Experience Sharing - Best Blinky ESC's
 

RC is a hobby full of trials and opinions, negative experiences and positive experiences.

Blinky racing seems to be popular the world over as a grading class or as a class that people enjoy racing week in and out with mates.

Using 13.5 and 21.5 purely as examples in on road what experiences have people had with various ESC's.

I've tried everything from the Yokomo RPX which felt dull and lethargic to the LRP Flow WT which I had to keep checking as to whether or not it had boost accidentally dialled into it.

What are the best ESC's for blinky racing? really

Orca

I've never run an Orca but I have had excellent results from Hobbywing, Tekin and Viper. Right now I think my favorite would probably be the Viper believe it or not.

I've had good luck with the Speed Passion Reventon Pro 1.1. Also, many like the hobbywing v3.1.

LRP Stock Spec V2, nice and small and isn't just blinky. Not cheap, but good.

I have mixed feelings about the hobbywing justock. I just had my first failure with one. It started cogging at initial throttle input. I have a secong justock, and it cogs ever so slightly with a 21.5 motor.

This should be a good thread, I know Blinky is meant to be everything equal but it isn't!

My experience is:
Dualsky XC850TF Very smooth, good punch but not Roar legal
LRP Flow Very quick especially with an LRP motor, but braking / drag brake sucks
Tekin RS/Pro Feels like you've added 1kg to the car, lost a second a lap compared to my HW Esc, although Tekin have told me to change a couple of settings which I have but yet to retry.
Hobbywing V3.1 Works really well, very set and forget.

I also find the Hobbyking X-Car esc's loaded with HW2.1 firmware work well for what they are.

Also tried larger esc caps like the SMC one, don't think they make much difference though.

I will begin by mentioning the LRP SXX Stock Spec V2. I like it a lot for the small, postage stamp footprint on the chassis. It was easy to program into blinky mode and that is all you had to do. There are others with additional adjustments that I don't think fit the blinky concept. but they are what they are.

From that I got a HobbyWing 1cell, V3, I think it is. Ran that in my WGT once again on single cell. Much bigger that the LRP, but usable.

And last, I got the BlackBox from Associated/Reedy. I really like this one. It has very nice size and programming for the single cell 1/12 and WGT cars. Seems bullet proof so far. Been very hot but still plugs along.

I've got a V3.1 with a Team Powers Booster Cap bolted onto the side of it. The Cap looks neat it's super easy to mount and it's awesome.

I'm usually very sceptical like "they all come out of the same factory etc" but I've seen a big difference in a lot of them.

I'm no subject matter expert but my experiences to help other potential buyers -

Yokomo RPX - had this in my BD7 would look a little out in anything else, but it's dull there is no punch or brakes. They aren't cheap either. Build quality is outstanding. They are really good quality, on the outside....

Orca VXX V2.1 - Nothing good nothing bad, in the middle.

Orion R10 Pro - ran this with boosted in NZ so not sure, but build quality wasn't up to spec of other brands. their program card felt like a piece of cardboard with buttons glued onto it.

LRP Flow WT - epic ESC, want another one but not sure if they're due for a new release, so will hang onto my $250 until I find out if they do.

Orca VXX V3 - Nice, really good build quality as well. Removable lead is a nice touch. No stickers though, not that I care, but for an expense as low as a sticker why not give people some so they market your brand for you? Bizarre business decision.

HW V3.1 120a - Initially avoided like the plague. but the quality has come a long long way. Good speedy.

Novak edge

Factory rebuilt $69 us. Can't beat the performance and price!

$69 US plus freight and it quickly becomes a $150 AU Esc for us over here, and at that price point there are better options.

No, it's not meant to be everything equal. It is a specification for timing ONLY. If an ESC meets the ROAR specification for non-timing operation, then there will be no discernible power difference between it and other ESCs due to timing. But there are plenty of other things that can be different between ESCs, hence the interest in threads like this.

This is true, and I have found that when running classes like 21.5 Blinky where every extra bit of speed / punch etc counts, choosing which ESC goes with which battery and which motor makes a huge difference.

....Mod is cheaper to run though!

I have had LRP SXX V2 IT JUST quit working one day and it is over priced! I have a Tekin RS they are ok I think people hack them to run boost in blinky mode. I have several just stocks the are the best $50 esc on the market. Works well and when it goes out it is no big deal. I also have a ORCA VX and a VXX one of the faster or sould I say punchy for blinky esc.
The esc I would like to try is a SkyRC Toro 120 amp they look like a ORCA with an alumin/www.horizonhobby.com/pdf/DYN4955_Manual.pdfum case ROAR LEGAL and $90.
I also have a team power radon it is over priced I wasn't impressed!!
It is up to you to decide what way you want to go on esc but an esc can't make up for driving miscues. Buy the JUST stock esc you will be ok so if or when you plug it in backwards or blow a motor and it takes the esc with it you won't be discouraged.