Arduino and ESC

[kingofjong]

Hello

I am trying to control a brushless motor using Arduino and ESC. All the tutorials I have read attach esc to Arduino pin 9. I was wondering is it possible to attach the esc on a different pin. Do you need to use a Arduino pin with pwm and attach the esc to that. could a Arduino non-pwm pin be attached to esc and turn the brushless motor? I would appreciate any help.

Thanks

 

[alec_t]

could a Arduino non-pwm pin be attached to esc and turn the brushless motor?

It depends on the input requirements and nature of the ESC. Can you post a link to its datasheet?

 

[rjenkinsgb]

It depends on your software.

Radio control servos and speed controllers typically use a positive pulse between 1.5 and 2.5mS to set the position or power.
As long as you can produce a reasonably accurately times pulse, they can work from any output pin on an MCU.

For a servo, 2mS is centre and 1.5 - 2.5mS are the limits.
For a speed controller, probably 1.5mS for minimum power or stopped, 2.5mS for maximum power.

Settings or movement are proportional to the pulse width over the 1.5 - 2.5mS range and the pulse to each servo repeats every 20 to 50 mS.

 

[kingofjong]

It depends on the input requirements and nature of the ESC. Can you post a link to its datasheet?

I don't have esc in mind. I am asking more of a general question. Do all esc require pulse width modulation or are there some that don't.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

It's not "pulse width modulation" in the normal duty-cycle sense, it's just an occasional pulse of a controllable width.

The system pre-dates microcontrollers, it can all be built with discrete components if you wish!

eg. See page 54 of this old magazine (1260 on the page) - an article I wrote in '78 for a radio control device. You only need the 555 part to manually control the position of a servo or speed of a motor controller. (It was published using my middle name, if you notice the initial does not match).
https://www.americanradiohistory.co...tronics/70s/Practical-Electronics-1978-12.pdf

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I don't have esc in mind. I am asking more of a general question.

You need to have a specific ESC in mind, otherwise any answer is completely meaningless.

 

[alec_t]

Expanding on Nigel's answer, some ESCs might require a pulse input whereas others might require an analogue DC control voltage input or a 4-20mA control current input.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

I don't have esc in mind. I am asking more of a general question. Do all esc require pulse width modulation or are there some that don't.

Speed controllers as used with typical brushless motors in radio controlled drones etc. will normally use pulse duration control.
Other types of speed controllers could use just about any kind of analog or digital control system.

That's the distinction; are you looking at one as typically used with an RC model, or something totally different?