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[tobyker]

I'm using up some odd bits to get the Veron Titan tug going as a paddle tug. I'm using a big old motor which I think came out of one of the lad's cars - maybe a mabuchi 540 - geared 57 to 1 (meccano worm gear) to the paddle shaft, a viper 15 ESC and a 6v SLA. It seems to work ok in the test tank, but if I don't return the throttle stick exactly to the centre position the ESC whistles and hums. The motor and shaft run quite freely - I'm sure its not the motor stalling. Should I be worried that all the smoke is about to escape, or is this acceptable? Should I just stuff 12 volts into it?

[Proteus]

try altering the trim on the TX it will prob stop.

Proteus

[Martin (Admin)]

How old is the radio gear?
High or low pitch humming?

[FullLeatherJacket]

The Viper is a high-frequency ESC which will produce a whistling noise from the motor brushes if the stick is moved fractionally away fro neutral. It is quite normal; don't worry. Proteus has the cheap and cheerful solution - or just buy some earplugs. I can provide a more expensive and permanent one  (a low frequency ESC)
FLJ

[tobyker]

Thanks for the reassurance chaps - it's not a question of trim - its getting the stick back in precisely the same click on the ratchet as the ESC set itself up on. Yes FLJ I'd have come to you if this was a serious project but it's using up the titan hull I've had lying idle for 30 years, the wheels I built in the back of my car in lunch hours 35 years ago, the Hitec Laser 4 and any other bits lying about in the shed. If I enjoy playing with this then there might be a proper paddle project involving independently driven paddles and bow and stern rudders.

This modern radio gear is jolly good - I was out putting the potato peelings in the compost and found the Tx covered in snow where I'd left it out after a tank (fish box) test the previous day! Whoops. Still seems to work though.

[craftysod]

My viper does the same,just sail the boat further away till i cant hear it 

[Colin Bishop]

And some people pay good money for sound effects like that. 

[wombat]

I'm using up some odd bits to get the Veron Titan tug going as a paddle tug. I'm using a big old motor which I think came out of one of the lad's cars - maybe a mabuchi 540 - geared 57 to 1 (meccano worm gear) to the paddle shaft, a viper 15 ESC and a 6v SLA. It seems to work ok in the test tank, but if I don't return the throttle stick exactly to the centre position the ESC whistles and hums. The motor and shaft run quite freely - I'm sure its not the motor stalling. Should I be worried that all the smoke is about to escape, or is this acceptable? Should I just stuff 12 volts into it?

Upping the voltage to 12V will not get rid of the whistling - it is a function of the ESC. The whine is when the pulses are too narrow to spin the motor - all you get is the noise of the armature vibrating and windings shifting as the current flows though it.

A  lower frequency ESC will give less whining, but can give lumpier performance with three pole motors. It should give better low speed performance on a good motor.

Wom

[tobyker]

Coo thanks wombat - I am some way to understanding that. I had wondered if at a tiny throttle opening there weren't enough volts going through to turn the motor, but now I understand the pulse is too short presumably to get the motor over to the next segment of the commutator? Against that I suppose there will be a finer graduation of increase in the ?mark/space? ratio so that it will run slower than with a low frequency ESC with which the slowest obtainable speed would be a tad faster.

I did have the Titan tug on a little steam engine when it used the screw propellor - I could understand that as I could work out where the steam went but wriggly amps are a bit beyong me!

[SteamboatPhil]

Failing all of the above, if you still don't like the humming--------teach it some lyrics   

[Martin (Admin)]

Good grief! 

[John W E]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0kLsMqS07U