NorthStar Question

[Papa]

My problem: The battery is up front for balance. The motors are in a pod on the tail.

My original idea was to run long leads from the battery to the ESC's.
Now I'm thinking the long leads should be the motor leads from the ESC's.

Can anyone guide me on the latest thinking on this problem. Long leads to the motors or long leads to the ESC's.

Jack.

[sihinch]

When I had this issue in my hunter the advice I received was 6" max for leads from battery to ESC.

So I would say long motor leads.

[imran13]

I've read in a few places that running long leads from battery to ESC causes the ESC to die quicker or something, and that running long leads from ESC to motor won't make much of a difference seeing as there's already a lot of wire coiled in the motor.

[wollins]

My problem: The battery is up front for balance. The motors are in a pod on the tail.

My original idea was to run long leads from the battery to the ESC's.
Now I'm thinking the long leads should be the motor leads from the ESC's.

Can anyone guide me on the latest thinking on this problem. Long leads to the motors or long leads to the ESC's.

Jack.

12" max on esc battery leads (rule of thumb I've used with success based on what I've learned over the years from the "experts") ... motor side unlimited? 

Colin

[Wingnutz]

Jack,
I agree with the previous replies. Keep the battery to ESC(s)leads short if possible.
My three Polari (smaller depron versions of your North Star) and my GP Seawind (similar motor location and balance problems to the North Star) all have short battery to ESC leads and are all flying happily after several seasons on the original ESCs (except the Seawind which fell out of a tree into Frenchman's Bay frying its original ESC after the pilot figure in the model flew into the tree)
The only problem I've wrestled with is trying to cool the ESC inside a depron fuse (great insulator) which on a flying boat like the Polaris or North Star is a boat hull and generally not something you want to cut extra holes in. I cut em anyway except for the Seawind which now flys with a larger ESC which doesn't get as hot as the supplied fried one.
Looking forwrd to seeing Laddie's design fly again!

[Papa]

Thank you all, the ESC's will be upfront.

Bill my tentative plan is to put an air scoop up front on the top of the nose block and exhaust it on top just past the canopy.

Alternatively I do have some small cooling fans that are 12V and I could rig one of those upfront to suck air off the ESC's and the battery.

Jack.

[Michael]

General school of thought is short wires between battery and ESC, and longer wires between ESC and motor.

In practice, I have had no problems with either method, but then again, I don't push to the power limits when flying.