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Author Topic: esc vs controller  (Read 3727 times)

Offline Gary_Barrow

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esc vs controller
« on: June 28, 2021, 01:12:06 PM »
I fly combat and crashing is inevitable. With a timer when I crash does it turn off or does it ruin my esc or battery or timer?One guy just uses and rc receiver and the controller. Pros and cons.

Offline CircuitFlyer

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2021, 03:57:54 PM »
The KR Governor timer is the only timer that has prop strike protection.  I can confirm first hand that it works very well.  Other systems may or may not protect the motor or ESC.  Some ESC’s have a max current limit but I’ve never crashed one of those so can’t say how well that works. A jammed prop can cause excessive current flow that can smoke the motor windings or the ESC.  High current is not likely to damage a battery but doesn’t do it any good either. Current flow won’t bother the timer at all.

Using an RC trans/receiver can be beneficial for beginners/trainers as well as scale models. Otherwise it can be a bit awkward to use and most folks end up with a timer because its just less hassle and more consistent.
Paul Emmerson
Spinning electrons in circles in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada DIY Control Line Timers - www.circuitflyer.com

Online Dennis Toth

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2021, 10:24:02 AM »
I have wondered this same thing. I had my Stuka stunt ship nose over in high, wet grass and was using the ESC current setting at normal, it tried to flip the ship over before cutting out and smoking the motor. After looking at the setting there are two current setting in the Castle Creation ESP, one on current limit and the second current cutoff type. The Current limit can be set to sensitive but that won't do it (that's were I had mine at) you have to set the Current Cutoff Type to Hard Cutoff. The cutoff type is important, if you leave it as Soft it takes a longer time to shut down the motor and can smoke in a prop stop crash. I have not tried any of the timer cutoffs but even with them I would set the ESP to sensitive and hard cutoff.

Best,    DennisT
« Last Edit: September 03, 2021, 07:02:13 AM by Dennis Toth »

Offline Douglas Bykoff

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2022, 08:54:12 PM »
I fly combat and crashing is inevitable. With a timer when I crash does it turn off or does it ruin my esc or battery or timer?One guy just uses and rc receiver and the controller. Pros and cons.


My latest project.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2022, 08:52:24 AM by Douglas Bykoff »

Online Dennis Toth

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2022, 01:29:50 PM »
Doug,
I am 100% with you on the remote clicker shut-off. We might need a rule change to allow these high frequency/short range units to be used in competition as they have only 2.4Hertz being allowed in CL. I think not only will we save equipment and time but it is an additional safety measure in case a flier becomes ill during the flight. We saw this first hand at a stunt contest when a very experienced pilot had a heart attack, luckily people around the circle saw what was happening and went in and took the handle and got him lying down till MPs got there. I know you can just crash the plane but we won't just do that. If he had a way to shut it off when he first felt something was wrong he could have saved several minutes and called for help sooner.

Best,    DennisT
« Last Edit: November 08, 2022, 07:28:19 AM by Dennis Toth »

Offline Douglas Bykoff

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2022, 03:13:34 PM »
I didn't do it with the competition in mind, but because I saw several friends losing their equipment in accidents.

It started out as an RF remote button for commercial timers. Then evolved to replace the passive timer.

Now I can freely turn on and off and +/- buttons to adjust rpm.

This is The last version and have 2 channels, 2 speeds and Panic mode for safer shutdown.




Douglas
« Last Edit: October 31, 2022, 04:11:52 PM by Douglas Bykoff »

Teodorico Terry

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2022, 08:41:28 AM »
Gary,

I accidentally discovered that the Castle ESC will shutoff after a prop strike if set-up correctly.  In my case, the model nosed over enough for the prop to strike the grass which ended up shutting it off without the usual on and off that follows an overload.  The programing for the ESC is fairly simple, you just need to set the current limiting to "sensitive" and "hard cutoff".  The only way for the motor to restart would be for the throttle signal from the timer to go back to "off" and then back "on".  Since the timer continued to send a throttle signal the ESC will not spin the prop which gave me enough time to disconnect the battery and start over.  I am not sure that in a hard crash that an electric motor would survive, the battery or ESC.  Given the G's involved everything will shift around.

Good luck,

Teo

Online Dennis Toth

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2022, 07:30:22 AM »
Doug,
Very cool!! Can you please share your setup and DIY on how to build and connect your system.

Thanks,          DennisT

Offline Jess Gresham

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2022, 09:50:28 AM »
I've been using standard R/C transmitters for training and test flights, but this looks like an improvement!
What would they cost? Tx looks simple, will they be available over time?
Jess

Offline Douglas Bykoff

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2022, 05:41:37 PM »
Doug,
Very cool!! Can you please share your setup and DIY on how to build and connect your system.

Thanks,          DennisT

Sorry for the long delay in responding. because of the political situation in my country I stopped accessing Stunthangar for a while. Sorry afain.

My device is a PIC controller coupled to a chinese 433mhz receiver. The PIC generates the signal to the ESC. A programming card with just 2 buttons + and - makes programming the rotation speed of the motor. The configuration is stored in the PIC's non-volatile memory.

The pilot's hand control has 2 buttons. Button A toggles between V1 speed and off. Button B can turn the motor on to V1 speed and then switch between V1 and V2 speed.

At any operating speed, pressing button A stops the motor.

If you press and hold button A for 5 seconds the engine will stop immediately and will not restart unless you turn off and reconnect the battery.

The device has a 6-pin contact bar where 3 pins connect to the ESC and the other 3 to the programming card. The receiver and transmitter are synchronized using a button on the receiver.

Offline Douglas Bykoff

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2022, 06:02:16 PM »
This is a derivative of the original model made for use in conjunction with a Timer. it is between the ESC and the timer and the ESC, has 2 buttons A and B.

Button A interrupts the Timer signal to ESC and generates its 1ms signal to turn off the motor immediately. Just disconnecting the signal some ESC takes a few seconds to turn off the engine.

Button B reconnects Timer to ESC.

Offline Douglas Bykoff

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Re: esc vs controller
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2022, 07:13:59 PM »
I've been using standard R/C transmitters for training and test flights, but this looks like an improvement!
What would they cost? Tx looks simple, will they be available over time?
Jess

I sell the TX, RX and programming card set for the equivalent of 50 dollars here in Brazil. The same transmitter and the card can control several RX.


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