View Full Version : BEC 101 Video
Finless
01-03-2008, 06:28 PM
OK I got asked to do a overview of what BEC is vs a regulator and what a BEC is and how it gets hooked up.
So I whipped this up real quick.
BEC 101 - What's a BEC and how do you hook it up (47 Megs) (http://video.helifreak.com/?subpath=finless/generic&filename=bec101.wmv)
Enjoy
Bob
DebianDog
01-03-2008, 07:08 PM
I am ACTUALLY going to watch this one cuz I need to get my learn on. :)
bullaculla
01-03-2008, 07:38 PM
Very good video Bob. Not just for noobs! Good tip about using the gyro signal plug for suppling power. :thumbup:
xeispen
01-03-2008, 11:51 PM
I've never used a BEC but I'm thinking of putting in a Park BEC for my Trex. But on an ar6100 their is a BAT slot on the reciever used for binding. Can't we just plug in the BEC through that line? Or do we still have to remove the positive lead from the Align speed control?
Thanks guys.
Finless
01-04-2008, 12:30 AM
You MUST still remove the positive lead from the align ESC or you will have 2 power source inputing and casuing a problem. Remember tjhe buss bars! They connect to every connector.
Bob
bullaculla
01-04-2008, 05:03 AM
What if you want to run two BECs in parallel? My JR R921 has a batt A and batt B. can I just plug a BEC into each of them?
You MUST still remove the positive lead from the align ESC or you will have 2 power source inputing and casuing a problem. Remember tjhe buss bars! They connect to every connector.
Bob
???? Thought the Align ESC had none BEC built into the unit ? Are you saying it supplys some kind of power to the RX which may conflict if lets say putting in a CC BEC instead of the Align BEC and 2S Lipo ?
Pinecone
01-04-2008, 01:32 PM
You MUST still remove the positive lead from the align ESC or you will have 2 power source inputing and casuing a problem. Remember tjhe buss bars! They connect to every connector.
Bob
Not with the ParkBEC or SportBEC, IF you plug the ESC into the BEC, then the BEC into the Rx. The Dimension Engineering BECs disconnect the red wire from the ESC by themselves.
Which also means, if you use them with an ESC that has no internal power (Gaui 50A for one),. you cannot plug the ESC into the Park/SportBEC as it will get no power.
Finless
01-04-2008, 01:40 PM
Which also means, if you use them with an ESC that has no internal power (Gaui 50A for one),. you cannot plug the ESC into the Park/SportBEC as it will get no power.
Huh? I have no clue what you mean here?
Bob
fireup
01-04-2008, 02:22 PM
He's just saying that some BEC has an input for your ESC and it disconnects the red wire for you and feed the control signal through... Personally I like to plug my ESC direct to the Rx so it's more reliable.
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/images/products/ParkBEC.jpg
Finless
01-04-2008, 02:25 PM
Ah OK... I forgot about that type.... Heck I have one of those too and could have added it in the video.
Bob
You MUST still remove the positive lead from the align ESC or you will have 2 power source inputing and casuing a problem. Remember tjhe buss bars! They connect to every connector.
Bob
Bob
Maybe a dumb question, but can you explain this a little as i was believing that the Align ESC had none BEC and as such do not give any power to the RX other than the throttle signals as it is supposed to do.
Finless
01-04-2008, 03:09 PM
The Align ESC for the 450 has a BEC. The Align ESC for the 500 has a BEC. The Align 75 and 100 for the Trex600 does NOT have a BEC.
Bob
fireup
01-04-2008, 03:11 PM
Bob was refuring to Align ESC for the 450 which as a BEC onboard. Align ESC for the 600 don't have an onboard BEC.
Edit: damit... faster than me@#!!:YeaBaby:
Ahh...... I am quite narrow minded since i only have to deal with my 600 and you have to think off a whole bunch of different setups. Lol.
Thanks.
huskynox
01-04-2008, 07:33 PM
Great video. Thanks Bob.
Pinecone
01-04-2008, 08:02 PM
The Align ESC for the 450 has a BEC. The Align ESC for the 500 has a BEC. The Align 75 and 100 for the Trex600 does NOT have a BEC.
Bob
So if you hook them up to a SportBEC the "normal way", inline, they don't get power. So you have to hook them up like other BECs, with both the BEC and ESC connected to the Rx.
Finless
01-04-2008, 08:19 PM
How can the BEC not get power if it is hooked to the battery? You shouldnt be powering the Sport BEC from the ESC's BEC or that doesnt buy you anything. The BEC has a set of battery wires that get hooked ot the main battery.
Bob
lightbulbjim
01-04-2008, 08:45 PM
He's referring to the ESC (without internal BEC) getting power from the receiver for the control circuitry.
Finless
01-04-2008, 08:54 PM
Huh? The ESC doesnt need power other than from the main pack BEC or no BEC. The only thing the ESC needs from the RX is a throttle signal.
A real BEC (not a regulator) gets it's power from the main battery and converts it to 6V or 5V to power the RX.
Bob
lightbulbjim
01-04-2008, 09:04 PM
My understanding was that the ESC needs to power its circuitry at ~5V (or at least something other than the flight pack voltage, which can vary a lot depending on how many cells you're running etc). If it's got an onboard BEC then it's got a 5V supply, otherwise it needs power from somewhere.
On my Hurricane 550 I'm using the Align 75A ESC and a SportBEC. I followed the directions on Dimension's site for connecting up an ESC with no internal BEC as it makes sense to me: http://www.dimensionengineering.com/datasheets/SportBEC_installation.pdf
Hehe, I just noticed that this is also being discussed in Fireup's DIY BEC thread :)
PS: I'm NOT meaning to sound patronising here, apologies if that is so. I'm a bit of an electronics noob. :hug:
Billybuck
01-04-2008, 09:06 PM
Thanks for the video Bob. Very informative.
Sugarbaker
01-04-2008, 11:38 PM
so are there benefits for a set up that uses a separate RX battery (along with a regulator)? Or is it always better to use the main battery and a BEC?
Finless
01-04-2008, 11:53 PM
My understanding was that the ESC needs to power its circuitry at ~5V (or at least something other than the flight pack voltage, which can vary a lot depending on how many cells you're running etc). If it's got an onboard BEC then it's got a 5V supply, otherwise it needs power from somewhere.
On my Hurricane 550 I'm using the Align 75A ESC and a SportBEC. I followed the directions on Dimension's site for connecting up an ESC with no internal BEC as it makes sense to me: http://www.dimensionengineering.com/datasheets/SportBEC_installation.pdf
Hehe, I just noticed that this is also being discussed in Fireup's DIY BEC thread :)
PS: I'm NOT meaning to sound patronising here, apologies if that is so. I'm a bit of an electronics noob. :hug:
Well yes an no..... Some Opto Isolated ESCs do need power. But this is not the norm. The Align 75 ESC is not opto isolated and thus does not need power from the RX. Test yourself (Kevin just did it) and pull the red wire from the ESC. The ESC will still work. It has it's own little regulator on the PCB for the processor using the main battery for power.
Bob
wrathofkhan
01-05-2008, 01:11 AM
hello
i had a jazz 80-6-18 on my swift, and i had was using a 4.8volt battery pack (the receiver was getting power from both). it flew fine without any problems, actually the instruction sheet which came with the Jazz actually suggested it.
my question is isn't this similar to having ESC with BEC, and separate BEC powering the same RX? from what i understood from this post, this was discouraged. i am wondering why ?
look forward to your feedback ... khan