One last comment on ESCs, you absolutely need a programmable brake feature for a hang glider setup. The MAD ESCs don’t have a brake or a BEC which is really nice to have, which is why i went with the Hobbywing 200 amp 4.0.
Even with the ESC brake full on the prop on my carbon ehelp still slowly turns. On the XTM5500 twin motor which has folding props and uses the Hobbywing 100amp version of whats used on the x4 the props windmilled so bad it was like flying with a droug chute. As a quick fix I installed mechanical brakes on the XTM5500 and am now testing out a dual VESC 6.0 as a replacement.
when i write that it is better to use the industrial mgm from the hbc series, my only concern is the safety of the pilots who build something themselves. you also have a guarantee on the esc. if you use rc material for man-carrying you have no guarantee from the manufacturer. there are other points such as active freewheeling, fully adjustable start-up ramp and braking force setting and delay times, responsiveness, etc. everything is only well meant.
I like both of these ESCs but there are only rated for 15S. I need an ESC that can handle a higher voltage up to 24S and rated for 450A for safety. I have read multiple reports of ESCs catching fire under heavy prolonged load.
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One last comment on ESCs, you absolutely need a programmable brake feature for a hang glider setup. The MAD ESCs don’t have a brake or a BEC which is really nice to have, which is why i went with the Hobbywing 200 amp 4.0.
Agree, a programmable brake is a must for hang glider application
Ok - I’ve been wondering about this for a while and have not had any luck searching the internet and this looks like a good time to throw it out there: One motor, windings split in the middle (i.e. all left-side poles wound separately from the right-side poles), two ESC - one driving the left, one driving the right. Does such a thing exist?
It would allow the use of 2 X 1/2 power ESCs and if one failed you’d still have around half power.
Although its slightly off topic I was wondering if each of the 4 engines on the X4 could be individually powered by its own battery? If the unit can sustain flight should one or two engines go down then overall reliability in PPG should increase dramatically! Would such an arrangement with the current X4 be problematic and/or lead to an even shorter flight time?
I believe the X4 is a 12 or 14s system, so for each motor to have its own battery you would need 2 batteries per motor to get to 12 or 14s so min 8 batteries. You could go with smaller mah batteries but the end product would weigh more. Don’t see the need for this redundancy, its a para glider after all, you can land it almost anywhere. Also I believe you can fry a motor or an esc and the other 3 will still work (someone correct me if I’m wrong and the arduino code limits that). If you fry a battery you should go land immediately so the redundancy could be dangerous if you’re flying with a battery that is on the verge of flaming. Anyway just my 2 cents.
Though I doubted it would be a possibilty right now the idea of each engine being individually powered (enabling engines to still run should the power fail on one/two) was to increase the saftey of low level flying over bodies of water (foot drags)/rough terrain etc. When battery tech has significantly improved this might be something for future paramotor designers to look at (wonder how long it will be before electric overtakes two stroke).
Look up Peter Sripol on yTube. He is doing this kind of stuff all the time, exactly what you are talking about.
The last thing he did was two motors/props, one in front of the other in a duct, with two ducts. His were horizontal but if you have enough room between you and the suction, you should have no problem.
He noticed that because the motors were working the same torque, the second one was doing almost nothing as far as pushing air.
He said he needs a stronger motor in the second postion to take the accellorated air from the first prop, and to thrust it faster through the second prop.
Go watch his vids, lots to learn.