Problem 6: They are now determining that they feel our motor (17.5) does not meet their specification and have pulled this “ONE MOTOR” 17.5 Spec off the list with no warning, no grace period and no discussion with the manufacturer.

Our position here is “WE HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG” and this obviously can “ARBITRARILY HAPPEN AGAIN” to any one of you if your competitors yell loud enough. WE DID NOTHING WRONG. WE COMPLIED TO THEIR SPEC, PAID THEIR FEES, WENT THROUGH THEIR APPROVAL PROCESS, MADE THE D3.5 MORE AVAILABLE TO MORE SOURCES THAN ALL THE OTHER MOTOR MANUFACTURER’S COMBINED!

How do we go forward and our concerns:

A) Our main concern is that this is an “ARBITRARY DECISION” ROAR made due to increased pressure from outside manufacturer’s (who should have nothing to do with running the organization). This is a MAJOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST

B) ROAR is assuming NO RESPONSIBILITY for APPROVING THIS MOTOR AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BUY THIS FOR OVER 10 MONTHS WHEN WE CHANGED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FROM THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL

C) ROAR has shown no responsibility for clubs and organizers, distributors, dealers and consumers who purchased this motor “BASED ON THEIE APPROVAL” since they run their establishments on ROAR rules.

D) ROAR has offered NO SOLUTION TO THE MATTER other than they are possibly working a new spec for a motor but have no details or information about this.

In closing I am hoping to speak with the new ROAR President at some point today to go over these points and to see what if anything can be resolved. This press release is just to inform you of what is happening and my promise to you that we will not allow our company, our partners (OEM’S) and our customers suffer without a fight if a “realistic solution can be reached”. We are seeking relief from this ruling for the following indisputable reasons:

1) We were granted ROAR approval by Bob Ingersol, The ROAR technical director and the ROAR Executive and ROAR has confirmed we have not changed the motor since it was approved 10 Months AGO!
2) ROAR saying they have purchased new equipment which obviously changes the way they approve motors is no concern of ours….it is just a confirmation that they feel their approval process was not up to the task. This is not the fault of any motor manufacturer who complied to ROAR’s approval rules
3) This is an arbitrary decision with no solution given due to increased pressure from competing manufactures (WHICH IS A MAJOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST) if several parties can exert this type of pressure over a volunteer organization.

Again I am hoping some peaceful and realistic resolution for all parties can be reached quickly. Trinity does not want to seek an immediate injunction or relief from this ‘ruling” and force it to be decided in the courts system.

I thank-you for listening and for your continued support for Trinity.

Thanks..Ernie

Ernest N. Provetti
Chief Executive Officer
Trincorp, LLC, Team Trinity / Epic

What are your thoughts on this? Who’s to blame? Should anything be done for the customers  that all purchased the D3.5 17.5 motors? It looks like Trinity is going to try to fight it, and they should. We ourselves have money invested into these motors and I’d hate to think it was just money in the toilet.

RC Soup will continue to monitor the situation and inform you if there are any further developments.

**UPDATE** 1-28-2013

In response to the mounting criticism, ROAR this morning released the following on their website.

17.5 spec motors reviewed during compliance tests

**UPDATE** 2-27-2013

Its been almost a month since ROAR banned the Trinity D3.5 17.5 motor. Trinity announced late last night that they have filed a class action lawsuit against ROAR in the State of Florida. Here’s the official release.

“It is with great regret that I must inform the racing community that lawsuits have been filed against R.O.A.R. this morning the 26th day of February 2013 in the State of Florida. Case # CA-13-976-16W and ROAR and Plaintiffs to appear before Judge Dickey for resolution. A class-action suit pending involving Trincorp, EAM, Fantom Motors and Putnam Propulsion is now in place with the Court System and will have to be defended. We as a group have done everything in our power to negotiate with ROAR, asking for a time period for new specifications using this new protocol testing to allow time for manufacturer’s and consumers to adjust to their new protocol yet using the same vague rules but we were denied! Our goals are to protect our good names and our customer base from purchasing new motors for a season that has not ended due to the precocious and what we feel irresponsible behavior of ROAR to change the “testing protocol” which has been used for over 30 years, terminate both Independent Labs, keep a rule “with no maximum tolerance listed in the rule and be arrogant enough to still leave it “as is” have left us no alternative at all than to allow a “fair and equitable” court system to decide the “fate” of all involved with the D3.5/17.5 it’s customers both National and International and it’s race organizers and promoters.

We look forward to a reasonable and quick decision by the Court so we can all get back to enjoy racing the way it should be. We also hope that the Executive Committee of ROAR can see and understand the misfortunes of this case and the wrongful action by a select few of their own and rectify this situation as quickly as possible to restore the “independent and equitable atmosphere” ROAR should exhibit to all it’s members and affiliates will ultimately restore the confidence again to the ‘buying public”. It is obvious that ROAR holds a great responsibility not only in rule-making but also in confidence for consumers to purchase products on their approval which is why rescinding an approval after 10 months (when there was no change in the motor) for the personal gain of some of it’s directors and or manufacturer’s they are aligned makes the action of ROAR so profound and must be heard in a court of law!

Sincerely
Ernest N. Provetti
Managing Director
Trincorp, LLC