FOCBOX UNITY | Official

Someone just told me this unity is only using 2 shunts and not 3 for sensing and vedder says it’s suspect using only 2 and foc really needs to run 3 to be reliable/safe. The real 6 uses 3 and even the flipsky 6.6 is using 3. Anyone have any info related to that

Lol, the Unity only supports foc

Was told only using 2 shunts no? And vedder recommmeded 3. That was one of the changes to the 6 from the 4. Maybe ur laughing as I seem the poster of doom in all commercial threads. Just wondering what the news is from those that know.

The hw is not based on any of Vedder’s designs… it it’s own beast

https://vesc-project.com/node/403

We will see I guess. Acceptable isn’t my favorite term for an esc

People have been running focboxes with FOC forever and it is a 2 shunt design. Ultimately 3 shunts is more information on the state of the motor, but as soon as the motor is in motion it isn’t a terribly hard system to model/estimate/track. The term “acceptable” is not our aim with the unity. It is an absolute monster and extremely reliable. During my FW testing I have coded some really bad things that cause dangerous levels of current to be dumped through the units (blown multiple 70 amp slow-blow fuses instantly) and the thing is just fine afterwards. @longhairedboy had a hell of a time breaking his beta unit and we’ve only made them more robust since then (he had water damage on a beta unit without conformal coating).

A three shunt design will see some advantages in robotics/automation applications where precise and fine control over fractions of an amp can yield real world benefits. Not really the case for eskate, no one will be the wiser if there motor is getting 30 amps or 30.1 amps. That is the reason why for the eskate application a well designed two shunt design can do everything a three shunt design can. Once a larger current is flowing through the motor the system becomes extremely observable and more measurement inputs won’t offer much extra information on system Dynamics.

8 Likes

This is missing from so many ESCs, it’s silly. :+1: :100:

Yeah, there is a lot of little details like this added into the design/manufacturing that patch a lot of common failure modes. Protection on all the hall sensor/motor ports, TVS diodes on all the voltage lines, isolated CAN bus IC, insanely robust anti-spark switch… The list goes on. Excited to see what new and creative ways you guys find to blow up our motor controller :laughing:

1 Like

Can’t wait for a single ESC without antispark version of this.

1 Like

It will be more than that :slight_smile:, we need to stay ahead of everyone!

6 Likes

IF you want to stay ahead, make a conformal-coated FOCBOX-like thing that can handle 75V and without DRV83xx parts.

Combining parts together is worse because then if something fails, you’re triple-screwed. And single motor builds. And dual independent.

Higher voltages and modularity is the next way to stay ahead in this game.

5 Likes

@Deodand forgive the pertinent questioning but are you a shareholder in Enertion? For all that you have done for public relations and the seemingly single handed bringing to market of this beast you’ll want to be well rewarded!

14 Likes

I think there are tradeoffs with modularity. For the experienced builders especially there are some key benefits. But more independent components opens doors for the less experienced to make mistakes, wether that be in component selection or wiring. For example, selecting an anti-spark switch that can’t handle the capacitive/constant load of the motor driver, wiring a Can Bus/ppm incorrectly etc.

The unity offers a foolproof solution, it will be wired perfectly everytime. The synchronization of both motors now also offers the unique value of alternating the current spikes during on-time which doubles the effectiveness of the bulk capacitors. But we are experienced builders like you, so don’t worry you will be very happy with what we are developing.

@bigben I’d rather not discuss the financial details as some things are still being worked out, but in my experience Jason has done an awesome job treating me with respect and I feel I am being compensated fairly. We will continue making cool stuff together I think :smile:

8 Likes

Just don’t let him pay you in handy’s, I don’t care how low his vest top is cut.

9 Likes

I’d rather have all the money he spent on plane tickets to deliver those handy’s

6 Likes

Dude… Don’t handy block. You should know the rules by now. :wink:

Or… both… :slight_smile:

Yeah @brenternet don’t be a blocker bro!

1 Like

You can all calm down, I’m about to lose two nipples over here and I need to vent.

6 Likes

We’re taking bets at work on this.

1 Like

Ahh yeah the nipple eating. Lol