Go Back  R/C Tech Forums > General Forums > Radio and Electronics
ESC Testing and Comparisons >

ESC Testing and Comparisons

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Like Tree48Likes

ESC Testing and Comparisons

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-05-2026 | 03:54 PM
  #16  
gigaplex's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,761
From: Melbourne, VIC
Default

Originally Posted by rhodopsine
The biggest difference I felt between various ESC was when running partial throttle. At the same frequency, some feel a little punchier and others feel a little smoother. Never felt a difference in top speed per see, but I think that in stock, an ESC with more punch at partial throttle helps to get out of the corner and navigate through technical sections quicker. I can definitely see that in mod, you would want more smoothness to help with throttle control. Now, I'm pretty sure that pretty much all high end ESC can be tuned and will end up pretty much equivalent.

Martin Paradis
I fee that's overrated in stock. If you're at partial throttle and feel like you need more, pull more throttle.
gigaplex is offline  
Old 05-05-2026 | 03:57 PM
  #17  
gigaplex's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,761
From: Melbourne, VIC
Default

Originally Posted by Roelof
In case of blinky some degrees off in the positive direction could explain why some ESC's are more popular than others.
Being some degrees off in the positive direction would fail ROAR testing.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
gigaplex is offline  
Old 05-05-2026 | 05:30 PM
  #18  
OffRoadJunkie's Avatar
Thread Starter
Tech Champion
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 6,318
From: California
Default

Originally Posted by Roelof
In case of blinky some degrees off in the positive direction could explain why some ESC's are more popular than others.
Originally Posted by gigaplex
Being some degrees off in the positive direction would fail ROAR testing.

Gigga is correct on this. In order to meet ROAR regulations, the ESC's have to be set to zero degrees.
OffRoadJunkie is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 01:14 AM
  #19  
Roelof's Avatar
Tech Lord
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 14,052
From: Holland
Default

Originally Posted by OffRoadJunkie
Gigga is correct on this. In order to meet ROAR regulations, the ESC's have to be set to zero degrees.
Yes, as the blinky code should say that it is in zero degree timing but how accurate zero is it?
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
Roelof is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 01:58 AM
  #20  
gigaplex's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,761
From: Melbourne, VIC
Default

Originally Posted by Roelof
Yes, as the blinky code should say that it is in zero degree timing but how accurate zero is it?
The ROAR testing equipment ensures it's accurate.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
gigaplex is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 02:37 AM
  #21  
Roelof's Avatar
Tech Lord
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 14,052
From: Holland
Default

Interesting, how is ROAR testing this?
Is it with a same setup as used on the worlds many years ago with the use of a scope?

So far I have seen over here only the blinky code is checked and with RPM limiter ESC's there are different blinky codes.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
Roelof is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 03:08 AM
  #22  
gigaplex's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,761
From: Melbourne, VIC
Default

Originally Posted by Roelof
Interesting, how is ROAR testing this?
Is it with a same setup as used on the worlds many years ago with the use of a scope?

So far I have seen over here only the blinky code is checked and with RPM limiter ESC's there are different blinky codes.
I'm not referring to scrutineering at events. To get put on the approval list the manufacturer has to send samples. I'm not sure the specific equipment they use but I believe oscilloscopes are involved.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
gigaplex is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 08:26 AM
  #23  
OffRoadJunkie's Avatar
Thread Starter
Tech Champion
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 6,318
From: California
Default

I'm sure they have some pretty cool tools to check this stuff. I wish I had the knowledge to create these types of gadgets.
OffRoadJunkie is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 09:41 AM
  #24  
Tech Addict
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 569
From: Montréal, Qc
Default

Originally Posted by gigaplex
I fee that's overrated in stock. If you're at partial throttle and feel like you need more, pull more throttle.
It's not so much the speed as how quickly it reaccelerates when you get back on the throttle. It may be completely imaginary but it's something I felt going from one ESC to another. Same motor, same battery, same gear. Basically, what happened is I plugged my ESC backwards, had to replace it with another brand. Set the new one as close as I could with what I had on the old one. The new one wasn't faster in top speed, but the car definitely accelerated quicker out of the corner. And it wasn't because the ESC I smoked was old, I had only 2-3 races on it.

Again, you may have had different experiences, but that's what I meant by being punchier.

Martin Paradis
HOTROD716 and OffRoadJunkie like this.
rhodopsine is offline  
Old 05-06-2026 | 03:51 PM
  #25  
PDR's Avatar
PDR
Tech Elite
iTrader: (31)
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,207
From: Sydney, Australia
Default

Originally Posted by Roelof
Interesting, how is ROAR testing this?
Is it with a same setup as used on the worlds many years ago with the use of a scope?

So far I have seen over here only the blinky code is checked and with RPM limiter ESC's there are different blinky codes.
Originally Posted by gigaplex
I'm not referring to scrutineering at events. To get put on the approval list the manufacturer has to send samples. I'm not sure the specific equipment they use but I believe oscilloscopes are involved.
Originally Posted by OffRoadJunkie
I'm sure they have some pretty cool tools to check this stuff. I wish I had the knowledge to create these types of gadgets.
I can't lay my hands on it (there's a ROAR document on this) right now, but I have the recollection that there is an upper limit for the time the motor phase must fire after the sensor is tripped. I think it's 8 microseconds. Zero tolerance (pardon the pun) for firing early. Testing is done with an oscilloscope.

I have tinkered with a field-usable tool for doing this, but too many distractions...
PDR is offline  
Old 05-07-2026 | 12:34 AM
  #26  
Tech Rookie
 
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 10
Default

Hoping you can squeeze an elceram g2 oxide into the budget, mean’t to be smoothest on the roar scope
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
K4IZEN is offline  
Old 05-07-2026 | 12:40 AM
  #27  
Tech Master
iTrader: (26)
 
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,412
Default

I would like to know if the Low IR claims for esc’s are real or a marketing gimick.Tekin RS black edition and Hobbywing X come to mind. I don’t think you need to compare all the esc’s but compare justock and Cayote crest 60/80 amp esc against their top dollar sibling.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
chevmaro is offline  
Old 05-07-2026 | 01:40 AM
  #28  
gigaplex's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,761
From: Melbourne, VIC
Default

Originally Posted by chevmaro
I would like to know if the Low IR claims for esc’s are real or a marketing gimick.Tekin RS black edition and Hobbywing X come to mind. I don’t think you need to compare all the esc’s but compare justock and Cayote crest 60/80 amp esc against their top dollar sibling.
Measuring that would take some rather specialist equipment, we're talking microohms. Most brands don't even bother advertising that spec anymore, I can't find it on Hobbywing at least.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
gigaplex is offline  
Old 05-07-2026 | 01:48 AM
  #29  
Roelof's Avatar
Tech Lord
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 14,052
From: Holland
Default

If you know what FET's are used and how many parallel you can determine it by the datasheet. You can be pretty sure this is how the ESC spec is determined.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
Roelof is offline  
Old 05-07-2026 | 04:07 AM
  #30  
gigaplex's Avatar
Tech Champion
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 7,761
From: Melbourne, VIC
Default

Originally Posted by Roelof
If you know what FET's are used and how many parallel you can determine it by the datasheet. You can be pretty sure this is how the ESC spec is determined.
That's another thing you can do with internet researching instead of buying a bunch to test.
OffRoadJunkie likes this.
gigaplex is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.