neutral width setting and uses
#1
can someone explain what the neutral width setting is and what are the benefits/ reasons for changing it. Im not quite getting the reason for it. Thanks in advance.
#2
Neutral width is used to keep your ESC at neutral when the trigger on your radio is at the neutral position. It can be adjusted to allow for radios that may not be as precise in returning to the same neutral position when the trigger is released. You're setting a buffer zone, if you will, that says "if my radio is transmitting anywhere within this region, consider it neutral." If you have a radio that does not return to a very precise point every time when you let go of the trigger, and you have a narrow neutral width on the ESC, it can result in the ESC receiving a drive signal when the trigger is at neutral. Obviously, we don't want that.
I think some ESCs call this deadband also.
I don't think it's really considered a tuning tool, it's more a setup function.
I think some ESCs call this deadband also.
I don't think it's really considered a tuning tool, it's more a setup function.
#5
I just thought of another thing this addresses and that is letting the ESC arm when you first turn it on. If the ESC is not getting a reliable neutral signal when it powers up, it will not arm and you're not going anywhere.
#6
Tech Champion

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,341
Maybe a little bit of a tangent, but another use for dead band is with multiple servos on one control. Some large airplanes use more than one servo to control a surface, some monster truckers use 2 servos for steering, maybe a throttle & brake servo on a large gas RC, etc. A larger dead band setting can help avoid having the servos fight each other, provide a little more tolerance for linkages that aren't exactly matched up, or may not stay matched.
#7
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,055
I would agree it is not intended as a tuning tool, but too large of a dead band or neutral zone can have an effect of making the throttle feel unresponsive. Most racers I know use the smallest setting they can get away with.
#9
I always wondered why Tekin's default neutral width is 50 or something huge like that. I run mine at 3 with a MT-4 radio as burnin & Dave said, you want it about as low as you can get.
I guess they do that for someone that's not experienced and is not willing to touch setups and wants a plug & play? 50 will calibrate with any radio no matter how cheap it is
I guess they do that for someone that's not experienced and is not willing to touch setups and wants a plug & play? 50 will calibrate with any radio no matter how cheap it is



