Team Shakesc : Build Diary

[overkill]

From experience, sensored motors with a large reduction (over 20:1) don't have much of an issue. The only problem I am finding is getting high reduction gearboxes to deal with high KV motors.

[maddox10]

The ESC's don't have a mechanical or electronical issue reversing. But a PM brushless motor , switch 2 fazes during running, and nothing will happen. It has to be stopped before reversing.
Most ESC's brake slower than what we wish for, that reduces strain on motor and ESC. But with the Trackstars we use, it's not a big deal.

[shakesc]

I am quite tempted by the Trackstar 150A
http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking...grammable.html

I think 1 stage reduction is pushing it (but I'm willing to try) but a 2 stage with a sensored brushless seems a good compromise

[daveimi]

This is a stupid question but was it hard to align the motors to the gears on the wheels.

[maddox10]

Not with the adaptorplates I had lasercut .

[shakesc]

So I used a wheel and gear set that Maddox had put together for Speed 900's. I then made a couple of plates to convert the motor bolt spacing between a Speed 900 and Alien Power motor.
It would of been easier with some nice laser cut plates but overall it worked

[shakesc]

I've got the ESC programmed up. Seem to have an issue with 1 motor with the sensors. Plug it in to the ESC and nothing. Unplug the sensor lead motor is fine. Plug the same ESC and sensor lead into the other motor and it runs fine. Looks like it might be an issue with the sensors in the motor. I know one of the Aussies had this issue. Will investigate more and contact Alien Power if needed.
It did give me chance to run the bot with a sensored motor and unsensored. Generally handling was good. I might make the motors give a softer start but thats easily done with the programming card.
Interesting behaviour when running the bot into an immovable object. The sensored motor was notably slower than the unsensored. The unsensored motor did a great job of smoking its tyre (which is a nice grippy mountain bike one). I suspect the sensored motor is keeping in sync whereas the unsensored was just getting busy with as much current as possible.
Suggests that a hefty brushless with a lower KV is usable....

[overkill]

Interesting results, I hope its not the same dead sensor problem that I had. Did you go through the whole motor phase test that Alien Power recommends?

[Ellis]

Please post as much detail about your tests as possible (out-of-the-box reliability of these seems to be an issue), I have the same motors and 150a trackstar ESCs to try in Rango and knowledge is power!

[Revsmin]

Please post as much detail about your tests as possible (out-of-the-box reliability of these seems to be an issue), I have the same motors and 150a trackstar ESCs to try in Rango and knowledge is power!

I'm on the same page, I'm very interested in knowing how this setup works out!

[Eventorizon]

I am considering these monsters as a pair for a new machine I have in mind...

ESC: http://cdn.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=45162

Motor: http://alienpowersystem.com/shop/50m...r-270kv-2200w/

So seeing how your tests go will let me know if this is worth the money. I really hope it does work for you, it will give Otis some real oomph.

EDIT: That esc isn't sensored... should have spotted that... looks like I will have to step back to the same setup as you. Maybe a bigger motor.

[shakesc]

They are monsters!

Had a look at the back of the motor where the sensors are. The soldering is quite fine. None of the sensor leads look loose but its all quite a tight package. The soldering of the sensor leads doesnt look too clever - more insulation stripped back than needs be. I wouldn't fancy replacing any of that.
The motors themselves are a decent price. Out of stock though so cant just pick up another quickly for testing

[Shakey]

Can you get a test video with them both in sensorless mode then?

[Eventorizon]

They are monsters!

Had a look at the back of the motor where the sensors are. The soldering is quite fine. None of the sensor leads look loose but its all quite a tight package. The soldering of the sensor leads doesnt look too clever - more insulation stripped back than needs be. I wouldn't fancy replacing any of that.
The motors themselves are a decent price. Out of stock though so cant just pick up another quickly for testing

Yeah, I would be very tempted to cover that whole join area in epoxy or Araldite and then heat shrink over it. Don't want those breaking at an event!

[Eventorizon]

Done a bit of poking and it seems the Turnigy Trackstar 150A is actually a Castle Creations Mamba Clone of some kind. Many car hobbiests are angry that someone can get away with it (But can buy a fake anything in china, the word copyright doesn't seem to translate very well) and those who have used the Turnigy haven't had great reliability from them. That said given the price difference you could burn 3 Trackstars tone Mamba so... yeah... economies of scale.