Compatibility of 3rd party RC for Lego

[mocbuild101]

I know that there are topics similar to this one, but they don't provide a solution to my questions .  

I'm trying to find out about the compatibility of 3rd party RC components, so that I can use them to fully power 2 buggy motors (or more).

And this is how I plan to use them: Transmitter* -> Reciever/ESC* (and battery) -> Buggy motors and RC Servo -> Lego built car. *What I need to get.

Here are my questions:

1. What is the minimum of 3rd party components that I need?
2. How good is the compatibility of different brands of Transmitter, Receiver/ESC, and RC servo? (most important question!)
3. Is a ESC the same as a Receiver?
4. What have you used or recommend? (because I know some of you have done something like this before)

I already have got 2s and 3s lipos (but I would prefer to use the 11.1 volts of the 3s), I only have toy-grade RC car experience (not hobby-grade), and I don't want to spend more than AUD $50 (for everything) if possible.

 

I know these questions are not technically about Lego, but I will be using it with Lego, and I thought that that some of you have experience with RC - so might be able to help .

Edited May 23, 2017 by mocbuild101

[Aventador2004]

I shall help, as I own a rc car myself.

1, you need a reciever, a dsc, controller, a motor (380 should be perfect), and a servo (unless you chop a lego servo cord and perform surgery.

2, they work very fast at range and I have tested it to go 0.09 of a mile away.

3, they are different , a transmitter is the controller, the receiver is the part with the antenna.

4, redcat 540 motor, hexfly servo, Redcat remote, hexfly transmitter.

 

[mocbuild101]

4 minutes ago, Aventador2004 said:

I shall help, as I own a rc car myself.

1, you need a reciever, a dsc, controller, a motor (380 should be perfect), and a servo (unless you chop a lego servo cord and perform surgery.

2, they work very fast at range and I have tested it to go 0.09 of a mile away.

3, they are different , a transmitter is the controller, the receiver is the part with the antenna.

4, redcat 540 motor, hexfly servo, Redcat remote, hexfly transmitter.

 

Thanks for answering the way I was hoping, but there are a few confusing things: I thought that it was a ESC not a DSC, isn't a remote the same as a transmitter? And you didn't answer questions 2 and 3 correctly.

[Aventador2004]

29 minutes ago, mocbuild101 said:

Thanks for answering the way I was hoping, but there are a few confusing things: I thought that it was a ESC not a DSC, isn't a remote the same as a transmitter? And you didn't answer questions 2 and 3 correctly.

Yes, I meant ESC, whoops.

2: they all connect using plugs so they are compatible in a lot of configurations

3: no, the esc is a separate piece.

[mocbuild101]

58 minutes ago, Aventador2004 said:

Yes, I meant ESC, whoops.

2: they all connect using plugs so they are compatible in a lot of configurations

3: no, the esc is a separate piece.

Thanks for clarifying .

[PorkyMonster]

1. Assuming you're ONLY using Lego's own RC motor, then you'll need 3rd party transmitter and receiver, ESC, and RC servo.

2. The connections between all 3rd party components are very standardised, so there should be no problem (and when the supplied connectors don't match, simply cut and do your own connection - red to red, black to black). as to connection between the ESC and Lego's RC motor, same thing - you'll just need to connect two (usually black and red) cables from the ESC to your motor yourself.

3. ESC is separate from receiver. ESC will connect to 3 things - the battery, the receiver and the motor. Receiver will connect to the servo and esc.

4. I've used Radiolink transmittor/receiver, towerpro servo, and brandless china-made esc - all are entry-level components that, very cheap.

Note: when shopping for transmittor/receiver, you need to look out for the number of channels supported - most support 2 channels (i.e. motor and servo), but if you want to remote control lights, you'll need at least 3 channels.

[JJ2]

2 hours ago, mocbuild101 said:

 

1. What is the minimum of 3rd party components that I need?
2. What is the compatibility of Transmitter, Receiver/ESC, and RC servo? (most important question!)
3. Is a ESC the same as a Receiver?
4. What have you used or recommend? (because I know some of you have done something like this before)

1. Since you already have LiPo's you will need, an ESC, transmitter, receiver, and a servo
2. To my knowledge every hobby grade RC servo and receiver has the same plug
3. No, it is not, the receiver receives the radio waves from the transmitter and the receiver plugs into the ESC, the ESC receives commands sent from the receiver and power the motor and servo.
4. I would recommend using THIS ESC, it has worked very well for me and has never let me down, just make sure not to loose the tabs that plug into it like I did. I use THIS transmitter-receiver combo and it works great, it fell's a tiny bit cheap but the screen and all the options is great to have. For the servo, it depends on how much toque you want, you can get a micro servo which does not have very much torque or you can get a standard servo with titanium gears that can move a small mountain I personally use THIS one though. For the motor I use a traxxas 550 12T motor and Effermans motor brace found on Shapeways, the motor is very good for Lego, it has reasonably high speeds and has not broken a single gear except weak single bevel 12T's, you can also use a 380 motor but just make sure to not ever stress them, I went through 2 because I over stressed them, when using a 380 its good to stay in scales below 1/10 like 1/12-1/18 but when using a 550 its good to stay in 1/10 scale. 

 

[mocbuild101]

Thanks @PorkyMonster and @JJ2 !

So this is what I understand (correct me if I'm wrong):

1. I need a Transmitter, Receiver, ESC, and Servo (I am using Lego's Buggy motors)
2. The Transmitter and Receiver need to be the same brand, but it doesn't matter about the ESC and Servo (as long as they have matching plugs)
3. The Receiver controls the Servo and ESC - which controls the motors
4. Still deciding what to get... 

Edited May 23, 2017 by mocbuild101

[Boxerlego]

3rd party RC electrical components is very compatible with LEGO. If all you want to do is connect up some Lego Motors to the RC system then that should be pretty easy to do. The only thing that requires any kind of modification is a PF cable so it can connect with the RC ESC.

 

[efferman]

This picture shows what you need to power two RC Buggy motors. Be sure to connect the correct wires at the power function cables.

[mocbuild101]

10 minutes ago, Boxerlego said:

3rd party RC electrical components is very compatible with LEGO. If all you want to do is connect up some Lego Motors to the RC system then that should be pretty easy to do. The only thing that requires any kind of modification is a PF cable so it can connect with the RC ESC.

 

Yes I know.

 

Just now, efferman said:

This picture shows what you need to power two RC Buggy motors. Be sure to connect the correct wires at the power function cables.

That explains it well!

[msk6003]

@JJ2 Can I give some question?

Witch pinion gear using on motor? lego gear is not fit in motor's D shaft, and I don't have idea drive car without gear.

[Marxpek]

This will be a great way to destroy Lego, i already managed to break a lot with the normal Lego rc module :)

I used to be into RC planes and hovercraft and i still own everything to do this, (futaba 6 channel transmitter/receiver/servos, several lipo's, 2 ESC 30A and 2x 235W brushless motors) 

However i do not want to mix it with Lego, as i do not find it an achievement to do so myself, with the stuff i have i can probably make Lego fly for real... but i work within Lego's limitations and the "normal" Lego speeds already broke enough parts, but since you want i'll share what i recall.

I think for what you want you can buy any transmitter/receiver you would like, just the ESC will be important, if i recall it correctly the ESC for brush-less motors do not work for standard DC-motors (Lego motors) and writing this i realize i can't actually do it with Lego motors myself since i have brush-less ESC's.

So basically you will need a ESC for DC-motors which can handle 20 amps (for 4 buggy motors) which are fairly common in RC hobby, so it would not cost you that much i think, but do check if the ESC has a cut-off system for low voltage if you plan on using lipo's, this will prevent costly battery damage.

You could use any receiver/transmitter set, but i do advice you not to get a cheap transmitter/receiver set, not all sets can be expanded with multiple receivers, and the more channels on it the better (and more expensive of course) 1 good set can last a lifetime and is worth the investment i think, better spend double/triple and enjoy it for the rest of you life then to replace it later on, maybe try to find a used quality set even.

[JJ2]

@msk6003 you can do something like this

    But I bought a 3mm brass tube from my local home depot that fit over the output shaft, got some JB weld, and a lego 12T bouble bevel gear. I first hollowed out the bevel gears axle hole large enough to fit around the 3mm brass tubing then I cut 2 small notches in the tubing like this https://youtu.be/3nEcxWDQrhw except I staggered the notches for extra strength. I then JB welded the 12T gear to the brass tubing and put a toothpick in the tubing to stop the JB weld from seeping through the notches, I let it set overnight then took the toothpick out. After that I got some pliers and put the adapter on the motor and using the pliers crimped the tubing on the flat part on the output shaft, don't be concerned about breaking the shaft, try to squeeze the pliers as hard has you can to get it to fit the flat spot. The first time I did this I did not squeeze it really hard and it just slipped off and stopped working. 

    The way the video does it above make sure to use a piece of thick aluminum or steel now paper, the motor will rip through that like nothing.