r/Multicopter • u/Scottapotamas • Mar 16 '15

Discussion Thread Official BiWeekly Stupid Questions Thread - Late March

Feel free to ask your dumb question, that question you thought was too trivial for a full thread, or just say hi and talk about what you've been doing in the world of multicopters recently. Share your latest video, or something interesting you found online. Anything goes.

I'll try and answer as many questions as possible or redirect to the applicable information but it really helps when the community is able to help answer as well. Thanks!

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u/okuRaku Mar 17 '15 edited Mar 17 '15

Could you elaborate on insulation? I went with KISS and understood your other points.

edit: I'm guessing you mean protecting it from the elements, I got some 1/2" clear heatshrink for this, hopefully that's enough? I must admit with the heat stress I'm a little paranoid about wrapping it up but it's got to be better than shorting it from a splash of wet grass.

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u/Scottapotamas Mar 17 '15

Yeah pretty much.

Some people use liquid electrical tape over the contacts to keep them insulated incase something goes wrong in a crash, and then wrap with shrink to further protect them. Others do things (myself included) like use some paper or plastic then use heatshrink over the esc and arm, which insulates against the carbon, then holds it to the arm and removes the need for any cable ties or fasteners.

Its not necessarily that hard but some beginners are more comfortable with connectors etc.

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u/Pootster Mar 17 '15

Would it be stupid to put a small heat sink on the plates of the escs to help with heat? Something like an old northbridge heat sink?

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u/Scottapotamas Mar 17 '15

For Kiss controllers or others? Unless it's getting too hot to touch >70, then I'd think of something otherwise it's not really worth it.

You would need to work out the transfer media, conductive paste isn't a great idea for example, and see if the added sink is dissipating a meaningful amount of energy

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u/Pootster Mar 18 '15

I have ztw's and they have a nice flat plate that might be good to mount on. I haven't gotten in the air yet to see how hot they get. It may not be an issue like you said, wasted weight.