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Using a Castle ICE Aircraft Controller in FE boats
I have used Castle controllers for many years with very good success. With one exception all the ones I had trouble with experienced owner error - got soaked, over-amped in SAW racing, etc. Now that Castle has finally abandoned the marine market we can't buy one ready-made for boats. There are two options.
First, use the ICE200 or EDGE200 aircraft controllers as is and add a small 40mm fan. I have been doing this with one ICE200 for over four years of racing and the unit is still running fine. A fellow club member has done the same with similar performance. I wired the fan leads directly to the power wires at the board....just tack solder them on, don't melt the entire solder joint. Whenever the ESC is powered up, the fan is on. This works in larger hulls with plenty of air volume like monos and larger sport hydros. I would not use it in a rigger. Here is a photo.
Next you can add cooling plates to an ICE200 or EDGE200 Lite. This lacks the big green heatsinks and is MUCH smaller. I use aluminum extrusions with an 1/8" groove to slide over the board in contact with the FETS. I use thermally conductive grease to get a better contact with the extrusions, then "tack weld" the extrusions on with tiny drops of JB Weld. The aluminum cooling tubes are glued to the extrusions with Arctic Silver thermally conductive epoxy. This stuff isn't cheap but one set of tubes will do at least three controllers. It works best if there is a groove machined into the extrusion to give more contact area. I got my extrusions from a friend, but a club member bought similar extrusions from Home Depot. Lastly spray liberally with CorrosionX, let dry, and shrink wrap the whole thing. Here are photos of the extrusions and an assembled controller.
This isn't for everyone, and I have heard of a couple folks who will do the conversion for you (not me!). Remember that you will lose your warranty with the water cooled version. Let me know if you have questions.
BTW, the final photo shows the folly of following the "expert advice" that all ESC power wires have to be exactly the same length. Castle didn't think so and those who just cut the wires to be the same length outside the ESC are in for a surprise. This is not problem, as many of us have been running these controllers in SAW applications at over 40,000 rpm and there is no commutation problem. Another Internet myth shot down.
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First, use the ICE200 or EDGE200 aircraft controllers as is and add a small 40mm fan. I have been doing this with one ICE200 for over four years of racing and the unit is still running fine. A fellow club member has done the same with similar performance. I wired the fan leads directly to the power wires at the board....just tack solder them on, don't melt the entire solder joint. Whenever the ESC is powered up, the fan is on. This works in larger hulls with plenty of air volume like monos and larger sport hydros. I would not use it in a rigger. Here is a photo.
Next you can add cooling plates to an ICE200 or EDGE200 Lite. This lacks the big green heatsinks and is MUCH smaller. I use aluminum extrusions with an 1/8" groove to slide over the board in contact with the FETS. I use thermally conductive grease to get a better contact with the extrusions, then "tack weld" the extrusions on with tiny drops of JB Weld. The aluminum cooling tubes are glued to the extrusions with Arctic Silver thermally conductive epoxy. This stuff isn't cheap but one set of tubes will do at least three controllers. It works best if there is a groove machined into the extrusion to give more contact area. I got my extrusions from a friend, but a club member bought similar extrusions from Home Depot. Lastly spray liberally with CorrosionX, let dry, and shrink wrap the whole thing. Here are photos of the extrusions and an assembled controller.
This isn't for everyone, and I have heard of a couple folks who will do the conversion for you (not me!). Remember that you will lose your warranty with the water cooled version. Let me know if you have questions.
BTW, the final photo shows the folly of following the "expert advice" that all ESC power wires have to be exactly the same length. Castle didn't think so and those who just cut the wires to be the same length outside the ESC are in for a surprise. This is not problem, as many of us have been running these controllers in SAW applications at over 40,000 rpm and there is no commutation problem. Another Internet myth shot down.
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Nortavlag Bulc 
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