This is all good to know.I fly 35 inch wingspan planes and I never had to extend my ESC wiring.If I ever got a much larger plane,this information would become very important.ESCs are very pricy.
Hello Very interesting video. I got a question. So what if my esc is rated to 200 amp constant but I am using the set up where only 120amp is being used during the highest peak? ESC can handle up to 800amp spikes for up to 3 seconds....tells me that the capacitors are big enough to accommodate for the cable extensions. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you.
Hi Pavel! Thank You for your comment. Very interesting question. The best way to explain it is, the problem that fails the ESC isn't 100% related to current. You may have a 10,000A rated ESC and you can blow that up by drawing only 120A from it. The problem comes from ripple voltage across the capacitors. If the ripple voltage destroys the capacitors of the ESC, it will not take much current to destroy the rest of the ESC. Similar in piping, you will not get a water hammer by flowing a million liters of water through a pipe, however if the pressures were to spike, it is this pressure that can cause damage. Pulling 800Amps through the ESC will be OK as long as ripple voltage is managed. If the ESC is designed to handle that current load the ESC will be OK, however, if ripple voltage is mismanaged, a failure point is only a matter of time. It is not typical that failure occurs right away.
hi, i blew up my cheap ESC while testing (on bench without load) and setting up some parameters like end-points and reverse. Mosfets blew when ESC was breaking to 0rpm from full rpm on 2s. How about induction spikes from the motor when speed is variating, for example full speed to full stop. Those spikes happen on motor side, not battery. Is there any way to protect the esc from this? (except ESC's own protection features). Maybe some smd cap mod inside the ESC?
I have been searching around the web looking for an answer to a situation I have. I bought a 35a brushless esc to upgrade a 1/16 buggy. However, I neglected to read the description, and the one I bought came with 18gauge wires and smaller 3.5 mm female bullet connectors on the motor leads. The motor in the car is a 540 size 3930kv and has larger 4mm bullet connectors that do not fit. Would it be okay to replace the bullet connectors on the ESC to accommodate, or should I just get a bigger ESC? Space is limited so I got a smaller one on purpose. Thanks for all the informative vids, I've learned a lot from your channel!
@@RCexplained Thanks for replying! I think I will just try to return this esc or use it in another car. I went ahead and placed an order for a bigger 60a esc, and another body for the buggy. That way the combo will match up. Thanks again!
hi , I heard the same issue couple of days back. i searched for a some kind of equation where i can justify it with some theory. i have calculated the self and the mutual inductance of the wire. It came out to be very small value over a length of 2 Mtr. I decided to take a oscilloscope and measure the voltage spike. I couldn't find Anything that serious ,the max voltage spike was about 2V. someone please comment how true this issue is. also please let me know how to prove (mathematically or experimental) this problem. any help highly appreciated. thank you
Hi, thank you for comment. Take a look at this thread: www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?952523-too-long-battery-wires-will-kill-ESC-over-time-precautions-solutions-workarounds Also read the thread linked as the example. 4 ESC'S were burned out consecutively.
It's certainly possible that ripple voltage could have caused an issue? Do you know how much current and power you were pulling? Would you happen to know the ripple voltage from an ESC data log?
@@RCexplained It seems your questions are a good answer. But I'm just newbin' it out with the cheapest motor/esc to see what I can make. Maybe they were just faulty.
Since it can cause damage too extend the wires between the battery and esc then why is it safe too use a dual battery harness on for instance a 1/10 e-revo for 2 lipo packs that adds at least 4 inch's ?
Hi Roger, the at least 4 inches added in the dual battery harness (series wiring) adds to the total inductance that the capacitors inside the ESC will have to compensate for. Depending on the size of the ESC capacitors and the amount of load on the ESC will determine the lifespan of the capacitors. Placing more load on the ESC capacitors will decrease the lifespan of them and thus the ESC. Keep in mind, extending ESC wires on the battery side does not necessarily mean immediate destruction for the ESC. Using the word "safe" can be quite subjective in this case.
Why can't you give a short version. I'm not joking I watch you for the info as per my search. But dude you've sent me to sleep a few times now. I didn't expect a university style example on everything you do.
Hey Me Him. Thanks for your comment. 2-3 years ago when I started making these videos I got a lot of comments asking for the exact opposite. Why make the videos so short. Then people would say you missed this and that and didn't cover this, etc. After dumping those early videos and starting again, the length and content provided these days seems to be a much better balance. My worst rated video of today is a quick summarization about a topic. - needed more detail. Through this process over the years, I have learned: I will never please everyone who watches the videos and will always have comments of those voicing there displeasure with the videos no matter what I do. A balance between just the right amount of content/detail/emphasis on certain points and video length is a very difficult thing to get perfect for each topic.
@@RCexplained it's an opinion of mine I'm not totally displeased with the video as I can summarise from what you've provided. I can't help what your ratings are and which way things are push for you. I only said how I fall asleep at times. If I skip through I'll miss bits,so my summary as of now would be. You add way to much for what the title says. So in order to find out anything I have to sit through an entire class. I clearly use the Internet for short sweat/to the point answers kinda like cheating at school but I'm not at school anymore. Any way thanks for taking the time to reply k hope to of not offended you in anyway.
You can't use sewer lines and water to electricity and cables 😂😂😂. What you're talking about will effect quantum computing yes but for everyday electronics no. Just as long as you don't mess with voltage/wattage settings you're good. Extending wires will do nothing unless you're sloppy
Yes, you can absolutely relate flow of water in a pipe to electricity. It's a widely recognized and used concept for teaching in many institutions. Stating that extending wires does nothing is simply not true. Extending wires is a problem and this concept is not earth shattering or new. It's actually well understood in our hobby just about everywhere.
@@RCexplained it won't break anything and I'm not sure where you got this from. Longer wires do nothing but extend the length of the wire. That is all. Electrical flow is nothing like water flow. Try to arc water pipes the way you can with electricity without touching anything. I'll wait for your video essay
@@RCexplained I will agree with quantum computing is where any of that matters. The rest of your argument just falls flat cause all we need the wires to do is make contact. That's it.
I dont think it's necessary to list my professional credentials to explain where i get this from. A quick Google search brings up lots of information to explore and learn without the thousands of dollars in tuition fees and text books. The best part here is that this write up uses another water analogy. These types of analogies are used quite frequently as i previously explained. Thats why you will find them everywhere. I can do another analogy between heat transfer and electricity. But maybe another video for another day, as you suggested. www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?952523-too-long-battery-wires-will-kill-ESC-over-time-precautions-solutions-workarounds
I appreciate the explanations but there's too much overthinking going on. The water hammer thing just doesn't apply to electronics in any way that I can think of. Capacitors oppose a change in voltage and don't have anything to do with wire length on the battery side. They smooth out instantaneous changes in source voltage as the load changes. A good example would be if you put a high powered stereo in your car and the headlights dim every time the bass hits. Put a one Farad capacitor across your battery terminals to prevent that instantaneous drop in voltage. In general, don't use more wire than you need, buy what you need, read the instructions, and get a book on basic electronics for reference. (just my 2 cents)
Thank you for watching my video and for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I appreciate your suggestion to use appropriate wire lengths and to read books. However, I would respectfully disagree with your statement that the water hammer effect doesn't apply to anything in electronics. In fact, inductance is a very well-known and understood phenomenon in electronics that can cause voltage spikes in long wires. The water hammer analogy is often used when covering the basic concept as it is quite easy to understand.
@@RCexplained I do watch your videos because I need info and you know your stuff. I just got hung up on the "water hammer" thing probably because I wasn't taught with analogies that weren't "X" rated so it just didn't make sense to me. I do however know how many time constants it takes to charge a capacitor in an R/C circuit.(that's a joke). Oh, I should mention I was taught by the U.S. Navy and it was a different century...so...there's that. I'm still a fan, I just got cornfused by that blasted water hammer.
Excellent ex🙂planation
This is all good to know.I fly 35 inch wingspan planes and I never had to extend my ESC wiring.If I ever got a much larger plane,this information would become very important.ESCs are very pricy.
Excellent info. Onto your How to Extend ESC Wires Correctly video. Thanks!
Thank You for your comment!
Hello
Very interesting video.
I got a question. So what if my esc is rated to 200 amp constant but I am using the set up where only 120amp is being used during the highest peak?
ESC can handle up to 800amp spikes for up to 3 seconds....tells me that the capacitors are big enough to accommodate for the cable extensions.
What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you.
Hi Pavel! Thank You for your comment. Very interesting question.
The best way to explain it is, the problem that fails the ESC isn't 100% related to current. You may have a 10,000A rated ESC and you can blow that up by drawing only 120A from it. The problem comes from ripple voltage across the capacitors. If the ripple voltage destroys the capacitors of the ESC, it will not take much current to destroy the rest of the ESC.
Similar in piping, you will not get a water hammer by flowing a million liters of water through a pipe, however if the pressures were to spike, it is this pressure that can cause damage.
Pulling 800Amps through the ESC will be OK as long as ripple voltage is managed. If the ESC is designed to handle that current load the ESC will be OK, however, if ripple voltage is mismanaged, a failure point is only a matter of time. It is not typical that failure occurs right away.
hi, i blew up my cheap ESC while testing (on bench without load) and setting up some parameters like end-points and reverse. Mosfets blew when ESC was breaking to 0rpm from full rpm on 2s. How about induction spikes from the motor when speed is variating, for example full speed to full stop. Those spikes happen on motor side, not battery. Is there any way to protect the esc from this? (except ESC's own protection features). Maybe some smd cap mod inside the ESC?
Happened to my ESC too
I have been searching around the web looking for an answer to a situation I have. I bought a 35a brushless esc to upgrade a 1/16 buggy. However, I neglected to read the description, and the one I bought came with 18gauge wires and smaller 3.5 mm female bullet connectors on the motor leads. The motor in the car is a 540 size 3930kv and has larger 4mm bullet connectors that do not fit. Would it be okay to replace the bullet connectors on the ESC to accommodate, or should I just get a bigger ESC? Space is limited so I got a smaller one on purpose. Thanks for all the informative vids, I've learned a lot from your channel!
Hey Spacecadet, if you respect the limits of the ESC and are geared appropriately for max 35A, you can solder larger size plugs to make it work.
@@RCexplained Thanks for replying! I think I will just try to return this esc or use it in another car. I went ahead and placed an order for a bigger 60a esc, and another body for the buggy. That way the combo will match up. Thanks again!
Is it ok to "shorten" esc to battery wire.if so,is there any limit..
Hello,
Is it the same problem when using a plug adapter that add some more cable length ?
Yes, although to a lesser extent. My recommendation is to always solder on the plugs you wish to use and avoid adapters.
@@RCexplained Thank you for the answer. Your channel have very valuable information for the RC hobbyist.
hi ,
I heard the same issue couple of days back. i searched for a some kind of equation where i can justify it with some theory. i have calculated the self and the mutual inductance of the wire. It came out to be very small value over a length of 2 Mtr. I decided to take a oscilloscope and measure the voltage spike. I couldn't find Anything that serious ,the max voltage spike was about 2V.
someone please comment how true this issue is. also please let me know how to prove (mathematically or experimental) this problem.
any help highly appreciated.
thank you
Hi, thank you for comment.
Take a look at this thread:
www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?952523-too-long-battery-wires-will-kill-ESC-over-time-precautions-solutions-workarounds
Also read the thread linked as the example. 4 ESC'S were burned out consecutively.
Two of my ESCs failed, and I was powering them from an old 350W PSU. Could that have been the problem?
It's certainly possible that ripple voltage could have caused an issue? Do you know how much current and power you were pulling? Would you happen to know the ripple voltage from an ESC data log?
@@RCexplained It seems your questions are a good answer. But I'm just newbin' it out with the cheapest motor/esc to see what I can make. Maybe they were just faulty.
Hello ... I need to extend the cables of my esc or my rc dont run.. so what are your recomendation..? (im using stock setup brushed with nimh battery)
Here is a video for extending wires
th-cam.com/video/QIp8JZ-B8S4/w-d-xo.html
What wire gauge size do i need for XT60 connector for my 4s ESC to BATTERIES? Help please
For an XT60 16AWG will work for standard wire lengths.
Since it can cause damage too extend the wires between the battery and esc then why is it safe too use a dual battery harness on for instance a 1/10 e-revo for 2 lipo packs that adds at least 4 inch's ?
Hi Roger, the at least 4 inches added in the dual battery harness (series wiring) adds to the total inductance that the capacitors inside the ESC will have to compensate for. Depending on the size of the ESC capacitors and the amount of load on the ESC will determine the lifespan of the capacitors. Placing more load on the ESC capacitors will decrease the lifespan of them and thus the ESC.
Keep in mind, extending ESC wires on the battery side does not necessarily mean immediate destruction for the ESC. Using the word "safe" can be quite subjective in this case.
I extended the wires on my ESC and then added a big 35v 460uF cap on my ESC. Is it ok?
Hello this video will answer your question. th-cam.com/video/QIp8JZ-B8S4/w-d-xo.html
@@RCexplained Okay, Thank you. I should be fine then!
excellent!
Rather difficult to believe it. I would not connect water lock at home with electric frequency You maybe right but I can,t believe it .
What’s the “optimal” give or take length for battery wires for general rc plane application?
There is no optimal length. Ideally you want them as short as possible.
Why can't you give a short version. I'm not joking I watch you for the info as per my search. But dude you've sent me to sleep a few times now. I didn't expect a university style example on everything you do.
Hey Me Him. Thanks for your comment. 2-3 years ago when I started making these videos I got a lot of comments asking for the exact opposite. Why make the videos so short. Then people would say you missed this and that and didn't cover this, etc. After dumping those early videos and starting again, the length and content provided these days seems to be a much better balance.
My worst rated video of today is a quick summarization about a topic. - needed more detail.
Through this process over the years, I have learned:
I will never please everyone who watches the videos and will always have comments of those voicing there displeasure with the videos no matter what I do.
A balance between just the right amount of content/detail/emphasis on certain points and video length is a very difficult thing to get perfect for each topic.
@@RCexplained it's an opinion of mine I'm not totally displeased with the video as I can summarise from what you've provided.
I can't help what your ratings are and which way things are push for you.
I only said how I fall asleep at times. If I skip through I'll miss bits,so my summary as of now would be.
You add way to much for what the title says. So in order to find out anything I have to sit through an entire class. I clearly use the Internet for short sweat/to the point answers kinda like cheating at school but I'm not at school anymore. Any way thanks for taking the time to reply k hope to of not offended you in anyway.
Too much talking
You can't use sewer lines and water to electricity and cables 😂😂😂.
What you're talking about will effect quantum computing yes but for everyday electronics no. Just as long as you don't mess with voltage/wattage settings you're good. Extending wires will do nothing unless you're sloppy
Yes, you can absolutely relate flow of water in a pipe to electricity. It's a widely recognized and used concept for teaching in many institutions.
Stating that extending wires does nothing is simply not true. Extending wires is a problem and this concept is not earth shattering or new. It's actually well understood in our hobby just about everywhere.
@@RCexplained it won't break anything and I'm not sure where you got this from. Longer wires do nothing but extend the length of the wire. That is all. Electrical flow is nothing like water flow.
Try to arc water pipes the way you can with electricity without touching anything. I'll wait for your video essay
@@RCexplained I will agree with quantum computing is where any of that matters. The rest of your argument just falls flat cause all we need the wires to do is make contact. That's it.
I dont think it's necessary to list my professional credentials to explain where i get this from. A quick Google search brings up lots of information to explore and learn without the thousands of dollars in tuition fees and text books. The best part here is that this write up uses another water analogy. These types of analogies are used quite frequently as i previously explained. Thats why you will find them everywhere. I can do another analogy between heat transfer and electricity. But maybe another video for another day, as you suggested.
www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?952523-too-long-battery-wires-will-kill-ESC-over-time-precautions-solutions-workarounds
Actually this article is really well done. It goes in to detail and also ties in manufacturers' recommendations.
I appreciate the explanations but there's too much overthinking going on. The water hammer thing just doesn't apply to electronics in any way that I can think of. Capacitors oppose a change in voltage and don't have anything to do with wire length on the battery side. They smooth out instantaneous changes in source voltage as the load changes. A good example would be if you put a high powered stereo in your car and the headlights dim every time the bass hits. Put a one Farad capacitor across your battery terminals to prevent that instantaneous drop in voltage. In general, don't use more wire than you need, buy what you need, read the instructions, and get a book on basic electronics for reference. (just my 2 cents)
Thank you for watching my video and for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I appreciate your suggestion to use appropriate wire lengths and to read books.
However, I would respectfully disagree with your statement that the water hammer effect doesn't apply to anything in electronics. In fact, inductance is a very well-known and understood phenomenon in electronics that can cause voltage spikes in long wires. The water hammer analogy is often used when covering the basic concept as it is quite easy to understand.
@@RCexplained I do watch your videos because I need info and you know your stuff. I just got hung up on the "water hammer" thing probably because I wasn't taught with analogies that weren't "X" rated so it just didn't make sense to me. I do however know how many time constants it takes to charge a capacitor in an R/C circuit.(that's a joke). Oh, I should mention I was taught by the U.S. Navy and it was a different century...so...there's that. I'm still a fan, I just got cornfused by that blasted water hammer.