How to pick up a vesc controller to mold scooter?

We often get customer asking our recommendations for picking up controller and other parts to upgrade their scooter. Usually they don’t want to change the stock motor and battery pack, base on such status , here is the quick guide for picking up a proper vesc controller and other necessary parts.

Here is content :

• Know your motor in advance
• Know your battery pack spec in advance
• Ubox options for you
• Normal motor setup for your target 
• Simple introduction for your needs on other parts
•  How to use vesc? referential tutorial guide video on mold scooter

1. Know Your Motor In Advance

1.1 Firstly , if you want to look for a controller for your motor, let’s have a simple understanding of VESC controller. Vesc is an open source controller, all our ubox are designed based on vesc. The most advantage is that it ‘s compatible with most of the motors in market. Only make sure your motor is with : 3 phase cables(must), and with or without 1 hall sensor cable. In the following up contents will introduce how to set sensorless mode if your motor don’t have this hall sensor cable.   If your motor is abnormal shape or not only 3phase cables , that might possibly not work with our ubox controller. It’s better to let us check your motor picture firstly.

1.2 Is your scooter single motor working mode? Or two motors working mode?

This decides to choose controller q’ty accordingly. Because one motor must be paired with one esc, the esc is like the motor’s brain. Therefore, If only one motor, then only need to pick up one ESC or single ubox controller. If your stock scooter have 2 motors, then need to pick up 2 single ESCs or one dual ubox controller. The dual ubox controller is actually two single ESCs, but internally connected by can bus circuit to make it looks like one finished good.

1.3 Most important part is: we need to know your motor max power(watts), rated power(watts), and max voltage and rated voltage, or max current information. it would be efficient to choose the correct motor controller that’s fully meet your motor’s power needs.

Till now, we have a general idea on how much current ESC you need, but nextly the battery spec will decide to pick up which esc for your motor.   

2.Know your battery pack spec in advance

2.1 Battery pack also has many specs, but the most important factor is the max voltage, the full charged voltage. It decides to choose the vesc or ubox controller in this step finally.

   For example, if your battery pack is 18s, full charged voltage is 75.6v, then only 85v or 100v Ubox is workable for it. 75v VESC is too risky for it, because the battery spike voltage may shot the vesc MOSFETS. 

   If your battery pack is 12S, fully charged is 50.4V, then 75v /85v /100v ubox both work for it. Take our single ubox alum 85v 150A controller for example: it means its max working voltage is 85v , the battery voltage under 85v are workable for it, but at least 12v.

2.2 If you want higher current controller, make sure your battery pack discharge current is also higher. But mostly it’s lower than vesc motor current . Because The current of VESC is anchored above the operating current of the motor, and the power supply current of the battery will not exceed the operating current of the motor. Generally, the current of the battery will be much smaller than that of the motor, especially when the motor speed is relatively low.  But if your motor is running at high speeds and under high loads, the battery current may approach the motor current. At this time, your battery current may go close to your motor current.

Take UBox alum 85v 150A controller for example:The max voltage is : 85v , and the max motor current and battery current both are 150A.

In a summary , the key factors to pick up correct controller for your stock motor is: How much max current ? and how much max voltage? You want single or dual controller?

Until now, you will have a gerernal idea on choose the target spec controller, following is a simple introduction of the UBOX 

3. Introduction on  Ubox Options for you

Lower power rate options

Single ubox series:

• Single ubox 100v 100A controller (FR4 PCB) ---- benefits: with 12v power port and fan port
• Single ubox alum lite 100v 100A controller (Alum PCB) --- benefits : super compact, but no 12v power port

High power level (All Alum PCB)

•  Single ubox alum 85V 250A controller   ----- Higher power for racing
• Single ubox alum 85v 150A controller     ------Most popular one for daily commute

Dual Ubox series

• Dual ubox v2 J 75V 100Ax2 controller (FR4 PCB) ---- Benefits: integrates internal can bus switch/ receiver/ 12v ports（3groups), and it use JM mosfets(P/N: JMSH1001ATL )
• Dual ubox v2 Purple 100Ax2 controller (FR4 PCB) --- Benefits: same as above, it use Onsemi 75v mosfets(P/N:FDBL0150N80), the best performance mosfets feedback in market for 75v spec.
• Dual Ubox alum lite 100v 100Ax2 controller (Alum PCB) ----Benefits: Super compact size and lower price but not low quality. No 12v power as sacrifice to get samller size. It's desgined to replace old ubox v2 100V 100Ax2 controller.

4. Normal motor setup for your target 
    Before picking up a proper VESC ubox controller for your scooter, you may have questions on how much speed that you can expect for new controller. The speed is decided by many factors, for example your motor power, esc power, your wheel size, loading, and road status, and configuration options ect. Here is collected data for your reference , you may have a general target on it .

Mark:  if you’re not sure how much max watts of your motor, the vesc can detect it out in vesc tool for your reference.But please make sure you’re choosing correct information for motor detection, or the result is too far away from the fact.

For example : If your motor is hubmotor. Should choose big hubmotor size.