Question about connecting ESCs without a PDB
After noticing a few questions pop up about connecting multiple ESCs to APM with 3-wire leads, I'm wondering what damage this could cause. I was originally wired up that way and was having some brown-outs, and ultimately fried one ESC and not long after, the spare I replaced it with also. Both puffs of smoke came from motor 1/output 1.
Could having the BEC from 3 different ESCs connected cause this, or is this just the notoriously bad quality control on cheap Chinese speed controllers?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Don Brooks on -
bump...
anyone?
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Permalink Reply by Brent B. on -
The problem as I understand it, is that connecting the ESCs in parallel may cause problems due to voltage differences from the individual ESC's BEC circuit. "In parallel" means, plugging the 3-conductor plug into the receiver or APM connects the grounds together, and connects the Vccs together. If the output voltages differ, it is possible for current to flow into a BEC.
On my quad, I choose motor #1 to be the BEC, and the other ESCs have their Vcc (red) wires snipped. I snipped them close to the plug, then put heat-shrink tubing over the open ends to prevent shorts. This way, if I use them for another project I can attach a new plug without losing much length.
Now that I'm thinking of this, I did not check the output voltages from the various BECs. Well, doing it again I'd ensure that I chose the "right" one, the one >= 5.0V.
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