Sensoring motors really worth it?

[maxmayer]

@jack.luis

If you use HFI you can get most of the smoothness without the risk of broken sensors. I used to be a die hard sensored FOC guy but now with HFI I don’t use them.

Dont I need to use FOC? What else?

[maxmayer]

@xsynatic

Not sure how well it works in the latest release but couple months after first release it just was way to finicky and cogged, so i went sensorless on that board (doesnt have sensors) Wasn’t worth the hassle.

Why’d it do that though?

[StriateZebra]

You most likely need a sensor cable adapter is all. You’ll want them if you are trying to run FOC mode and they are nice in general but are usually the first part to break. You can get the sensor adapter on TB website. My motor runs much quieter and smoother with FOC

[maxmayer]

@StriateZebra

My motor runs much quieter and smoother with FOC

Ok yeah, what other modes are there?

[StriateZebra]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhy6g9wGHow this is a good watch. Can explain much better than I

[maxmayer]

@StriateZebra

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhy6g9wGHow

I’ll watch it now

[pdscunha]

I started using HFI in one of my boards because the sensors were acting weird. Like others mentioned, it’s really smooth and I thought the noise would be annoying but it isn’t. Definitely recommend HFI since it’s as smooth as sensors, without any sensors.

[StriateZebra]

In laymen’s terms it basically allows the ESC to know the position of the motor and apply a more constant magnetic signal. More consistent torque and more efficiency. You will also not have jitters when starting from a stop. Without sensors you’ll want to give the board a push and then throttle up

[maxmayer]

@StriateZebra

In laymen’s terms it basically allows the ESC to know the position of the motor and apply a more constant magnetic signal. More consistent torque and more efficiency. You will also not have jitters when starting from a stop. Without sensors you’ll want to give the board a push and then throttle up

ok yeah ill def go with sensored

[Bavioze]

Yes that it will, but only on startup.

[maxmayer]

@Bavioze

Yes that it will, but only on startup.

Ok yeah, any downfalls though?

[Pedrodemio]

If you ride on flat and starting on steep hill isn’t something you do often, you will be ok sensorless, not saying it will be as smooth as possible, but will work, on hill sensorless may no be able to start without pushing, and if it is that steep, pushing doesn’t help, you stop in 1 m or less

I never killed a sensor, even riding on wet and dirt, put I do an aditional epoxy coat inside the motor

[maxmayer]

@Pedrodemio

I never killed a sensor, even riding on wet and dirt, put I do an aditional epoxy coat inside the motor

Do you have a pic?

[Pedrodemio]

Best one I could find, it already have a layer from factory but not covering everything

[fessyfoo]

• hall sensors
• temperature sensors.

vesc has a history with temp sensors causing unwanted troubles. [ when working that telemetry is nice. ]

Do hall sensors have some failure mode that’s worse than oops I’m forced to go unsensored? an extra failed sensor in sensored mode coggy ride home till you disable them?

[fessyfoo]

@iamasalmon

its all user preference

This does seem to be the correct answer.

[Bavioze]

Not that i know of, i wonder if braking is worse on low speeds. Anyone know this?

[Venom121212]

I hope this helps

[maxmayer]

Ok that’s cool. I’m scared to open my motors though

[bollen]

Opening them is not so bad, just make sure to take note of where all the parts go (especially the small shim washers under the c-clip)

Putting them back together is scary, you have to make sure that the rotor and stator do not slam together with full force, they will want to do this due to the magnetic forces