Turnigy Trackstar 120 A 1 cell esc
 

Has anyone tried the Trackstar 120A 1s esc for 1/12?

Here is the link: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

Thanks in advance.

I've been running it in my 1/12 car -- which I got about 3-4 months ago. Motor is a Revtech 17.5. I'm still a (re)newbie*, so I'm not sure what I can tell you. Has worked fine for me and as far as I can tell, it's as fast as the other cars.

As I get better (I hope!), I may find that it is holding me back from being competitive, but for now I can't tell the difference. And of course, the price is right.

(* -- raced back in the 80's some, but this is really like starting over...)

Thanks for the response. I am considering this esc because I will be running 1/12 again. I don't have too much spare time to run my RCs, I'm lucky if I can run every 3 mos. that's why I don't want to spend much for a 1s esc that would be "old" after a while. I am just looking for something reliable, doesn't have to be the best, I don't drive that well anyway. Thanks again.

I seriously doubt that... I've proven time and time again that it's going to come down to driving and setup. I'm still running analog transmitter/receiver (no more glitches since everyone else is running 2.4 Ghz!!!). As you get better, "punch" from the batteries will make a big difference. But that's about it. If you're in the same level as the 12 scale touring car champs, then I'd maybe the ESC would make a difference. Note, though, that some of the higher end pros are running the Hobby Wing ESC which is also considered a "cheap" ESC...

I bought one a few weeks ago for a WGT car I'm putting together - I haven't run it yet. I have wired it up and powered it up, and it's certainly not DOA. I didn't get the programming card because the US warehouse doesn't stock it - I may just bite the bullet and get it from the HK warehouse. I did try and set the parameters using the ESC itself, and all went well except for trying to get it into blinky mode, which I need to run it in WGT. If the documentation is correct, the LED I'm seeing is telling me I still have timing enabled. The manual programming process is very tedious.

Apparently the Turnigy 1S ESC is very similar if not identical, to the Toro ESC, and I did find a US Toro programming card, but it didn't work with the Turnigy ESC - nice try:rolleyes:

I don't know how the Turnigy compares size wise to say the HW 1S ESC, but it seems fairly compact, and the physical appearance is of decent quality. If it works OK and I can get it into blinky mode, I'll be satisfied - the price is certainly attractive, and I really didn't want to have to deal with either rcvr packs or external boosters to run 1S 13.5. And since its blinky I'm not concerned about having the latest technolgy for boost or anything else. I haven't run a carpet onroad car in over 15 years so the ESC will be the least of my worries. I'll weigh back in once I get it in the car and run it.

I have the programming card and it's definitely worth it. Takes me about 30 seconds to change anything I want. Easy-peasy.

:D

Main thing to remember on this ESC -- 0% punch is maximum response -- 100% punch is maximum delay/softening (backwards to what I was expecting).

I also "cheated" the programming by setting the throttle trim down on my radio first (like -40), set the ESC, and then re-zeroed the trim. Not sure everyone would need to do that, but it helped me get the throttle response better in regards to how much you have to initially move the trigger to get it to move. (Hope you can follow that...)

How would this esc do in 17.5 blinky touring car??? Price is pretty nice.

A guy here is running one in 10.5 blinky 12th, and his car is dynamite. If you're running blinky only, and you're track is ok with it (not sure it is on the ROAR list) then go for it.

I'm not sure there is any real advantage to using it in a 2s situation like TC. I think with 2s they recommend adding the larger heat sink and fan, so it's no longer so compact. The fact that it was the cheapest 1s ESC I found that could be run withou booster or rcvr pack was the selling point to me.

Could someone please post a link to the correct programming card?!

And does the ESC come with any warranty?

Thanks man. The price point had me thinking about it. Hopefully someone will chime in that used it in TC before I become the test bed.

120 days, although it probably wouldn't be worth pusuing if you had to send the defective one to HK. If you could return it to the US warehouse it might be worthwhile. At these prices I had no expectation of a Tekin or Novak warranty experience...

Thanks, guys!

I drove btsai's 1/12th scale car today with this speed controller, running 17.5. It felt fantastic. I've considered buying one myself.

Thanks for the comments.

Does anyone know if Turnigy plan to get it ROAR approved?

Would be great if they did, along with their new line of Trackstar motors, the ones that look like Reedy's.

This is something along the line of the "cheaper alternative" I mentioned before.

If it can be shown that anyone using one of these esc's at a club level gains no advantage, and the local racing club is ok with it, is this something we should consider promoting to new comers?

Looking at the price of it along with the 2 cell 100amp version, there's nothing else that comes close to that price point, along with being available from a AU warehouse.

Cheers
Rob.

Add the Turnigy Nano Tech's and A Spec Nano Techs to that list and we are in business.

I bought the 1s esc, 10.5 motor and 2x 1s 6000mah 65-130c packs for a grand total of $147 + shipping. Only shame was no nano tech packs in the aus wherehouse.

But the hobbywing/reedy versions would have cost me $309! Granted thats all roar approved stuff and would be able to do dynamic timing. But for me just getting started and seeing if I like 12th its a huge saving.

Actually, some of the Nano Tech's are ROAR approved, not all of them though, and you have to make sure of the exact models.
http://www.roarracing.com/approvals/...php?ordby=desc

Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy 4000 30C T4000.2S.30HC
Li - Poly 4S Turnigy 4500 30C 4S T4500.4S.30HC
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy 5000 20C T5000 2S 20HC
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy 5000 30C T5000.2S.30HC
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy 5000 40C T5000 2S 40HC
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy 5200 30C T5200.2S.30HC
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy Nano-Tech 4.2 4200 65C NC4200.2S2P.65
Li - Poly 2S Saddle Pack Turnigy Nano-Tech 4.85 4850 50C
Li - Poly 2S Saddle Pack Turnigy Nano-Tech 5.0 5000 30C NC5000.2S3P.30
Li - Poly 1S Turnigy Nano-Tech 5.0 5000 50C NC5000.1S2P.50
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy Nano-Tech 5.3 5300 30C NC5300.2S2P.30
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy Nano-Tech 5.6 5600 50C NC5600.2S2P.50
Li - Poly 1S Turnigy Nano-Tech 5.6 5600 65C NC5600.1S2P.65
Li - Poly 2S Brick Turnigy Nano-Tech 5.8 5800 30C NC5800.2S2P.30

Cheers
Rob.

Thanks Rob, I thought it was only the cheap basic packs that had been approved. Good to know!

I just got one myself, I installed it in my WGT tonight. I havent ran it yet, but I can't seem to get it into blinky mode either. The white light stays on. Illl keep trying, and I will be testing the esc monday night on the carpet.

Has anyone changed the stock wiring on the esc? It comes with 12awg attached, was thinking of swapping it to 14awg for at least the motor wires.

Thoughts?

Down here in Sydney I know that a few of the guys that race 12th, 10th scale pan cars as well as F1 cars use the thinner gauge wire, being that it doesn't interfere with the movement of the rear pod as much as 12awg does.

Cheers
Rob.

According to their website:

"Timing Indicator LED.
To conform with ROARs Sportsman Class racing rules and assist race organizers monitor driver compliance in non-timing modified race classes the TrackStar 1/10th ESC includes a timing mode indicator LED. At all times when the ESC is powered on and dynamic motor timing is set to a value greater than zero the white LED will illuminate indicating that the timing mode has been modified."

Apparently white LED off=no timing? I've done some dyno testing with it and it seems like the "motor timing" setting has no effect at all on motor speed (white LED was always on no matter what motor timing setting I chose), and it's significantly slower than other blinky mode ESCs on the dyno. I suspect that "motor timing" setting is only for sensorless operation. Maybe when my programming card arrives it will do something different from the settings you can choose using trigger position/beeps & blinks programming.

I switched to 16g

I run 16awg on mine since I run it in my CRC Xi.

For the timing, I use the programming card, set the timing to zero and the light blinks, just like it's supposed to.

As far as power goes -- seems to be fine. Note that RacinJ posted earlier in this thread (the same day he was running his car with an RS Pro ESC) and said my car ran fine.

Just sayin...

Good luck! (And get the programming card if you don't already have it. So easy.)

I like your avatar!

Thanks! F1 is cool. I think it would be cool to have 1/12 F1 that were as fast as regular 1/12 cars.

I just got my programming card. Apparently it was operating in sensorless mode. After putting it in sensored mode, the red LED blinks when motor timing is set at zero. And higher timing settings definitely have an effect on RPM. I'll have to re-test it on the dyno someday soon.

Glad you got that worked out. I'd be very curious to hear what you find out on the dyno...

Is there any way to switch from sensorless to sensored without the card? Hobbyking has the cards backordered.

After setting the ESC into "sensor only" mode with the programming card, it's performance on the dyno was equal to or slightly better than a Novak GTB and a Tekin RS Pro (but NOT enough better to suggest that it's got timing). Another peculiar thing I noticed, the "reverse amount" setting is NOT available with the programming card. You have to use the trigger/beep method to set it, so set this first before using the card. At 25% reverse setting, the car wouldn't even move when the trigger was pushed to reverse.

As far as I can tell, the only way to get it into "sensor only" mode is with the programming card (sensorless seems like a strange default for a 1s ESC).

Cool to hear how it performs. Glad to hear it's competitive.

Any chance you've dynod a Hobbywing 1S ESC? It would have been my other choice and I'm curious how it would fare...

Got ahold of a program card last night. I agree that sensorless is an odd default, glad I got it sorted out. Really like this Speedo.

No, but if you buy me one .... :lol:

LOL

Just got this speedy and I am having an issue calibrating it. As I can see it from reading the instructions, the process to calibrate is the same as to get into progam mode(hold full throttle and turn the speedy on). This just accepts the full throttle then goes into program mode, without calibrating reverse .Has anyone else worked this out as it is doing my head in.
I have tried to different radios and it does the same thing. I have moved the throttle trim as suggested but it doesnt calibrate. I can get it to tun ok without calibrating reverse(1/12th scale doesnt need it lol) but frustraing that it isnt working right