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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / May 2004



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Electro BEC with 6 Servo's

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Fil - 20 May 2004 22:17 GMT
I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
Is it possible to disable the BEC and use an extra battery for the receiver
in order to avoid that the controller becomes to hot and disconnects to
protect itself ?
If yes, how can it be done ?

Fil,
Belgium
James Beck - 20 May 2004 22:56 GMT
> I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> 12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Fil,
> Belgium

It may be possible to disable the onboard BEC, usually just turning off
the speed controls ON/OFF switch is taking the internal BEC out of
circuit, BUT that depends on the ESC.  See if there is any mention in
the ESC's manual.  There are aftermarket BECs out there that will handle
that many servos with no problem or you can fly with a battery pack.

          Jim
The Natural Philosopher - 21 May 2004 10:16 GMT
> I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> 12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
> Is it possible to disable the BEC and use an extra battery for the receiver
> in order to avoid that the controller becomes to hot and disconnects to
> protect itself ?
> If yes, how can it be done ?

Yes. Simply cut the positive wire from the ESC to the receiever and plug
a battery (or UBEC or SBEC) into a spare channel.

> Fil,
> Belgium
arie - 21 May 2004 10:26 GMT
> > I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> > 12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> >
> > when using 12 cells its better not to use bec at al, bigger chance on
interference, always use a seperate batery for the receiver
You won't even notice the difference in weight
greetings A.Redert
Doug McLaren - 21 May 2004 16:24 GMT
| when using 12 cells its better not to use bec at al,

True ...

| bigger chance on interference

... but that's not why.  The problem is almost certainly heat
dissapation.

If you're putting 15 volts into your BEC and it's delivering 5 volts
to your receiver and servos, that's 10 volts that's being turned into
heat.  If your receiver and servos are using 300 mA of current, that's
three watts of power ((15 volts - 5 volts) * 0.3 A).  It may not sound
like a lot, but the power regulator chip is quite small and probably
doesn't have too much cooling, so it'll get hot.  Fast.  If it gets
too hot, the magic smoke will escape, and your plane will crash.  (R/C
planes need that magic smoke to fly.  Let it out at your own risk!)

Signature

Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzy.com
Maybe, just once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're
making a scene." --Homer Simpson

James Beck - 21 May 2004 15:16 GMT
> > I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> > 12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Yes. Simply cut the positive wire from the ESC to the receiever and plug
> a battery (or UBEC or SBEC) into a spare channel.

That does NOT actually disable the on board BEC it just makes it so the
ESC's BEC is just powering the ESC and not the full radio system.  That
may be acceptable.  If the unit has an on/off switch having it in the
off position usually disconnects the internal BEC from the electronics,
usually......

                             Jim
Doug McLaren - 21 May 2004 16:32 GMT
| > Yes. Simply cut the positive wire from the ESC to the receiever and plug
| > a battery (or UBEC or SBEC) into a spare channel.
| >
| That does NOT actually disable the on board BEC it just makes it so the
| ESC's BEC is just powering the ESC and not the full radio system.

That's true, but since the ESC uses very little 5v current (coming
from the BEC), it's not really a concern.  The heat generated by the
BEC will be very minimal since the current is very minimal, even if
the voltage involved is high.

| That may be acceptable.  If the unit has an on/off switch having it
| in the off position usually disconnects the internal BEC from the
| electronics, usually......

In the ESC+BEC's that I've seen that have an on/off switch, the switch
was wired to disconnect the positive wire.  So there is no
(electrical) difference between cutting the wire and turning off the
switch.  

In case somebody isn't aware, turning off the ESC switch is not a good
way to turn off your plane (though it's probably ok for the walk from
the runway to the pits.)  The ESC is still powered, so it'll slowly
discharge your battery, and I imagine that in an extreme case (extreme
RFI perhaps?) it's possible (though unlikely) for the motor to roar to
life, even with that switch off.  Instead, disconnect the battery and
be sure.

Signature

Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzy.com
My inferiority complex is not as good as yours.

James Beck - 21 May 2004 17:19 GMT
> | > Yes. Simply cut the positive wire from the ESC to the receiever and plug
> | > a battery (or UBEC or SBEC) into a spare channel.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> (electrical) difference between cutting the wire and turning off the
> switch.  
That depends on what wire you are talking about.  Cutting the + lead
from the receiver connection would still leave a hot ESC and BEC as long
as the battery is connected and a much greater chance of RFI causing an
unexpected motor run.  

> In case somebody isn't aware, turning off the ESC switch is not a good
> way to turn off your plane (though it's probably ok for the walk from
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> life, even with that switch off.  Instead, disconnect the battery and
> be sure.

That is most cetainly true.

                           Jim
C W - 27 May 2004 12:07 GMT
I have not had much success with BEC over the years.

The trouble is many ESC's have too small a heat sink - and at part
throttle some ESC's heat up more than on full throttle. So the
regulator chip gets warm from the main FET's- and most  regulators
have thermal protection so they shut down - and so you then have
no power to the Rx and servos. Friendly or what ?

C W

>| > Yes. Simply cut the positive wire from the ESC to the receiever and plug
>| > a battery (or UBEC or SBEC) into a spare channel.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>life, even with that switch off.  Instead, disconnect the battery and
>be sure.
The Natural Philosopher - 24 May 2004 21:34 GMT
>>>I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
>>>12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> off position usually disconnects the internal BEC from the electronics,
> usually......

Not on any unit I have seen it doesn't.

>                               Jim
James Beck - 24 May 2004 21:50 GMT
> >>>I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> >>>12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Not on any unit I have seen it doesn't.

Does on every JETI and FMA.....
James Beck - 24 May 2004 22:00 GMT
> > >>>I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> > >>>12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Does on every JETI and FMA.....

In fact, I just looked at a FMA 50A w/BEC and the switch removes the
output of the internal BEC from the internal electronics.  SO.... if you
just cut the red wire going to the radio you will still have a HOT ESC
if the ESC switch is turned on which it would have to be because you cut
the red wire from the radio that would now be supplying power to the
ESC.  It would be VASTLY better to remove said switch in its entirety
(that way it is ALWAYS off) and use the add on BEC to power everything.  

Name an ESC that is different.

                     Jim
Ted Campanelli - 21 May 2004 13:24 GMT
On 5/20/2004 5:17 PM Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these
great (and sometimes not so great) words of knowledge:

If you look at the connector that plugs into the receiver you should see
3 wires.  Unplug the wire that provides the power to the receiver and
put a piece of tape over the end of it.  The wire can easily be
unplugged by using the tip of a #11 blade to gently lift the plastic
hold down tab.  The make of your transmitter/receiver will determine
which lead is the power lead.  By unplugging the wire rather than
cutting it, it allows you to easily reconnect it if you decide to use
the BEC circuit at a future date.

It is not recommended to use the BEC with over 10 cells.  For over 10
cells you either need to use a separate battery for the receiver or a
UBEC (and leave the wire intact).  The UBEC will be lighter in weight
than a separate battery for the receiver.

MEC  http://www.modelelectronicscorp.com/  has the UBEC and they are a
good company to do business with.

> I have a speed controller (60A/BEC) which is currently used in a glider with
> 12 cells and 3 servo's. I want to use it in another glider with 6 servo's.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Fil,
> Belgium
 
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