Do I need capacitors on a SG Amber?

[chesta]

Right now I have a Stampede with a SG 17t Amber and the stock esc. The stock esc burn up so now I only have reverse. I was planning on getting a Novak Explorer or a Duratrax Streak as a replacement. On Tower's descrptions it says they come with motor capacitors. Do I need to use them? I'm kinda hoping I don't need them because I don't have a soldering iron.

Tower's description also says that my motor has three capacitors already installed. Does that mean I don't need the ones form the esc?

Thanks

Matt

[brokeitagain]

no the motor has them installed already

[chesta]

Thanks, thats what I wanted to hear.

I noticed the Streak comes with a Schottky diode, does that need to be installed?

[stampede720]

Originally posted by chesta
I noticed the Streak comes with a Schottky diode, does that need to be installed?
Yes. It's there to protect the ESC from voltage spikes that go to the braking FET. It helps the ESC run cooler, because otherwise these spikes would be absorbed by the FET's internal diode.

Make sure you never use a Schottky diode with a reversing ESC, however, it will probably pop because it can't handle reverse.

[chesta]

Would I need one if I got the Explorer?

[stampede720]

Originally posted by chesta
Would I need one if I got the Explorer?
Team Novak's site says that it has an internal one already, and that an external one (like on the motor) is optional.

I don't own a forward-only ESC, but I would assume that it would be better to use one than to not.

[Col. Mustard]

Soo... Lets se here. If I get a ESC with a brake, will it do anything since the pede has no discs or anything?

[Frailcow]

All electric cars use electronic braking, it stops the car, just not via mechanical brakes.

[Highlanduh]

Originally posted by Col. Mustard
Soo... Lets se here. If I get a ESC with a brake, will it do anything since the pede has no discs or anything?
Electrics don't have a mechanical brake.
The braking is done by the motor.

This is true of most (all?) electrics and it works very well.

EDIT: Frailcow types faster.

[chesta]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll try without and see what happens.

[crystel]

I ran my Dually w/o an external diode,.... for about 6 months w/no problem,... picked up one from Novak .... burned it up within 1 week. This could be a coincidence,... or it could be the new 7-cell gp3300's I was using. I also burned up my Rooster the same day (of course w/no diode) on my other Pede using another new 7-cell gp3300.

[chesta]

So maybe 7 cell GP's might be too much for no diode. I am using cheap 1500 packs right now.

[imPEDEd]

Don't worry too much about the diode. I have run lots of forward only ESCs THINKING I had a diode in place and didn't. No harm done. They are obvioulsy a good thing to protect the ESC from back EMF but clearly not using them is not neccesarily fatal.