good esc and remote?

these are the last 2 things i need too get for my featherweight bot but im on a budget so im needing good but fairly cheap stuff.

i dont have a clue were too look so can anyone point me in the right direction?

also, if i bought another 2 drill motors, how many speed controlers would i need. i am probably using 1 for each wheel but how would i wire it up so they all drive at the same time?

by saying you bought another 2 drills i resume you already had 2 ??

ok so if thats the case you will have 2 drills per side of the robot all you do is connect the speed controller right side wires to one of the motors on the right side. then wire that motor to the other motor on the right side. repeat for the left side

id go for a planet 2 or similar cheap 2.4ghz set around £30 for all you need.

what sort of money are you wanting/able to spend on the speed controller??

alex

im really looking for speed controlers too be as cheap as possible

can anyone give me a good link for a good esc and remote?

Electronize do quite cheap ESCs. If you're using two drill motors (one on either side), I'd recommend two 15a, if you're using 2 drills in each side, 2 of the 30a version. Some people prefer more precise ESCs, but for most they're plenty good enough.

They're also pretty robust, and aren't too huge.

I'm using two 30a Electronize ESCs with 4 drill motors, and the Planet T5 Transmitter and Receiver set. So far I couldn't have asked for more, I don't have much or any experience with other setups but as far as I can tell, what I have works great. And it's all relatively cheap. :)

I'd recommend having a good look around the FW forums, and build diaries. You'll realise that you're in exactly the same position as loads of others, all asking and wondering the same things as you. Or, you could ask around for when the next event that is near you is happening, tag along and ask questions, I'm sure there'll be people willing to give you some advice.

Hope I helped...

can you post a link too them?

The 15a Electronize ESCs: http://www.electronize.co.uk/model_elec ... frames.htm
The 30a jobbies: http://www.electronize.co.uk/model_elec ... frames.htm

The Planet T5: http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/sh ... p?id=29064 (just one of probably more than one sources)

i would need brushless esc?

also, how have you wired up your esc's to the motors and batteries?

brushless esc are only for brushless motors drill motors use brsuhes

so, for drill motors i need a brushed?

this is very confusing!

The electronize esc's are for brushed motors.

i have seen that 10a esc are ok for featherweights? are they?

They'll just about do it to be on the safe side I would use a 15A+ esc. This the one I'm using http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X25.htm

would i need Type FR15HVR or Type FR15HX

also, would these batteries be ok as a sub for the drill ones?

http://www.technobotsonline.com/haze-hz ... 2.2ah.html

or, how can i gt the drill ones usable?

to get the drill batterys useable you'll have to take apart the casing to get nicad cells (1.2v each) and solder them together to get the voltage you want.

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to get the drill batterys useable you'll have to take apart the casing to get nicad cells (1.2v each) and solder them together to get the voltage you want.

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No, the drill batteries are sized for the motors. You can quite happily take a pack, even leave it in it's casing if you wish and hook them up to your speed controllers. They won't be as high powered as racing packs or whatever else you decide to use but they perfectly usable. The lightweight typhoon bots used these in their case form.

The battery you linked to there is a sealed lead acid battery. Perfectly suitable to use as well however they are somewhat old in terms of featherweight technology. Better to look at nicads or nimh.

And they're hugely heavy, I might add.

im going too only ise 2 motors and 2 dead wheels so im tryig too find a good ESC for the t=job?

they are 2 12v drill motors

Two 15amp electronize controllers should do the job happily.

http://www.electronize.co.uk/model_elec ... frames.htm

alternatives:

http://www.robotbits.co.uk/motor-driver ... od_62.html - this would also handle 4 motors

http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sab ... 2X12RC.htm -unfortunately i don't think you can get this in england at the moment

http://www.roboteq.com/brushed-dc-motor ... oller.html -again can't find in uk

would a sabertooth 10a be usable for 2 motors?

No. Tried that a while back and with additional heatsinking on the unit it still went up in smoke

so this would not be usable?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ESC-15A-RC-Brushe ... 1100332684

No. For several reasons.

- Max input voltage is below 12v (you'll see smoke if you put 12v through it)
- Max current is 15A.....looking at the unit and the size of it and the wiring these are what I like to call hobby amps, not real amps. Basically these cheap chinese knock off speed controllers will give you current handling ratings far higher than they could actually ever deliver. Imagine buying a car and being told it could go 250mph.....brilliant!.....and it cost only 5 grand.....even better!.....except they don't tell you that the test was carried out in a tunnel with a vacuum (no air resistance), ie a situation you would never come across. Extreme example but hopefully it gets the message across.

There are tried and tested speed controllers that have ran in hundreds of machines and been well battle proven. I would highly recommend you buy one of these as you will spend many more hours of pain and cursing as you blow up yet another cheap controller. Spend a bit more cash in the short term and you will save a huge amount over the long term.

ok, which type of 15a electronize esc would i need?

You would require at a minimum two FR15HX controllers (one for each motor) however if you were to buy one FR15HVR and one FR15HX you would be able to provide power to your receiver without the need for an additional battery pack.

The FR15HVR has what is known as a battery eliminator circuit (BEC). A standard radio receiver requires a 4.8V supply to operate. This is obviously a lot lower than the 12v main battery pack you will use to power the rest of the machine. You therefore have three options.

- Buy a second smaller battery pack specifically for the receiver
- Use a speed controller with an integrated BEC
- Use a seperate BEC

The BEC takes the 12V input to the speed controller and is able to, along with controlling the motor, drop the 12v down to 4.8V to also provide a supply to the receiver through the connector that you plug into the receiver (the red, black and white wires coming out the speed controller).

so, basiclly, buy one FR15HVR and one FR15HX?

that's what i would advise. i've used a fair number of controls in featherweights and always come back to the electronize for their ease of use and reliability.

so, about £70 for esc's, and about £50 for transmitor and reciver?

definately not a cheap hobby, believe me! But it's very rewarding :)

nither is my other hobby, snake keeping!

its about £60 over budget but its worth it!

I'll be ordering them once I have got my wheels then I'll probably design and build the body. I'll buy the transmitor about mid december

No way is the radio set is alot lees then £50 I'll sell you a Planet T5 transmitter for £20

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hard Time

No way is the radio set is alot lees then £50 I'll sell you a Planet T5 transmitter for £20

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He'll need a receiver too...

dont i also ned a reciver?

got the wheels today, ordering the esc's soon but i still cant find a good transmitor and reciever!

transmitters:

http://www.digital-photo-keyrings.co.uk ... p?PID=3332

or:

http://www.giantcod.co.uk/gianitcod-24g ... 03779.html

or if you want something really fancy:

http://www.kingslynnmodelshop.co.uk/p10 ... 6i_(Mode_2)_6_Ch_Full_Range_Tx_With_AR6200/product_info.html

so all of those are usable?

yes. they all include receivers aswell.