brushless motor questions

[chief gunner]

Okay,
I have been out of the R/C world for probibly 2 decades, so a lot has changed and I feel like I am never ran an R/C car before. I currently have an AX-10 that I plan to just have fun with. I don't need it to be the best and baddest out there, but I want to have fun with it and be able to crawl with decent capibility. I am curious about the brshless motors. What is the advantage over a brushed motor? I was looking on a few web sites, and I am looking at the Castle Creations sidewinder ESC with their brushless motor combo (for down the road). Is there any major advantage between a brushed vs brushless motor? My next series of questions will be over batteries (lipo and such). Thanks for learning me.

 

[AreCee]

First of all you want to look at sensored bl for a crawler. Sensorless like the Sidewinder is good at higher speeds but cogs (stutters) at start up and very low speeds like in a crawler.
Now there are crawler specific systems but you can use almost all except for those with weak drag brakes and no instant reverse.

 

[chief gunner]

what is sensored bl? You have to talk to me like I am 10.....no wait 4 maybe even 3. Thanks

 

[AreCee]

Don't buy anything until you take the time to learn about it first.

There are two methods of controling brushless (BL) motors; sensored and sensorless. The sensored has, you guessed it, sensors that tell the speed control what position the rotor is in so it knows how to pulse the current to make the rotor spin.

A sensorless doesn't and can hesitate (cogging) before it starts to spin.

In the crawler world a lot of time is spent, well, crawling and not racing therefore you want a nice smooth power delivery which is what a sensored BL does.

Problem is that the sensorless units cost less making them more attractive and for Short Course truck racing they are fine but lack the sensitivity needed for delicate moves crawling on the rocks.

 

[chief gunner]

So, in the crawling world, an ESC that senses rotor position is beter than a senseless ESC? That makes sense no pun intended) to me. But what about a brushless motor compaired to a motor that uses brushes?