Electric > Speed Controllers

Q-40: What happens if you attempt to use an electric motor speed controller that’s either too big or too small (in amps)? How do you know which one to use? It seems each local hobby dealer has a different explanation. Answer ...

Q-90: I like the electric motor speed controllers (ESCs) that allow you to program in special features, like the voltage cutoff point, motor timing, brake on or off, soft start, and other features.

The only problem I find is that doing this programming requires that you count blinking LEDs sometimes in a long sequence. This approach is tedious to say the least. I heard recently that certain vendors are now offering ESCs that can be programmed by your home computer. Can you steer me in the right direction? Answer ...

Q-96: I’ve read a lot about the fact that the new Li-Poly battery cells should not be discharged below 2.8 to 3.0 volts. Failure to observe that caution can greatly reduce the life of these cells. I know most new ESCs can either be selected for the proper cutoff or better yet will automatically set themselves to the proper cutoff voltage.

My problem is that I have an older-designed ESC with a fixed cutoff of 5 volts that was fine for my Ni-Cd and NiMH packs, but certainly not for Li-Poly batteries. Is there any add-on device I can buy that will provide the proper cutoff and still allow me to use my older ESCs? Answer ...