If you’re into any combination of being a maker, skateboarder, or electronic speed controller hobbyist, you’re probably aware of Benjamin Vedder’s VESC, an open-source ESC designed for (but not limited to) electric skateboards. There are hisforums, other forums, and various websites dedicated to the culture (e.g. here and here). But if you’re not aware of Benjamin Vedder’s work, you’re about to find out how crucial it is to rideables enthusiasts! Oh yeah and it’s open source!
(BLDC Tool is available for Linux (Ubuntu shown), Mac, and Windows)
Buy Online Now - The best value Dual VESC for premium DIY esk8 High Current 300A. Built-in Anti-Spark Power Switch. CNC Alloy heatsink. Bluetooth Connectivity. Regenerative braking. Sensored & Sensorless Motor Controller. Best Value & Performance. free. software downloads at apps112.com, a software directory that lists thousands of free and trial programs. Download software, read software reviews, buy software and even comment on the listed programs.
A few videos below – or skip straight to Vedder’s blog documentation at this point.
Here’s a long video about all the connections, including demonstrating the nunchuk controller while riding (~6:05):
Vesc Tool For Mac Pro
Vesc Tool For Mac Osx
And an interesting video of riding on a skateboard with relevant data overlay:
Vesc Tool For Macbook Pro
Read more here on VESC, open-source electronic speed controller.
Vesc Tool For Mac High Sierra
[Also thanks Jake for reminding us about this project!]
For something basic like a brushed DC motor, speed control can be quite simple, and powering up the motor is a simple matter of just applying voltage. Brushless motors are much more demanding in their requirements however, and won’t spin unless driven just right. [Electronoobs] has been exploring the design of a brushless speed controller, and just released version 1.0 of his open-source ESC design.
Vesc Tool For Mac Windows 10
The basic design is compact, and very similar to many off-the-shelf brushless ESCs in the low power range. There’s a small PCB packing a bank of MOSFETs to handle switching power to the coils of the motor, and a big capacitor to help deal with current spikes. The hacker staple ATMEGA328 is the microcontroller running the show. It’s a sensorless design, which measures the back EMF of the motor in order to determine when to fire the MOSFETs. This keeps things simple for low-torque, low-power applications.
Vesc Tool For Mac
It’s a tidy build, and the latest revision shows a lot of polish compared to the earlier prototypes. If you’re interested to learn more, try building it yourself, or consider building a thrust testing rig for your bench at home. Video after the break.