ESC cooling

[T.S.Davis]

I pulled apart a couple dead ESC to see how they were built. Disassembled a Flycolor 150 and a Turnigy 180.

The FC is complete encased in silicone inside it's plastic case. I was able to chip/scrape/peel off most of the silicone.

The Turnigy was potted completely inside what I assume is an electronic friendly epoxy. The case was a bugger to remove and forget about getting that potting off.

I did discover a common problem with both units though. The cooling blocks are pathetic at best. The water isn't really moving heat in my opinion on either of them. I plan to add some cooling to the a Flycolor. Simple blocks made of simple K&S tube applied right to the fets. Then spray with conformal and throw away the case.

I don't have a fresh 180 to mess with.

I'll get some pics when I get it done.

[HTVboats]

Good to know info Terry. I have added a small cooling plates to the Flycolor top heatsink plate with some success. Scraping away the anodizing and using two part Artic Silver. On our 6S 4074 setups it seems to help the overheat cutoff a bit. The top seems to be a heatsink somewhat akin to the Old Castle's.
Mic

[T.S.Davis]

Those Flycolor are never quite right again after they thermal one time. After that they shut down, I think, too early. The interesting thing to me on those is how little the water is actually doing. The water passes through those two outside edge tubes. The cooling effect gets nowhere close to where the actual heat is concentrated.

[ray schrauwen]

When I got a Stumpfab cooler I had to find a new heat-sink pad for it. I haven't run it yet and I won't until I fix it up better. The pad I used was even thicker than the factory stuff which shredded when the old cooler came off.

[longballlumber]

Is the Flycolor 150 your referencing the same form factor as the OSE 150?

[eric113]

Terry, stump fabrication makes better cooling plate for OSE/flycolor 150.

https://stumpfabrication.com/collections/fast-electric-fe-boat-parts/products/max-cool-150-esc-cooling-plates

All you do is unscrew the 4 screws holding the cooling plate and then gently pry off the old cooling plate. Making sure not to tear the thermal pad, unthread the nipples off the old cooling plate, thread the nipples on new cooling plate. You will have notch the casing for the cooling lines for the new plate. Last just bolt the new cooling plate down

[ray schrauwen]

IMO Stumpfab should include some thermal compound or glue since the old thermal tape is a mess. I mentioned it to them but no response.

[T.S.Davis]

That's a much smarter design.

Mike, yep. Same thing. I think the OSE version has an additional cap bank.

They all have low heat threshold. The protection shuts it down at what seems a relatively low temperature. BUT! That's external temp. The water never gets close to the real heat. Who knows what the internal temps really are. Clearly a bunch if they're shutting down. Once they thermal one time they're never quite right right again. Happened to me at the 18 nats. Limped it home.

[ray schrauwen]

Is the Flycolor 150 your referencing the same form factor as the OSE 150?

Yes however Steve’s are updated with a cap pack and longer wires.

[eric113]

IMO Stumpfab should include some thermal compound or glue since the old thermal tape is a mess. I mentioned it to them but no response.

You can get thermal compound on amazon. Same thing happen to me on my 150.

That's a much smarter design.

Mike, yep. Same thing. I think the OSE version has an additional cap bank.

They all have low heat threshold. The protection shuts it down at what seems a relatively low temperature. BUT! That's external temp. The water never gets close to the real heat. Who knows what the internal temps really are. Clearly a bunch if they're shutting down. Once they thermal one time they're never quite right right again. Happened to me at the 18 nats. Limped it home.

I had seaking 180 V3 in my p mono, kept randomly shut down while racing on me. Had the cut off turned off, then added a bec and still was cutting out on me. Threw in castle xl2 that I water cooled.
Done with 180 V3’s. Wish seaking would pro version of the 180 or do away with 180 and do pro version 200a. I have seaking 160 pro and been great esc.

[ray schrauwen]

You can get thermal compound on amazon. Same thing happen to me on my 150.


I had seaking 180 V3 in my p mono, kept randomly shut down while racing on me. Had the cut off turned off, then added a bec and still was cutting out on me. Threw in castle xl2 that I water cooled.
Done with 180 V3’s. Wish seaking would pro version of the 180 or do away with 180 and do pro version 200a. I have seaking 160 pro and been great esc.

I have an XL2 also and never got it wet yet. I'm putting it in my P mono also. How did yo program yours? Did you add a cap bank?

Since it's been 20 years since I had one, I suck at Castle esc programming. No idea what version of software to D/L and use???

I have thermal epoxy and if I don't want it to cure and be like plain thermal compound, I mix it wrong to keep it soft.

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I did notice that the case on the Raider/Fly esc comes off pretty easy when I did the cooler.

[longballlumber]

Since it's been 20 years since I had one, I suck at Castle esc programming. No idea what version of software to D/L and use???

Ray,

Do yourself a favor and get a castle link for program the castle. Besides, you will want the castle link to download the logged data anyhow.

[longballlumber]

Mike, yep. Same thing. I think the OSE version has an additional cap bank.

Thanks, I have a couple of the FlyColor labeled versions. Its the first time I've used anything outside of a castle in many years. I will need to look at the cooling on these.

Another thing I noticed on the FlyColor I was using last week; the controller was sending 8.X volts to my receiver. The label clearly states 5.5v BEC, but the telemetry on my radio is telling me it's 8.x volts. I am curious if you guys have seen that on the OSE versions. Next time I get out to the pond, I am going to try a separate voltage regulator (BEC).

[ray schrauwen]

I have that covered but some things I’ve heard way back were like you could use the boat software on it not the car software as it was designed.

Do I just use the XL2 software and shut off things like any current limiting it may have?

[eric113]

Ray, I used my castle link to program it and also check data logging. When I get home I will see what version I’m running and all the setting and screen shot them for you. I been loving it so far. Mine isn’t waterproof either. I can’t decide to use corrosion x or silicone conformal coating?