Turnigy TrackStar 1/5 controller

[longballlumber]

Has anyone bought one of these and disabled to see if it could be converted to water cooling? I would like to see pictures of the board if anyone has them...

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-trackstar-1-5th-scale-sensorless-200amp-8s-opto-car-esc.html?utm_campaign=edm090218mix&utm_content=920 91662&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EDM

Thanks
Mike

[ray schrauwen]

In one of the threads discussing ESC conversions, it mentions this ESC and a link to someone that did all the mods.

[ray schrauwen]

The board is a castle 200 clone.

[longballlumber]

Thanks Ray, I will check it out

[ray schrauwen]

I'm still looking. Have the links at home on a PC but not here.

Some said they liked it better than castle. Some have plugged in Castle boards as well.

That ESC was on sale for $90 last week, put it in my cart then next day back up to$120. It's on sale again.

Might try one.

[NativePaul]

I had one, it was smooth enough and I prefer the wires coming out of the end rather than through the middle as with castle.

Influenced by, maybe, but it is not really comparable to the castle never mind a clone, the board is longer and thinner, it has no datalogging ability (which to me is the main reason to run Castles), it can't be programmed via PC, and doesn't even have a BEC. The biggest similaritys to me were the current ratings, and that both lose about half their weight when you strip all the crap off them, a little under half for the castle and a little over half for the Turnigy.

[longballlumber]

Thanks for the info Paul. Do you happen to have any pics after it’s stripped? How did you water cool yours?

[ray schrauwen]

That is good to know.

[ray schrauwen]

Found it! http://www.etotheipiplusone.net/?p=3096

Post#37 here: https://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?50718-Water-cooled-mamba-xl2/page2&highlight=skyrc+esc

[longballlumber]

Found it! http://www.etotheipiplusone.net/?p=3096

Post#37 here: https://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?50718-Water-cooled-mamba-xl2/page2&highlight=skyrc+esc

Thanks Ray, looks like it can easily be converted to water cooling

[ray schrauwen]

No problem.

I might grab one for my rigger.

[NativePaul]

Sorry, I was misremembering when I said that the wires came out the end, I havent seen it since last spring when I ripped the arse end of my SAWs rigger, it must have been the narrow form factor that made it fit better and think the wires were better located. I thought it had been ejected but I looked and it is still inside, though it is coated in white thermal epoxy so those photos are much better than mine would be.

It could be watercooled with tubes on the side like recent castles, but I only used mine for SAWs and didnt cool it.

I think that artical is unfairly biased against the Suppo's stacked boards, while it isn't as good for cooling and I would rate the Turnigy as being more capable, it is definitely a lot more capable than he is making out. The form factor and price of the Suppo is so much better that I prefer it for most of my purposes, and dont think the middle price point worth it. I either get dirt cheap Suppos or splash the cash for a Castle.

[ray schrauwen]

The Suppo may work for 1p setups and your amp draw however, in North A. Open class racing is usually 2p and those Suppo escs smell bad when they go up. My p mono still smells bad.

All of them smell when they go up but I've had my dance with Suppo long ago and I'm done with them.

It even says (said) on their web site that as your input voltage increases, the Suppo ESC's current capacity is decreased.

[NativePaul]

My original HiModel Suppo must be about 9 years old now, having spent it's life in a Sprintcat 40/80 on 8s (yes the originals were rated 8s despite having 35v caps, though now are only 6 or 7s) , most of its time has been spent at 50-65A averages spinning an x438 or x440, but quite abit of time over the years fun running on an x646 at about 140A average which probably has peaks well over 200A, and feels like it is near its thermal limit.

Yeah there is no cheap answer to the amount of power you are allowed over there. It surprises me that you can still get away with <300A ESCs, it seems like only a matter of time before someone with deep pockets puts a MGM 800A ESC and a big Lehner in max length rigger with downforce and prices out competition in the rigger classes.

[ray schrauwen]

I'm starting to like the racing you guys do over there, in Europe and in OZ.

Far more frugal, I've given up on a lot of the classes running 2P except for my Cheetah on 4S. No more P-sport or P-mono unless I set it up for 1P.

Lots of Spec/limited class boats though... I could run Suppo's in those but I've acquired a few nice esc's like Castle, Dynamite, etc..

Some people are going all crazy in spec class too trying to get an advantage with custom motors. No thanks, $200 for a spec motor is a bit steep IMO. I can get the most recent Dynamite 1500kv for $55 on Ebay, good enough for doing laps!

[jim82]

Did anyone end up trying one of these?

[NativePaul]

As above I have tried one. It works well enough, but I won't be buying another. If you want a mid range ESC and use a pistol radio it is a reasonable alternative to a Swordfish, Hobbywing, or Flyer, but personally that whole mid range does nothing for me, I would much rather either spend 1/3-1/4 as much for something nearly as good, or spend twice as much for something with much better features and ease of use.