Boost "0" mode, all esc's equal?
 

Is the Boost "0" mode a certain spec that racing orginizations(like ROAR) sets that esc manufacturers meet. Meening, if brand x esc advertises boost "0" and brand y also advertises boost "0" are the throttle curve going to be the same output and feel? Is it a standard allowed voltage and amperage supply curve or do the different brands still vary. If they do vary, what would a good esc in the lower price of the market be? I currently run a "LRP super stock" and am considering a "LRP spin pro" but only if it has the same power and feel as the Super Stock. My esc isnt broken, just equipping another buggy and I dont really need boost, just and esc able to handle the motor timing turned up. Please exclude Brushless Hobbies from replies since I have been turned off by their horrible customer service some on here have posted about.

Some possible choices(under $120) are but not limited to:
Novak Club system
Novak GTB2
Novak Edge
LRP Spin Pro or Super Spin
Any other brands that meet the criteria
Thanks for replies and please share some personal experience with certain models.

While I've never owned one, I heard of many issues with the Novak Club Spec. A set of ESC's to add to your list would be the Speed Passion Reventon. If only running stock , the S series will work just fine.

Hobbywing Justock, Speed Passion Cirtix, Speed Passion Reventon S, and Orion R10 Sport would also meet your criteria.

The boost or turbo settings on a esc have nothing to do with voltage or amperage. The throttle curve is also something that does not have anything to do with making the car faster. The curve just sets where the trigger position is more sensitive to input.

There isnt a Spec class ESC that makes a motor faster. There are ESCs that are smoother than others.

The SP Reventon is in that range and is a very nice ESC. Otherwise the LRP stuff is race bread and usually nice. I have not seen much from Novak in the last couple years. It kind of seems they fell behind.

hobbywing or speed passion would be the best bang for the buck

Please explain why early LRP spheres have doubled in price in the past year/2...:(

I beleive the Black Diamond ESC was banned by roar because it had a feature that boosted the motors performance while still being a "Blinky" class ESC.

My understanding is that people wanted it banned because cars with it beat them...

No timing ESC's and ESC's in blinky are definitely not all equal. How they do it is another thing, but just as 2 motors same wind same brand are not equal, ESC's of different brands are very different. People have their preference and what feels good, but unfortunately there is a lot of voodoo in electronics and while blinky is spec, it is not equal.

There have been instances of ESCs blinking their LED(s), but still having dynamic timing advance. If done properly, this gives a wider powerband and increased performance. (It does not increase maximum horsepower.)

ROAR updated their ESC testing procedures last year, presumably to address a loophole in the rules. Originally, the commutation sequence versus sensor signals was specified, but no tolerance was given for the timing of those signals, leaving the path open for some amount of timing advance to be applied. I would guess that the new test procedure eliminates this loophole, but I can't find any details of it on the ROAR web site.

There is always a possibility of someone running illegal firmware on any ESC, and those ESCs that can have their firmware updated via a computer make this more likely. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to check timing with an oscilloscope to catch this in tech inspection-- but I don't know of any instances where the test is actually being done.

If each ESC meets the correct timing requirements for commutation versus sensor signals, then the only way for an ESC to make more power than another would be via lower on-resistance. Since the MOSFETs used are a major portion of the cost, cheaper ESCs might give less power than more expensive ESCs. This will be more apparent with lower-wind motors that can draw larger currents.

This brings back memories of what tricks car manufacturers use to detect whether it is being driven regularly or is under test conditions, and be nicer to emission rules or give better performance... Wonder what esc manufacturers are doing, or will do.

Hobbywing Xerun 60A SD 2.1
Hobbywing Xerun 120A SD 2.1
Hobbywing Xtreme Stock 60A

When I first started racing 0 timing spec racing I was using a Tekin RS esc and it performed well for me. Sometime later I picked up a Hobbywing combo which included a xtreme stock 60A esc, 2 in 1 lcd programming box and xerun motor.
I soon replaced my Tekin with another Hobbywing as I was impressed with the power and smoothness of the Hobbywing esc. You can get some really good deals with the Hobbywing esc's such as:
http://www.falconsekido.com/products/xerun-combo-x

You get the 120A esc, 2 in 1 lcd programming box and a motor for less than what you would pay for the esc only.
Just be aware of the combo you select, some of those combo's only come with the 60A esc.

I've had very good experience with Hobbywing both in performance, bang for buck and customer service.
They do however have weaker brakes than the Tekin while in 0 timing mode, but it's something you get used to after a while.

Also, stay well clear of the Speed Passion Reventon R & S series esc's as they are so bad that the Australian supplier doesn't stock them, http://www.speedpassion.net/ausshop/
I have witnessed many of them dieing at the tracks I race at.

Cheers
Rob.

Thank you for the info. That is bassically what I was wondering. So maybe I understand this now, or maybe not.Let me know.

An esc works off pulses and width of these pulses? Timing "boost" Is a way of lengthening or shortening the pulse width? I guess we could call the pulses a duty cycle. Would a faster more frequent duty cycle be what is needed for "More Power"?Basically B+ power is applied and the only resistance loss from the esc is the operating resistance( on-resistance) and all other B+ can be applied to these pulses going to the motor which is the other resistor in a sense. I am thinking this is correct. Is it? So would the smoothness of an esc come from the pulse pattern too? I would assume the pulse pattern changes according to throttle input. If this is the way it works, well than I think I have it figured out. If I am incorrect, please someone chime in and lay it out in simple terms.

The timing also affects when the phase is energized in relation to the position of the rotor (assuming a sensored motor).

The high-frequency Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) you are referring to is only used to get power outputs of less than 100% at partial-throttle positions. At full throttle, the PWM duty cycle is 100% (in other words, there is no more pulsing). Higher PWM frequencies will give a more progressive throttle response, "softer" around neutral, similar to using exponential on the transmitter. That's one reason why the frequency is selectable on some ESCs (even for brushed motors). Higher PWM frequencies do NOT give more power.

Yes, this is actually the definition we use for motor timing. (It also applies to sensorless motors.) For "blinky" mode (no timing advance), the phases must be energized, within a very short time, with the pattern that is determined by the sensor signals. As the sensor signals step through all six of the possible patterns, the phases are energized to create a rotating magnetic field that drags the rotor around. That's called "commutation".

Rotating the endbell to which the sensors are attached will change the motor timing. We can call this "static" timing, since it does not vary with motor speed.

The big performance advantage comes when timing is varied dynamically (changed depending on motor speed). It's a trick that can be done electronically in a brushless ESC, and is the equivalent of rotating the endbell of the motor in real time, during the course of a lap. Less timing advance is used at low speeds for more torque, giving better acceleration, and more advance is used at higher speeds to give better top end. It's like having a continuously variable transmission, but is done electronically rather than mechanically.

Microprocessors are normally used in brushless ESCs to monitor the sensor signals, look up the correct phase drive pattern, and energize the appropriate phases. This doesn't happen instantaneously, so there must be a rule in place for "blinky" mode to say how much time delay can exist between the change of the sensor signals and the energization of the appropriate phase. (10 microseconds might be a good number, since most microprocessors can do the necessary tasks faster than this. That's the number I suggested to "Big Chuck" Kleinhagen for use in his oval series, the Brushless Racing League.) As I previously mentioned, this can be checked with an oscilloscope.

Sensorless motors and ESCs can also use dynamic timing, but are more difficult to check using an oscilloscope since there are no external sensor signals to monitor.

I am still new to ep racing, but I am buying a package from a friend, and I am wanting to run 17.5. my question is the esc coming with it is a LRP Sphere Comp, will this esc be legal for use in a 17.5 2wd stock buggy class, or no? As I am aware i do not believe it has a "blinky" mode, and if it does I can't find anyway to enter this mode by the manual I have read online.

Thank you in advance,
Brandon