@WickedFog ‘s suggested method is not bad, and it eliminates the extra battery. There are pros and cons, but either method works well. I’m using both methods in different rigs.
That said, I would disagree that servo performance drops off as the LiPo is drawn down. I’m not saying it doesn’t, but the performance difference is so negligible as to not be noticed at all. I’m running direct powered servos on my 1/5 rigs, and one of those servos is pulling over 11 amps at max stall on a 3s LiPo. That’s in a DBXL-E. The battery I’m using lasts for three propulsion packs (three runs) with no significant loss of performance before my voltage alarm goes off.
Wicked Fog’s BEC method (clip the ESC’s power wire where it goes into the receiver, solder the input voltage leads from the UBEC directly onto the ESC’s battery inputs, and plug the UBEC, set to 8.4v, into any unused receiver port to power everything) is a very easy “set it and forget it” method, and your servo will operate on a consistent 8.4v. Easy peasy.
The process of direct powering a servo with a dedicated battery is a direct plug and play, no soldering, but you do have the care and feeding of an extra battery to contend with. And your servo will be happier running on a clean, non-digitally processed power supply.
Either approach is fine. And people will also debate this until the cows come home. Different strokes. The reality is that you’ll probably never be able to tell the difference between either setup in a real-world scenario. Choose one, go forth, and enjoy your rig. Happy bashing, man!
That said, I would disagree that servo performance drops off as the LiPo is drawn down. I’m not saying it doesn’t, but the performance difference is so negligible as to not be noticed at all. I’m running direct powered servos on my 1/5 rigs, and one of those servos is pulling over 11 amps at max stall on a 3s LiPo. That’s in a DBXL-E. The battery I’m using lasts for three propulsion packs (three runs) with no significant loss of performance before my voltage alarm goes off.
Wicked Fog’s BEC method (clip the ESC’s power wire where it goes into the receiver, solder the input voltage leads from the UBEC directly onto the ESC’s battery inputs, and plug the UBEC, set to 8.4v, into any unused receiver port to power everything) is a very easy “set it and forget it” method, and your servo will operate on a consistent 8.4v. Easy peasy.
The process of direct powering a servo with a dedicated battery is a direct plug and play, no soldering, but you do have the care and feeding of an extra battery to contend with. And your servo will be happier running on a clean, non-digitally processed power supply.
Either approach is fine. And people will also debate this until the cows come home. Different strokes. The reality is that you’ll probably never be able to tell the difference between either setup in a real-world scenario. Choose one, go forth, and enjoy your rig. Happy bashing, man!
