ESCs that have thrust reversing?

[Doutrnz]

Does Freewing have any 100A-130A ESCs that can do thrust reversing that can be assigned to a channel? If not, does anyone recommend one that is NOT a Spektrum AVIAN ESC. (Turns out the BEC on the AVIAN ESC isn't voltage compatible with Freewing Control Boards) If that was not the case, I would be using the AVIAN ESC. This is going to go into a Freewing F-18c Hornet Blue Angels 90mm EDF.

[xviper]

I have added some more information to your enquiry in the A-10 thread, however, now that you've asked about reversing ESCs in the F/A-18, I also have it in my F-18. I'm using the FMS Predator HV 120A ESC in the F-18. HobbyWing also makes one that is virtually identical to the Predator. Also, HobbyKing makes some but in the size you need, they are always out of stock. There are others like Castle but I have no knowledge of their exact model numbers.

[xviper]

Additional information ...................... I was a little dozy when I first read this post but reading it again, I am reminded that I have the Freewing F/A-18, Gray Diamonds ARF Plus just shipped from MotionRC. I should get it in a few days. I intend to build it as an 8S using the Predator HV 120A reversing ESC. I won't get at it right away but probably in the next month or so. It's one of the first planes in my winter projects. I can document with some pictures of the build and post them in here. Perhaps it may be too late for you but I'll do it anyway unless you feel there's no point to it.
As far as your twin EDF A-10 situation, I'm afraid I can't comment much on that as I don't plan to do that with mine just yet, although my PJ50 and AL37 is not all that different in terms of installation/set up protocol. The PJ50 uses twin Avians while the AL37 uses twin HobbyWing reversing ESCs.
Now, to address this business about the Avian ESCs not being compatible with the Freewing blue boxes, I have been running the twin Avians in my PJ50 all season and there has been no ill effects on the circuitry in the Control Box. The Avians that I use have the same BEC voltage output as the bigger 130A Avian. Of course, you must ensure that you have the ESC dialed to 6V in the BEC and not the other higher voltages. By default, they come with the 6V setting. 6V has not been an issue with the Freewing stock boxes. Nevertheless, if it really worries you, you can simply disable the red wire of the Avian throttle lead and install your own Freewing UBEC grafted onto the main power leads of the ESC, just like Freewing does on their external UBEC type planes where they use an opto ESC. No problem is absolutely insurmountable. The biggest limitation is what you've read and what you believe to be true.

[Doutrnz]

Additional information ...................... I was a little dozy when I first read this post but reading it again, I am reminded that I have the Freewing F/A-18, Gray Diamonds ARF Plus just shipped from MotionRC. I should get it in a few days. I intend to build it as an 8S using the Predator HV 120A reversing ESC. I won't get at it right away but probably in the next month or so. It's one of the first planes in my winter projects. I can document with some pictures of the build and post them in here. Perhaps it may be too late for you but I'll do it anyway unless you feel there's no point to it.
As far as your twin EDF A-10 situation, I'm afraid I can't comment much on that as I don't plan to do that with mine just yet, although my PJ50 and AL37 is not all that different in terms of installation/set up protocol. The PJ50 uses twin Avians while the AL37 uses twin HobbyWing reversing ESCs.
Now, to address this business about the Avian ESCs not being compatible with the Freewing blue boxes, I have been running the twin Avians in my PJ50 all season and there has been no ill effects on the circuitry in the Control Box. The Avians that I use have the same BEC voltage output as the bigger 130A Avian. Of course, you must ensure that you have the ESC dialed to 6V in the BEC and not the other higher voltages. By default, they come with the 6V setting. 6V has not been an issue with the Freewing stock boxes. Nevertheless, if it really worries you, you can simply disable the red wire of the Avian throttle lead and install your own Freewing UBEC grafted onto the main power leads of the ESC, just like Freewing does on their external UBEC type planes where they use an opto ESC. No problem is absolutely insurmountable. The biggest limitation is what you've read and what you believe to be true.

No, by all means, please post that! I'm in no hurry to get the A-10 in the air until everything that I need to do on it is completed. Its a very scale looking model and I won't do anything half-ass on it. Those can turn into very expensive "What not to do." moments. I've had my share of devastating results.

Regards to the reversing ESCs, that is information I would like for any of my models. If I could find an alternative solution to AVIAN ESCs with reversing, that would be a savings in money and knowledge known to expand in the hobby. Right now, I have the Freewing F-16 Thunderbirds 90mm setup using an AVIAN but the landing lights are buggy. At this point, I'm ignoring the lights because I believe I narrowed it down to a bad control board and landing LEDs. Everything else works as intended. (Even the annoying flashing nav lights >:( ) So, the AVIAN may be the solution I'm familiar with, but other options are definitely a plus!

I would be really interested to see how you setup AL37 or the PJ50. Just to see how you setup your reversing, Tx settings, and how it works.

[Evan D]

The control board is good for up to 5.5V, the Avian puts out a higher voltage.

[xviper]

By comparison, the F/A-18 is easy to add reverse to. The twins are a little more complicated. The AL37, by using the HobbyWing reversing ESCs, have and extra couple levels of complexity. The PJ50, by using the Avians, have several levels of complexity. I touched upon the reversing features in the AL37 and PJ50 in their respective threads. To do a full "how to" would be fairly extensive posts and at the time, reverse for those planes was a bit of a novelty and few people showed interest to have it for their own planes, so I didn't go any further with it.
With the latest introduction of twin integrated reversing ESCs by Spektrum (like in their little A-10 and Beechcraft D18), reverse is so easy. Their A-10 comes with reverse already programmed. The D18 needs the ESC programming card to do each ESC separately. It's just too bad those ESCs are limited to 40A each.
I may do reverse on the Freewing 80mm A-10 before next spring as a winter project as it really carries a lot of weight when landing and it rolls forever, sometimes ending up in the rough grass at the end and tearing out the nose gear.

[xviper]

The control board is good for up to 5.5V, the Avian puts out a higher voltage.

I think the lowest they can be set for is 6V. So far, the PJ50 has survived a whole season. Fingers continue to remain crossed.

[Evan D]

A year or more ago the voltage issue was discussed and I made measurements of a bunch of FW planes BECs outputs. All the separate BECs were 5.5 and the ESCs internal ones were 6.0… but Motion includes a card saying 5.5.

[xviper]

A year or more ago the voltage issue was discussed and I made measurements of a bunch of FW planes BECs outputs. All the separate BECs were 5.5 and the ESCs internal ones were 6.0… but Motion includes a card saying 5.5.

Do you think the internal BECs are still 6.0? Because there are Freewing planes that still use internal BECs and have the control boxes.

[Doutrnz]

By comparison, the F/A-18 is easy to add reverse to. The twins are a little more complicated. The AL37, by using the HobbyWing reversing ESCs, have and extra couple levels of complexity. The PJ50, by using the Avians, have several levels of complexity. I touched upon the reversing features in the AL37 and PJ50 in their respective threads. To do a full "how to" would be fairly extensive posts and at the time, reverse for those planes was a bit of a novelty and few people showed interest to have it for their own planes, so I didn't go any further with it.
With the latest introduction of twin integrated reversing ESCs by Spektrum (like in their little A-10 and Beechcraft D18), reverse is so easy. Their A-10 comes with reverse already programmed. The D18 needs the ESC programming card to do each ESC separately. It's just too bad those ESCs are limited to 40A each.
I may do reverse on the Freewing 80mm A-10 before next spring as a winter project as it really carries a lot of weight when landing and it rolls forever, sometimes ending up in the rough grass at the end and tearing out the nose gear.

At this point, just setting it up for thrust reverse is all I'm interested in now. The duel ESCs thing I will figure out later or just go with AVIAN. I'm curious on how the reversing is setup.

[xviper]

At this point, just setting it up for thrust reverse is all I'm interested in now. The duel ESCs thing I will figure out later or just go with AVIAN. I'm curious on how the reversing is setup.

Let's say you get 2 HobbyWing or Predator (same product). You substitute the stock ESCs in your A-10. The 2 throttle leads are hooked up the same as the ones from the stock set-up. Now you are basically the same wiring as stock. (At this point do the throttle calibration so both motors are synced.) However, with the reversing ESCs, you got one extra long lead coming from each ESC. Y them together and plug into an empty channel, say AUX2 (Ch.7). (The shorter leads are for hooking up to the programmer, if that's what you want to use - I just go by the ESC programming beep tones as per the instructions.) Program each one separately but with the same parameters (as in brake reverse, etc - see instructions). If you use beep tones instead of the programmer, disconnect the throttle lead from the ESC you are not programming, then swap them and program the other one. Now, go to your TX to channel assign and assign a switch for the reverse. I like to use the long toggle switch on the opposite side from the flap switch on my Spektrum. It's a 3-position switch but you just don't stop in the middle position. Check the monitor to make sure the switch is operating ch. 7. While in the monitor screen, pay attention to the throttle channel and ch. 7. (You've done the throttle calibration by now, right?) Move the throttle to full (the plane should not be powered). This is only done in the TX. Notice where the numbers end up for the throttle at full. It should read something like +100. Now flip the reverse switch and it should also read +100. When the switch is in forward mode, it should read something like -100. If they are not, go to servo travel and make the numbers match for each position of the switch. Assign a voice alert for each switch position, something like "normal" and "braking". That should do it. Now power up the plane and test it. Feel the exhaust on each side and make sure the thrust is going out the back. Throw the switch to "braking", throttle up and feel the intake end and you should feel air blowing out the front side.
If you're only doing one ESC as in your F/A-18, that's easier. You just have one to worry about.
Dual Avians are a little bit different as it involves 2 RXs and there are no reverse leads, only programming leads. A single Avian is also easy as you only need one smart RX. If you're worried about the BEC voltage, just get an UBEC of your liking and splice that into the ESC power cables and disconnect the red wire from the throttle lead.

[kallend]

I'm not keen on Avians, and the Freewing is always out of stock. There is a "Badass" reversing ESC that is available, but this is a brand I know nothing about. Does anyone know anything about "Badass"?

[Evan D]

I like Hobby Wing. I buy them direct. Free shipping and Bing finds me a discount code.

FLYFUN V5 ESC (3S-8S) - HOBBYWING North America (hobbywingdirect.com)

[Doutrnz]

I like Hobby Wing. I buy them direct. Free shipping and Bing finds me a discount code.

FLYFUN V5 ESC (3S-8S) - HOBBYWING North America (hobbywingdirect.com)

You have verified these will do reverse thrust/throttle reversing and not just brake? I bought one that said it had reverse brake, and that was EXACTLY what it was, a BRAKE. It did nothing for reversing the direction of the spinning blades. All it did was stop them abruptly and apply spinning resistance. If you verified personally that these will do throttle reversing, I will pick these up right now!

All I wish to accomplish at this point is, land, flip a switch assigned to throttle reverse, push the throttle up, jet slows enough to turn safely, throttle down to 0%, flip the switch off, throttle back up for taxi and the jet moves forward again.

[Evan D]

Yes, they reverse.

"I bought one that said it had reverse brake". I assume not the one I linked but something else? Do you have a link to what you bought?

While that was only two months ago let me say I bought 5 of the 8S 120A V5's (along with others I'll mention in a minute) and they worked okay in my 8S Jet fan Avanti that has a HET inrunner, but had issues in my stock FreeWing 6S outrunner EDFs, stock L-39 and Avanti. I went through timing and other settings and discussed it all with a HW rep but ended up returning them.

I also bought the 60A and 80A V5 and have had no issues with them. HW also makes a 100A Skywalker that reverses. These are what FreeWing is putting in their 80mm EDFs now, just relabeled.

Aircraft:> Skywalker Series - HOBBYWING North America (hobbywingdirect.com)

[kallend]

You have verified these will do reverse thrust/throttle reversing and not just brake? I bought one that said it had reverse brake, and that was EXACTLY what it was, a BRAKE. It did nothing for reversing the direction of the spinning blades. All it did was stop them abruptly and apply spinning resistance. If you verified personally that these will do throttle reversing, I will pick these up right now!

All I wish to accomplish at this point is, land, flip a switch assigned to throttle reverse, push the throttle up, jet slows enough to turn safely, throttle down to 0%, flip the switch off, throttle back up for taxi and the jet moves forward again.

Depending on where you get them, the reversing function may or may not be enabled by default. If not, you will need to program the ESC either with a programming card or with the transmitter, following the instructions on the instruction sheet or manual. I have Avian, Freewing and Hobbywing "reversing" ESCs at 80, 100 and 120A in various models, and all of them reverse just fine when correctly programmed.

[Tipstalled10]

I find it counter intuitive to throttle up for braking. My reversing esc’s are set up on a 3 position switch. 1=normal throttle, 2 and 3 enable reverse. I the set a throttle to throttle mix enabled by position 3 and have the throttle go wide open with an off-set. This enables me to throw a switch on landing roll (thrust reversers) and once slowed down or stopped I can choose throttle stick reverse or normal throttle for taxi.

[kallend]

I guess we all have a preferred way to do it. I have reverse set up on a sequencer, so when I throw the reverse switch it automatically closes the throttle regardless of stick position, waits 1/4 second, and then ramps up over 1/2 second to full reverse thrust. When I put the switch back to normal, it closes the throttle, waits 1/4 second, and re-enables control to the throttle stick.

[ElCid]

I guess we all have a preferred way to do it. I have reverse set up on a sequencer, so when I throw the reverse switch it automatically closes the throttle regardless of stick position, waits 1/4 second, and then ramps up over 1/2 second to full reverse thrust. When I put the switch back to normal, it closes the throttle, waits 1/4 second, and re-enables control to the throttle stick.

TBH ,that scares me a bit. What happens if you hit that switch while in flight? My TR only engages if i my gear are down, I am in Landing Flight mode and my Throttle is already to zero just to be safe. Just a suggestion.

[Evan D]

Reverse in flight is really no big deal, flip the switch back and continue flying.

Accidentally NOT going into reverse after landing and going full throttle FORWARD is a problem.