ORIGINAL:
The E-Flite 40A V2 ESC was so hot that the black PVC covering over the FETs has completely melted off! It works fine when cool, so I'm going to continue to use it -sans covering.
Man, I'de be afraid to use that thing again. If it overheated the BEC, that could end up failing and then you'de have a real mess.
I had mounted it on the side of the bulkhead next to the battery. Apparently, this position does not provide adequate cooling.
The biggest cooling hole on the airplane is at the bottom of the firewall, so that's where we put the ESC. Once the air goes over the esc, it has no choice than to go up through the slots and past the battery. In this positiojn we have never had an ESC problem. I put 200 flights on one like that, and then another 200 in the Mini Pulse. Right nowm, that ESC has about 10 flights in my new Mini Pulse. It will probably run forever.
I was thinking of mounting it in the exterior of the plane on the underside of the bulkhead.
I've seen people do that, but if you crash the airplane on it's belly you could damage the ESC. Not only that, if you knock the gear off on pavement, the ESC is going to go sliding down the asphault with the plane on top of it. That, and i don't like the way it looks.
- it certainly looks more clean.
I am rather obsessive about keeping tghings tidy.
You mounted your ESC just under the battery tray - don't you think that the battery obstructs quite a bit of airflow over the ESC?
No. The bottom hole on the firewall jams the air under the battery tray and right back over the ESC.