Freddyflintstone

Hi there:
What is the differences in using a 10A ESC vs 20A ESC in my Eflite Extra 260 with a show stopper 370 bushless motor. Will the motor run different or are there changes in flight times? I would like to understand this area better.

soarhead-RCU

Depends on the Amp draw of the motor.......A 10 amp ESC on a 370 motor would be very marginal and could go up in smoke. You could use a wattmeter and prop down to make sure it draws less than 10 amps static and then it will unload a little more in the air, but you might not have the same power you are used to. Always a good idea to have a larger ESC than the motor will pull just for safety sake IMHO..........

Good Luck
Bob

houckj

Smoke is not good! However, what if the question was about using a 20Amp (Completely adequate) or 60AMP. Once you are into the safety zone is there any advantage or disadvantage to using large ESC except for weight. Would different brands of ESC give different results?

Freddyflintstone

Hey Guys:
Thanks for the input, it all helps to understand it better. Have fun!

Walt Thyng

My Feedback: (9)

Freddy, the answer to your basic question is "there will be no electronic effects caused by using a larger esc. Your motor's run times will not change and it will not run any differently. The larger esc will probably run cooler, but, again, unless you are dealing with extremes, there will be no noticeable operating difference.

Now when you get to the extremes suggested by the Texas poster you do run into some issues. Weight is one. Another might be the voltage range of the esc; it might not arm if the battery voltage was below the Low Voltage Cut-off (LVC). That happened to me when I switched escs in a low voltage, high amp situation. The higher amp rated esc also had a higher LVC. It required a minimum of 15 volt to run and I was using a well-worn 14.8 volt pack.

Our Texas friend introduced another and very legitimate variable: brand. Not all escs are created equal. I would not expect the same performance from a Suppo esc as I would from a Castle Creations esc. Efficiency and smoothness might well be different.
Walt

Dr Kiwi

Just to add another wrinkle - many cheaper ESCs have higher internal resistance and will not allow as much current through - so a higher quality ESC (regardless of size) might improve performance a little.

Freddyflintstone

Hi Bob, houckj,Walt and Dr Kiwi:
Thanks for your responses and taking the time to pass the knowledge. It is all appreciated and covers the topic well. I'll go with a higher quality 20A ESC, efficiency and smoothness are important for the Extra 260.

HAPPY NEW... May this be your best!
Freddy