2014 - best ESC at the moment?

[Motopreserve]

I'm actually using the HobbyWing Quattro ESC's, because I like the form factor. No need for a PDB, less total weight, etc.

this is something that had seemed appealing to me when I first began researching multirotors. But the fear of 1 going bad and having to replace the whole thing kept me away. But for sure the form factor is appealing.

Hopefully your blown motor was a fluke.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

we took on a few 3dr project

What does that mean?

I'm starting to take paid engineering/systems/programming type work on this stuff, so the free help may be getting thinner though.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

this is something that had seemed appealing to me when I first began researching multirotors. But the fear of 1 going bad and having to replace the whole thing kept me away. But for sure the form factor is appealing.

At $35 each, it's just not something I worry about.

 

[Motopreserve]

Good point. If the quality is good, it makes sense.

It it seems they only go as high as 25A though.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yeah, I use them only for quads and a "medium-lift" Octo.

Ideally what I'd like to see if a power distribution board where the ESC's solder directly on. That way they are replaceable. Add a BEC power supply, and you have a nice system.

 

[Motopreserve]

Yeah, I use them only for quads and a "medium-lift" Octo.

Ideally what I'd like to see if a power distribution board where the ESC's solder directly on. That way they are replaceable. Add a BEC power supply, and you have a nice system.

Thats what I just grabbed from witespy. Due to arrive this week (who knows with the storm in the North East). It's direct solder and has some slots for holding the wire in place. Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for - but you can check it out HERE.

 

[Bryharv]

I bench tested my U7's in coax configuration with the Hobbywing Platinum Pro 70A ESC's on 6s. I tried the APC 16" MR props and APC 18" MR props. We ran the motors in coax for 5 minutes pulling 25amps total. For some reason the ESC's are getting hot. Ambient air temp is only 40F.
16" props result in ESC temp of about 125F.
18" prop showing 140F.

Motors are running very cool, only maybe 10-20 degrees above ambient.

Should I be worried about those ESC temps? Seems very high to me. Not sure what I should do...

 

[Ghostrider]

Adding to the Bryharv situation.

Simulating an octo weighing maybe 30lbs. I expect my current draw to be around 100 amps average for hover. Divide that by 8 motors and I arrive at 12.5 amps for my target amp draw.

We ran the U7 490kv on 6s, 12.5 amps and 16" prop for 5 minutes. The Hobbywing 70HV ESC heat sink reads 140F in 40F outside air.
Then I run my 4014-9 400kv on 6s, 12.5 amps and 16" prop for 5 minutes and the Hobbywing 70HV ESC reads 100F in 40F ambient.

Ran the same test with Maytech 65 amp escs and experienced similar results. The U7 motor made the ESC much hotter.

Two motors running the same voltage, current, wattage, and prop, but the ESC is running much hotter with the U7.

The motors are a different KV. The throttle position on my transmitter is 67% for the 4014-9 and 50% for the U7 to get the desired 12.5 amp draw.

By the way, the U7 motor is very smooth and cool running.

What do we need to do to run the U7 and keep the ESC cool? Bigger ESC?

Are we running into an inductance issue?

 

[kloner]

i'm running everything the same as you but haven't even shot the ir gun at the esc's. let me take a look and get back with you. im 60 amp maytec simonK opto on 16" props hex similar loads.

I've seen nothing but good numbers from everything else.

I bet your throttle at hover is pretty low, that makes them hotter than when they run at higher ranges.... for instance 40% hover will heat em p more than a 60% hover. your using the motors torque and energy comes out as heat.

an easy test is to add weight and hover a short period, see if they get cooler

 

[gtranquilla]

Kloner,

Where are you buying your Maytec ESCs...... I have been looking at the following MT40A-OPTO-HS-MK located at: http://www.maytech.cn/eng/prolist.asp?protype=108&product=Brushless ESC for RC Hobby from Maytech

I only fly maytec's these days but am going to try the tmotor 12s series soon. the new thing in esc's is the 12s capability even if you only use it to 8, 10 or 12s. it's the future of lifting. same with this years autopilots, suppose to get compatiblity so all the sensors and crap tell you real numbers on osd's, etc.

2kg isn't too bad to lift. 6s will do it happy. I tried pancake motors once, they werent compatible with the esc's and went away faster than they came in. all the u series stuff is really nice motor wise. Super efficient, the u5 would slide right in and perform nice for your build. way better bearings so you'll fly more and diagnose less

 

[kloner]

http://www.altitudehobbies.com/maytech-multicopter-escs-simonk

that's them i think.... i can get other sizes if any of that's not enough.....

 

[gtranquilla]

Kloner or anyone.....
I just realized you state that the Maytech ESCs don't work well with the pancake motors and I am stuck for now using these 420KV 22 pole Turnigy pancake style motors.......

Seems I have to go with a cheaper 35 to 45 amp Plush 6S or Turnigy Multistar 6S 45 amp rated ESCs or go all out with the Maytechs and upgrade the motors at the same time.
Since my systems is 6S and this is a Cinestar 8 that won't be lifting more than a Panasonic GH3 on a 2 axis BG system..... can someone recommend more suitable motors?

I only fly maytec's these days but am going to try the tmotor 12s series soon. the new thing in esc's is the 12s capability even if you only use it to 8, 10 or 12s. it's the future of lifting. same with this years autopilots, suppose to get compatiblity so all the sensors and crap tell you real numbers on osd's, etc.

2kg isn't too bad to lift. 6s will do it happy. I tried pancake motors once, they werent compatible with the esc's and went away faster than they came in. all the u series stuff is really nice motor wise. Super efficient, the u5 would slide right in and perform nice for your build. way better bearings so you'll fly more and diagnose less

 

[kloner]

I'd go with 3515, u5, 3520, 4014. they run super efficient at that weight, i fly gh3 a lot under my jib and it is 3520 400 and with 10 amp hours of 6s flies 8 minutes....20 amp hours is like 14 minutes. This is the osd doing that on my 1100 hex with u7 and 16" with 20 amp hours with about 4 lbs under it, 3 axis brushless hero, and that is half the draw. gh3 with nice glass only raises that another 8-10 amps. the 3520 behaved similar on octo till i get to a red, then u7 keep cruising and my 3520 start stressing....

that's half the draw and mah, times 2 is the whole rig

 

[SamaraMedia]

probably the biggest factor as of the last year is me running 6s on everything and there not being alot of options. i ran the ipeaka esc's for a long time, never an issue, they max out at 4s..... plush are a decent 6s choice, they tend to be smooth flying, do 6s but are really big and without simonK can't cover every situation. with something like maytecs, i got a small form, easy to get, work out of the box without using any programers, have fired every motor i've ever tried (not all esc's can say that) but the cheap esc's work well. I run them in everything from lifters that carry 20 lbs to discos that cary themselves..... In heavy lifters esc's are a pretty touchy thing hence why all those power boards sell so well if compatibility isn't a problem. I've logged hundreds of hours carrying over 10lbs payloads and never seen a crash or even issue other than noise floor for scientific sensors..... and it never crashed me..... batteries and motors, not so much....

Kloner, what's your thoughts on these iPeka's, price is good and handles up to 6s - http://www.altitudehobbies.com/brus...v-brushless-multicopter-esc-w-simonk-firmware

I heard you mention something about the ZTW esc's, might have been a Spider series. I have some ZTW 45A I bought last year for a hexa project. Also consideirng these motors - http://www.shop.aglhobbiesllc.com/Motors-ESCs-and-Props/iFlight-MT4108-370KV.html - price sure is tempting.

Thanks,

John

 

[kloner]

i used the blue ipeaka and they worked fine, but mine were good to 4s but said 6s on there marketing,,,,, make sure there 6s if you get them

the ztw are what i just had problems getting to fire up my kde motors so went to those maytecs i linked above and they worked killer. i think the big pancake motors need the timing changed and not the simonK timing they use. bart has played with pancakes more than me, he knows alot about this

iflite motors have horrible qc, if there that cheap there is a reason, probably the low kv doesn't make enough thrust for a certain load

 

[Bryharv]

I'd go with 3515, u5, 3520, 4014. they run super efficient at that weight, i fly gh3 a lot under my jib and it is 3520 400 and with 10 amp hours of 6s flies 8 minutes....20 amp hours is like 14 minutes. This is the osd doing that on my 1100 hex with u7 and 16" with 20 amp hours with about 4 lbs under it, 3 axis brushless hero, and that is half the draw. gh3 with nice glass only raises that another 8-10 amps. the 3520 behaved similar on octo till i get to a red, then u7 keep cruising and my 3520 start stressing....

that's half the draw and mah, times 2 is the whole rig

hey Kloner,
So I'm buidling a rig that will fly DSLR sized payload say 70% of the time, and RED maybe 30% of the time. Yea, yeah, I know what you will say... I need two different rigs. But that's not happening right now. I got the U7's for 6s X8 configuration and getting ready to strap them on the frame.

Would you recommend U5's, or the U7's for someone in my situation? ;0)

 

[R_Lefebvre]

iflite motors have horrible qc, if there that cheap there is a reason, probably the low kv doesn't make enough thrust for a certain load

What exactly are you seeing as a problem on the iFlight motors? I've found them to be excellent.

 

[kloner]

hey Kloner,
So I'm buidling a rig that will fly DSLR sized payload say 70% of the time, and RED maybe 30% of the time. Yea, yeah, I know what you will say... I need two different rigs. But that's not happening right now. I got the U7's for 6s X8 configuration and getting ready to strap them on the frame.

Would you recommend U5's, or the U7's for someone in my situation? ;0)

That is the same thing we do......the motor size and the props they swing dictates what way yo go. if i was a skyjib/cinestar i'd do mn4014 or u5. if the frame will swing 16" or bigger, u7 all the way. 490kv and 16 or 400kv and 18" to start,,,,,,,

 

[kloner]

I've been building rtf gimbals for a bout a year now..... all iflight motors..... when you talk to them and start trying to sort out errors with some, perfection with others, they explain that they know about the qc problems and are working to straighten it all out. That's fine when it happens, but some sale motors there giving away at cost would seem to be an unpopular size, most likely kv since the sweet spot is between 400 and 500kv for most weight class rigs we build or they just suck and don't work at all. no other reason to give them away like the link he posted....i've saved hundreds to turn around and spend thousands repairing the crash, want to make sure to remind that's the worse case scenario

for flight motors, i tried some earlier iflight motors and they just weren't much in the quality dept, bearings weren't good, vibrations prevalent, etc. paper labels shoulda been a giveaway that they weren't gonna have much for tight tollerances

What exactly are you seeing as a problem on the iFlight motors? I've found them to be excellent.

 

[PeterLester]

Kloner,
Maytechs incompatible with pancake style motors.....
Just wondering which pancake motors you were using? And did that have a higher pole count such as 22....which might be the reason for incompatibility.
I am trying to buy new ESCs but would rather not have to replace all my pancake motors just yet.....

I only fly maytec's these days but am going to try the tmotor 12s series soon. the new thing in esc's is the 12s capability even if you only use it to 8, 10 or 12s. it's the future of lifting. same with this years autopilots, suppose to get compatiblity so all the sensors and crap tell you real numbers on osd's, etc.

2kg isn't too bad to lift. 6s will do it happy. I tried pancake motors once, they werent compatible with the esc's and went away faster than they came in. all the u series stuff is really nice motor wise. Super efficient, the u5 would slide right in and perform nice for your build. way better bearings so you'll fly more and diagnose less