Novak BL system

[ElectricThunder]

I have a question for all of you BL guys. I'm saving up for a brushless system, and I was wondering what kind of performance does this system have? Would it be a good bashing system? Is it reliable? Is power output considerably more noticable than a brushed motor? Will I get good runtimes?

I was considering this system as i've heard good things about it. Your input will help me greatly. Thanks guys in advance:)

[jocktheglide]

great system, but I dont now for bashing though racing awesome.

[glassdoctor]

Well, if you are not experienced with brushed motors, don't have a lathe to cut the comm, etc... then yes, the Novak is far superior to brushed, and will likely be much faster than the motors you are used to.

The guys who like to trash on the Novak are hardcore brushed users. Low turn brushed motors, like 8-10 turns, can be/are faster than the Novak, but only with proper care and maintenance. I have lathes, brushes, etc... I have raced for many years, but I love the Novak.

The cool thing about BL is it's a constistent reliable idiot-proof low turn mod. It's plug-and-play.

I bought my Novak early last summer and have had no problems at all. Some recent units have had a thermal problem, where they seem to shut down too easily, at too low of a temp. Other than that, they have been solid.

oh, I think it's great for bashing, because you get the performance of a hot mod with NO concerns of brush and comm wear, etc. The motor runs cool too... run it all day. Just gear down a little if it gets too warm.

[ElectricThunder]

Alright. Thanks a lot to both of you. I only bash since I have no time to race. I usually use a p-94 12x2 or 17x2 orion havok. So i'm used to mod motors. I'm not concerned with more speed than a 12 turn can dish out, so this system sounds great. Thanks for all the info. BTW, do you think it'll thermal easier in South Florida?

[glassdoctor]

I raced mine last summer on 95* days w/out any thermals. Mine has never thermaled actually. The esc does run hot though. Mine was 200*+ on most runs on a hot day.

I think there are just a few controllers that are thermalling when they should not be... it seems to be a defect, maybe a bad lot from the factory.

[n2rcn4fun]

i got mine friday...second battery the on off switch stop working..does not seem to have affectedd the preformance ..not running hot at all ran 10 bat pack though it so for..

[ElectricThunder]

So basically, it's a good system for what it is, just a few minor details? Sounds awesome. I'm gonna save up for one. Hopefully i can save up enough to get it by summer at least. And a little fan should help the heat problem most likely. Thanks guys:)

[*Miller*]

So basically, it's a good system for what it is, just a few minor details? Sounds awesome. I'm gonna save up for one. Hopefully i can save up enough to get it by summer at least. And a little fan should help the heat problem most likely. Thanks guys:)


Its a very nice set up! I run the SS5800 in my B4 and it flies! I only bash - there's no where to race around here. Run times are improved over a brushed motor which is a boon!

[glassdoctor]

BTW, I have raced since the late 80s and have several good brushed escs and motors, etc... I was hesitant to drop $250 on the Novak last year, but I am glad I did... I love it.

It's great even for racers, cause you can practice all day if you want without messing with the motor or letting it cool between runs. Even if you don't use it while racing it's nice to have.

And now I don't have to waste runs on my race motors if I want a fast car to run around the yard, etc... good top end and plenty of power to wheelie on comand :D

[ElectricThunder]

Totally awesome guys! Thanks for all the input. I didn't know that you could just run back to back packs with a BL. I thought cooling rules still applied. I'm gonna get me one of these! :D! It all comes with presoldered connectors and stuff correct? Since i really really suck with a soldering iron...:(

[glassdoctor]

For me at least, the motor stayed cool enough to run several packs through it non-stop. You will have to check to see if it gets hot with your setup...

And since there is no brush/comm wear there is no need to stop as long as the temps stay ok. If it gets up around like 180 or so you might want to give it a rest...

The esc is more likely to be the weak link.. it will shut down automatically if it gets too hot.

have fun with it...

[OptimaMan]

You still should learn to solder though. Make sure you use a soldering iron that's high enough in power - typically 30-40 watts for wires and motors and something like 60-80 watts for battereis. Really let it get hot before using it. Then tin the wires/connectors etc. Let the iron get hot again, and then solder whatever you're trying to solder. You don't want to keep the iron in contact with the solder too long because it will oxidize/lose it's luster/flow/become brittle etc. Practice makes perfect.

I'm lazy so I use a 240 watt gun with a chisel tip to "keep the heat" better. But you better be fast! A third hand vise thing really helps too.

[glassdoctor]

Yeah, definitely learn to solder if you are into this hobby.

The motor and controller are prewired nicely, and you can leave that untouched if you like, but the connectors are just the crappy tamiya type. I would suggest switching to deans or sermos on all your batteries if you haven't already.

If you want to shorten the wires on the Novak, get some help from someone if you don't do good soldering work. It's a bit trickier to get done well... the wire leads feed into "circuit board hole" mounts on the motor and esc.

The battery plug is easy as it gets though. If you need a cheap iron and only occasionally solder stuff, look for basic weller 40watt iron at HomeDepot, etc. It's under $15 and has a nice fat tip that gets very hot. It won't last as long as a quality iron, but it really works great and it's cheap. If you want to invest in a nice iron for the long term look at the Hakkos commonly used now or search the forums and you'll get plenty of info.

[ElectricThunder]

Awesome. I can solder, I'm just extremely lazy when it comes to wiring things up. Awesome though guys. :D! Can't wait to order this sucker. My T3 tranny should hold up to it alright correct? Or is there something I should beef up.

[glassdoctor]

T3 tranny? No problem... especially if you keep the diff tight and USE the slipper that's already there... :)

[toofastkx]

run a small cpu fan 2x2 over the esc. the thermal problems will be a thing of the past. Novak is the best for the price

[ElectricThunder]

Glassdoctor, how tight should I run the slipper? Should it be on the tighter side so you can get full use of the power?

[glassdoctor]

Well, yeah.. I mean you don't need to set it loose or anything, just don't lock it down tight so it can't slip at all like I se some do.

If it's slipping enough so you can't have fun, you know what to do :)

For racing, you adjust it for performance, according to the track conditions, etc... normally slips for 2 or 3 feet off the line.

With extreme bl power, you can have it set so it slips just a bit, but still be pulling nasty wheelies if you want. Anyway, just make sure it at least can slip if you stand on the back tires and punch full throttle.... ;)

[ElectricThunder]

Thanks for the tip dude. :D Can't wait till I get this sucker. I got another month or so of saving up probably. :( lol. I just rebuilt my tranny in the T3 and re-lubed stuff...so i gotta set the slipper again..that's why i asked. lol