[nkarres]

Brushless Motors have arrived in slotcar racing! In Germany you can already by a set (motor, electronics), see the pic.

   

Here is a short video of unwrapping this:

https://youtube.com/shorts/1WY9neMZDrQ?feature=share4

Nico

[Kevan]

To be fair they arrived a year ago, there's a group dedicated to this and was pushed by Bob Budge and Richard Mack 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/308254371195488

[KensRedZed]

Looks exactly like all the brushless motors in my RC aircraft. I've used brushless motors for almost 20-years now. If I want to go lightning fast in a slot car. I'll just buy a very small 35k high torque motor from Professor Motor for $12.95.

This silly little Porsche below spins/smokes the tires the full 19-foot straight at our club track. It's already stupid fast. It can't go faster.

   

The 2-key points about a brushless motor are the power to weight ratio, and efficiency. They are almost half the weight and about 30% more efficient. Perfect for RC aircraft.

To me, it's a waste of money for slot cars. To a person with an unlimited budget. It's another toy to play with.

I can already buy motors that are faster than I need to go to win a race. At a certain point a car can become absolutely no fun to drive. Take your finger off the trigger a nano second too slow, and you leave a Ferrari imprint in the drywall at the end of the straight. Plus, you break the car to bits.

I'm sure there are speed freaks celebrating the brushless phase. I'm happy that the slot car industry finally caught up to RC cars, trucks, and planes. The brushless motors for slot cars need to come down in price like they did for the other hobbies.

They also need to start making lower Kv rated motors for normal racers. Not everyone wants to drive a lightning rod.

Cheers,
Ken

[Kevan]

2000kv would be a good start, the current 3000kv motors are probably too much for most who race 1/32 hard body cars.

The other thing to consider, tyre wear is noticeably higher as brushless motors produce more torque.

[KensRedZed]

2000kv would be a good start, the current 3000kv motors are probably too much for most who race 1/32 hard body cars.

The other thing to consider, tyre wear is noticeably higher as brushless motors produce more torque.

Spot on Kevan. I already can't keep tires on the little blue Porsche. They wear fast. No need for a brushless motor to wear the crap out of the tires. I'm already there.

[Kevan]

Spot on Kevan. I already can't keep tires on the little blue Porsche. They wear fast. No need for a brushless motor to wear the crap out of the tires. I'm already there.

I'd be taking that motor out and fitting something calmer like an 18k predator slimline jobbie or if you want more oomph a 25k Scaleauto or Policar slimline.

[KensRedZed]

But... it's a great reminder not to buy a brushless. I'll let anyone in our club try it if they want a brushless. They won't want/need one after that.

I thought maybe the car was too small. So, I installed another 35k motor in a McLaren M20. It's a heavy Carrera body. But goes like lightning. "Sideways" is it's middle name. Still too much motor (for me anyways).

   

[Kevan]

I raced 1/12th RC pan cars during the brushless/LiPo changeover period and it was an instant game-changer, especially when sensored motors came out.  The extra runtime from LiPo's and performance from equivalent brushless motors (13.5T brushless compared to the 27T brushed we used then) was the end for brushed and NiMh cells.

...so brushless will come, it's still early doors yet, I don't think it'll replace what we use now as it's not a cheap swap, an Ecomm (wrongly called an ESC) is required for each car so it'll be up to clubs to decide on rules.  Our club would just put these in our 'Open Class' which means standard car runners can still race to their hearts content.

[KensRedZed]

Why is the term ESC wrong?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_speed_control

[nkarres]

I was thinking of putting it into a heavy 1/24 chassis,  now you guys convinced me in that!