View Full Version : Align ESC, bottom or top?
butters149
07-28-2008, 01:07 AM
Hi, I was jsut wondering, is it better to put the ESC with the cooling fins facing the bottom or top? right now i have it facing the bottom under the tray.
helicraze
07-30-2008, 01:25 AM
Hot air rises so i would mount it with the heatsink facing up an place it under the tray.
I'm using an Ace ESC on my 325SE, but it should be about the same. Mounted on frame, under batt, facing down, puts it in good air flow.
Dave
dviry
07-30-2008, 06:14 PM
Mounted on frame, under batt, facing down, puts it in good air flow.
Dave
Not so sure about "good air flow" - as HeliCraze said heat goes up, so you want free space ABOVE the ESC to cool it down. In your case the heat is going directly into the ESC and the frame...
I was also wondering in the past and I've tried both - without a temp gauge - with the ESC facing down the canopy would be much hotter (was afraid of it "melting" on the ESC fins). With it facing top (on top of the lower frame), it feels cooler...
Either way, in all electrical components I've ever seen the cooling fins were pointing up and never down...
helicraze
07-30-2008, 06:22 PM
If its down its trapping hot air in the fins
butters149
07-30-2008, 06:28 PM
I have mine with the fins facing down but the whole ESC is below the lower frame. It is directly exposed to the air. Wouldnt having the ESC with the fins facing up have no airflow if it was in the canopy?
rotorhead58d
07-30-2008, 06:52 PM
a heat sink doesn't have to be air cooled, unless it is a problem area. ie, heats up
OK, I just want to be sure I have this straight. I should turn my esc so the heat sink is up, into the space under the body, directly under the lipo, which is in front of the motor, and away from the VENT holes, and then everything will run cooler. Hmmmmm :thinking:thinking No, I think I'll keep it my way.
butters149
07-31-2008, 01:52 PM
Well on the Mazda Rx7s, the radiator is pointed downwards also, but its at an angle where the air can still hit it, maybe the esc is the same way?
helicraze
07-31-2008, 05:31 PM
Do it however you want!
fakyrr
07-31-2008, 08:14 PM
One detail worth mentioning if you are using the ACE stock ESC and are concerned about heat, wether you put it upside down or the inverse, take a cutter and trim all the plastic covering the heatsink (between 10% and 20% of its surface is usually covered)
It's still better than the Turnigy ESC's where the heatsink is below the plastic tubing... or the Align ones where the heatsink was just glued on top of it... Sometimes I wonder what these engineers think... :)