which ESC for a Trail truck?

[psun786]

Hi guys, I am very new to RC and is looking for some advice on ESC.

I currently have a Tamiya Hilux truck sit on shelf without electronics. I also plan to use my tax rebate check toward a RC4WD trail truck kit. Which ESC should I purchase for these two trucks?

Here is my radio / servo choice.

Spektrum dx7
AR6100 receiver
Hitec 5955TG

It appears most ppl here use either Mamba max or Tekin fxR. Which is better for my situation? Also, what is a BEC and is it absolutely necessary for Mamba ESC? Which out of the two (brush / brushless) motors is more popular in trail truck or crawler setup?

many thanks in advance~ :-P

[chrisjlittle]

The mamba and the FX-R are both great ESC's, but the mamba is not necessary for your purposes. The Sidewinder will do everything the mamba does; the only real difference is that the mamba will handle 100 amps continuous, the sidewinder will do 70. Crawler motors pull so little amperage, you'll never see that kind of continuous power, so the mamba is overkill in most cases.

Here's the pros and cons of the sidewinder (or mamba max), as I see them:
Castle's excellent customer service (when I say excellent, I really mean it.)
Brushless ready
Smooth throttle
Rated to 14.4 volts
Kinda big (not huge, just bigger than the FX-R)
Very few programming options without computer

FX-R
Great drag brake
TIny!
Lots of field programming options without a computer
Smooth throttle
Not technically rated for 3 cell lipo use. Tekin says they'll review warranty claims on 3 cell/lathe motor applications on a case by case basis, which is no guarantee of an approval. They seem not to have a problem with it though, and it does have a 3 cell cutoff
Not brushless ready
I can't say how good tekin's service is, I've never used it.

So it comes down to this. They're both great ESC's, what's important to you?

A BEC is a voltage regulator that gives the servo(s) the correct voltage. Virtually all ESC's have internal linear voltage regulator BEC's, so an external one isn't absolutely necessary in most cases, but very highly recommended, especially with a high power servo like a 5955. I won't go without one. If you decide to go with a higher voltage battery, such as a 3 cell lipo or 8+ nickel, you'll need the BEC no matter what ESC you get, because linear BEC's have a lower output amperage at higher input voltage. For 20 bucks it's totally worth it. I advise the Castle one.

[v10king]

Originally Posted by chrisjlittle

The mamba and the FX-R are both great ESC's, but the mamba is not necessary for your purposes. The Sidewinder will do everything the mamba does; the only real difference is that the mamba will handle 100 amps continuous, the sidewinder will do 70. Crawler motors pull so little amperage, you'll never see that kind of continuous power, so the mamba is overkill in most cases.

Here's the pros and cons of the sidewinder (or mamba max), as I see them:
Castle's excellent customer service (when I say excellent, I really mean it.)
Brushless ready
Smooth throttle
Rated to 14.4 volts
Kinda big (not huge, just bigger than the FX-R)
Very few programming options without computer

FX-R
Great drag brake
TIny!
Lots of field programming options without a computer
Smooth throttle
Not technically rated for 3 cell lipo use. Tekin says they'll review warranty claims on 3 cell/lathe motor applications on a case by case basis, which is no guarantee of an approval. They seem not to have a problem with it though, and it does have a 3 cell cutoff
Not brushless ready
I can't say how good tekin's service is, I've never used it.

So it comes down to this. They're both great ESC's, what's important to you?

A BEC is a voltage regulator that gives the servo(s) the correct voltage. Virtually all ESC's have internal linear voltage regulator BEC's, so an external one isn't absolutely necessary in most cases, but very highly recommended, especially with a high power servo like a 5955. I won't go without one. If you decide to go with a higher voltage battery, such as a 3 cell lipo or 8+ nickel, you'll need the BEC no matter what ESC you get, because linear BEC's have a lower output amperage at higher input voltage. For 20 bucks it's totally worth it. I advise the Castle one.

Great overview of the various ESC's. I have a sidewinder and highly recommend it for the money especially in a crawler.

[psun786]

Originally Posted by chrisjlittle

The mamba and the FX-R are both great ESC's, but the mamba is not necessary for your purposes. The Sidewinder will do everything the mamba does; the only real difference is that the mamba will handle 100 amps continuous, the sidewinder will do 70. Crawler motors pull so little amperage, you'll never see that kind of continuous power, so the mamba is overkill in most cases.

Here's the pros and cons of the sidewinder (or mamba max), as I see them:
Castle's excellent customer service (when I say excellent, I really mean it.)
Brushless ready
Smooth throttle
Rated to 14.4 volts
Kinda big (not huge, just bigger than the FX-R)
Very few programming options without computer

FX-R
Great drag brake
TIny!
Lots of field programming options without a computer
Smooth throttle
Not technically rated for 3 cell lipo use. Tekin says they'll review warranty claims on 3 cell/lathe motor applications on a case by case basis, which is no guarantee of an approval. They seem not to have a problem with it though, and it does have a 3 cell cutoff
Not brushless ready
I can't say how good tekin's service is, I've never used it.

So it comes down to this. They're both great ESC's, what's important to you?

A BEC is a voltage regulator that gives the servo(s) the correct voltage. Virtually all ESC's have internal linear voltage regulator BEC's, so an external one isn't absolutely necessary in most cases, but very highly recommended, especially with a high power servo like a 5955. I won't go without one. If you decide to go with a higher voltage battery, such as a 3 cell lipo or 8+ nickel, you'll need the BEC no matter what ESC you get, because linear BEC's have a lower output amperage at higher input voltage. For 20 bucks it's totally worth it. I advise the Castle one.

Chris, thank you for your very informative review. I think I am going with sidewinder. Now, do I need to purchase the Castle Creation PC link as well or I can use this ESC without programing (default mode)?

[The Judge]

I would definitely recommend the Castle Link cable for the Sidewinder. I got it when I purchased my Sidewinder, and it is very convenient to plug your ESC into the computer and be able to adjust all the settings through a GUI and not beeps and blinks. There are also many more options available using the CL than through field programming the ESC. Since I've had my CR-01 running, my first crawler (about two weeks), I think I've adjusted the throttle curve about 6 times, plus I've fiddled around with all the other settings. I recommend it.

Cheers!

[psun786]

I am set on Castle ESC.. now I just have to decide between Mamba max and Sidewinder.

*Does Mamba max included PC link and BEC?
*Can Sidewinder handles two Hitec 5955TGs (steering / shift 3 spd) at the same time?

[chrisjlittle]

Originally Posted by psun786

I am set on Castle ESC.. now I just have to decide between Mamba max and Sidewinder.

*Does Mamba max included PC link and BEC?
*Can Sidewinder handles two Hitec 5955TGs (steering / shift 3 spd) at the same time?

The mamba max has a standard USB port on the side, the sidewinder requires the castle link which plugs into the receiver wire. Virtually all ESC's have internal BECs, the point is that most are too weak to handle strong servos, but no, the mamba does not include the external BEC. None of the esc's you're looking at can handle 2 5955s. You really don't need such a burly servo for your shifting, look into something cheaper like a 645. No reason to throw money away on something like that. Either way, I'd strongly advise a CC BEC. They work really well and are worth every cent. As a side note, their output voltage is adjustable, but this requires a castle link. Given the choice I choose a sidewinder, CC BEC and castle link.

[psun786]

Originally Posted by chrisjlittle

The mamba max has a standard USB port on the side, the sidewinder requires the castle link which plugs into the receiver wire. Virtually all ESC's have internal BECs, the point is that most are too weak to handle strong servos, but no, the mamba does not include the external BEC. None of the esc's you're looking at can handle 2 5955s. You really don't need such a burly servo for your shifting, look into something cheaper like a 645. No reason to throw money away on something like that. Either way, I'd strongly advise a CC BEC. They work really well and are worth every cent. As a side note, their output voltage is adjustable, but this requires a castle link. Given the choice I choose a sidewinder, CC BEC and castle link.

I have ordered the BEC as you recommended. Regarding the ESC, I am lending toward Mamba max instead of sidewinder due to value/cost ratio (sidewinder is only $20 cheaper than MM after the PC link cost).

I also ordered (2) 5955 servos this morning. Are you saying that running both in the same truck will overload the ESC (Mamba max with Castle BEC)? If so, I need to contact the vender ASAP for an exchange. The reason I pick them in the first place is because many ppl said you can never have a overkill servo

The last thing I need to order is the battery. I have found Venom 7.2v 5000mAh NiMH batteries for $46. There are also some non-brand MiNH 4500mAH batteries listed 2 for $42 on eBay. What should I look for when choosing a battery?

Again, I really appreciate your help and looking forward to get my first truck running asap.

[psun786]

After checking the price, it appears 645 is much cheaper than 5955TG. I would love to save the extra $$ if it doesn't affect the shifting performance. can someone confirm if 645 is sufficient for shifting a 3 SPD?

[The Judge]

The cable that comes with the MM won't allow you to adjust the BEC as it doesn't have the right adapter, it's just a USB cable and will only work with Mamba Max's. Something to consider between the MM and the Sidewinder. I think for a crawler, the Sidewinder has everything you need, but it's your money!

[psun786]

Originally Posted by The Judge

The cable that comes with the MM won't allow you to adjust the BEC as it doesn't have the right adapter, it's just a USB cable and will only work with Mamba Max's. Something to consider between the MM and the Sidewinder. I think for a crawler, the Sidewinder has everything you need, but it's your money!

um... so, does the PC link kit for Sidewinder Holmes Hobbies sell uses the same adapter as Castle BEC?

[chrisjlittle]

Originally Posted by psun786

After checking the price, it appears 645 is much cheaper than 5955TG. I would love to save the extra $$ if it doesn't affect the shifting performance. can someone confirm if 645 is sufficient for shifting a 3 SPD?

The 645 is probably still overkill, but it will work perfectly for shifting. Lots of guys even use them for steering.

Originally Posted by psun786

I have ordered the BEC as you recommended. Regarding the ESC, I am lending toward Mamba max instead of sidewinder due to value/cost ratio (sidewinder is only $20 cheaper than MM after the PC link cost).

I also ordered (2) 5955 servos this morning. Are you saying that running both in the same truck will overload the ESC (Mamba max with Castle BEC)? If so, I need to contact the vender ASAP for an exchange. The reason I pick them in the first place is because many ppl said you can never have a overkill servo

The last thing I need to order is the battery. I have found Venom 7.2v 5000mAh NiMH batteries for $46. There are also some non-brand MiNH 4500mAH batteries listed 2 for $42 on eBay. What should I look for when choosing a battery?

Again, I really appreciate your help and looking forward to get my first truck running asap.

The castle bec is plenty strong to run 2 5955s. Check out cheapbatterypacks.com, they have good deals on good batteries

Originally Posted by psun786

um... so, does the PC link kit for Sidewinder Holmes Hobbies sell uses the same adapter as Castle BEC?

The PC link for the sidewinder will work with the BEC, the cable that comes with the mamba is just a standard USB cable. If you order the BEC from JRH, you can have him program it to your desired voltage (no more than 6 volts if you want to use the 645) You really won't need to screw with it any after that, so you don't need the link if you get the mamba.

[Boos Boy]

Well this thread has been a great help to me. The sidewinder, mamba max sound great. I have a question though.

If I was going to get a race buggy in teh future too; would I be better off getting the mamba max and jst swap it over rather than having to buy another ESC later? Bit concerned for a little less the max would be better; although I realise I need the castle link and BEC too. I was going to buy the NOVAC goat; so maybe not much more expensive for a universal ESC? Opinions?

Also; would like to put a faster motor in the AX10 for messing around at the local carparks etc.

Thanx.