Robin Etherton Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I have just built a "Notforsale" model and if you look at the thread you will see I have had some problem with the esc. The Hobbyking 60amp esc I originally bought operates the servos ok but no sound is emitted at all when you switch on and the motor refuses to move. To make sure it wasn't the motor I borrowed another 60 amp esc from another model and it worked fine taking a max of about 42amps.(hobbywing funfly) To replace the faulty esc I bought a Hobbywing skywalker 60amp esc. This works but even after calibrating the throttle it only shows 32amps at full throttle. I have no means of checking the revs the prop is doing but it is undoubtably pulling harder with the funfly esc. My questions are why? And how do I best choose an esc in the future? Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Reynaud Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Did you set full throttle position on the new ESC? ie first switch on with the throttle in the fully open position so that the ESC learns it? This is sometimes the problem. Try swiching all off, set to max throttle, switch on, then go to low throttle to arm, and try full power again. Edited By Toni Reynaud on 17/12/2015 15:02:09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Yup! More than once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Have you check the timing settings on each ESC to see if they are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 No I haven't. I have a programming board so it shouldn't be too difficult to check this. I was going to mess with the timing initially when I found the diffence but was put off this by advice in the "notforsale" post as the motor was responding smoothly at all throttle positions and was led to believe this would not improve matters. I will attempt to check what you suggest and report back. Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 OK Now checked settings of both esc's and the timing setting is "low" on both. So any ideas on why the difference in amp draw??????? Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 One thought Robin. Some ESC's will only arm if the throttle trim is right down. That's something I've experienced with HK 60 A Esc's and that would do exactly what you described. That doesn't answer your question, but I've observed similar differences in power output in the past. Perhaps the 'low' timing is different between the two ESC's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Are you suggesting that if I alter the trim on the esc which is only drawing 32amp it will pull another 10amps? Interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I don't think that is what Graham was implying, but just as different ESCs need a different low trim setting to arm, the actual timing on low setting might not be the same between both ESCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 18, 2015 Author Share Posted December 18, 2015 Ok By arming do you mean working? They both work but one not as well as the other. When I buy an esc how do I know what I am getting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Robin, I think you may have confused some people as your first post also referred to an ESC that didn't work, so some of the answers maybe be related to that as well. Just another thought on the amps, whats the Low Voltage Cut off on each ESC and what voltage is that set too, I had this on an ESC when I changed batteries on a plane to use a 4 cell Life pack rather than a 4 cell Lipo pack, but the low voltage cutout restricted the power as the volts on the battery on load were lower than the LVC setting. If one of your ESCs has a higher LVC cutout voltage then that will reduce the power if the onload lipo voltage drops to that level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 18, 2015 Author Share Posted December 18, 2015 According to the program card exactly the same settings were on both working esc's. However a bit academic now as the program card has now seen fit to fail. I am now down one wattmeter, one program card and two esc's, one faulty and one which I fried when I blew up the wattmeter. It's a steep learning curve. Thanks to all your help I do understand things a little better and in future will buy the best esc I can afford. I am still none the wiser why there is such a large variation in amp draw between the esc's however?????? Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 I agree with Frank - the description is just a bit confusing in places Robin. Let's see if I've got this clear. You are saying that the same motor connected to the same battery and turning the same prop is drawing a different current when two different ESCs are used? Yes? If you changed any one of those (motor, battery, prop) they you will obviously get a different current. Note that even two props of the same size but different makes will give different readings. If however there are no changes other than the ESC then we need to look elsewhere. There could be a couple of reasons that spring to mind: 1. In the lower current case the prop was just a little loose - and so was slipping at full throttle. 2. The lower current one is not seeing full throttle when the stick is fully forward. Could be a calibration issue. 3. There is some internal fault in the low current ESC which is limiting the current draw. Though I don't know what that might be. Just some ideas BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 18, 2015 Author Share Posted December 18, 2015 Thanks Biggles, well summed up. Confirm only the esc has changed giving the difference in current draw. I have calibrated the esc several times but no difference. Number three seems the most likely . As I now have 42 amps running through the motor which is on its maximum recommended I am happy to leave it there. As previously mentioned I will buy the best esc I can afford next time. Any recommendations??? Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 That's a bit of a difficult one, I've had some budget ESCs which have been very good (and some not so good), also got several Multiplex ones (as supplied with models 20 and 40amp on 3/4s), couple of Jetis (30/40amp on 3s), a Castle Creation (75 amps on an 8s) and a couple of ZTW Beatles Series (one 80amp on an 8s) all have been very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Myself and lots of clubmates use these Robin..plush John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Posted by Robin Etherton on 18/12/2015 19:59:13: As previously mentioned I will buy the best esc I can afford next time. Any recommendations??? Robin I have around 30 ESCs from several different manufacturers. Only two have given any trouble - The first a Jeti 30 Advance banjaxed because I connected a reverse polarity battery to it. So that was entirely my fault. The second a Blue Arrow 25, "hiccups" at full throttle every now and then, bad enough to cause the prop driver to come loose on two occasions. Never managed to sort the problem so now use ESC for some bench running tests. More than half of my ESCs are Hobbywing (including some that carry the Turnigy label) with 6 of Jeti (including the burned out one mentioned) being next. All have been 100% reliable but the Jeti were at least twice the price of their Hobbywing equivalents for no apparent extra benifit. Edited By PatMc on 18/12/2015 20:40:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Forgot to mention - it's important & advisable to avoid an ESC with a linear mode BEC if you are using more than 3s lipo or more than 3 servos (unless they will be lightly loaded). Best choose either an ESC with a switch mode BEC or an opto ESC & seperate SBEC. Personaly I use linear BECs with vintage models & some lighter weight E-gliders. My bigger gliders & sports aerobatic models have switch BECs except one glider that has a seperate SBEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share Posted December 19, 2015 Thanks guys, plush it is. Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 The Turnigy Plush is the Hobbywing Skywalker with a different label. IMO good ESCs but only the 60A version had a switch BEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Etherton Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share Posted December 19, 2015 Thanks Pat. It's the skywalker esc I 've been having all the problems with, I must have been unlucky. I will have to think again!!! Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Robin, I think you've just been unlucky. I'm pretty sure I have at least a couple of Turnigy Plush ESCs that I've included in my Hobbywing total, never had any trouble with any of them. Here's the Hobbywing website, you can work out which of the other label ESCs are theirs by comparing the specs & the program cards. Edited By PatMc on 19/12/2015 16:32:57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Have a look at these too, from here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 The Hobbywing site I forgot to link in my last post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Posted by GrahamC on 17/12/2015 19:40:47: One thought Robin. Some ESC's will only arm if the throttle trim is right down. That's something I've experienced with HK 60 A Esc's and that would do exactly what you described. I wonder, do you use Spektrum Graham? Spektrum travel is 80% of the norm, so a precalibrated esc would not see full travel unless trim is also used. But once the esc is properly trained to whatever system you're using, the trim position doesnt matter at all, and in fact shouldnt be used. Remove the prop, & centre the throttle trim. Power-on with throttle open sets the upper pulsewidth (2ms end), then wait for the beeps, then close the throttle to set the lower pulse width (1ms end). Leave the trim central throughout, playing with the trim will only confuse the calibration. Many of my sets used in electric models dont even have a throttle trim. Cheers Phil PS I agree that spending more will not get you a better ESC than the Hobbywing! Edited By Phil Green on 21/12/2015 00:25:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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