Re programming cards, here's an example of 2 different brands (2 models from the SURPASS brand, - blue one from Ebay is the OCDAY brand) which use the same card. Seems common to a number of brands and types,- probably the same ESC manufacturer, just dressed to customers requirements. These cards come in black as well.

JB

Hi Doug, they are as you say only about 50% in rev but I was referring to the fwd rev problem. Once you get the hang of them, they are not too bad, -sort of have to drive them like you would a real boat, ie - slow down -neutral - reverse, (unless you have a hydraulic box, but they still don't like being rammed into reverse at full power. The box which came with the Lees Marine marinized Mk3 Zodiac motor (pic) I bought for my Hartley 20, was a Paragon, with 2 clutches and a planetary gear set which could be changed fairly quickly from fwd to rev, but I didn't need it with the stern drive (it had dog clutches like an outboard, and you had to be at idle to change it.

It was a lot of fun adapting the motor/stern drive (NZ made Argonaut) throttle/fwd rev cables to a Mercury control lever set and getting them all to work together properly, but eventually got it working perfectly.

I saw some cheap 25A brushless ESCs on Ali Exp and thought I'd have a look at them. Bought a couple and found the programming box for them (the advertised ones had a programming button, - mine came without) and found they work pretty well. They are an 'OC Day' brand but the programming box seems common to a number of other brand ESCs. They run the 28mm series of out-runners as well as anything else and would be ideal for smaller boats.

I also have 4 of the small 18A Trackstar brushless ESCs (thumb for scale) which are probably one of the best I've used. They are programmable and run smaller brushless motors perfectly. I had them in the HSL with the 2845 2000kv inrunners but changed them to the HK 30A car ESCs just to be safe. Trackstar make excellent ESCs and do quite a good range. If you are short of room in a small model, these would be perfect.

I've collected around 50 ESCs of about a dozen different brands and types over the last 12 yrs to try, and so far have had only 1 fail (a 120A plane ESC which arrived dead) Have collected around 72 motors (brushed and brushless) and have only had 3 brushless fails (2x overloading 28diam ducted fan motors, - 1x 5045-wire chafed on case exit letting smoke out at 60A in my 56" racing plane) So many choices, so little time, (lol as Martin would add).

550s sound good for the ships, nice slow running and lots of power when you need it (have 2 Gool RC 45T 550s in the ST (think there's a vid in the media section somewhere) runs really nicely with 2s and 28mm props. I think brushed have a nicer sound than brushless in most cases, - nice sort of electrical 'growl' Looking forward to you getting these ships on the lake when you get the 'all clear'.👍👍

JB

"El Cheepo ESC (work well but slow on reverse)"
Hi JB, that's often because the ESC is factory set to provide only 50% output in reverse.
On good branded units you can usually alter this by the programming. With the cheepo basic knock-offs this is often not possible. Never really bothered me though, don't want my ships disappearing backwards under the surface 😮😭

Your description of the forward to reverse juggling is how the Quicrun 1065 works.
Discovered too late that you can't change the Running Mode to Forward / Reverse like on the other models.
I too have some 540 and 550 Hi- perf motors to test. A pair each.
May test then in my destroyer, or in my HMS Belfast; two 540s on the inner shafts, two 550s on the outers for ALL AHEAD FLANK overdrive 😁 Or vice versa?
Can use the Quicrun 860 Dual to drive the two pairs, or two separate 1060s. We'll see 🤓
I also have an Action Electronics P94 Dual ESC with built in rudder mixer to play with 😁 so many combinations are possible in the four shaft Belfast! She has four 380s 'as built'. May change them for 385s.
Weather's warming up now so may get to do some test runs soon 😊
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Doug, found something interesting which may solve a few peoples problems with the El Cheepo brushed ESCs. The one I have in the tow wagon has the brake off but still the annoying centre point (this is for crawler vehicles, so if they are on a steep hill and you pause or throttle back suddenly, you won't go straight into unintended reverse, -just roll back.

The one in the tow wagon will find reverse with a jog to forward and back, (as per instructions) once in 5 or 6 tries BUT, I've found that it works better for some reason, ie if going forward- go back to full reverse then jog forward (just past neutral) and back, works 100% of the time. Going into reverse less than full and back seems to be a problem,- perhaps they need a clear signal to pick up the command ?

I've changed mine in the ST to Quicrun 1060s as per your earlier info and they certainly are a big improvement. The ESCs in the HSL are twin brushless HK 30A car versions and they have been excellent so far with the 2845b in-runners. I have some high voltage brushed ESCs coming to try, (which seem few and far between,- up to 16v input ) which might be interesting.

Will report on them when I can do a test, as they were for trying with the high voltage/performance brushed 550 bearinged motor in the Hartley jet model (now changed to brushless with 60A aircraft one way ESC). On 12v, the brushed motor was not revving enough for decent performance (can go to 24v and 30,000 rpm) hence ordering the HV ESCs to try to boost the revs.

Pic 1, El Cheepo ESC (work well but slow on reverse) - pic 2, Quicrun 1060, (excellent so far) - pic 3 Hk 30A car (excellent so far) -- Pic 4, High voltage ESC (yet to be tested)

JB

Found out why!
I used the less than sign instead of typing out 'less than'!
Everything after the 'less than' symbol disappears 😠😠
😎

Truncated here as well😮
Time to have a moan at Stephen!!
😎