So my build starts

[Garry Spight]

Right so my build starts now.

Managed to get started whilst the baby is asleep in his morning nap.

I brought some esc off of Rocket_Col on here, I knew they was used and the wires were cut short but I wanted a little challenge to test my skills.

I have soldered before so thought I would give them a crack

When I first opened the box and looked I thought wow these are fcukd, but I started work on them.

I first accessed the condition and tackled the harder ones first.

This is what I was faced with.

Step 1 by Garry Spight Photography, on Flickr

Step 2 by Garry Spight Photography, on Flickr


After stripping off the shrink wrap and the old wires I was left with this.

I cleaned the PCB up as well.

which left me this.

Step 3 by Garry Spight Photography, on Flickr


I then soldered some new 16awg wire on and one of the control wires on, which left me this.

Step 4 by Garry Spight Photography, on Flickr

I now need to find a place to get some black shrink wrap for the esc some wire mess to cover the wires and i will decide on how I join it to the motors after I work out how many I can fix.

Does anyone know where I can find the control wired with the connector on the end?

I cut this one off a old blown servo.

Hope you enjoy I will keep this updated when I can being in and out of hospital 

[Jimmer]

Does anyone know where I can find the control wired with the connector on the end?

I used 500mm servo extension leads from eBay, and cut one end off to solder to the ESC.

I would have soldered bullet connectors direct to the ESC PCB rather than cable.

[flybywire]

Garry, that syringe is worrying me!

Seriously, I would think about investing in a crimping tool kit, it';s surprisingly easy to make all these cables once you have the basics.  You can get them on ebay, I got mine from the states, with a really nice pair of wire strippers/cutters, but I know you can get them cheaper in UK, if you look hard enough.  You likely need crimping dies of 24-30/18-22 AWG.  I';ve found them pretty good for most RC cable tasks.




N.B It';s actually massively satisfying to make theses leads up, so you don';t have to put up with the ';standard'; cable lengths any more!

[Garry Spight]

The syringe was to get high first.

Only joking had liquid flux in it.

I didn';t think about putting bullets on there that';s not a bad idea.

I may change to that. 

I will look into crimpers in the future

[Beaver2206]

Great job on the ESC';s.  I can see how you would panic at first though LOL

[Garry Spight]

I managed to save 6 all turnigy ones now. I learnt that the proflight esc isn';t the same as the turnigy even tho they look it.

I have to replace two power caps on two of them but managed to salvage the whole lot of 6 just need to get 3 servo wires to complete them then get them shrink wrapped. Going to go for full black with the mesh wire coverings to add to the gangsta look

[Garry Spight]

I used 500mm servo extension leads from eBay, and cut one end off to solder to the ESC.

I would have soldered bullet connectors direct to the ESC PCB rather than cable.

I spent the evening looking for bullet connectors to solder on pcb couldnt find any only the fully closed type. How would you solder these on the PCB without overheating it?

[Garry Spight]

Also what size connectors do people use between the motor and esc?

3.5mm and are these the right type

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-20-Pairs-3-5mm-Gold-plated-Metal-Bullet-Banana-Plug-Connector-RC-Battery-UK-/111580103368?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item19fab142c8

[Jimmer]

Depends upon your cable size - for 16AWG I use 3.5mm, and for 12AWG I use 4mm bullet connectors.

I used the ';normal'; bullet connectors to solder onto my ESC';s (as they are what I had). I put the ESC into my drill press vice to act as a heat sink. I find that if both the cable and PCB are properly tinned, you don';t have to hold the iron to the joint for very long, and heat does not build up too much. Having said that, I have been soldering small items for over 30 years when building my radio sets (I am a Radio Amateur), though my close-up eyesight isn';t too clever now, which is a hinderance.

[Garry Spight]

Right so I have now started adding the servo wires and heat shrinking them.

I also added some protection for the wires

[Beaver2206]

They';ve certainly turned out well.  Good job on the wiring!

[Garry Spight]

Just came out of hospital this week so not in a great way to do any building. I ordered everything I need to complete stage 1 which is to fly without a camera at the minute.

A huge thanks to Phil at makeitbuildit for such a super fast delivery on the motors. You had both cw and ccw eMax motors in stock and at my door within 18 hrs that';s great service. I might try and see if I can start fitting them up to the arms today.

[Kitetraveller]

Hi Garry,
Good job on the ESC';s.

Not sure if you have seen this thread on RC Groups, but there is a lot of very useful info.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1903557

Cheers
Andy

I spent the evening looking for bullet connectors to solder on pcb couldnt find any only the fully closed type. How would you solder these on the PCB without overheating it?

[Garry Spight]

I haven';t but I will check it out I';m very new to the multi so this is the first forum I have been on