Competition ESC specs are they important, what do they mean?
 

Do you think the speedo manufacturers ESC specifications matter?

Do you know what the specs mean??

People seem to worry endlessly about the matchers numbers on cells and the dyno test figures on motors. Do you care about the current rating and the on-resistance etc of your speedo? or do you think the ratings are worthless? Are there different ways of rating MOSFETs?

I think the specs are very important. I wouldn't buy a speedo just because it says it's 'mega powerful' and 'super efficient' on the box, would you?

Yes they are important.

Yes I do know what they mean....


.... but I don't really care as much as I used to. In comparison to the days of yore', back when the Novak M5 was the hottest thing around, the specs really meant something. Back then, the on-resistance was really important as making run time was critical, and it varied widely between sport and competition ECSs. More recently, the specs of the ESC's have gotten so good that almost any current speedo would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Most speedos run cooler, run smaller, and more effieciently than anything from as little as 4 or 5 years ago.

Does it still matter? Yes. but I'd rather spend my time parsing over a set-up guide than my electronic specs.

And I'd imagine in a few years I'll care even less, as things will be that much better than they are now!! :nod:

So what influences which speedo you'd buy if it's not the specs? I suppose it can't be the customer service for things like repairs etc as these days all the top speedos are very reliable and unless you're expecting problems customer service is not an issue. I guess you choose the one your car manufacturer/distributor sells or one that matches your cars anodised parts or something else is more important than specs?

this thread smells a bit to me. Is it advertising for the company you work at/represent? :)

Only thing I know is that MRT ESCs suck! j/k :lol:

Regards,

Arvid

I mostly buy my stuff based on real world reviews. Have I heard about many of them blowing up? How good is customer service? Will they actually get back to me, or will the company keep me guessing for 1 or 2 months while they "fix" my stuff? Does their overall product line fit my needs? Do they tailor to a certain segment of the hobby, aka racer only stuff?

It's why I've been running the exact same speed controls for 5 years... Novak Cyclones, with the exception of one Quantum2, which I bought just to try out. Cyclones are a little big, but they are rock solid and don't blow up on me....as opposed to the GT7 and Q2, both of which I've heard stories of random detonations.

And yes Airwide, that thought crossed my mind, but I figured, hey what the heck... I'm bored anyways.:sneaky:

I have been a Novak supporter for years.

I even like Bob Novak and some of his employees.

With that said I will never run a Novak in a vehicle again. They don't hold up to high power applications. I have blown 5 cyclones (one was my fault) and 1 GT7. I even only do 5 to 5 1/2 min practice runs instead of 8, to give them a break. This is with 27t and 19t sedan motors.

After my last big race I researched and was looking serious at Ko VF1 and Keyance. $$ ended up being an issue so I bought a used Tekin G10 off ebay for a song to tide me over until I got a top of the line. Well with the performance I am getting from a older Tekin, I am quite satisfied.

Jeff

A big thing for me with esc's is the setup/adjustments and how easy they are change and figure out what you need. Just like a controller, all the top esc's specs are so good now and competitive that you have to look at the next thing to decide which is best.

Old Tekins are awesome, they were ahead of their time when they came out.

Jeff, I'm glad some guys like you do their research. I find it pays to question things and look into the specs etc and know what they mean.

Recently a competition ESC current rating was increased from 150A to 700A (for the same MOSFETs).

If specs are almost meaningless, I guess it's not important and has no effect on performance. I happen to know this is not the case.

Airwide, you're entitled to your opinion, I hope it's based on your own personal experience, and that you do research.

I am a racer like everyone else. And like most others want to know how to go faster and drive better.

Competition ESC specs are very important information because I could read and make decision base on the specification.

What matters for me are : ( from the most to least importance )

FET Ratings ( as high as possible )
FET Resistance ( as low as possible, almost zero voltage loss )
Quality and Reliability Factor ( hearing other people's opinion )
ESC Size ( as small as GT7 is okay )
Price ( good value )
Easy Setup and Programing

BTW, Terry S, you are the owner of MRT electronics right?

Hi Terry!
If you didn't understand the "j/k", it means "just kidding". On the contrary to my joke, I've heard a lot of good things about MRT ESCs

Actually I think this thread is on to something good, BUT I find it weird when someone working for a ESC manufacturer starts it the way you did.

(I see now that you're signature is gone. Aren't you working at MRT? I could be wrong...)

Regards,
Arvid Stenberg

The specs for an ESC always influence what I buy. I consider specs to be more important than the size, weight and adjustments of a speedo. Current ratings are way overrated,as a typical 6-cell pack can only produce 100-150 amps for very short bursts. The average amperage used continuously is much lower than that. On-resistance is equally as important, as that tells how much power a speedo can deliver in the fastest and most efficient way. The BEC rating and design is another thing I look for in a quality product. I'm not trying to advertise Tekin products, but I've always liked their speedos for the BEC used (6 volt/5 amp) and the fact that they don't require any external components. Later!

I'd just like to point something out, there are differnt "Types" of ratings as well. We've recently been trying to update the GTX specs, as a new comparison rating was released. The first spec was based on different dissappation factors, as the same dissappation factor the current rating goes way up.

In the END these specs are ALL useless. They are just calculations of test and usually based on lab condistions and temperatures. NOT realworld usage in any way shape or form. The wires would melt right through the insulations if they got close to even half the ratings. R/C battery packs are only capable of around 150 amps max for very short durrations. Your average discharge over runs varies from 10-50 amps, with spikes durring acceleration. The spec game is no fun to play, and I hate it with a passion. When it comes down to it, virually all of the specs mean Nothing Real World.

Email me if you've got direct questions or would like further explanation.

Thanks for your time,
Charlie

.....nevertheless I still need something to read before I buy. Especially specification and user manual book.

Associated has plenty of reading material for their Quantum 2 ESC. @ 1 inch square.

It has a reactive mode for which it will react to your driving and put punch where it is demanded, and so forth regardless of your skill(s).