Brushless in series?

[Lessen]

OK, this one is for the lectro-gods. Since I've never seen or read anything on this..

Is it possible to wire two brushless motors in series to one ESC?

I know this can be done to brushed motors but what about that extra lead on a brushless motor???

 

[alpinehyperlite]

I would think it would greatly reduce the speed of the motors.

 

[sweetdiesel]

It cannot be done. In layman terms, the third wire on a brushless ESC carries information about the motors rotor position and constantly adjusts. The ESC can only handle the information from one motor at a time.

If you do a google search on "back EMF brushless" you'll get enough information to make your head spin.

 

[Lessen]

ah ha.. just curious. Thanks Dom!

 

[Mattyfats420]

i think it might work if you run 2 motor, 2 escs and connect the wires where it goes into the Rx

anyone know if that will work?

 

[flm_savage]

that would probably work. I would be willing to try it. Whats the need for 2 motors and esc's? On every brushless setup i owned, i never had any power problems.

 

[frickenjoey]

that would probably work. I would be willing to try it. Whats the need for 2 motors and esc's? On every brushless setup i owned, i never had any power problems.

Because...the only thing better than too much power......is waaaay too much power....just ask Tim Taylor

 

[sweetdiesel]

i think it might work if you run 2 motor, 2 escs and connect the wires where it goes into the Rx

anyone know if that will work?

It will work but the packs will need to be wired in parallel to give each ESC equal voltage.

 

[flm_savage]

Because...the only thing better than too much power......is waaaay too much power....just ask Tim Taylor

nah, there is a limit. The GTB/Velociti 3.5R on a TC5 was just ridiculous. I would say past 50% throttle it was uncontrollable.

maybe on a 1/8th buggy or something i guess.

 

[Lessen]

There was no reason other than I just wanted to know. I can't even think of any application where a setup like this would even be warranted. With brushed motors it makes sense, but brushless/lipo combo's are so powerful there is no need. I was just curious.

 

[ajames942]

Ok i have been reading and reading about brushless systems. I have one question.....whats the difference between brushless and non brushless????

 

[Lessen]

Ok i have been reading and reading about brushless systems. I have one question.....whats the difference between brushless and non brushless????

Brushed motors have "brushes" that make contact with a part of the moving part of the motor called a commutator. This is where the electical circuit of the motor is completed. Brushless motors don't work this way. There are indeed, no brushes. However, I couldn't explain to you how exactly a brushless motor works.

So yeah, I got the itch to research this.. A brushless motor is essentially inside-out. The whole point of the brushes is to complete an electical circuit between something that is moving and something that isn't. A brushless motor is different in that the electromagnet that is turning (on a standard motor) is stationary in a brushless motor. Since it's not moving there is no need for brushes since the circuit is never really "broken". There's more differences than that but that's simplest explanation I can come up as to why there are no brushes.

Is that ok Lectro-Jedi Sweetdiesel?

 

[ajames942]

thanks Lessen

 

[Coach Z]

There was an article I just read this month about this topic exactly and I'm pretty sure they had come up with a way to do it...... I thought it was rc car action but it may have been one of the others. I was reading them at Barnes and noble so I can't find the article myself. If I come across it I'll post a link

 

[frickenjoey]

nah, there is a limit. The GTB/Velociti 3.5R on a TC5 was just ridiculous. I would say past 50% throttle it was uncontrollable.

maybe on a 1/8th buggy or something i guess.

No I do agree with you ....I have a 7700 KvA Mamba Max on a T4 and like you said....un controlable. Be at 20-25 MPH and hammer it and it just breaks loose and does donuts.

 

[digger]

A brushless motor is essentially inside-out. The whole point of the brushes is to complete an electical circuit between something that is moving and something that isn't. A brushless motor is different in that the electromagnet that is turning (on a standard motor) is stationary in a brushless motor. Since it's not moving there is no need for brushes since the circuit is never really "broken". There's more differences than that but that's simplest explanation I can come up as to why there are no brushes.

Maybe simple for you grasshopper, but I'm confused!

Brushed motor:
The brushes send power to the electromagnets that are connected to the armature. As it turns, the power is going to a different one.
But you also have the fields which are on the outside and they would be considered electromagnets?
They are constantly attracting and repelling each other. Is that right?

Got any links with pictures comparing the 2? Would help a lot.

Another thing. Why do you need a different ESC?
What makes it faster?

 

[Lessen]

Maybe simple for you grasshopper, but I'm confused!

Brushed motor:
The brushes send power to the electromagnets that are connected to the armature. As it turns, the power is going to a different one.
But you also have the fields which are on the outside and they would be considered electromagnets?
They are constantly attracting and repelling each other. Is that right?

Sound right. As the armature turns, so does the commutator as they are fixed. The commutator makes contact with the brushes but as it turns each contact on the comm is continuously switching polarity as passes by 1 of the two brushes.

Imagine if you put a piece of tape across a wheel on your car so you have two halves. As you drive and the wheel turns, only one of the two sides is touching the ground. Let's say the ground is negative polarity. when side A of the wheel is making contact then that part of the armature is now negative polarity but as it leaves contact with the ground it becomes positively charged because it is now making contact with the opposite "brush".

That basically how a standard motor works. As one part of the armature is positively charged it is being repelled by the magnet on that side of the can, while being attracted to the negatively charged magnet on the opposite side of the can. When it get's over there the polarity switches and now it's being repelled by that magnet and being attracted by the first again. Over and over and over.

But a brushless motor is different in that the electromagnet is not on the armature. the electromagnet are affixed to the can. So the way I understand it, the current stays within a fixed device, the can. It seems to me that there are two reasons why there are no brushes. First, since the current doesn't need to be transferred from a stationary object to a moving object there is no need for a mechanical device to do that job (the brushes and comm). Also (and this begins to answer your question about the ESC), the switching of polarity is handled by the ESC. That's what the third wire is for. It basically sends signals to the motor that switches polarity of the electromagnets based on the motors performance. The technology in the speed control that makes a brushless motor run is completely different than what a brushed motor needs to work. ESC's that can operate both basically just have both technologies installed within them. It truly is like having 2 in 1, literally.

Another thing.
What makes it faster?

Brushless motors are more efficient. The armatures are probably MUCH lighter since they don't have all that wiring wound up in them. You don't have brushes that create friction (resistance) against the armature either. I'm sure there are a dozen other reasons but those are the most obvious to me.

P.S. If any of the above is incorrect please feel free to correct me. I'm by no means an electric guru. I just read 1 article :shrug: