Fan Cooled ESC

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

The thought has occurred to me that it would be a good idea to use a fan cooled ESC in a fast model boat with a brushless outrunner instead of using water cooling. So far as I can glean, at the moment, the fan cooled car/truck ESC's are not compatible with the aircraft type motors we use in our boats. Has anyone any comments or experience of this kind of system?

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Harry Smith uses fan-equipped car ESCs in his models so there's clearly not a compatibility problem there. The ESC doesn't "know" whether a motor is an inrunner or outrunner – only whether or not it's fitted with sensors, and most aren't. If you do fit a car-type ESC then it may be necessary to disable the braking function, but that's a doddle if you use a programing card.
I would suggest that any motor/ESC combination should first be run on the water and checked for temperature before any consideration is given to cooling. In my own limited experience neither gets even remotely warm, let alone hot enough to warrant cooling.

Dave M

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Thanks, Dave. The ESC I was considering was this one – Hobbywing QUICRUN-WP-10BL60 60A – coupled to an Airmax AM/3548/1100 brushless motor using 3S lipos. This motor is a 14 poles and one retailer has told me that the ESC is not compatible as car/truck motors of about the same size are only 4 poles. I was not concerned about the motor being an inrunner/outrunner but I got the impression that this particular ESC is easy to set up even without the available programming card. I am most certainly a novice so far as electrics are concerned and the difference in the number of poles, etc., mean nothing to me, but I do not want my query to head in that direction. Motors and ESC's are rather expensive and I do not want to buy items just to start experimenting and then finding that the combination does not work – especially if someone else on the forum has already got some knowledge of the possibilities.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Derek
I've looked at the Hobbywing Quicrun website **LINK** and there's a picture of a car/truck chassis with an inrunner motor fitted alongside this particular ESC. It certainly appears to say "4 pole" on the side of the motor. The specs say only that it's compatible with "SL BL Motors" – presumably SensorLess BrushLess, so I'm none the wiser for that. All in all there seems to be something in what the guy said, and risking the thick end of fifty quid when you've been warned against it doesn't make a deal of sense to me!
If it were my decision I'd forget that particular fan-cooled ESC and go for a dedicated marine one, known to be compatible with 14 pole outrunners like the motor you propose and with the facility for water-cooling if it proves necessary. I've used the 30A V3 ESC from Component-Shop and so I'd have no hesitation in going for the 60A one for that motor. **LINK**

Dave M

 

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 12/09/2018 12:40:06

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I was going to use the Hitec fan-cooled ESCs for my set ups but looking at those Leopard ones as well as being cheaper they accept a wider range of battery sizes and they are available in fan and water cooled versions. I think I shall be changing to those.

Chris

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

I used the 30 amp marine Esc and Leopard motor from Component Shop in my Pt Boat. Even after 30 – 40 mins at speed on 7.2 v and 8.4v neither was warm. I am using the same combo in a Fairey Huntsman and Italeri S100. I have used air cooling in my Model Slipway Tamar, I fitted a computer fan above each of the motors.

Tim

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Derek

I use the Hobbyking 45-100Amp car ESC's (part Numbers HK-45A, HK-60ASL and HK-100A) with the same program card (HKPROG – CARD).

I only change to setting between using 3S and 4S batteries.

1 Cutoff Voltage for 3S=10.2 and 4S=13.6
2 Start Power Percent=5%
3 Advance Timing=4
4 Run Mode=2
5 Brake Force=1
6 Drag Brake Force=1
7 Neutral Range=1
8 Initial Brake Force=1
9 Reverse Force=1

Motors I have used these ESC's are B28-57-17L, B28-57-15L, 3639- 750, 3639-1100, D3548/4- 1100, 3648-1450, XK3674-1900, Turnigy X2845-1980 and Prop Drive V2 3536-1800.

Harry Smith

[Derek BradleyParticipant @derekbradley32270]

Many thanks Harry. That seems to answer all my queries and sounds very promising. I have also queried it with Component Shop and they have also confirmed that s car.truck ESC can be used in a boat.

Derek.

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