Carson track loader ESC question

[Kaf343]

Hey guys, I'm finally going to be building my Carson track loader and was thinking about a Sabertooth ESC, my question is, does anyone know how many amps the drive motors are rated for and which Sabertooth would be best or it?

Thanks

[Espeefan]

Keith, I thought you'd get some replies from the who built these, but I don't think anyone really knows what kind of current the drive motors pull. If I was taking an educated guess, I'd say under hard use, I doubt the motors would pull more then 12 amps. Gear motors like this really aren't power hungry. I'd bet you would be well within the limits using a Sabertooth 2x12. The surge rating of the ESC is higher then the continuous 12 amp rating. I believe it can handle 20-25 surge amps for a few seconds. I know guys are running these with Servonaut M220 ESCs and those are rated for 20 amps. If you have doubts, the Sabertooth 2x25 would definitely handle the loader without any problems! I think you'd be very hard pressed to get these motors to pull more then 5-8 amps. If they stalled out, MAYBE they'd pull closer to 12 amps, but I doubt it.

[RCP57]

I use the 2x12 in all my models including my EC300 at 50+lbs with no issues. I would say that the only drawback is the bec portion only having 1 amp.

Reg

[Kaf343]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Keith, I thought you'd get some replies from the who built these, but I don't think anyone really knows what kind of current the drive motors pull. If I was taking an educated guess, I'd say under hard use, I doubt the motors would pull more then 12 amps. Gear motors like this really aren't power hungry. I'd bet you would be well within the limits using a Sabertooth 2x12. The surge rating of the ESC is higher then the continuous 12 amp rating. I believe it can handle 20-25 surge amps for a few seconds. I know guys are running these with Servonaut M220 ESCs and those are rated for 20 amps. If you have doubts, the Sabertooth 2x25 would definitely handle the loader without any problems! I think you'd be very hard pressed to get these motors to pull more then 5-8 amps. If they stalled out, MAYBE they'd pull closer to 12 amps, but I doubt it.

Thanks Nathen, yes I thought the same with the 2x12. It's cheap enough that if I do have an issue I can move to something else.

Originally Posted by RCP57

I use the 2x12 in all my models including my EC300 at 50+lbs with no issues. I would say that the only drawback is the bec portion only having 1 amp.

Reg

Thanks Reg, I'm going to give it a try. What do you mean regarding the BEC. Is it something that I can overcome by adding and external BEC?

[RCP57]

Yeah that's right. I have no issues with it running 4 standard servos on my EC300's hydraulic valve but in my 955 where the servos run the bucket and need more juice I had to use a bec because the power draw causes the ESC to go into protection mode. I'm sure you will be fine if you are just running servos for hydraulics. I like the control options that they have too.

[Kaf343]

Originally Posted by RCP57

Yeah that's right. I have no issues with it running 4 standard servos on my EC300's hydraulic valve but in my 955 where the servos run the bucket and need more juice I had to use a bec because the power draw causes the ESC to go into protection mode. I'm sure you will be fine if you are just running servos for hydraulics. I like the control options that they have too.

Thanks Reg, u am interested in seeing the control options that the Sabertooth has as far as controlling the left and right tracks for steering and pirouettes. I had the Liembach in my 922 and didn't like the way it drove, I changed it to a M220, that was much better. Matter of opinion I guess. Are the control options changeable.

[Espeefan]

The Sabertooth is nice because it allows you to run the dual motors one of two ways. In a mixed mode, where one channel controls forward and backward motion of both tracks together, and another channel handles steering, by slowing or speeding up the tracks to turn the model. The other option is true independent motor control, each with it's own channel, controlled independently of the other.

If I'm not mistaken, even in mix mode, you can still pirouette a model, just by moving the steering input, with no forward or reverse input. If there is no forward or reverse input, and you add steering, the tracks will go opposite directions, for turn in place pirouettes. As you increase the forward or reverse throttle, the pirouettes become travel in circles.

[Kaf343]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

The Sabertooth is nice because it allows you to run the dual motors one of two ways. In a mixed mode, where one channel controls forward and backward motion of both tracks together, and another channel handles steering, by slowing or speeding up the tracks to turn the model. The other option is true independent motor control, each with it's own channel, controlled independently of the other.

If I'm not mistaken, even in mix mode, you can still pirouette a model, just by moving the steering input, with no forward or reverse input. If there is no forward or reverse input, and you add steering, the tracks will go opposite directions, for turn in place pirouettes. As you increase the forward or reverse throttle, the pirouettes become travel in circles.

Nice, I'm looking forward to building this one. It will be the first piece of construction equipment that I build as apposed to buying something already built but not necessarily the way i would do it. maybe I'll hold onto it for more that a week. LOL

[Espeefan]

Keith, after finding the info on the track drive motors, you should be 100% fine with a 2x12 Sabertooth ESC. The motors are rated at 1.8 amps, continuous load. Can't see that ever spiking higher then 12 amps.