Single motor on dual VESC

I’m helping a buddy setup his dual VESC for a foil-board. He has a dual VESC and the plan is to gang the outputs to drive a single motor. Apparently this is the way it’s intended to be done.

I’ve setup single and dual motor boards with VESC’s, and I’ve driven them independently with PPM cable Y’d, as well as slaving them with CANBUS. But ganging the outputs makes me nervous because the commutation timing on both sides of the dual VESC will have to be identical. I’m guessing there’s a setting that uses only one DRV IC, but the output FET’s from both sides. Any tips on the VESCTool setup for this configuration would be greatly appreciated.

UPDATE: To save anyone the heartache of following this thread just to learn that I was an idiot… It turns out the VESC in question is a Flipsky FSESC 75-300, which b264 has pointed out is NOT a dual VESC. Thanks b264.

Is it a single-MCU dual VESC like Unity or Stormcore, or is a dual-MCU dual VESC like MakerX or Flipsky or Spintend?

As far as I am aware, you can’t do that on a dual-MCU dual VESC.

On a single-MCU dual VESC, it can be done.

If it’s Unity, there is a an option for that in the VariESC tool.

:warning: WARNING connecting the phases in parallel that way without the Super Single firmware installed WILL destroy your VESC right away.

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Got a thread about this?

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So far just this

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Hmm :thinking: im not seeing a ton of discussion about this. Perhaps a dedicated thread is in order?

Let the people know that you are distributing the super secret scary firmware, Brian :joy:

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It looks like I definitely came to the right place. I’m glad I asked. I’m not sure which unit or firmware it is yet. But he’s bringing it by tomorrow, so I’ll find out and post it here. Thanks!

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I’m not distributing it, github is. :rofl:

It’s brand new, I haven’t gotten around to making a thread yet. Was going to do the Android version first. But it’s coming.

variESC Tool releases

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So here it is. I suspect it’s a single-MCU, but I don’t know that for sure. It only has one PPM input, one USB input, one Hall sensor input port, etc. Interestingly, it’s got 3 sets of battery inputs, and 2 sets of motor outputs.

It comes with either an aluminum case or a waterproof case with water-cooling inlets and outlets. We’ve got the waterproof one…

This image on their website shows the battery input and the motor outputs ganged…

That there is a single channel ESC.

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yea, that’s a single drive esc, basically all 3 battery connectors goes to battery, and those 3 sets of 2 wires are like the 3 individual phase wire for regular esc.

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Thanks. By “single channel”, I assume you mean there’s only one MCU, one DRV, etc. - right? So it’s safe to gang the motor outputs?

Why are there two sets of motor outputs (and three sets of battery inputs)?

Yeah. Idk, it’s probably easier to spread the I/O in the PCB vs giant gauge wires.

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because of the awg wire that they use are not able to handle such power, so it had to be split

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So do you suppose those wires are connected internally? Or maybe they each go to their own FET, and that’s how they get the high current capability?

They are each connected to a pair of FETs. And probably connected internally, but not for the amounts of current necessary.

That’s a single-MCU single, it’s not a dual at all.

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One question OP, why do you want to connect a single motor on dual ESC at all? If your motor is double stator with 6 phases I get it, else?

Just to double the raw phase amps? Get a bigger single esc in that case, it might do the job in a safer way IMHO

It’s not that I “want” to do it. My buddy bought all this gear to make an electric foil-board. He isn’t familiar with brushless motors, VESC’s, etc. So he asked me to help. The manufacturer shows the unit being used this way. It has two sets of motor outputs, so I assumed it was a dual VESC. But they gang the outputs to a single motor.

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It’s not a dual VESC, it’s set up like the Trampa 75/300 is.

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