Using switches on ESC's??
08-02-2005, 07:38 PM
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Using switches on ESC's??
Just wondering.. im about to solder connectors onto my esc and I dont know if i should use a switch (betweent the battery and esc). Does anyone here use them.. why or why not?
08-02-2005, 09:54 PM
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RE: Using switches on ESC's??
switches can be good if you have easy access and want to save battery power, could also be a good safety feature, seen a couple guys plug in the juice and the motor started meaning the model could have flew off and hit him or someone else, but thiers always pros/cons to everything
08-02-2005, 11:37 PM
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RE: Using switches on ESC's??
The switch should be connected between the ESC and the receiver, not between the battery and the ESC. Cut the red wire (the middle wire) and mount the switch there. The red wire is the middle wire in the the 3 conductor wire that comes out of the ESC and plugs into the receiver. But..... be careful, some ESC's will not "boot up" properly when a switch is used. Test thoroughly before you fly the plane. Also, beware, even with the switch turned off, the ESC is still draining a small amount of juice from your battery. If you leave the battery connected, the ESC will drain your LIPO batteries to the point where they cannot be re-charged and are trash.
08-03-2005, 06:30 AM
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RE: Using switches on ESC's??
ORIGINAL: Jacket Man
The switch should be connected between the ESC and the receiver, not between the battery and the ESC. Cut the red wire (the middle wire) and mount the switch there. The red wire is the middle wire in the the 3 conductor wire that comes out of the ESC and plugs into the receiver. But..... be careful, some ESC's will not "boot up" properly when a switch is used. Test thoroughly before you fly the plane. Also, beware, even with the switch turned off, the ESC is still draining a small amount of juice from your battery. If you leave the battery connected, the ESC will drain your LIPO batteries to the point where they cannot be re-charged and are trash.
The switch should be connected between the ESC and the receiver, not between the battery and the ESC. Cut the red wire (the middle wire) and mount the switch there. The red wire is the middle wire in the the 3 conductor wire that comes out of the ESC and plugs into the receiver. But..... be careful, some ESC's will not "boot up" properly when a switch is used. Test thoroughly before you fly the plane. Also, beware, even with the switch turned off, the ESC is still draining a small amount of juice from your battery. If you leave the battery connected, the ESC will drain your LIPO batteries to the point where they cannot be re-charged and are trash.
Then why waste time with the switch if power is still draining?? Defeats the purpose doesn't it?
08-03-2005, 07:30 AM
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RE: Using switches on ESC's??
Agreed. Switches are a bad idea.
First off, it's another level of complexity in the system. Something else that can and will go wrong.
Second, switches add resistance to the circuit, waste power, and hurt performance. Even with LiPolys and brushless motors, we really don't have any to waste.
Third, it's a safety issue. It takes a concerted effort to plug a battery in. A switch can be easily bumped, arming the system with no control from the transmitter. Worse yet, if someone is flying on the same channel, you've just given them control of your plane, on the ground, in the pits. That guy cuts the throttle to do a hammerhead or something, then punches it to pull out... He's just armed your ESC and stared your motor! [X(]
Fourth, you can't just use a Radio Shack toggle... No sir, it needs to be designed to handle the Volts and Amps your system is drawing, and those kinds of switches are neither inexpensive nor light.
First off, it's another level of complexity in the system. Something else that can and will go wrong.
Second, switches add resistance to the circuit, waste power, and hurt performance. Even with LiPolys and brushless motors, we really don't have any to waste.
Third, it's a safety issue. It takes a concerted effort to plug a battery in. A switch can be easily bumped, arming the system with no control from the transmitter. Worse yet, if someone is flying on the same channel, you've just given them control of your plane, on the ground, in the pits. That guy cuts the throttle to do a hammerhead or something, then punches it to pull out... He's just armed your ESC and stared your motor! [X(]
Fourth, you can't just use a Radio Shack toggle... No sir, it needs to be designed to handle the Volts and Amps your system is drawing, and those kinds of switches are neither inexpensive nor light.
