Motor Controllers

[GAP]

Has anybody had experience with these motor controllers?

10A 24V brushed RC loco speed controller HV

10A 24V brushed HV RC loco speed controller for use in model locomotives 100% waterproof forwards and reverse throttle control

www.mtroniks.net

10A brushed RC loco speed controller

10A brushed RC loco speed controller for use in model trains 100% waterproof forwards and reverse throttle control

www.mtroniks.net

I have a small loco with limited space and am looking at the micro loco 10 because of its size, the other looks interesting for a larger loco I have as well.
I am interested in anyone's experiences good or bad or any pros and cons they may have heard.

 

[Tony Walsham]

I used both of them successfully for some years.

Be aware when MTroniks say 6 -14.8 volts for the small one, they mean it.
As in, the absolute top limit is 14.8 real volts. Not the nominal 14 .8 volts of a Li-Ion pack. These can reach over 16 volts when fully charged and will cause the ESC to malfunction.
Otherwise both of them are bullet proof, centre OFF ESC's, if you you don't mind the 100 Hz pwm signal making the motors whistle/buzz.

 

[GAP]

I used both of them successfully for some years.

Be aware when MTroniks say 6 -14.8 volts for the small one, they mean it.
As in, the absolute top limit is 14.8 real volts. Not the nominal 14 .8 volts of a Li-Ion pack. These can reach over 16 volts when fully charged and will cause the ESC to malfunction.
Otherwise both of them are bullet proof, centre OFF ESC's, if you you don't mind the 100 Hz pwm signal making the motors whistle/buzz.

Thanks Tony I am using only 12V NiMH batteries so should be within safe limits, I could use a 12V zener or a regulator on the input to keep extra safe.
As for the whistle/buzz I can live with that.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Has anybody had experience with these motor controllers?

10A 24V brushed RC loco speed controller HV

10A 24V brushed HV RC loco speed controller for use in model locomotives 100% waterproof forwards and reverse throttle control

www.mtroniks.net

10A brushed RC loco speed controller

10A brushed RC loco speed controller for use in model trains 100% waterproof forwards and reverse throttle control

www.mtroniks.net

I have a small loco with limited space and am looking at the micro loco 10 because of its size, the other looks interesting for a larger loco I have as well.
I am interested in anyone's experiences good or bad or any pros and cons they may have heard.

Yep, I have a couple of them that have run successfully for a few years.

I haven't used the larger voltage version, one of mine runs on 12v and the other on 9.4v

I've run them with different RC units OK - one's on an old Saturn, the other on Deltang.

 

[PhilP]

The low PWM frequency might be obtrusive to some?
I find it fine in a diesel, but less-so in a steam outline model.

The other minor problem, is the cables and connectors are definitely designed for high current, and low-loss. - Fine for high-power vehicles, but less-so for our use. Especially if you are short of space.

PhilP

 

[GAP]

The vipers arrived this morning they sure are small.

 

[Rhinochugger]

The vipers arrived this morning they sure are small.

I managed to mount one on the inside of the chassis headstock using an Essell steel chassis that has frames outside the wheels - very handy because the bonnet is full up with a battery pack.

A picture of the 'hovercraft', driven by Ron Dennis just to cheer us up on a wet day

At that time, the Banta crewcab on the other track was also sporting a Micro Viper - this has subsequently been removed and installed in the current project of the railbus re-vamp.

 

[Rob in Finland]

I have them in my 3 of my locos. They work OK but on two of the locos the cruise control function does not operate. If the radio signal is lost the loco stops - it should keep going at the previously set speed. I wrote to MTroniks with no response. I am now converting all three to LocoRemote so should not have this problem; but may have others!

 

[Rhinochugger]

I have them in my 3 of my locos. They work OK but on two of the locos the cruise control function does not operate. If the radio signal is lost the loco stops - it should keep going at the previously set speed. I wrote to MTroniks with no response. I am now converting all three to LocoRemote so should not have this problem; but may have others!

That's not an issue I have had.

Stupid and obvious question - you have got the loco version, not the marine version?

 

[JimmyB]

I have them in my 3 of my locos. They work OK but on two of the locos the cruise control function does not operate. If the radio signal is lost the loco stops - it should keep going at the previously set speed. I wrote to MTroniks with no response. I am now converting all three to LocoRemote so should not have this problem; but may have others!

Is it not the Rx that ensure the ESC continues to work!!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Is it not the Rx that ensure the ESC continues to work!!

No, the cruise control is in the ESC - I have 4 different types of ESC and three different types of TX / Rx (types as in manufacturer).

I lied - 5 types of ESC

Don't ask

 

[PhilP]

Cruise control can be a feature of either the receiver, or the ESC..

PhilP

 

[Rhinochugger]

Cruise control can be a feature of either the receiver, or the ESC..

PhilP

S'interesting - I have:

Brian Jones Mac V - with cruise control
Peter Spoerer (can't remember the name of the gizzmo) 24v - with cruise control
Viper - with cruise control
MTroniks - with cruise control

and Deltang - but as they're ESC / Rx I can't tell you where the cruise control is contained



I used the Brian Jones Mac V in Big Bertha - the first battery conversion that I did over 10 years ago

 

[GAP]

Mtroniks description states that cruise control is a feature of the ESC.

"With a 10Amp motor limit and it's incredibly small size, the MicroViper Loco is invaluable in the small scale trains where space is at a premium! But don't let it's small size fool you! Like it's bigger brothers in the Viper range, it is packed full of features, including motor short protection, motor stall protection, built in cruise control, which holds the speed steady when signal is lost, and is also 100% waterproof."

 

[Rob in Finland]

Yes I have the loco version which should include cruise control as mentioned in the instructions. It only works on one of the three locos when I turn off the transmitter. I think the failsafe feature in the receiver makes this happen.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Yes I have the loco version which should include cruise control as mentioned in the instructions. It only works on one of the three locos when I turn off the transmitter. I think the failsafe feature in the receiver makes this happen.

You will only be able to get cruise control if you are using a 2.4 MHz R/C system - it was the change to this frequency that allowed cruise control to be included in the ESCs, I think due to the pairing aspect that it introduced.

Thus, with a paired Tx/Rx, when the signal breaks, it can be automatically recovered when it comes back in range or, as in the case of our model trains, when we turn the Tx back on (I start my trains up, set them running, turn the Tx off and sit down with a glass of something, then turn the Tx back on about half-an-hour later )

The change to 2.4 MHz also did away with the need to avoid other users' frequencies.

 

[Rob in Finland]

I am using a 2.4 MHz system. The Rx has a failsafe feature such that when it detects loss of transmitter signal it makes the throttle go to zero. I have been unable to disable this.

 

[PhilP]

I am using a 2.4 MHz system. The Rx has a failsafe feature such that when it detects loss of transmitter signal it makes the throttle go to zero. I have been unable to disable this.

It will depend on the way the various modules are designed (software, normally).

As an example: The Deltang receivers (mainly) allow the end-user to configure either - fail-safe' or 'cruise'.

PhilP

 

[Rob in Finland]

Agreed. But I am (was) using aircraft receivers which need to be safe. Changing to LocoRemote anyway.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Agreed. But I am (was) using aircraft receivers which need to be safe. Changing to LocoRemote anyway.

OK, the aircraft receivers will be the reason that your loco Vipers don't do cruise control.

However, there's 101 ways of killing a cat, so go with what suits you best

I have one old Saturn Tx / Rx (2.4 Mhz), one cheap Chinese Tx / Rx, and a couple of basic Deltang Txs paired with various Deltang Rxs.

They all run OK with cruise control - I simply use it to save wearing out the batteries in the Txs