Use the Ultimate BEC when your cell count and / or
number of servos exceed your speed control's ratings.
What makes the Ultimate BEC different from the
BEC in my speed controls?
Speed controls use a linear voltage regulator to reduce your battery
pack voltage to 5 volts. The challenge with this kind of system is
that it is limited by the input voltage and output current. Each ESC
has a limit as to the amount of watts of heat it can dissipate. The
Ultimate BEC is a switching power supply where input voltage and
output current are independent of each other.
Will the Ultimate BEC cause any radio
interference?
Absolutely not. As a matter of a fact, most speed controls put out
way more "noise" than the UBEC. The UBEC has been designed on a
custom copper flooded board and utilizes a shielded coil to
eliminate any "noise". Most importantly, any "noise" that radiates
from the UBEC is not relevant to the bands within our radio systems.
How do you keep your battery from running too
low?
Most speed controls have a low voltage cutoff feature to keep you
from running down your battery too low. Most low voltage cutoff
features cut power to your motor between 4.7 to 5.5 volts. The UBEC
will go into bypass mode at 5.5 volts. Thus, your Rx will still get
power from your battery.
How many servos can I run on the UBEC?
Servo current vary by brand and type. However, 8-10 servos should be
no problem. The main thing to remember is that the UBEC is rated for
3 amps continuous / 5 amps peak.
How many cells can I use with the UBEC?
29 cells is the maximum.
Are there any applications that the UBEC would
not be a good choice?
I would not suggest that you use a UBEC in any plane that you run a
GREAT risk in blowing out your source battery. You will have to make
the choice for yourself. (The best example of when not to use a UBEC
would be a hotliner that is pulling extreme current from the source
battery.)
How can the UBEC be used in glow and gas
powered applications?
Since the UBEC is much more efficient than a linear regulator, it is
a perfect match to use with lithium batteries to power a receiver.
The UBEC runs at better than 90% efficiencies when run within specs.
What does this mean? You will get significantly more usable energy
from the lithium battery pack to power your receiver than if you
used a linear regulator. We only recommend 3-cell packs in this
application. the higher your input voltage....the more efficient
your system will be. When using a 3-cell pack for your source power,
the current draw from the battery pack will be almost half of what a
4-cell NiCad pack would require. Here's an example:
A 3-cell lithium pack that is 840 mah in
capacity would power your receiver and servos for about the same
amount of time as a 1500 mah 4-cell NiCad pack. If the radio
system draws 4 amps a 5 volts (20 watts)...the 4-cell NiCad pack
will have to drain at 4 amps. However...the 3-cell lithium pack
will only have to dump about 2 amps to deliver the 20 watts thru
the UBEC.