Torqueboards 12s esc overheating - Help!

ESK8 Electronics
#1

So, I finally got my Torqueboards 12s esc setup running, and took a few test runs on 6s and 9s. In both cases, I took laser thermometer readings of the esc heatsink after a few miles, and they were showing 140-165°F, and definitely hot to the touch. On my last and only run on 9s, I must have hit an overheat cutoff twice within 4 miles of flat cruising at 15-20 mph where the board cut power and I could only go around 8-10 mph until I let the esc sit and cool for a while. At first, I thought the heat was caused by a combo of 6s, high amps, and a mostly, but not totally sealed enclosure. But it wasn’t until I tried the 9s that the esc actually got so hot, it cut power to the system. Anybody have any thoughts on what may be causing this? My enclosure is definitely not airtight at all, but the esc also doesn’t have any active airflow over the heatsinks, but I thought these ran cool enough under normal conditions that it wouldn’t really be needed. Maybe something is wrong with my wiring, but everything works great until the esc starts cooking. Here’s some pics and specs of my setup. Please help. Thanks.

Specs/setup 6s battery: 4 x 5200mah 3s 10c Multistar in parallel & series 9s battery: 3 x 4500 mah 3s 35c Zippy Compact in series Esc: Torqueboards 12s car esc Esc settings: Timing= high, acceleration= very high, max forward= 100% Motor: Turnigy sk3 245kv Gearing & Wheels: 16T/36T & 83mm clones Remote: Torqueboards mini remote

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#2

Maybe not enough gear reduction for a single setup? Do you own a watt meter to test the current draw?

#3

That belt looks really tight. If it is that will draw a lot of wattage. Try backing the setting down a little, it may help reduce the current.

#4

I think this gearing is what Torqueboards runs, and it’s what was recommended to me, at least for 6s. When I had it running on my TB 6s esc, even with a 17T/36T and 20T/36T setup, it never got so hot that it would cut power, but that one had a fan on it, and I never checked the temp it got to.

I have a watt meter. I suppose I could rig it up somehow on my board so I could see the amp draw under load.

#5

Wow, you can tell just from those pics? It will try loosening it a little. I don’t feel like it’s too tight, but I’m still not sure what optimal tension feels like either. When I first set it up (too loose, I thought), the belt would skip teeth on hard braking, but it won’t now. Do you have a preferred method for finding proper belt tension?

#6

What firmware version are you using?

I run very high, very high for motor timing, motor acceleration.

You shouldn’t be overheating. Unless your climbing some steep hills - hill after hill on a single motor.

A tight belt will cause things to overheat as the motor will be overworked.

#7

I’m on v.150818. I had it on very high timing on 6s yesterday, and dropped it to high today, but didn’t seem to fix anything. I’m hoping it’s just the belt. Like you said, I figured it would take lots of hills to overheat things like this.

#8

Try the belt. Let me know.

#9

@torqueboards Will do. Thanks for the help.

And thanks @chaka and @claudiofiore88 for your help as well. I’m gonna try to hook up my volt meter and get an amp reading before and after I loosen the belt. For science.

#10

@torqueboards & @chaka I’m going to try loosening the belt, but before I do, does this look too tight? By hand, It doesn’t feel like it’s providing much of any extra resistance compared to just turning the motor alone by hand.

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#11

Man you’re having trouble with that esc like no tomorrow.

Throw a cpu fan on it

#12

I have been using Metroboards belt tensioning technique that uses sound to determine belt tension with free guitar app.

Anybody have any opinions on it? The belt is relatively taut using this method

#13

@barajabali Actually, this wasn’t the problem one until now. I might throw a fan on it or duct some cooling air to the heatsink, but I’d like to find out why it’s overheating in the first place. I like that it’s silent when it’s on, so a fan is a last resort for me.

@CSN I’ll check that out. Did you ever take temp measurements when you were running these?

#14

@Mobutusan no more buffets for you my man

#15

yeah and ran them in ambient temps up to 115 F. I was able to get the sensored to decrease power when I had it inside the Ollin Flux and there was no ventilation. Once I had some breather holes then it took some serious heat and hill climbing to get any power cut. I would have to ride it for an hour in 100+ and then hammer up a hill.

The non sensored one I only ran on flat ground but it did fine in hot temps. I had that ones heatsink exposed and never had any power cuts.

I would point the heat gun at the heatsink and got readings as high as 150 F. when the pavement was 175 F. But usually it would be around 125 F.

BTW I am about 150#'s bodyweight.

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#16

@Michaelinvegas If I lived in Vegas, that might be a very real problem for me. Lol. But fully loaded, I might be pushing 180 lbs., so I don’t think weight is a problem.

@CSN Thanks for the feedback. That gives me a good range of normal temps to expect. There’s got to be something wrong with my setup, but if it doesn’t end up being the belt, I don’t know what else it could be.

@claudiofiore88 I checked my way meter and it’s only rated to 10 amps. Any suggestions for a quick, easy way to measure the amp load or inexpensive watt meter that could handle the current we pull?

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#17

Here’s a good watt meter. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-130A-LCD-G-T-Power-RC-Watt-Meter-Tester-and-Power-Analyzer-High-Precision-/121325011305?hash=item1c3f88c169:g:j84AAOSwMzVTw4hy

this is the one I have. It’s the same just different branding.

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#18

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Worse comes to worst I have this processor fan and heat sink it’ll keep the esc cool as ice

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#19

Well, I loosened the belt to the point where I could only brake with about half force before the belt started skipping teeth. Then I did about 10 laps up and down the the street. I live on a culdesac that’s about 0.1 miles long. So, I ride a total of about a mile with moderate acceleration and braking. I checked the temperature of the esc heatsink and it was 184 degrees at the hottest point, and around 160-170 degrees everywhere else. The motor windings inside were around 115 degrees, and the batteries were about 85 degrees. I’m gonna try my other 12s esc and see if it still happens, but I need to add a bec to it first.

Any other ideas besides the belt?

#20

Set your motor timing to normal and acceleration to medium and the Esc will run cooler. It will be more snappy power especially at lower speeds. Mounting it outside the box helps as well allowing more air around it. Just have to avoid water puddles.

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