Sometimes you might have a broken ESC on your quadcopter or multicopter, and you happen to have no spare ESC of that brand, but you have a similar ESC from another Brand! Can we use a different brand ESC in that quadcopter or multicopter?
The answer is, it might work, but not recommended.
If you are desperate to fly, then by all means, you can try mixing any combination of ESCs and props that have somewhat similar characteristics. Don’t waste your time tuning PID if you find it difficult to fly. Different ESC’s have different response time to your signals, and the response power output are also different even after ESC calibration (e.g. giving it 1500us signal might make one ESC output 50% power, others might output 48%).
However some flight controllers are smart enough to notice the unbalanced multicopter, and will give the under-powered ESC / motor higher power signal to balance it. But due to the delay in control loop (algorithm), the copter might oscillate quite badly even if you manage to take off.
I had this problem with my mini quadcopter, one of the Turnigy plush 6A ESCs was damaged during soldering. I tried to replace that with a Hobbyking 6A ESC (similar spec), but it couldn’t fly at all! There seems to be a much longer response delay on the HK ESC, so in the end I had to order a new Turnigy ESC.
6 comments
AVOID Mystery M-30 w/BEC black-wrapped ESC’s. These are the ESC’s Chinese sellers on Ebay include with the Flame wheel kits. Of the SIX I had (seller even sent me 2 replacements) FOUR went tits-up in little time and with minimal stress in a “just hovering” Flame wheel F450 kit. Am gonna try the LittleBee, seems to get good reviews on RCgroups.
Hi,
I have 2 escs, both running simonk firmware but are of different brands. Will that be fine?
No, try to stick with the same ESC’s.
i have 12a blheli kit but one esc broken and order eachine 12a its really perfect working and very good response than blheli, i ll try to work them together, of course result can be damaged but cc3d already weird working with blheli
Works fine for me. My first build was a zmr250 and I had ordered 4 Afro esc’s, 2 of which were DOA. So now my current quad is flying with 1 Afro, 2 voodoo and one off brand esc with no problems whatsoever. Seems they run fine as long as they’re running the same amps, 12 in my situation, and have the same firmware(simonk).
Hi
I have a park flyer based on a phantom shell. After a crash which fried an afro slimline esc I used a generic esc from my spares bin. Was surprised to find it performed same as before. Cheers Russell