Agreed, if there rspec had a sensored motor i would consider those motors. The only 63mm motor on my wish list right now is @torqueboards
Have you looked at AlienPowerSystems? They have a very good offering in the 63 mm dia motor department both with sensors and without, although I can understand them being based in UK and you’re in the states that you don’t prefer them therefore. I plan on updating my current powertrain to their systems in the next iteration and see how they perform.
I’m trying to start my own esk8 company in Finland. I have spec’d 3 bachelor degree thesis works for my university’s final year class for battery BMS, remote controller and smartphone app and I hope I can get a team out of them. I personally handle the motor controller, powertrain and board platform design myself. Not sure if we ever make it to the commercial markets, but I hope we at least make it to the DIY markets.
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I’ve heard iffy reviews of their motors, but either way I’d rather purchase local as it’s much cheaper and faster. Plus DIYelectricskateboard is right next to me. I may participate in @JLabs next 63mm sensored group buy if he sets it up within the next month.
What kind of iffy stuff? A google search with “alien power system motor problem” didn’t really produce any significant results except that their ESCs might have problems, but not much on the motor side. I am interested in finding out any bigger scale problems they might have. I also couldn’t really find any other supplier’s in the euro area except them.
Can’t link you to direct reviews, but they were all on this forum. I know @whitepony had some issues with his Alien Power HEV motor, though I’m not sure what the cause of the issue was.
Seems overall like a good motor and if there are any QA problems with larger batches, I will probably just contact APS directly for reclamation. But at this point when I haven’t even had one to fiddle around myself, can’t say anything for sure. I’m waiting for them to give me the specs of the integrated hall-sensors before I order the first one.
i believe you can also look at www.esk8.de?
It’s been a while, and i hope Bruno has fixed some of the issues, but i also had a horrible experience with APS. As a result i avoid as possible. It’s a bummer ADS now sells via APS as i need a wider/more t wheel gear swap…
My experience was specific to the crappy Flier/APS dual ESC. The long story short(long) it took over a month to fix/refund what was miss-represented as an 8s ESC that could only handle 7s (or a low charge on 8s). It literally would not work at full 8s voltage. So i was unreasonable and asked for a full refund including shipping and no re-stock fee. Not something i’d normally do except it simply did not work as advertised. After repeatedly asking he finally edited the link to say 7s ESC so at least the next guy didn’t have the same frustration. The lack of response and having to follow up multiple times, plus taking over a month (i think it was 5-6 weeks) to refund (already sent back) then partially refunded and had to go around and around again to get full refund including s/h… painful.
I must point this out now, that I’m only concerned about the motor quality, as I will be designing the board’s ESC myself.
You got any experience / thoughts on their motors?
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Understood. I think this relates to customer service which is why i mentioned it.
It does seem like most have a great experience with their motors. Good quality. Not sure of warranty, but he has shown willingness to swap and repair other items under warranty until fixed. Not all bad and not trying to bash APS.
bruno is a nice guy, but OMG, it takes forever to iron out stuff and half of the time it feels like he is reading only half the words of a mail … and then the parcel FINALLY arrives and half the parts were wrong again, so it all starts over again. Im still waiting for parts of my spud … wonder if I can ride it before winter with the way things advance with bruno.
I definitely wouldnt order @ APS anymore, if anyone else had the parts I needed. proper 15mm wheel pulleys for abecs, the motor mount is quite unique and allowed my ronin cast vanguard, the antispark uses an SPST switch, which can be bought very cheap and small.
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I have the esk8.de sensored 6374 and it’s very good, it’s a bit noisy for me to use with BLDC but with FOC it was really really smooth, used as a single motor with a very high motor max and motor min (85A/-70A) on 6S I had a very good experience with a lot of torque and not much heat. The only downside is the pulley mounting system, they suggest to put only green thread-locker on the motor shaft, you have to be careful of not putting too much of it, I would like a keyway/key system or a pulley that is made of only one piece (the flanges are not very solid) so it can be removed easily with a pulley remover if needed. I will try to use it on my current build (8S 15t/36t 97mm wheels) soon.
After looking at the esk8.de and APS motors. I am 90% sure that they are very likely made in the same chinese factory with the only difference being the logo on the side of the can.
Here’s a picture from the esk8.de showing all their different motor sizes: https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/7570530/396841132.jpg http://www.hellray.de/shop/#!/eSk8-de-Motor-esk8-6374-170kV-3-0KW-mit-Sensoren/p/66640990/category=15255001
Now compare those motors to these three from APS:
Both the bottom and the top of the cans are identical between the shops. Motor axles are same dia. Bearings look to be the same.
Are there any drawbacks to sensored that would result in damaged vescs or motors?
So here’s my opinion on sensors
-they are great -they do nothing for the vast majority of your ride. Anything over 1-2mph and they’re no longer needed -yes they do make a difference -all my builds have and will always have sensors.
So I love a sensored setup as I can come to a soft stop aka Cali Roll, at a stop sign. With sensors. This is a non issue for the transition of speed to basically stopped and moving again. Smooth as butter. Without sensors, I get some cogging.
In contrast Currently one of the sensors on my dual vanguard has died. So im running half sensored half sensorless with Canbus. A note about this…
Running a sensorless motor as the master and the sensored motor as the slave. You will still get some cogging, but its not as bad as completely unsensored.
Running the sensored motor as the master and the non sensor motor as the slave, yeilds almost undetectable cogging only during braking close to full stop. Acceleration and take off performance is similar to that of a full sensored setup. And I’m only talking about canbus. Split ppm has no RPM/current telemetry sharing for the control loop, as ppm is external.
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traction control is off, I’m guessing?
No traction control on, with all…variations
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I wasnt able to pull off from a start on my mountainboard with a single sk3 6374. Once i sensored it i was. Ive since upgraded to dual sensored, id never go back to unsensored.
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Add-External-Hall-Sensors-to-a-Turnigy-SK3-/
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how do they effect efficiency? ha I’m thinking if I do that first little push from stopped I’m going to be more efficient without them.
how durable are they? it seems they’re always breaking from physical vibrations or heat.
Efficiency? They aren’t used after a certain mph…so overall efficiency is negligible.
Breaking? Everyone in our group that has them has been fine. My one broke at the base of one of the wires solder connection, and the sensor is epoxied in and I’d rather not pull it out as I dont want to pull the enamel off the windings to fix it…my dumb ass set the motor on the table and it rolled off and I caught it by the sensor wire…
Sensors is all about start up feel and low rpm control. If ya don’t like em don’t use em… But for 8 bucks and a few dabs of epoxy…who really complains about $8 sensors on expensive ass builds…not me.
Quiet operation in FOC mode and butter-smooth startup and applying brakes at high speeds does so VERY gradually at first