We begin the tour of Iris' guts by looking at the new 4-in-1 ESC/Power Module. Each ESC is rated at 20amps capacity and is running the SImonK firmware for enhanced response and stability. The onboard Power Module provides regulated power to the flight control board, in addition to voltage and current monitoring.
An aluminum heatsink is attached to the power handling transistors
This 4-in-1 represents an elimination of 110 grams when compared to four individual ESCs, Power Module, and Power Distribution Board.
Comments
Oh ... $142.31 with shipping. So it costs more, but so do light-weight carbon frames.
That was fast!
Voltage says it's parallel to the batteries, which I didn't expect.
Naked meant removing the:
- heat sink (18.8 gram savings)
- heat sink glue
- large power wires and XT60 connector (only need 16 AWG w/ 2mm bullets for the duration quad; (8 gram savings)
- the bolt connector rivets (2 gram savings)
When the ESC is mounted, the power modules that normally require a heat sink are put at an angle near the prop wash. In that way, the power modules are indirectly fan cooled. Also, the max per module is 4 amps (runs between 2.5 and 3 amps). Experience so far says that the heat sink isn't needed if that is done.
Any thoughts? And what is the parallel power wires used for?
Forrest,
The small red/black circuit is most likely for gimbal power, is it parallel to the battery inputs or 5v?
On question 2&3: Yes, Pixhawk Main Out 'S'(1-4) connect to 4-1 Pwm In, and ground wire connects between Pix Main Out ' - ' and 4-1 'GND'
Are you using the aluminum heat sink on the ESC transistors?
IRIS 4-in-1 ESC Quick Look
Just received one. Hope to highlight it + the Pixhawk on the multi-copter targeted to break the world duration record.
For those that are curious, the naked weight is only 37.9 grams. That's 6.8 grams per ESC making it lighter than other 4-in-1s and slightly lighter and a whole lot tidier than the lightest naked 20A ESCs out there. Will be testing its efficiency soon.
Have a few question on hooking it up.
1) Is the small red/black wire with the small red plug only needed if using servos? If yes, I assume it connects to the same rail as the servos. If it is for something else, where does it connect?
2) I assume that the Pixhawk ESC output rail S pins connect to the respective IRIS PWM IN pins
3) and the PWN IN GND pin connects to the Pixhawk ESC rail GND pin.
Love the integrated power module! The build looks superb. Easy to solder and wire up. Well done!
I just ordered a 4 in 1 25 amp ESC from Off Grid Water and was wondering why it hadn't been shipped.
I was informed there is a 3 to 7 day delay before it gets shipped if you do not select a premium shipping option.
No real criticism intended here, it just was not mentioned on the site and I thought people potentially buying from them ought to be aware of it.
I know we have other problems with shipping with other Companies as well.
Is there a 6 in 1 or 8 in 1 available ?
Zedtwitz: If you think SimonK is placebo, they you have clearly never tried it.
We actually recently discovered a flaw in the APMCopter PID controller thanks to SimonK making the ESC's so sensitive that it exposed a conversion error in the PID math.
The quality there looks exceptional Jeroen! Very impressed!
@ Gary
I completely agree the 4-1 esc with good quality ESC's is much better than all the lose ESC's. That's why I have build my own esc's with quality in mind (which requires more components and more costs) the commercial esc's are build to make it at cheap as possible. I never had one broken ESC, but if one would brake it is easly to repair. Also my flight controller is stackable only problem with that is that the ESC influence the magneto meter so which has to be mounted externally like with the APM2.6.
Currently i'm busy with a 6-in-1 ESC for my new hexa (PCB size 100x100mm).
DIYdrones Blog post
These all in one ESCs do suffer from the fact that rather than replacing one bad ESC you have to replace all of them.
But for a lot of cases they are still superior.
If they can be made to be highly reliable that is much better than having disposable ESCs and the build quality and parts on this one seem to indicate it was made for a long trouble free life.
And generally any ESC failing results in a lot of other broken bits as well so I would be happy to trade cheap replace-ability for a significant increase in reliability.
Also, these make the whole installation neater and reduce the magnetometer interfering DC and AC EMF footprint - a lot.
Several of the UAS multis use custom all on a PC board ESCs and some of them even have on the fly redundancy.
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