FIGURE 4
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 9
components. If
the parts moved
relative to each
other, the lines
would be broken
and the problem
area revealed.
A couple of test
runs displayed the
same problem
powering up, but
when all the lines
were checked
there was no
slippage to be
found.
Now that I had established
there was no mechanical problem, I
looked at the settings in the ESC. I
plugged in the optional
programming card (I consider these
a “must have” as they make life so
much easier) following the supplied
instructions and took a picture
(Figure 3) so that I had a record of
those settings.
I removed the programming
card and then attached my E-Logger
(Figure 4) so that I could record the
RPM of the motor and the
amperage used. (I described the use
of the E-Logger in the June ‘ 10 issue
of SERVO.)
I then did a test run, moving
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 10
the throttle quickly to
maximum and letting it
run for a few seconds to
get up to full speed, then
letting it stop and then
repeating the process two or three
more times. As expected, the blade
stalled at half speed during the
initial power-up and had to be
throttled back down and back up
again to get it to reach full speed.
I then shut the bot down
completely and reprogrammed the
ESC, changing just one thing at a
time for first the “Start Mode”
and then the “Timing Mode.” I
repeated the test until I had run
through all nine possible
FIGURE 11
combinations. Each time I took a
picture and each time the E-Logger
would record the run.
Some combinations would not
work at all, others would stall like in
the original settings, and some
would power-up smoothly taking
varying amounts of time.
I downloaded the E-Logger data
using the supplied software and
cable, and then had a look at the
graphs of the various runs. Three
were of particular interest. The first
SERVO 11.2011 31
