|
|
|
 |
RCCars |  |
Crack Roll | |
Flying Giants | |
RC Power | |
The E Zone | |
Lift Zone | |
Our Sponsors |  |
|||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Introduction
Lately, I have been building a lot of either gasoline or nitromethane planes. The bigger they are, the more servos are typically required. I tend to push 6.0 volts even though I know there are arguments between 4.8 volt and 6.0 volt setups. I want the torque and speed, but I have to also consider the weight and the option of running digital servos, which tend to consume power more readily. For you helicopter pilots, add the gyro, and you are really hitting the amps. There is always a thin line to walk when one plugs in a newly charged 6.0 volt battery. While the receiver can handle the extra voltage, the servos (and gyros) are typically rated at 6.0 volts and can jitter and buzz as the voltage is drawn off, and it may put some unusual wear and tear on the servos when packs are charged to nearly 7.4 volts. Some newer versions of servos are now rated for 7.4 volts like the new Hitec HS-7940TH. I tend to offset the drain on 6.0 volt batteries with larger, higher capacity batteries. In the .60 and higher class of planes, 3000 mAh is normal for me. I have always wanted to use 2S 7.4 volt LiPos for my power source, a battery to power my receiver and servos while most use a BEC to eliminate the need for an extra battery when flying electrics, but I never found a voltage regulator that I was comfortable with until I started reading about the Castle BEC Pro. For larger planes using more and larger servos you can easily exceed the 10 amps limit of the Castle BEC as you increase the voltage requirements of the electronics. Add a gyro and you certainly will get beyond prescribed amps. But those creative folks in Kansas have thought of a lot of things including dual receiver plugs. I quote, “CC BEC Pro has two output leads. Plug both into different ports on your receiver or into two Y harnesses to carry the most current. Servo connectors are not intended to carry more than 5 amps continuously. If your application draws more than 10 amps continuously, please replace these connectors with a connector rated for your amperage.” This may require some receiver port planning and consideration should be taken for the placement, but the leads are long and let you get the BEC away from the receiver to eliminate and possible interference.
The BEC and BEC ProCastle's BEC Pro does the same as the 10 amp BEC, but has so much more to offer. Both are programmable and easily connect to Castle Link. The Castle BEC Pro lets you set voltage levels all the way up to 50.4 volts at 20 amps. The Castle BEC is limited to 24 volts input and 5 amps, but with the Castle BEC Pro, you get 12S (50.4 volt) maximum output and 20 amps output across a wide range of voltages from 4.8 to 50.4 volts. In other words, the BEC Pro can handle extreme conditions and bleed off generated heat efficiently enough to be useful for cars, airplanes and helicopters.
Castle BEC Pro
Let’s walk through the process of using the Castle BEC Pro and Castle Link to make the voltage adjustment necessary to meet your demands. I want to power a large plane with six large servos with something other than a 6.0 volt NiMH battery to save the weight, but I also want a battery I can rely on to provide plenty of power for a longer period with a more consistent voltage supply. I am using a PowerEdge 2100 mAh 20C LiPo which should easily provide me many quality flights within a day’s flying. I need to first get my Castle BEC Pro set up. To get started you must have a Castle Link to connect the BEC to your computer. You can install Castle Link either with the included CD or download the most current version.
Additionally, you’ll need a battery that has at least 5.0 volts to power the BEC for programming. Plug in the BEC to the Castle Link using the jumper, and plug in the USB through the firewire adapter to the computer. There will be a light in the lower corner of the opening screen showing that the USB is connected, but NOT the BEC yet.
Next, power the BEC.
A quick walk through of the command line functions is in order.
There are three tabs in the Connected window: About, Basic and Software. The screen you are seeing is the "About" tab and shows the connection status and setting controls that include the “Update” command for sending new settings to the BEC and the “Defaults” setting for returning your BEC to the factory settings. In the basic window I have only one option for the BEC Pro and that is the voltage setting.
I am using a 6.0 volt setting.
There’s only one option to set: the voltage. The firmware can be updated at any time.
RF Interference
While Castle has done everything possible to reduce any radio frequency interference, due diligence should be performed through ground range checks and an overall attention to the proximity of the BEC to the receiver. In the picture below the BEC seems closer than it really is. The BEC is a level below and opposite the antennae for the Airtronics 2.4 GHz receiver. I continue to use my best judgment and have noticed no interference in this configuration. With the use of the 7.4 volt LiPo and the BEC Pro I no longer have servos buzzing which makes it harder, in my opinion, to pinpoint interference.
Photos
Conclusion
Folks, it does not get much easier than this. The Castle BEC Pro is easy to program and performs just as advertised. The large heat sink dissipates heat and ensures the peak 20 amps you need for your application. I highly recommend you take the leap forward to using a Castle BEC Pro with a 2S LiPo battery to power your next fuel airplane. I also know you will agree that the applications for cars with large high output motors and helicopters with digital servos and gyros will also recognize the benefits of the new Castle BEC Pro.
Good:
Not-So-Good
Last edited by Angela H; Oct 20, 2009 at 04:52 PM.. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
|
Oct 20, 2009, 05:44 PM
|
#2 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,726
|
could you post a graph of how well it maintains voltage under diferent loads for examle with a eagletree data loger (then you can also measure the current going in and going out)
|
|
|
|
Oct 23, 2009, 04:38 PM
|
#3 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 72
|
I assume but both BECs are actually what is generally called Ultra BECs E.G. Switch mode voltage transformers; E.G. to supply 6V at 4A (=24W) would only draw 2A from a 12V battery (also =24W)
I can see no other way a 50V input could be sensibly used, but if this is the case why the heat sink ? or are there more inefficiencies than I think. Can you make this clear ? |
|
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2009, 05:32 AM
|
#4 | |
|
Stranger in a land
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 353
|
Nice review, 78dave and looks like another fine product from Castle. Thanks for taking the time to detail your experiences with it.
Here's a little typo that you may want to fix in your review: Quote:
Carl |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2009, 07:33 AM
|
#5 |
 Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Florida West Coast
Posts: 1,879
|
Nice review Dave! I have 2 on order, 1 to replace the 10 amp Castle BEC in my Showtime 90 conversion.
Last edited by RC Accessory; Oct 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM. |
|
|
|
|
Oct 24, 2009, 09:07 AM
|
#6 |
|
Dr. Dave
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Howard County, MO
Posts: 861
|
The "why the heat sink" makes me wonder where else the heat would go? Stepping down that much voltage and doing so by switching requires that heat sink.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 25, 2009, 11:28 AM
|
#7 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2
|
Great review Dave. Since I fly large electrics, my power source for the Pro will be the 10s lipo main battery eliminating the 2s lipo completely.
Last edited by higharc; Oct 25, 2009 at 01:55 PM. |
|
|
|
|
Oct 27, 2009, 01:16 AM
|
#8 | |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 233
|
Quote:
I've scoped my own setups, and so far the best test seems to be synching the movement of all servos and moving them rapidly back and forth full travel. Stalling them doesn't seem to make it significantly worse. The static start to motion and direction reversal seem to be by far the biggest current hit. ANd making them all hit at the same time is the hardest test for the system. |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 27, 2009, 01:26 AM
|
#9 |
|
Stranger in a land
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 353
|
^What he said. I've used my Watt's Up meter inline on my larger gliders (six servo setups) to see what my amp draw was and the biggest hits were swinging all control surfaces erratically as LAadams suggests.
Carl |
|
|
|
|
Oct 27, 2009, 11:39 AM
|
#10 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Posts: 1,217
|
Without some form of volts versus load versus temperature curve this review is just Castle advertizing.
A person who I trust who has actualy load tested the "10 amp peak" device have found its real steady state capability to be below 3 Amps. |
|
|
|
|
Oct 31, 2009, 12:11 PM
|
#11 |
|
Need Field !
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Abingdon VA,
Posts: 3,220
  |
Compared to what though . Why the need for load test ?
|
|
|
|
Oct 31, 2009, 12:15 PM
|
#12 |
|
Dr. Dave
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Howard County, MO
Posts: 861
|
My thought on the load is where are the consistency items. We all use longer servo leads, different servos, batteries and their age, charge... There are so many variables here what good would the number be.
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 31, 2009, 03:04 PM
|
#13 |
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Posts: 1,217
|
"Compared to what though . Why the need for load test ?"
To verify the spec. The sole purpose of the device is to supply a load - without validation of the advertizing claim how do you choose? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools | |
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| For Sale castle creations phoenix 45 esc new, with castle creation bec, both new in package. | tcwoodie | Aircraft - Electric - Power Systems (FS/W) | 4 | Jul 13, 2008 07:31 PM |
| For Sale Castle Creations Phoenix 60 - New in package | Xnaron | Aircraft - Electric - Power Systems (FS/W) | 1 | Feb 02, 2006 09:09 AM |
| For Sale Castle Creations Phoenix 25 New in package | smrosko | Aircraft - Electric - Airplanes (FS/W) | 4 | Sep 25, 2005 12:36 AM |
| Sold Castle Creations Phoenix 10 New in package, Cheap! | Shortman | Aircraft - Electric - Airplanes (FS/W) | 1 | Jul 02, 2005 09:23 PM |
| News Multiplex BL480/4D review in progress | Ronbo | Power Systems | 1 | Sep 20, 2004 09:22 PM |
|
|
