Hello everyone, I was given an opportunity to review a unit of Hobbywing XRotor 12A 4IN1 1-4s, a 32bit ARM (48 mHz processor) option in the ESC market.

This unit was provided for a test by our friend Sandra from Banggood, thank you.

• You can get the ESC here
  

This ESC uses custom firmware developed by Hobbywing. According to information provided on manufacturers website, apart from using a 32bit processor, their 4in1 integrated ESCs are featuring most of the standard features we see on ESCs these days:

• Active braking
  
• Motor block protection (more on that later)
  
• Various communication protocols support - Oneshot125, Oneshot42, Multishot
  

It weights 14.26 grams

The unit is also supposed to be “splash proof”, making it safe to use in damp environments. This is unfortunately only mostly true - it is covered with something that looks like some kind of transparent lacquer (called “nano-coating”), while the motor pads as well as exterior pins on mosfets are exposed and not secured in any way - that would require the user to use their own waterproofing.

It comes neatly packed in a box:





Lifting the plastic inside shows some M3 screws, tubular standoffs as well as a folded manual - it is also available as a PDF here:
http://www.hobbywing.com/products/enpdf/...4in1en.pdf 



Nylon hardware set provided in the kit:

• 4 long M3 screws
  
• 4 M3 nuts
  
• 4 8mm tubes (standoffs)
  
• 4 5mm tubes (standoffs)
  

The ESC itself:





Waterproofing:




The build:

I have decided to put this 4in1 ESC on my Airblade Assault 130, using this as an opportunity to clean this build a bit at the same time.

The build would use:

• Airblade Assault 130 frame
  
• Xracer F303 3.0 FC
  
• DYS 1306 4000kv motors
  
• Micro camera
  
• Aomway 200mw vTX
  
• DIY micro linear Vee antenna (to be used first time)
  
• Micro MinimOSD
  

Prop to go: DAL 3045BN
Pack size: 800-850mah 3s



During bench tests, the ESCs proved to spin the motors very smoothly, I have tested the motor blockup protection by stopping the motor with my fingers (as this is a small motor) and it actually continued to try syncing and spin the motor. Looks like it works like any other ESC I've tested.

I actually got it below 200g, 850mah pack included and was REALLY curious how it would fly with about 6:1 thrust-weight ratio.

So… what happened during a pre-maiden check with the props on?


Some marvel comic “KABOOM” anyone? ;-)

Yep. Quad used an underslung lipo and tripped during motor startup. One of the motors got blocked and instantly released the magic smoke, ESC did as well.





Unfortunately, that is all I can tell about this ESC. I want to stress that I am far from judging an entire product line but this single accident - a lot of things could have happened here, I could have left a solder blob somewhere, the motor itself could have been used up and cause a short. It was spinning during bench tests and I have inspected both components and didn’t find a reason for this though.

Best,
Konrad

  Love the mushroom cloud!  

Did you notice that the ESC that you have looks nothing like the one in the pictures on Banggood?

This could explain why the current limiter didn't work - it doesn't have one!

You may be looking at the 20A version

(09-Apr-2017, 06:31 PM)KonradS Wrote: You may be looking at the 20A version

I just followed the link that you posted!

(09-Apr-2017, 06:45 PM)unseen Wrote: I just followed the link that you posted!

Yeah, I know, this is misleading. Hobbywing themself are publishing photos of 20A version to describe 12A one. 

12A:



20A: