Three motors, three ESCs, on one channel using one battery

[Queequeg QuintParticipant @queequegquint38270]

Is it possible to use three motors, controlled by three ESCs, all controlled by one channel, and using one battery as the power source? Also, I want to have a BEC to send power to servos, etc.

Can someone advise me how to wire this?

Happy Christmas!

[Queequeg QuintParticipant @queequegquint38270]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

QQ.  And a merry Christmas to you,

I have done this with two motors/esc using a servo lead splitter, so I don’t see why you should not do this with three? Presumably two splitter leads could be used unless you custom make one…tricky due to thin wires.

Just asking…why 3 esc? Or are the motors brushless?

you would need to disable all the bec power wires from all but one esc to avoid an issue…(don’t ask me what,can’t remember). It is the centre wire, use a scalpel or something to de-tab the metal connector and push this out. Dave M has a good drawing no doubt he will remind us where it is.

Ashley

 

Edited By ashley needham on 26/12/2019 10:25:28

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Here it is:

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ah. Knew it would appear!

As for power, simply put, just bunch up all the +esc wires, bunch up the – wires, then connect them to the + and – wires of the battery, via fuse, best. Easy way to fit a fuse…use 1/4 female flat connectors and a flat car type fuse, easy peasy.

how you join them up: Strip, solder and shrink wrap the joints with another bit of fat wire as a tail then solder to a connector to match your power supply, or use screw type strips (frowned upon by some).

Ashley

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Found this. Would be useful. 3-way splitter lead for Futaba

DM

[Paul FreshneyParticipant @paulfreshney24971]

Hi QQ

You did not say if you are intending using BRUSHED or BRUSHLESS motors, a question Ashley has asked.

If using BRUSHED:

Then, as a thought, if all 3 escs are being controlled by one channel and supplied by one battery, why not use just one esc to control all 3 motors? Obviously the esc needs to be rated such that it can cope with all 3 motors at maximum power drain, but that simplifies it all. All you need to do is split the esc's output leads to the three motors.

I have always, with twin BRUSHED motors used just one esc, the advantage being that both motors stop and start at the same time. With two (or three) esc's, inevitably because of micro electronic manufacturing differences, they will all perform slightly differently, usually at low speed.

With BRUSHLESS motors:

You are into a different ball-game but as the other guys have said you can do it – My Aveley on another thread on this forum has a photo of its insides with two BRUSHLESS controllers connected to one channel and both supplied by the same battery. If it had three shafts I would have done the same.

Hope this helps

Happy Boxing Day and New Year!

Paul.

[Queequeg QuintParticipant @queequegquint38270]

Thank you, mates, for your replies. I am fixin' to use brushed motors. I have already tried the one ESC turning the 3 motors. It works for about 10 seconds, but then the ESC seems to overload and shuts off the motors. So, either I need a very beefy ESC, or split the load into 3 ESCs

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

Hi QQ, I've seen threads before where It helps so much if all the information is there. I'd suggest you tell us what the model is, what the motors are, the prop sizes, the make and model of the ESCs and the battery type and capacity you're using. All these things will bear on you getting the best answers to your installation.

Chas

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Many ESCs have their own BEC built in, and give out a regulated 5 volts to work the radio and anything that is plugged into the radio.

The accepted wisdom is that, to be safe, no BEC output should be connected to any other BEC output which might not e exactly the same, lest they disagree and fight it out. This may be less true with more modern gear, but why chance it?

A single battery will power the entire system, provided that it can supply the current demanded of it without dropping its voltage. Not knowing the capability of the battery involved leaves this an open question. Many ESCs will detect a suddenly lowered voltage (either a battery that can't supply the current and/or the associated wiring) and stop working, either because they were designed that way or because the built in BEC can't regulate upwards and just switches the radio off.

Two extremely useful items to have available are a servo tester and a digital voltmeter. For the cost of a couple of servos, they remove a lot of guesswork.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Have a small multimeter, have a batt-esc wattmeter, don’t have a servo tester.

Just had a look on an auction site and servo testers are not expensive, and appear to be dead handy, doing not only servos but esc s as well, must get one. Only thing extra you seem to need is a batt supply, presumably just one of those plastic holders with three aa batts wired to a servo lead?

Ashley

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

presumably just one of those plastic holders with three aa batts wired to a servo lead?

Make that four x AA (NiMH or Alakaline) and you've got it.

DM

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ta!

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

"Alakaline"?? Looks like yesterday's afternoon in the pub hasn't quite worn off… Hic!

DM

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