Hobbywing ESC question

[flag8r77]

Anyone using the Gov. mode? How well is it working?

Also when you do the "throttle range setting" other then high and low stick, is it necessary to use the end points up and down to get the full range like the Castle ESCs require?

[RC_Freak]

I do not use the Gov mode (or I don't think I have Gov mode in my 60A stock).
Leave the ETA at 100%. Just use the stick to do the programming.

RC Freak

[JustPlaneChris]

I use governor mode in both of my Hobbywing Platinums (120-HV and 40). It's no Jazz, but it does maintain the average headspeed as voltage drops. What you won't see is a "flatline" rpm as you load and unload the head, you can hear it vary a bit in rpm. Personally, this doesn't bother me one bit since you also don't see tail wag issues like you usually do with the Castle ESC in governor mode. There are no endpoint setups to do with the Hobbywing.

I followed Jeremy's setup options for my Knight and it's been working great:

https://www.helifreak.com/showpost.p...15&postcount=5

[flag8r77]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris

I use governor mode in both of my Hobbywing Platinums (120-HV and 40). It's no Jazz, but it does maintain the average headspeed as voltage drops. What you won't see is a "flatline" rpm as you load and unload the head, you can hear it vary a bit in rpm.

What do you mean by flatline? Have you tried it without the gov. mode? Wonder how much different the rpm hold would be if I run a straight throttle line anyways.

[JustPlaneChris]

Originally Posted by flag8r77

What do you mean by flatline? Have you tried it without the gov. mode? Wonder how much different the rpm hold would be if I run a straight throttle line anyways.

I haven't tried it without governor mode. While it might hold a more tight rpm range with fixed throttle, the overall headspeed would decline in conjunction with the voltage. That's the real change a governor makes, not holding an absolute fixed rpm. Here's a couple of charts to show what I mean by "flatline" vs "wavy line". The first one is my Protos with a Jazz, the other is the Knight with Hobbywing.


Protos: https://www.helifreak.com/attachment...2&d=1224863991

Knight: https://www.helifreak.com/attachment...5&d=1238201862

You can see that the Jazz holds a much tighter reign on the headspeed, with it dropping only when my old tired lipos can't put out the power the motor needed during aggressive collective punches. The Knight RPM wanders around a little, but you can see it still doesn't decline (on average) as voltage drops.

[flag8r77]

I was under the impression that even WITH a governor, once the lipo starts to die down in a flight that the HS is gonna drop regardless. Didn't think a gov. could hold that.

[flag8r77]

Holy sh*%! That 8S spark is a bit large!

[JustPlaneChris]

Originally Posted by flag8r77

Holy sh*%! That 8S spark is a bit large!

Gets your attention, doesn't it?

Yep, a proper governor will try to hold the RPM till the very end, assuming enough overhead in the gearing to do it. Disadvantage: No warning of impending dump of pack, and as the flight goes on the current draw increases (meaning you usually get slightly shorter flights in gov mode).

[gww528]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris

I use governor mode in both of my Hobbywing Platinums (120-HV and 40). It's no Jazz, but it does maintain the average headspeed as voltage drops. What you won't see is a "flatline" rpm as you load and unload the head, you can hear it vary a bit in rpm. Personally, this doesn't bother me one bit since you also don't see tail wag issues like you usually do with the Castle ESC in governor mode. There are no endpoint setups to do with the Hobbywing.

I followed Jeremy's setup options for my Knight and it's been working great:

https://www.helifreak.com/showpost.p...15&postcount=5

With the Castle new firmware, it has a setting for Outrunner Motors, tail wag is eliminated and High Gov mode holds the RPM better with less variance than the graph you provided
https://www.helifreak.com/attachment...5&d=1238201862

[gww528]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris

Gets your attention, doesn't it?

Yep, a proper governor will try to hold the RPM till the very end, assuming enough overhead in the gearing to do it. Disadvantage: No warning of impending dump of pack, and as the flight goes on the current draw increases (meaning you usually get slightly shorter flights in gov mode).

I have found if you have a large enough battery that the current draw is pretty much constant an only varies when doing 3d maneuvers (adding a load). Chris I would think with the running A123 10s2p that you would find that to be true. In fact looking at your 8s setup https://www.helifreak.com/attachment...5&d=1238201862 it looks like your current draw is constant at the end unless your vary the head speed. What do you think?

[JustPlaneChris]

Originally Posted by gww528

With the Castle new firmware, it has a setting for Outrunner Motors, tail wag is eliminated and High Gov mode holds the RPM better with less variance than the graph you provided
https://www.helifreak.com/attachment...5&d=1238201862

Oh man, don't get me started on the new Castle firmware. At my club there have been two crashes directly caused by the firmware, and my newest heli wouldn't even get off the ground with the new firmware installed! The motor would not spin up fast enough for flight in governor mode OR fixed mode. I flashed it back to 1.55 and magically all was well again.

I know others are having good luck with it, but I won't be trying it again unless / until they do some serious testing and fixing.

[flag8r77]

If I use the GOV mode on the Hobbywing, I would still keep my throttle lines at the same % as I originally set up to get the desired HS correct?

[gww528]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris

Oh man, don't get me started on the new Castle firmware. At my club there have been two crashes directly caused by the firmware, and my newest heli wouldn't even get off the ground with the new firmware installed! The motor would not spin up fast enough for flight in governor mode OR fixed mode. I flashed it back to 1.55 and magically all was well again.

I know others are having good luck with it, but I won't be trying it again unless / until they do some serious testing and fixing.

This is true I have heard & experienced the backside to the new firmware but I definitely
do not want to get you started before the weekend comes up... so you can fly, enjoy.

[JustPlaneChris]

Originally Posted by gww528

This is true I have heard & experienced the backside to the new firmware but I definitely
do not want to get you started before the weekend comes up... so you can fly, enjoy.

Hehe, I'm not really that flamed about it, but it was disappointing to me since I've always had such good results from my CC controllers over the years.

Originally Posted by flag8r77

If I use the GOV mode on the Hobbywing, I would still keep my throttle lines at the same % as I originally set up to get the desired HS correct?

In theory.... but not always. Start with a flatline of about 60% in one of your flight modes and see what headspeed that gets you. I'd guess it will be around 1900-2000.

[flag8r77]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris

In theory.... but not always. Start with a flatline of about 60% in one of your flight modes and see what headspeed that gets you. I'd guess it will be around 1900-2000.

This morning took it up for a 2 min. test hover, the 60% is WAY TOO LOW. Didn't tach it but it surely wasn't 2000. Have to check it Sat. morning.

[Jay Jay]

My question is how do you set it in gov mode to a specific head speed?

[JustPlaneChris]

You adjust your flatline throttle setting in your radio, and verify the rpm is what you want by using a tachometer.

[exfokkerflyer]

Wow that's an old thread! Lol