Model Boat Mayhem
Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => DC Motors (Brushed) and Speed Controllers => Topic started by: Martin (Admin) on September 07, 2007, 10:54:44 pm
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Right, I need a new speed controller for my Springer.
I've never tried an Action Kits ESC.... so lets have a go.
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/PICT1804.jpg)
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/PICT1807.jpg)
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/PICT1810.jpg)
...what are all these bits for ??? :D ;)
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Jan
Info trail starts here:
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/Links/Traders_Directory.htm
FLJ
PS We despatch the goods on the same day you order, and Mayhem members get 5% discount off cost of goods (P&P still the same)
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Suppose this kinda thing needs a small soldering iron, any ideas on what kind of watts we are talking about.
Can you buy htese already made ?
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ACTion offer both kits and ready made. The kits are slightly cheaper but if you go for the ready built you know that they have been tested before dispatch. I ordered two ESC's and specified futaba leads. I had them both plus the mixer within two days of ordering. O0
Marc
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15 watt, small tip, thinnest multicore you can get your hands on. Having a good supply of "proper" solder, life is reasonably easy, but a newcomer to this area might have to use the lead free solder. If anybody knows of any changes in technique needed with the new stuff, it would be good to know.
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1If anybody knows of any changes in technique needed with the new stuff, it would be good to know.
I turn up the temperature on the solder station from 270 to 300 for the Pb-free stuff. I gather it's also a bit more corrosive than the real stuff, but I've not had to replace an iron bit yet.
BTW I have about a hundred miles of "non-ROHS" 22 swg solder if anyone wants to buy some!
FLJ
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How come they don't work on 7 to 12 pole motors?
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I don't want to bore anyone but it's to do with Back EMF. I can supply ESCs that will deal with the huge generator-circuit pulses that these
things produce, but they are much more expensive. Stick to Mabuchis, their clones or Marx-Luder motors and all is well.
Works for me, but suit yourself ;)
FLJ
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(Post moved here in error. Should have been deleted. FLJ)
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Right, in sequence.....
1. Screw up the instructions... "What the hell do they know!" "I've been building circuit man & boy...." etc, etc.
2. Identify all the parts.
3. Get a magnifying glass out and reattempt to identify the parts.
4. Pick up all the parts that you drooped on the floor and resort into some sort of order.
5. Straighten out the instructions sheets and actually identify all the components.....
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IC socket
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Resisters
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Crystal & Diodes
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Capacitors and Connector blocks
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Reply & Jumper pins
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Anti static procedures now..... a biscuit tin lid.
( Ensure the tin is full first and then empty with at least 2 cups of tea. )
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Transistor and MOS Power FETs
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Servo lead
( I found the holes a bit small, not the correct way to do it but I just opened up the holes with a small drill )
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All parts in place.
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.... OK, I give up! What are the extra switches for Dave?
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Case drilled and cut (with Stanley knife).
Just needs testing now.
Total build time 80 minutes, including answering 122 emails, surfing ebay and 6 posts on here! O0
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Does it work Martin? ::)
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Just needs testing now.
O0
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I found that pictorial tutorial very useful and it has now provided me with inspiration to try to build the Electronize kit I got about six years ago.
1 question - your antistatic tray, should that not be earthed as well??
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Hi All, as far as the anti-static - what I hope Martin did was - once he had the components and his hand on the biscuit tin...he earthed the tin out, by placing the soldering iron tip onto the biscuit tin lid in the corner, whilst the soldering iron was still plugged in. This discharges the static through the soldering iron's earth to ground.
Aye
John E
Bluebird
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Yes!
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O0
and....did you save us any biscuits ;D ;D
aye
john e
bluebird
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Thanks
Just shows how much I have to learn , I would have ended up running a wire to the radiator to earth it..
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.... OK, I give up! What's the switches for Dave?
Included deliberately to see if you'd read the fancy manual, Martin. It seems you did.....well, bits of it. You can send the DIL switch back if you really want to.
I've just read John's post - strangely similar to the Instructions, aye (and I've never supplied him with a P80 kit). Could it be that we both have the same Hymn Sheet? Would I recognise such a thing? Would Bluebird? Of such mysteries is life made.
To get back to the subject, static is not the big problem some folk seem to think. If you're sensible, take your time, RTFM and don't wear a woolly jumper while sitting on a 100% polyester carpet in a thunderstorm to do your soldering then you'll have a job to do much damage.
FLJ ;)
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Hi ya there The long Build
there is no harm in doing what you suggest, earthing off to the radiator, as long as its the 'old type' radiators with copper pipes and they have all been earth bonded.
With regard to your Electronize kit build, you will find a mega difference in components between Electronize and ACTion kits. Electronize have 33 resistors - 4 diodes - 2 ICs - 8 transistors - 15 capacitors and, if you are building the one with the BEC in, its also got the BEC module - which is just a small component and nothing to worry about.
To be honest, there is nothing too difficult with these kits, there is no real need to use an anti-static tray - to be honest with you I have never used one. The only 2 different things that I do is, the Electronize kit is not supplied with an IC socket, for the main IC, and they are only coppers to buy. Also, I use a crocodile clip as a heat sink on all the transistors.
Its amazing isnt it. That little chip in the ACTion speed controller, does away with all those resistors, transistors and capacitors :) than the Electronize kit, and they both do the same job.
A good magnifying glass is also very handy for building the Electronize kits. 8)
Aye
John E
BLUEBIRD
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FLJ, just read your comments - so you must suffer from knee burns from rummaginig around on the carpet looking for the dropped transistors ;) I thought I had solved the problem by getting a plain light carpet until I spilt the paint on it. I agree must not wear too many woolly jumpers restricts the movement.
say no more ..... or I will be getting in trouble for hijacking the thread :angel:
John
Aye
Bluebird
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Looking at how smal that is i think i will stick to my plan or building one already done, dont think my soldering skills up to that yet
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The woolly jumper can be a static problem. When I worked for a large communications firm, we were given our image workwear, including a nice woolly jumper. A colleague had just been given a static meter to use and was reading the instructions and trying not to laugh because it looked like a small lunch box with a plastic stick poking out and an LED display. I pulled on my new woolly pully. He pointed the toy lunchbox at me. It lit up like a Christmas tree.
At about the same time we were issued with static protection kits, which were resistive leads with a wriststrap at one end and a croc clip on the other for connection to a radiator or other piece of earthed metalwork. The important bit was the resistance, as the intention was to limit the discharge current down to a level that was not harmful to either equipment or person. Funny stuff, static.
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Funny stuff, static.
You're right-on. A lot of wasted juice.
How can we harness the stuff, turn it to our advantage instead of it zapping the pants off every silicon molecule?
The first thing to say is thanks to Martin for the neat pic's. Nice shots, amigo. How did you manage to hold the solder and the iron AND the camera all at the same time?
Second thing is, thanks both to Martin and Bluebird for the top-notch biscuit-tin grounding gizmo idea, because it's MILES less poncy than using one of those bondage'y wrist-strap jobs.
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Right lads, how's ya hair for static - hey Im quite lucky got hardly any hair - lost it all in a static blast :D :D
Anyway erm serious side :-X
Setting up and testing your speed controoller. If you havent got one of ACTion's fancy servo testers and you are going to test it via a motor and battery and your RX gear, dont forget to follow a sequence of set up.
Switch your transmitter on first and make sure that your throttle stick is in neutral position
Followed by your RX supply
Then, switch your main power on to the speed controller and motor
Failure to do it this way, sometimes the speed controller spits its dummy out and throws its teddy out of the pram ;) and sits and either does nothing, or you get full ahead and nothing or full astern and nothing. The reason being, the chip inside the speed controller is programmed to look for a signal with a neutral position which has been transmitted from your receiver and if it doesnt find this signal, it will try and look for one itself at any position. That is why sometimes people will say, ah the speed controller doesnt work.
aye
john e
bluebird
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I have just purchased ACTion kits servo tester RTR 'cos my hands and eyes don't work together on little bits of soldering. BOY!!! what a cracking piece of equiptment,
worked as they are supposed to first time, all my servos are now marked on dead centre, all have to do when fitting in boat is put the checker on and set it to center, no more looking for TX , RX, crystals to test a suspect servo, just a four pack. Well done FLJ cost £10 less Mayhem member discount and first class service and NO, I have never met Dave except on mayhem... bigH
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Must get on of those Servo tester things......
Anyway, all connected up this evening:
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/PICT1958.jpg)
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/PICT1976.jpg)
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/PICT1961.jpg)
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IT WORKS!!
You see, when I follow the instructions, it does do what it says on the tin!
(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/th_2d7f397b.jpg) (http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Electronics/?action=view¤t=2d7f397b.pbr)
You can just hear the relay droping in for reverse....
Excellent, simple, quick! - Mayhem Approved. O0
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I've also just built two Condor 20 esc's for my new project but made the mistake of trying to solder using a 1mm tip. This took too long to melt the solder so I had to buy a 2mm spade tip which did a much better job of heating and melting the solder. I won't tell you what FLJ said when he saw my results but, suffice to say, a few bob went into the swear box. The moral of this tale is to practice on something that doesn't matter first if you are out of practice.
Anyway, despite the above gent's comments the units both worked first time. O0 :laugh: :laugh: