Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

I have a small project I am working on and would like to power a brushless motor without a reciever or possibly an ESC. This component of the project does not require a radio signal or transmitter/receiver.

The objective is to have continuous power to the brushless motor with a simple on / off switch. I dont need it plugged into a receiver, but all brushless ESCs I can see have the RX connector for throttle or speed. Is there a simple hack or product that supplies constant voltage (off/on) to the brushless motor without the need for a receiver?

thanks!

RE: Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

A simple solution is to use a servo tester, they all have a knob that will allow you to control the speed with. They go for from ten to twenty bucks, depending on where you buy.
Running a BLDC motor without an ESC? No can do, as the ESC provides the electrical commutation that the commutator and brushes normally provide.
Pete

RE: Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

Yep, you may be able to get by without a servo, but the ESC is a must-have item for a brushless.

RE: Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

10-4 on that ESC. The ESC creates the field that turns the armature.

If you want it that simple just use a "brushed" motor.. they're about 5-cents nowadays... then you don't need any sort of ESC, and you can use any switch you want, and even get the speed you want by basically adjusting the voltage via battery pack. :)

RE: Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

Thanks for the replies. I know I can run a brushless without a servo and I also know I can run a brushed motor. I just need an ESC without the throttle / speed connector that goes to the RX unit.

My application requires a maintenance free motor, hence the brushless need. I dont need speed control or any knobs, just a simple straight 3.7 volts to a brushless motor with an on/off switch.

Any ideas? Thanks.

RE: Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

Well, it's probably just semantics but you're asking for an Electronic Speed Control unit (ESC) without the a speed control function. I'm not sure but I don't think you'll find that in a hobby grade unit. Have you tried a Google search for "brushless motor control" ?

RE: Run a brushless motor without ESC?
 

What you need is a "simple" bit of circuit that basically pretends to be a receiver. All you need to do is put your 4.8v on the red wire, ground on the black/brown wire, and a square wave with the right pulse width on the signal wire. Looking up the signal info isn't complicated, it's the same signal that all normal servos use.

pilotpete2 pointed out that a servo controller is exactly that kind of device with a more complicated UI than you need, since you just need to send the minimum pulse rate and the maximum rate for the extreme travel range. But you should get a cheap ESC and a cheap servo controller as pilotpete2 suggested as a starting point.

I forgot to add, you'll want to make sure you know what kind of current you're going to pull with your motor, since it sounds like you aren't using a prop. If you have a very low load, you can use a really small ESC and you might not need one with a BEC.