ESC HOW TO - stop your BAtteries Arcing out when connecting up!

[Westy]

Hey all . Just completed a mod to all my batteries (Except one to show you guys the difference) and my ESC on my 600 to show you how to do a mod to get the "ESC Spark Eliminator circuit" to work so you can now connect your BAtteries 6s 12s 8s .... no matter.... and get no arcing across your terminals which will eventually.... cause your terminals to completely carbon up and erode and worst case kill your heli/ plan in the air and BANG she is all over

If you guys and gals want a vid to show you how I did it ..... let me know .... it was simple cheap (cost me $2.50 for a 10 ohm/ 10 watt ceramic resistor and very ....very effective! Video coming soon..... Rendering now!

Uploading .... 90%

100%

Here you go

 

[Derek]

That's awesome! I'm interested to know.

 

[Westy]

it will work for 3s too no spark for you 500 too.....

 

[Graham Lawrie]

Not bad at all My question is, how long without this set up does it take to deterioriate the connections by sparking? How many times do you need to connect?

 

[Westy]

not sure .... I have done about 60 flights on mine ... and have noticed really bad arching on the male contacts on the male ends and also inside the female connectors ... i have heard ... this causes high resistance ... and can even melt off the terminals. EQUALS smashed Bird!

 

[Derek]

I run a 6S 3000mAh 70C lipo on my Trex 500. Even when the lipo isn't "fully" charged, it arch's with some authority. That "snap" actually scares my wife more than my flying does, lol.

As far as the 3S lipos that I run in my scratch build planes...I can't say that I really recall that "arching" happening, but I'll look into it.

Well alright then...I just watched your video and I gotta say, "That's pretty impressive!!!" Thanks for the tip, Westy!!!

 

[Tony]

It happens with the 3s batteries as well, just not as bad. Not something you need to be worried about though. The 6s+ though, really need this mod to save the contacts. Just the soot and carbon that it leaves behind is enough to reduce your contact patch and could cause issues.

 

[Derek]

Hey there, Westy!!! Would you mind posting a link that shows an example or two of the resistor that you used?

 

[Tony]

I'm pretty sure he is using THESE.

 

[Westy]

Yup ... .from here, was using it for another project ... but that was a fail! haha

- - - Updated - - -

I run a 6S 3000mAh 70C lipo on my Trex 500. Even when the lipo isn't "fully" charged, it arch's with some authority. That "snap" actually scares my wife more than my flying does, lol.

As far as the 3S lipos that I run in my scratch build planes...I can't say that I really recall that "arching" happening, but I'll look into it.

Well alright then...I just watched your video and I gotta say, "That's pretty impressive!!!" Thanks for the tip, Westy!!!

This mod will certainly fix that sparking issue for sure, just make sure you disconnect the ec3 after you have made the full connection.... or you will be sucking your battery down as you have effectively short cicuited it with a load (the Resistor)

- - - Updated - - -

This is where my research came from:

Eliminate Huge Spark when Connect ESC to Battery - RC Groups

and here is the calculator to work our what the resistor required is:

R/C Calculations

I just guessed my resistor.... and since mine is a reasonable big load rating ..... I am sure it would work in most situations

RC-WARBIRDS




I also saw this pic on the net .... and thought .... you know this looks simple .... why not give it a crack? what is the worst thing that could happen .... It Sparks!!! ha ha no loss!



WOW ..... I just did a search on ESC spark eliminator ..... .and My Video that I loaded up 8 hours ago .... has been found by the GOOGLE web spiders and it comes up on the FIRST page WICKED ... I am now Famous! haha

Google

6th LISTING DOWN ..... Lol

 

[Westy]

IF you want to make something a little less primitive and like electronics .... here is the link for you to make this attempt. I might make some of these later when I am not so busy


This is what happened to a guy that did not use a spark eliminator



- - - Updated - - -

IF you want to make something a little less primitive and like electronics .... here is the link for you to make this attempt. I might make some of these later when I am not so busy

 

[Lightman]

Been looking at this spark thing for a bit. Don't mind the 6cell spark so bad, but not fond of the 12cell hit! Here's what I came out with and would love your input. For my 600EFL, a series connector with Deans on the battery side, so I don't have to switch my batts. and charger, and 5mm bullets on esc side. With positive esc wire having a 1500ohm 2watt resistor pigtailed onto it. Connection to arm esc would be, plug in both batteries, then plug in the esc resistor jumper, followed by the esc negative wire, and a second or so the esc positive, leaving all 3 connected during flight. When done disconnect all 3. Here's the link for my calculations:
Its about 3/4 down the page. What do you think? I'm no electrical guy by any means.

 

[Westy]

are you running a 12s setup? what ESC are you running?

RC Heli spark suppressor? - HeliFreak

I was just looking through that post ... it think you would be worth looking at making one of the series adaptor lines with a pigtail tap.

Connect everything up except one of the series link lines.... and then connect the resisted link (which is jumpered off that same line in light cable with the resistor) .... then connect the main heavy duty line and then disconnect the jumper with the resistor.

Ps .,,.. I did not calculate any value ... I just tried the only heavy duty resistor I had in my set of parts. Must have been a fluke! haha but I like experimenting so would have worked out the time it took to charge without a spark and then tried to double the resistance to see if that had halved the time to charge the caps without arcing. I was a bit dissapointed that I got it right on my application first time.

 

[Lightman]

Yes sir, I'm running 2 6cells in series. Also have a CC Phoenix Ice 2 HV 80 for the esc. I think I will take a trip to the local Radio Scrap and pick up said resistor and give it a try as I'v got the series connector already made. Thanks for the reply and I'll let ya know how it goes.

 

[Westy]

Look forward to it! If you get a spark ..... then try and experience with time to see how long it takes to charge up the caps (thus no spark). I used a 10 ohm 10watt resistor for my 100amp Align one.

i was just thinking .... if you made it on you Series link .... you never have to make another ... if you change your ESC, you got it all sorted on your Series link line.

 

[coolgabsi]

IF you want to make something a little less primitive and like electronics .... here is the link for you to make this attempt. I might make some of these later when I am not so busy


This is what happened to a guy that did not use a spark eliminator

View attachment 4689

- - - Updated - - -

IF you want to make something a little less primitive and like electronics .... here is the link for you to make this attempt. I might make some of these later when I am not so busy

while spark eliminator is a good thing to have.. no doubt..
I dont use it ... But .... Cant hurt... its a protective thing. ..

Are you sure this burnt up esc pic is because of no spark eliminator.. Looks like an ICE HV (older esc version... that was prone to catching fire cause of no or minimal silicon thermal conductive paste.. HENCE the recall .. )

 

[Westy]

Not sure, was in one of the posts I was reading ..... got bored and could not be bothered reading the rest! Lol

 

[Tony]

Yup, that picture looks like one of them that was prone to catching on fire. Many people lost some great aircraft because of those ESC's and Castle told them they would replace the ESC, but they just had to deal with shelling out hundreds to repair their bird. One reason I will NEVER own a castle ESC. I would have taken them to court if I lost a 700 size heli because of their electronics.

 

[xokia]

This mod will certainly fix that sparking issue for sure, just make sure you disconnect the ec3 after you have made the full connection.... or you will be sucking your battery down as you have effectively short cicuited it with a load (the Resistor)

You haven't actually short circuited the battery. You put a resistor in series with the ground terminal. Once you connect the main connector you have effectively eliminated the resistor. So disconnecting the resistor isn't really required. If this were some high frequency switching device I'd say bad idea to have multiple ground paths. But in this case you are completly fine.

 

[Lightman]

Well Westy, a month later I finally have something to report back on. After bangin my head against the desk trying to figure out which resistor (seems everybody has their own theory and formula), and getting some 10 different resistors, I came across an ad from Jeti Model with their ASC. Thought its $10.00. Spent that much on res. so far. Hooked it up first, since it had different connections. Low and behold, truth in advertising! I was stunned! Was waiting for another round of arc welding, and nothing! Just the normal cell count (12) and away she goes! I used the one rated max current-150amps. Just to be on safe side. Might try the 75amp unit just for kicks. Sad we have to do this instead of CC. "A spark is your friend" to quote them, Wrong!!!!! Arc welding around 3 lipo's is a safety hazard, and goes against what they tell you in basic electricity. After all the fires CC has against it, you would think they would get rid of it (the spark) just for peace of mind for their customers. But hats off to Jeti! For stepping up and fixing a problem that wasn't their's. I know next esc I buy will come with some kind of asc and it won't be a CC! For those of you who don't like the "friend", give this a try. Think you'll like it!