Esc Question

[vaz9764]

I have a Mtronics Eco 20 with reverse speed controller (presumably with a 20 turn motor limit).

My motor is a 15 turn 2 brushed.

Everything works but is this esc giving me the best out of the motor?

[lentner3]

No your motor is likely to fry that esc.

It's only rated for 20 turn motors or higher.

Any thing lower than 20 turns will damage the esc.

Your lucky you haven't already fried it!

[TA-Mark]

The Eco20 mTronics ESC is 50A, the Tamiya TEU-101BK is 60A. The Eco20 is supposedly a 20 turn limit, and the Tamiya a 27 turn limit. One of them has to be wrong and I don't think it's the Tamiya. I read about many fried Eco20's from running 23 turn motors (TZ/RZ/BZ).

I wouldn't run the Eco20 with anything more than a Sport Tuned 27 turn when looking at it's capacity to handle power.

Not all 15 turn motors are equal. What is the motor exactly? It may be a low power motor and that's why you haven't fried that weak ESC as yet.

[vaz9764]

It's the motor I pictured in my other motor id post, I've just been out with it cos its a nice day and the car kept dying after an intense blast. It would come on again after a few minutes but I'm not sure why? Has this esc got a temperature cutout built in? The motor is getting hot now.

I ran it yesterday and managed to get a full battery's worth out of it without it cutting out on me.

What is the best esc for a 15 turn? Or should I be looking at a new motor?

[TA-Mark]

The cutout will be the thermal overload cutout. Basicly protecting itself.

Futaba MC330CR, Tamiya TEU-302BK, LRP 83200... there's heaps of ESCs out there that will run this motor successfully. I know many that have gone for the Futaba MC330CR and it's serving them well.

[vaz9764]

The cutout will be the thermal overload cutout. Basicly protecting itself.

Futaba MC330CR, Tamiya TEU-302BK, LRP 83200... there's heaps of ESCs out there that will run this motor successfully. I know many that have gone for the Futaba MC330CR and it's serving them well.

Will my Acoms receiver accept these? It's the standard one that came with the car.

[TA-Mark]

They are all the same connector as the Eco20, so I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.

[vaz9764]

They are all the same connector as the Eco20, so I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.

Thanks for quick replies, I'll have a browse on ebay later. Just writing this while I wait for the esc to ccol down at the bottom of my garden where the car has cut out again! Because I'm too lazy to get up and go fetch it...

[evil2004]

Im running a viper eco20 esc with a 21 turn motor in my tb03 gtr and it is running pretty well at the moment, just dont like the delays before reverse kicks in but then its very quick indeed, the only thing that lets my car down is the steering setup because there is so much play in the standard kit its terrible for straight line when under full speed. Im looking into it though. Touch wood i dont fry my esc with what people have been saying about them.

[vaz9764]

I've ordered the Futaba one, it's a spicy meatball! Best price I could find in the UK was £46.50 including postage!

If I went for brushless/lipo in the future would this still be suitable?

Just thought of something... how do people get good airflow to the esc when the bodyshell is on?

[Blacque Jacque]

Just thought of something... how do people get good airflow to the esc when the bodyshell is on?

It can be tricky especially with a tight fitting shell.

One alternative is water cooling :

[vaz9764]

LOL!!! erm.... cool? Ha Ha...

[TA-Mark]

I've ordered the Futaba one, it's a spicy meatball! Best price I could find in the UK was £46.50 including postage!

If I went for brushless/lipo in the future would this still be suitable?

Just thought of something... how do people get good airflow to the esc when the bodyshell is on?

Price sounds about right. The MC330CR is safe to 13 turn. It will not power a brushless motor, you need a special brushless ESC for them. Blushless usually come as a system (ESC and compatible motor).

I run MambaMax ESCs, have never had any overheating problems with it. They do have a massive heatsink on them though. I was a little concerned when fitting it in the DF-03 MS (Dark Impact body) with it being such a tight fit to the chassis. I cut the fake air vents out and filled the hole with fibreglass fly-screen mesh to let a bit of air through the body right above the ESC heatsink. It stays within a safe range for a full 7.4v 4000mAh Li-Po run with me driving the pants off it. All the rest of my cars have a lot of air space under the shell and they get enough air.

One alternative is water cooling

I've seen a water cooling setup for electrics before. It consisted of a water block that goes between the gearbox and motor, a small water pump that runs off the pinion and a radiator to mount in a air vent. How well it would work I don't know, but it looked cool.

[vaz9764]

It consisted of a water block that goes between the gearbox and motor, a small water pump that runs off the pinion and a radiator to mount in a air vent. How well it would work I don't know, but it looked cool.

Can you say 'Overly engineered?'

[Blacque Jacque]

Beautifully engineered, but not overly well thought out.

Most of the heat generated is at the comm end of the motor, while any additional cooling will help, I doubt there's much gained from all that fancy machining.

I think the pump's electric too (well it has red & black wires anyway )

[TA-Mark]

I think the pump's electric too (well it has red & black wires anyway )

I noticed that after I found the picture. Was years ago I found that setup, my mistake. **blames aging memory **

Brushless motor would probably make good use of it with the can getting as hot as it does under load.

[mickycivic]

Second that on the Futaba M330CR, excellent ESC.

[lentner3]

Me too agreed on the Futaba M330CR, great ESC. I'm running a 15 turn ansmann on mine not a great motor but never had trouble with overheating in a tt-01

[94eg!]

The Eco20 mTronics ESC is 50A, the Tamiya TEU-101BK is 60A. The Eco20 is supposedly a 20 turn limit, and the Tamiya a 27 turn limit. One of them has to be wrong and I don't think it's the Tamiya.

Sometimes cheap low-amp ESCs use current limiters (like Novak XRS and LRP Ai Runner). This way they can run motors down to 15 turns without blowing up. Of course pretty much any motor you run it with will only have the punch of a silver can with varying levels of top speed... lol

[vaz9764]

Futaba arrived yesterday, having trouble setting it up. The so called 'one touch' doesn't seem to work. I'm putting it down to my battery not being 100% so I will try again with a full charge tonight.

It better be compatible with my Acoms

[lentner3]

Futaba arrived yesterday, having trouble setting it up. The so called 'one touch' doesn't seem to work. I'm putting it down to my battery not being 100% so I will try again with a full charge tonight.

It better be compatible with my Acoms

It is compatible i'm using my accoms setup and it's fine.

[vaz9764]

I'm confused with the setup.

I wire everything up with the motor out of the car and no steering servo connected.

When I turn the Futaba on with the throttle in the neutral position, the Futaba sits blinking. Does this mean it has recognized neutral and is waiting for me to confirm?

[WillyChang]

which are you using, the Futaba 330?

if you don't have a servo connected, how do you know the radio is working? flashing usually means no signal

if you don't have a motor connected, you won't be able to hear the ESC's beeps

when programming my 330s with non-Futaba radios, sometimes my KOs drive outside the 330's expected signal parameters

and if this happens it aborts the setup routine. You may have to reduce the endpoints down a bit & retry.

Or sometimes even try limiting the throw of the lever.