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[murphy1570]

Hello folks

I have heard that you cannot use the reverse switch on your transmitter if the propeller is turning in the wrong way as it will destroy the ESC, and the only way to change direction is to switch the wires on the motor is this correct?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, sorry if this sounds a bit basic but I am a relative beginner to anything to do with electrics.

Thanks all the best,John.

[john s 2]

Usually changing the motor wires is done but the esc will come to no harm if you use servo reverse.It just gets its signal in reverse.Why not program the esc in reverse? just set neutral as normal then reverse stick instead of foreward. John. 

[malcolmfrary]

It won't "destroy" the ESC (ask whoever told you that how it would achieve this), but, if the ESC needed to be reprogrammed, it might get thoroughly confused.  If the motor is turning the wrong way, the best, simplest and most effective answer is always to reverse the motor connections to sort out motor rotation direction.
When being programmed, typically, it will look at the pulse width initially as the neutral stick position.  It will then expect the next one it gets to be full forward, but it will be looking for a longer pulse.  If the channel reverse is switched, it will never get this, as it will only be offered a shorter pulse, and the program will likely sulk.  Later correct reprogramming from a transmitter correctly set up will usually solve the problem.

[Yogibear]

Agree it would be best to sort out the prop direction on the polarity of the connections to the motor and to program the speed controller correctly to control forwards and reverse direction.

I do however disagree that using the reverse switch may damage the speed controller. If you program the speed controller correctly and are going full ahead and use the reverse switch it will immidiatly try and go into full reverse , essentially putting stall load on the speed controller. Whilst it might not do any damage as such it would certainly put unnecessary strain on the speed controller and wiring.

Easyest way of describing it would be to drive your car down the motorway at 70 and put the car in reverse and see what happens.

[murphy1570]

Hello folks
Thanks for your advice I now have the esc working, although when I move the throttle the rudder servo starts moving around without me touching the ruddr stick !! help. you will have gatherd by now that my knowledge and grasp of all things electric is minus zero!! any advice would be welcomed. 

[malcolmfrary]

Are supressor capacitors fitted to the motor?  Interference generated by the motor is the prime suspect.
A search for interference/supression will show a good selection of threads to read at.

[nemesis]

Hello, Make sure that your RX battery is charged up & all the cells are OK, I had this affect, it turned out to be a DUFF cell in the middle of the pack. As it was the last thing to come off charge it was the last thing to get checked, Silly ME  Nemesis

[Spook]

Hello folks
Thanks for your advice I now have the esc working, although when I move the throttle the rudder servo starts moving around without me touching the ruddr stick !! help. you will have gatherd by now that my knowledge and grasp of all things electric is minus zero!! any advice would be welcomed. 

I have this too. When I switch the power on at the ESC the rudder servo (which is not connected to the ESC, but IS connected to the same receiver) moves a few degrees. When I then switch on the transmitter it moves back by the same number of degrees into the initial neutral position. But, as it cancels itself out, I'm not bothered by it. (And my motors are suppressed)

[Netleyned]

It happens on my yachts
No esc but on switch on sail winch and rudder servo twitch and settle down
Not a problem

Ned

[petermun]

I always switch on the Tx first.  Have had no problems.   Pete

[malcolmfrary]

Agreed about the TX first.
Switching on the ESC first not only powers the ESC, it powers the BEC inside the ESC which in turn powers the Receiver, and, via the internal connections, the servo.  The servo is being given a random signal by the receiver, and tries to settle to that.  When the TX is switched on, the valid signal sorts it all out.
There are many possible causes of rudder twitch, and there is no certainty that any particular case can only have one cause.