Electronic Speed Controller

[kingkanu]

What are the benfits of one? Less weight I guess, any other? How do they actually work? Are there any disadvantages? What one would you suggest?

[netsmithUK]

There are people here that know a lot more about these than me. But in simple terms they mean much more control from dead slow to to speed(almost infinately variable as oppose to the 3 speeds of most mechanical controller)

and then the most amazing thing is they give you a 'brake' facility. I have no idea how this works - i think its magic[], but you can be speeding along and then bring you model to a sharp stop without any o the crunching of gears that normally accompanies the old old way of slamming your model into reverse.

I'm sure there is more technical improvements too, such as battery life, and so forth but I'll leave that or others to cover.

[Wireless]

I bought a new ESC on Saturday and it features believe it or not an ABS system...! Well, it's not quite the ABS you see of real cars with 50 samples per second sensors on each wheel, but it really does work. Tried it out on Saturday evening and it works a treat in my currently 2WD hotshot (someone MUST have some front dogbones for me somewhere...!) Full speed followed by full lock and rull reverse and the car still wouldn't spin. Very impressive. Still it's boring if you can't make it slide...!

ESC's use a transistor drive (usually MOSFETs - Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect Transistors) to, as Chris said, almost infinitely vary the power delivery to the motor. They are more costly than mechanicals, but are far superior in every way. The anti gear-crunching comes about through delayed reverse (it waits a small time before going into revers after braking applied) and also a ramped speed (ie it speeds up slowly not matter how fast you move the stick).

I bought a M-Troniks Eco27 to go in Claire's M.Beetle. Runs down to a 27 turn motor, fully waterproof and one-button setup. Does forward plus brake and delayed reverse. All for £20...!

[WillyChang]

"Brake" on the ESC uses back-EMF of the motor to provide the stopping ie it shorts the motor out via a brake MOSFET. The FET can be on permanently, partially or even pulsed (which the marketing drones call "antilock").

There are some (albeit rare) MSCs that also have braking instead of reverse.

[Incredible_Serious]

Hey Wireless, I got some NIP Hotshot dogbones off the Bay not long ago for US$3.75... just waiting on them to arrive...

Alex

[Tamiya King]

ESC is a must. I don't own a car without one. You can go lower end, Traxxas XL-1 ($30.00 Brand New), but they have hardly any breaking control. You can go as high as $180. They make a big difference in performance. Invest in ESC's before another car. That's my 2 cents.

[spice]

ESC will make the batteries last a lot longer too with longer run times to boot. []

[wildwillydriver(2)]

Smooth trottle response, longer run time, makes the car more raidable.

I have one on my Wild Willy2 (futaba mc230cr) and it works wonder making the little wheeler a lot more controllable.

Bye

WWD

[gingerboy99]

Excuse my noviceness, but how do they fit into the car? Is it just a sticky pad job?

[netsmithUK]

because they are quite expensive and I need to move them between cars I used Velco, makes swaping them around dead easy. I do the same for recievers too.

[gingerboy99]

Wireless,

Where did you get the M-troniks Eco27 for £20?

[mr_lister999.]

quote:Where did you get the M-troniks Eco27 for £20?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Check out www.apexmodels.com if you are here in the uk. Also www.modelsportuk.com loads of choice in either place.

[ukclaire]

quote:

Originally posted by gingerboy99

Wireless,

Where did you get the M-troniks Eco27 for £20?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

http://www.antics.ltd.uk

His/mine was from the Stroud shop.

HTH

Claire

[SJoerD]

quote:

Originally posted by netsmithUK

because they are quite expensive and I need to move them between cars I used Velco, makes swaping them around dead easy. I do the same for recievers too.

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Yeah, velcro (the stuff with the hooks and the loops) is great stuff. I got it in my cars as well, as I have only one receiver and ESC! [] Not all of them have the velcro installed yet, but it's a Gods send. I use it a long while, and I found out I am not the only one... [] Though for the servo's it wont really work because it will take itself of quite easily and it's a bit sloppy. Works a treat for the reciever and ESC becasue these don't have moving partsand it absorbs the shocks of the shaking, driving car a bit too.

As far as I know there are no real disadvantages of a ESC composed to a MSC. [] A good ESC will provide loads of fun: I got one before I bought my second car (the King Blackfoot) and never used something else again.. [|)] Still use the same one today... A good investment because you can use it in all of your cars - and the ones to come! [^]

Sjoerd

[bholio]

The only place I would rather use an MSC over ESC is in wet conditions. It's supposed to snow here tomorrow, and I might try out my CRV which still has it's MSC. Probably should lock the diff first.

Not sure how to waterproof something which needs contact with air to keep cool.

[TWO STAR]

ESCs are the way to go watch out though tekin is no longer

in business,now i stick to novaks,for street runners i use small

6 volt fans (2")and zap strap them to the cooling fins of the ESC

the run time doubles.the stock cooling fins on a ESC dissipates up

to 40% of the heat generated.im tired of the added servo & the

wiper arm mechanical spd controll,ive baked so many of them,they all

look like a prune on a stick after a lil cookout of battery voltage/amperage.

[gingerboy99]

Ha-ha I now have one on the way.

Now to test it in pumpkin, hornet or bigwig??

[Wireless]

Hi gingerboy99,

Eco27 from either www.antics.ltd.uk or www.modelsportuk.com for £20.

W

quote:

Originally posted by gingerboy99

Wireless,

Where did you get the M-troniks Eco27 for £20?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

[Wireless]

Beware gb99, Eco27 will only run down to a 27t motor. Won't the Technigold in the Bigwig cook it...? Be careful...!

W

quote:

Originally posted by gingerboy99

Ha-ha I now have one on the way.

Now to test it in pumpkin, hornet or bigwig??

---

id="quote">id="quote">

[J3cubfan]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that you could do that with the speed controller on the Holiday buggy. IIRC, this was a somewhat variable speed mechanical controller. Its been 20years since I drove some so my memory is a bit rusty...

John

quote:

Originally posted by WillyChang

"Brake" on the ESC uses back-EMF of the motor to provide the stopping ie it shorts the motor out via a brake MOSFET. The FET can be on permanently, partially or even pulsed (which the marketing drones call "antilock").

There are some (albeit rare) MSCs that also have braking instead of reverse.

---

id="quote">id="quote">

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by bholio

...something which needs contact with air to keep cool.

---

id="quote">id="quote">

I find the newer ones with low-resistance FETs these days hardly ever get warm, even when the motor is smokin' after a run. Most ESCs will have thermal cutout sensors to protect then anyway, so they're unlikely to fry themselves.

If you do have a ESC with exposed metal-tabbed FETs... DON'T be tempted to bolt on a extra heatsink. If you bolt the tabs of the Fwd and Brake FETs together, it will short them all out!

[gingerboy99]

Thanks wireless, I think I am gonna bung it in the hornet, thats kind of my pride and joy.

[gingerboy99]

Hey Wireless (and anyone else who might be able to help)

Some questions regarding my new esc.

Is it supposed to make a winning noise when its driving?

Whats the best way to keep it cool?

Is it normal to loose the on/off switch?

GB99

[Tamiyabo]

Esc is a must have.I dont own a car without it.Msc's are clunky and cheesy

[nismospeed]

i dont an esc[]

but have an LRP esc 11t limit on its way soon.....yey..longer run times on my FWD alfa...not that i need them..lol

any way

cheers

dan