Comparing Costs

[Lee Burke]

A well known "top quality" motor costs $155 while the low-cost equivalent costs just $42.   This seems too big a difference to just be brand value.  Are they really worth the extra I wonder.  Just what do you get for your extra bucks?  Will a high quality motor be that more efficent and give longer run times, or is it longer life or better reliability?  I wonder how measurable this is. I agree with the saying that if you buy quality you only cry once, but the price differance are so great one has to wonder. 

The same goes for ESCs  the cheaper versions cost a fraction of the big name versions; is one really risking a model by going cheap?

What is your experience?

[Erfolg]

Lee

Does it not depend on what it is and who makes it?

It has always been possible to make something at great cost. Is it the best? well RR were the first to claim they were the best, although there were many others who charged a lot, Hisparno Suiza? Delarge, Deusenberg, Bugatti. Were they the best? by  my measures some fell short, cost per mile travelled, cornering ability, top speed etc.

I think it is similar today, the best USA , German and Czech motors are good, and expensive. Although my experience todate is that the Chinese motors, speed controllers and batteries, are in many ways directly comaparable, excepting cost. Where the Chinese are much lower.

My Chinese/far east equipnet has to date been exceptional in all respects. All my failures , poor performance has been with expensive stuff.

Today in my opinion, price is not the ultimate guide, nor is where it comes from.

Erfolg 

[Frank Skilbeck]

Lee

I have some Jeti and Hobby Wing/Turnigy ESC's, they all have been very good.

I also have some AXI motors (small size 250 watt max) and some cheaper motors (inc a 700 watt Turnigy), the AXI's are definitely a better quality, the Turnigy is a bit rough round the edges. But I can't complain about the power the Turnigy gives plus it runs well and quite cool.

Not had it long enough to comment on longevity, but my AXI's are all over 12 months old and one of them has been "planted" but it shrugged this off as though nothing had happened (shame I can't say the same for the plane )

[Lee Burke]

Thanks for you replies, Guys.  Well, a hundred views so far and nobody has said "You get what you pay for."  It would seem that El Cheepo is "Good Enough."   Maybe the Chinese maunfacturers are not cutting costs on materiels, just on employees wages.

Interesting your only failures were with the expensive stuff, Erflog.

[Erfolg]

Lee

It may be as a consequence of my expensive stuff being the early electric stuff. The people from the far east both copied and improved (the important aspects). I have Kontronics, HET and Overlander (badged far eastern products at a higher price)stuff, which does not seem a whole lot better than my HiModel, Keda, TowerPro, Max and Turnergy.

In defence of overlander they do seem to select well, although most of their stuff can be bought for less than a 1/4 of its launch price.

The same goes for SC, it seems the newer the better and cheaper.

If I were into competitions i would probably buy and justify Hacker stuff. As I fly for pleasure and do not push my equipment as hard as I would in competion, my cheaper aquistions are more than adequate. The trouble is when you push, both batteries and motors are stressed to a point where they become distressed (due to heat) with magnets loosing strength and batteries having reduced capacities.

I have also seen (quite often) equipment fail becauce of over stressing at both expensive and chearful end of the price spectrum.

Erfolg

Erfolg 

[Lee Burke]

You are surely right, Erfolg.   Axi and similar motors are probably manufactured to stricter limits and with select materials - there has to be some justification for the huge price differance apart from labour costs - I guess my question was just how great is the quality differance and will it put the model's and fliers at risk.  It would seem not; as you say, if one were flying competition then everything would need to be as tight and responsive as possible, but maybe the Sunday flyer risks just as much with a Turnigy as with an Axi.

[Erfolg]

Like many, I competed in sports in my youth (up to mid 20s). In Kayaks and cycling.

In competition a light weight well designed canoe was essential, to win, you had to be prepared to damage the canoe (hit rocks etc.). The best canoe or paddle etc. could be quickly superseded. You had to be prepared to spend.

In cycling it was pretty much the same, had to be Campag or Shimarno, frame needed to be the right Reynlods tube, the wheels right rims /hubs/spoking. Now it seems worse with, Carbon frames, wheels, small frame/forks etc.

At training sessions and on club runs, your equipment would be scrutinised by your fellow athletes  

That is before you take you into the equation, your fitness, your abilities and mind set.

It seems  modelling is not dissimilar, I do not think it matters as much as we think at club level. But not having the best can play havoc with some peoples mind set. In reality it probably does not often matter.

Yet in competition, it is rare to win, unless everything is spot on. Which may mean that the expensive axi looses you the comp, because you really needed that expensive Hacker, which needs disgarding next week because, the liquid nitogen cooled Kontronik has just been released.

But will it compromise safety, servicable equipment is all that is needed, and people using common sence. Not written health and safety documents, accredited and weekly tested equipment. In the USA they (modellers) could not change their crystals. They had to be sent to an accreditted radio engineer. Yet I do not believe it did any truly measurable good for safety.

Erfolg