Brushless Motors and ESCs

Castle Creations produces two lines of RC airplane and electric helicopter brushless speed controllers (ESCs). The first is the Thunderbird line, which focuses on good value without sacrificing features. The second is the Phoenix line, which adds features and contains ESCs with higher current and voltage handling capabilities.

Thunderbird VS Phoenix

The Thunderbird and Phoenix ESCs both share many features. These include:

• Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC) - all except HV Opto-coupled models
• Safe “Power On”
• Microprocessor Controlled
• Tough surface mount construction
• Audible Arming Signal
• Auto Motor cut-off with reset
• Low torque “Soft Start” - protects gear boxes and belt drives from shock
• Smooth reverse exponential throttle
• Self-calibrating endpoints - maximizes usable stick travel
• Auto shut-down when signal is lost
• Simple setup: no complicated switches or wiring
• Universal RX connector

The difference between the Thunderbird and Phoenix lines is their cost and their degree of programmability. The Thunderbird series is lower priced, simple to use, and gives you control over three programmable features. The Phoenix series is priced slightly higher, but gives you eight programmable features, and the ability to use more cells if you do not require the Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC). The Phoenix line of Electronic Speed Controls also include the HV models (PHXHV-45, PHXHV-85, PHXHV-110) which are able to handle more cells (Up to 12 LiPo cells or 36 NiMH or NiCd cells).

Thunderbird series Electronic Speed Controls (Motor Controllers) come set with Auto-LiPo and no brake for 3D action right from the package. They use simplified programming steps to allow you to easily program these three settings:

• Brake ON/OFF
• LiPo or NiCd/NiMH cutoff
• Motor reversing

Phoenix series motor controllers increase the number of programmable features to eight, giving you more control over the way your ESC behaves:

• Cutoff Voltage
• Current Limiting
• Brake Type
• Throttle Type
• Electronic Timing
• Low Voltage Cutoff Type
• Soft Start
• PWM Switching Rate

Thunderbird Models:

Thunderbird 9

The Castle Creations Thunderbird 9 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is great for lightweight applications where top of the line features are needed, and good value is desired.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: TB-9
• Max Current: 9 Amps
• Max Voltage: 15 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 1.5 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Auto lipo or NiMH/NiCad
• Size: 1.02 x .67 x .32″ (26 x 17 x 8mm)
• Weight: 0.3 oz (8g)

Thunderbird 18

The Thunderbird 18 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) from Castle Creations has twice the current rating of the Thunderbird 9, and a BEC rated at 3 amps (compared to the TB9’s 1.5 amp Battery Eliminator Circuit)
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: TB-18
• Max Current: 18 Amps
• Max Voltage: 15 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Auto lipo or NiMH/NiCad
• Size: 1.32″ x 0.90″ x 0.33″ (34 x 23 x 8mm)
• Weight: 0.6 oz (17g)

Thunderbird 36

The Castle Creations Thunderbird 36 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) doubles the current rating again, with only a 3 gram (0.1 ounce) increase in weight.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: TB-36
• Max Current: 36 Amps
• Max Voltage: 15 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Auto lipo or NiMH/NiCad
• Size: 1.50″ x 1.00″ x 0.35″ (38 x 25 x 9mm)
• Weight: 0.7 oz (20g)

Thunderbird 54

The Thunderbird 54 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) by Castle Creations completes the Thunderbird line with an impressive 54 amp current handling ability.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: TB-54
• Max Current: 54 Amps
• Max Voltage: 15 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Auto lipo or NiMH/NiCad
• Size: 2.00″ x 1.15″ x 0.40″ (51 x 29 x 10mm)
• Weight: 1.2 oz (34g)

Phoenix Models:

Phoenix 10

The Castle Creations Phoenix 10 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is great for lightweight applications and superbly suited for micro flyers.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-10
• Continuous Current: 10 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 19.2 Volts, 4s Lipo or 16 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 1.5 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 0.73 x 0.80 x 0.16″ (19 x 20 x 4mm)
• Weight: 0.21 oz (6g)

Phoenix 25

The Castle Creations Phoenix 25 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is a favorite choice of 3D foamy pilots. Will work with Speed 400 size brushless motors, including the Mega 16/15 series, Feigao and Himaxx 28mm motors, small and medium sized AXI motors, and Hacker B40 motors.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-25
• Continuous Current: 25 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 19.2 Volts, 4s Lipo or 16 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 1.5 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 1.08 x 0.91 x 0.16″ (27 x 23 x 4mm)
• Weight: 0.6 oz (17g)

Phoenix 35

The Castle Creations Phoenix 35 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is great for 3-4 pound sport flyers, and also helicopters. Works with the Corona, ECO 8, or Voyager heli.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-35
• Continuous Current: 35 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 19.2 Volts, 4s Lipo or 16 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 1.72 x 0.95 x 0.40″ (44 x 24 x 10mm)
• Weight: 0.9 oz (24.5g)

Phoenix 45

The Castle Creations Phoenix 45 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is suitable for warmliners, small hotliners, and even some 40 size glow conversion projects. Works with Hacker B50 and C50 motors, medium and large AXI motors, and 36mm Feigao motors.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-45
• Continuous Current: 45 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 19.2 Volts, 4s Lipo or 16 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 1.72 x 0.95 x 0.40″ (44 x 24 x 10mm)
• Weight: 1.0 oz (30.0g)

Phoenix 60

The Castle Creations Phoenix 60 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is the best choice for high performance sailplanes, large helicopters, and large glowplane conversions. Great for Logo 10, and ECO 16 pilots.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-60
• Continuous Current: 60 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 25.2 Volts, 6s Lipo or 20 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 2.35 x 1.05 x 0.45″ (60 x 27 x 11mm)
• Weight: 2.0 oz (58.0g)

Phoenix 80

The Castle Creations Phoenix 80 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is the top choice for LMR competition flying, F5D pylon racing, and large helicopters.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-80
• Continuous Current: 80 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 25.2 Volts, 6s Lipo or 20 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 2.65 x 1.05 x 0.45″ (67 x 27 x 11mm)
• Weight: 2.1 oz (60.0g)

Phoenix 125

The Castle Creations Phoenix 125 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is the paramount controller for either competition F5B and F5D flying, or high energy hotliner sport flying.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHX-125
• Continuous Current: 125 Amps
• Max Voltage with BEC: 12.6 Volts, 3s Lipo or 10 NiMH/NiCad
• Max Voltage without BEC: 25.2 Volts, 6s Lipo or 20 NiMH/NiCad
• BEC: Linear 3.0 Amp Max
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 2.35 x 1.05 x 1.00″ (60 x 27 x 25mm)
• Weight: 3.2 oz (91.0g)

Phoenix HV 45

The Castle Creations Phoenix HV 45 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) works with .40 size electric conversions and has been successfully tested in an 11lb Funtana 90s aircraft.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHXHV-45
• Continuous Current: 45 Amps
• Max Voltage (no BEC): 50 Volts, 4-12s Lipo or 12-36 NiMH/NiCad
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 2.60 x 1.05 x 0.50″ (66 x 24 x 13mm)
• Weight: 1.9 oz (59.0g)

Phoenix HV 85

The Castle Creations Phoenix HV 85 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) works in all quarter and giant scale fixed wing aircraft,competition F3A, giant scale aerobatics, and large helicopters.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHXHV-85
• Continuous Current: 85 Amps
• Max Voltage (no BEC): 50 Volts, 4-12s Lipo or 12-36 NiMH/NiCad
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 2.80 x 1.55 x 1.00″ (71 x 39 x 25mm)
• Weight: 4.2 oz (119g)

Phoenix HV 110

The Castle Creations Phoenix HV 110 Brushless ESC (Electronic Speed Control) is the most powerful speed control made by Castle Creations.
Specifications:

• Manufacturers Part Number: PHXHV-110
• Continuous Current: 110 Amps
• Max Voltage (no BEC): 50 Volts, 4-12s Lipo or 12-36 NiMH/NiCad
• Cut-off: Programmable
• Size: 2.80 x 1.55 x 1.25″ (71 x 39 x 32mm)
• Weight: 5.3 oz (150g)

Castle Link ESC Programmer

The Castle Link USB programming kit for Castle Creations Thunderbird and Phoenix speed controllers is in every rc hobbyist’s toolbox. Easily program the software on your Castle Creations ESC and tweak its performance for your exact RC application. The Castle Link connects your PC to your ESC and includes all the necessary software. Upgrades for the included software are provided on the Castle Creations Web site. Not only does the Castle Link program your Thunderbird or Phoenix ESC but it also supports Castle Creations Mamba, Barracuda, and Berg 7 receivers.

Where To Buy Castle Creations ESCs

The best place to buy Castle Creations ESCs is Draganfly Innovations www.rctoys.com because they offer free shipping within North America on all Castle Creations products! Draganfly Innovations also has a comprehensive Castle Creations Download page where you can find all the Castle Creations Manuals and User Guides. Order online or call 1-800-979-9794 today.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
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Choosing the right Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) for your radio control electric aircraft can be made quite simple. ESCs are available with many different features, limits, and price ranges. Sorting through the list of ESCs can be done by identifying what you need, and eliminating the rest.

The general procedure is to narrow the list down to ESCs that will get the job done, and then make your final selection based on price and preference. First, select ESCs based on their most fundamental features.

Brushed or Brushless?
R/C speed controllers are separated by the type of motor they work with, either brushed or brushless. If your motor has two wires, it is brushed, and you need a brushed speed control. If it has three wires, it is brushless motor, and you require a brushless speed control. An exception to these rules are ESCs that can work with both types of motor, however this feature is not commonly available. Castle Creations and Hacker Brushless are two manufacturers of brushless motors and ESCs.

Current Rating
An ESC will have a power limit. To handle more power, the ESC needs to be larger, heavier, and is more expensive. It’s important to know the peak current your motor is going to pull at full throttle. This determines the current rating you should look for in an ESC. Always choose an ESC with a current rating that is higher than what you need. If the motor is going to pull 12A, a 25A-rated ESC is a much better choice than a 10A-rated one. The 10A ESC will probably overheat and cook, even if you only fly at half throttle. ESCs are relatively light and maintain great resale value, so this is one item in your power system where skimping isn’t worth while.

Choosing the correct type and identifying the minimum current rating are the two big steps. The next choices depend on your preferences. Here are some of the features and limits that can affect your selection.

Voltage Rating
All ESCs have voltage limits. Some even have more than one! What is your battery voltage? Choose an ESC that is designed to work with an equal or higher voltage. Some ESCs are designed for low voltages (below 13V), some for medium voltages (below 25V), and some for high voltages (above 25V). You shouldn’t connect a high voltage battery to a low voltage ESC, but it is also wasteful to use a high voltage ESC with a low voltage battery. The second voltage rating that some ESCs have is based on their Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC). For an ESC to provide power to your receiver and servos, it has to drop battery voltage down to 5V. This becomes difficult once battery voltage is above 13V, so usually a separate receiver battery or voltage regulator is required. Consider what is going to be powering your receiver and servos.

Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC)
To protect your lithium polymer battery pack from being discharged too much, most ESCs can shut down when they sense battery voltage has become too low. This is almost always a useful feature, as it can save your li poly battery from being permanently damaged.

Price
ESCs with the same current and voltage rating can vary in price. Investigate this large market, and put prices on the features that you want.

Programmability
Some ESCs simply work out of the bag, like a servo. Others can be fine-tuned and set up with exotic throttle profiles. The most advanced can be configured via a computer program and cable.

——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
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Web: www.rctoys.com
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Finding the brushless motor that is the best choice for your plane or helicopter can seem to be a daunting task due to the large number that are available. There are a few important considerations you should keep in mind when choosing. This article will help you identify these issues so you can spend more time flying and less time trying to find that “perfect” motor.

Ultimately, you want to swing a certain size prop at a certain RPM. In fact, the freedom you have in choosing propeller size and operating RPM can lead to huge performance gains over comparable glow motors used in many remote control airplanes. Prop and RPM selection determines how much power you need, it is important to choose a motor that is almost at its limits when running at that power level. A motor that is too small will overheat and ruin itself, a motor that is too large will be a detriment to performance, due to the added weight.

Translating propellor size and RPM into power requires some help. This help can come from a computer-based prop simulator, such as the Slough RC Model Club Prop Power, Thrust and Efficiency Calculations web site by Rod Badcock. You can also find data posted by someone who has done what you are trying to do; find out what prop they used, what RPM it spun, and how much power was used.

Your list of potential motors should now only contain motors that can comfortably (but not ‘in their sleep’) put out the power you need. Now you’ll have to make decisions on the other things: battery voltage and capacity, direct drive or geared, outrunner or inrunner, and kV.

The easiest choice is whether to use direct drive or a gear box, so make that one first. If you want to turn high RPM (greater than 10,000 RPM) you’ll probably want a direct drive inrunner. For lower RPM, you can run an outrunner in direct drive or an inrunner through a gearbox. The outrunner is simpler and quieter, but the inrunner in a gearbox can be more adjustable and slightly more efficient. In some cases, the outrunner can be quite a bit cheaper. Each has its advantages, so consider them both.

At this point you know what RPM your motor needs to turn. It is either the same as you want the prop to turn(direct drive), or at a ratio faster than the prop when using a gearbox. Motor RPM is going to determine your specific motor and battery choice, by the following approximate formula (assuming lithium polymer batteries).

Motor RPM = 0.8 x 3.5V x Series Cell Count x Motor kV Rating

You need to select the right motor and battery combination that will satisfy the motor RPM formula. You can do it with a low kV motor and a high series cell count battery, or vice versa.

Lithium polymer battery packs, such as the ones made by Thunder Power, are ideal for use with brushless motors in radio controlled airplanes and helicopters due to their low weight and high capacity compared to NiMH and NiCd packs. Along with a brushless motor and battery, you will also need a brushless speed control (ESC) with an amp rating equal to or greater than the peak current drawn by your motor.

Make your choice, order the parts, put them together, and test it with an Eagle Tree watt meter. You want to make sure that you are near the RPM and power levels you were aiming for. Remember, though, the most important test is how it performs in the air. Fly it, and fine tune with prop selection. Hopefully this article has brought you close enough that a motor or battery change isn’t required.

In the event you require an upgrade, Draganfly Innovations Inc. is your best choice for Hacker Brushless Controllers and Motors, Castle Creations Brushless Controllers, APC Landing Products electric RC airplane propellers, Eagle Tree flight data e-loggers and Thunder Power RC Lipo Battery Packs.

——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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