adding external brake circuit

[chris verheyden]

Hi,

In a small glider I just built, I'm reusing a Pixie 7 to drive a speed300 motor. Since it is a glider, a folding prop is installed. For this to close as it should, the ESC should brake the motor when throttle is switched off. Unfortunately the Pixie 7 doesn't do this.

Does anybody know if I can add a brake function by soldering an external diode or doing something else ?


Thanks,

Chris

[jeffs555]

Don't think it can be done. The brake is usually a P-channel mosfet which is switched on to short across the motor when the throttle is off. Problem is that it has to be switched on after the ESC stops driving the motor, and switched off before the ESC starts driving the motor. If they are ever both on at the same time, they will both fry.

[chris verheyden]

Thanks Jeff,

Looks like I'll be buying a new ESC then, unless I can find a mechanical solution.

[Malc C]

With the price of brushless controllers falling all the time, replacing the ESC might be your cheapest and quickest option ;)

[chris verheyden]

Actually I like the challenge of finding a workaround for things like this. The quick and easy solution is to simply go out and buy a new ESC, probably less then 25 €. But this wouldn't give me the satisfaction I got half an hour ago when I used a simple rubber band wrapped around the folding prop more or less like a prop saver. This seems to do the trick :) .

[Malc C]

sometimes the simplest way to resolve a problem gets overlooked ;)