Novak Brushless???

[Nitro Babe]

I am wondering if a SS+ 8.5 system will work well in a B4. What size pinion should I start with and is it easy to use. I have never used a brushless system. I believe this one has a profile to run like a 27turn brushed motor which is what I would mostly use.

Anybody with experience with this system please let me know what you think....I am ordering soon....real soon.

[waterboy]

Good question...I need to know also.

[bholio]

I have the Novak SS 5800 on a T3 and it runs great. It has a 'stock' motor profile which is does run slower, but is still more powerful than a stock 27t motor. I can imagine it would run even better in the smaller/lighter B4 buggy. I'm very happy with mine.

[ElectricThunder]

It's not a stock motor mode. It's a governor mode. It limits RPM to 24000. I also run/ran a 5800 in the T3. Works great. PLENTY of power, and if you need more power/torque, there will be an upgrade available that replaces the current rotor and endbell. If you do get one, be sure to change the tamiya plugs and put on deans or power poles. It helps A TON. :D

[LasagnaCat]

It's a bit of a snug fit in a B4. It'll work, but depending on the body you run (and how it's mounted) you may run into an overheating issue. You can mount a fan in front of the esc, which helps.. but it can still run hot in a B4. The newer Novaks are going to be much smaller in size, which will help considerably. You can always cut a hole in the body over the esc, which is more than adequate to cool the esc.. just looks (imho) tacky and leaves a space for crud to get in.

[ElectricThunder]

It's a bit of a snug fit in a B4. It'll work, but depending on the body you run (and how it's mounted) you may run into an overheating issue. You can mount a fan in front of the esc, which helps.. but it can still run hot in a B4. The newer Novaks are going to be much smaller in size, which will help considerably. You can always cut a hole in the body over the esc, which is more than adequate to cool the esc.. just looks (imho) tacky and leaves a space for crud to get in.
Fan works great if there's room. Big difference with and without it. :eek:

[XXX-T for me]

Fan works great if there's room. Big difference with and without it. :eek:


I agree, I run this setup in my XXX-T and with 18/86 gearing I was pushing 40mph. And I also run a fan on the ESC, this made a world of defference in how hot the ESC ran.

[SS Pede]

The Novak should get that lightweight buggy moving pretty good! Expect great performance and run time. I can't give a specific gearing recommendation though, because I don't own a B4. You can expect the Novak to be able to push a taller gear ratio than a similar brushed motor, though (if you want it to). It has great low-end torque.

[Nitro Babe]

Thanks for the info. Is the overheating an issue with the ss plus speed control, the older one, or both?
Also , does the motor system manual make any recomendations for pinions on specific vehicles? I thought I read somewhere that it does.
Thanks again.

[ElectricThunder]

Novak's website has gearing recommendations, as does one of the manuals in there somewhere I think. I know for certain the website has them. As for the overheating issue, the Plus version probably gets hot still as well, seeing as how the ability to handle brushed motors now is just a programming thing, no change to the hardware. It'd be wise to run a fan over the ESC if it'll fit; especially if you run your buggy hard, in hot weather, gear it taller than normal, or all three or other running conditions that'll generate more heat. The heat problem isn't so much an issue though. I've only had one thermal, and that was on a hot 90+ day here in Florida, with humidity up the wazoo. If you're in a cooler climate, it shouldn't be as much of a problem. If you're in a hotter one, then you may have issues, but that can be solved with a simple fan.

[Nitro Babe]

Thanks Again!!

The Novak site had the reccomendations I needed. They suggest 22-23 for a B4.

Check it out waterboy. I think I'll get one of each.

[waterboy]

Thanks for the comments.

Nitro...when will the track be ready? Practice up!!

[fs454]

I run the SS5800 on my B4, and it's crazy fast. Probably about 40mph, but very very quick because the buggy itself is so light. I have the Factory Team Stealth edition and I haven't broken one thing on it, and I drive it pretty hard.

Solid brushless system for a solid buggy...It'll fly. I'm running unmatched GP3300 and Sanyo 3600 6 cell packs btw. The ESC fits under the body, the body just kinda bends up a small amount for where I have it mounted, but the ESC isn't overheating. I did have some problems with overheating before but i changed out the pinion and havent had a prob since.

[waterboy]

What pinion are you running now?

[iiweeldman]

I noticed a huge difference after mounting the fan. My home track is realitivly small, so most of us are using the 4300 series, and after 6 minute heats the speed control was usually 180 degrees on one side and 190 degrees on the other. Now with the fan both sides come off at 120- 130. On the buggy I mounted the fan on the side so it would not hit the body, I used plastic bushings to space it away.


Scott

[Nitro Babe]

Waterboy - I may need a touch of practice, I believe the last buggy I drove was a Frog. Then again you may have your own problems weaning off 4wd :D
Progress on the track is slow..one man..one shovel. The master plan gets smaller every day. I don't foresee any 45' straightaways but it'll get there.

fs454 - let us know what pinion you are using.

Thanks

[waterboy]

Yea, I may have to take it easy on the throttle.

Matt D. is also getting a buggy and said he will come run with us in Bristol.

[Nitro Babe]

Cool. I know Mark F had that xxx, maybe he will be around too.
Have you decided which version b4 yet?

[waterboy]

I'm going to get the FT, not much more $ for all the hop ups on it. We maybe able to get several out there running.

[snakeyes17]

Sorry for my stupidity, but where can you pick up some of those fans?

[ElectricThunder]

Sorry for my stupidity, but where can you pick up some of those fans?
Ebay, electronics store, tower has novak fans for ESCs (5 volts, so it'll run off the batt slot on the receiver). Umm...there's a bunch of places. Just think of any place that'll sell computer/electronics stuff and they'll probably have something. :D

[Nitro Babe]

Thanks for asking snakeyes17, I was wondering the same thing, and thanks for the answer ElectricThunder. I'll check that out.

[fs454]

Heh, sorry, forgot about this thread. I think i'm running a 19t pinion currently with no heat problems at all. I had a couple more teeth on before and it thermalled constantly.

[Jackyl]

I'm really considering the SS5800 setup. I currently have a T4 FT with a old tekin G12c esc and a Revolution 12x2. stock spur, and a 19t pinion. I like the low power and top end but I'm sick of brushed motors. If I buy the SS5800 can I expect the same if not more power and better runtimes when using 3300mah 6 cell packs?

[LasagnaCat]

Much more torque, better runtimes, no major dropoff that you'd get with a similar brushed motor after it heats up, maybe not quite as fast as the 12x2.. close enough though.

[Rtsbasic]

It'd be quite a nice system, although personally I would get the new LRP kit, which will exceed the performance of the stuff you have now plus have all the advantages of brushless.

[Jackyl]

The new novak brushless setups are better than the sphere setup from what I have heard and from what the numbers show. But I'd rather run the neo-1 motor with a newer GTB? novak esc for brushless motors. I think that would be a killer setup. But the cost is still what hinders me from obtaining a brushless setup and I refuse to use brushed anymore. So I'm just going to let my T4 FT sit on the wall for the time being. and I have 6 3300's waiting patiently for the brushless reunion :D

[SpEEdyBL]

The sphere can handle 7 cells and the gtb cannot. But that could change since the gtx brushed esc now has a 7 cell limit instead of a 6 cell limit.

[Jackyl]

If you bash then 7 cells is valid but for racing 6 cells is what is going to be run. It's just crazy that an esc for a vehicle is the same as for a heli or plane but they just jack up the price like 150+ just for the software "firmware" upgrade. At least this is what I have been told. I'm on a mission to find a solution for a low buck brushless setup that will be cost effective and be race worthy. low buck as in 150 new.