hey guys i have been a lot busy these days making my mega hobbycity order list for my major 4 projects for this year (academic year) and i bought three extra large toolboxes inspired by ashish bhaiya and have started sorting my electronics i will make a new thread for all that going on here so the problem i have at hand right now is

while sorting my speed controllers (i have like 15 - 20 of those) i mixed up 4 tower pro 40 amp esc's out of which one was burnt by me a few years back now they are all mixed up and i have not marked the burnt esc

so my question is if i can test an esc with a multimeter or anythuing else to check if it is burnt or not as i don't want to risk my other electronics by powering it up ( dont know why just get a feeling that it might be a bad idea )

any help would be apprecated

subbu

ps

link to the esc here

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9299&Product_Name=TowerPro_H40A_Brushless_Speed_Controller_

Depends how bad was that burnt. The smell of fired Silicon (Transistors/FETs) and Electrolyte (in Capacitors) is quite distinct and offending and you can compare the smell with working ESC. most of the time only FETs/Capacitors gets fried due to overload and if you have not left the ESC in open for long, this simple step should help.
So clear your nice and try sniffing near the Heat shrink. Also look for some unusual Blimps/Dents. You can also try to compare the resistance of the three wires which goes to the motor.

hi subbu i would do by this method if i want to check esc!
Connect the battery to ESC and check whether u are getting 5V across black to Red (wire which goes to Rx)! and also check between black to signal wire(may be white or light brown) and Red to signal wire!if u r getting 5v or any voltage don't connect to Rx, after confirming that u r not getting any voltage in signal wire now u can connect to Rx
After this connect Two automotive lamps of 10w(available in automotive shop for lighting instrument panels ) across three wires, middle  wire as common !!
After this gradually increase the throttle on Tx  if u see bulbs glowing up slowly than cut the throttle dont give full throttle ! if this works out than u r ESC is fine! better to lose Rs 20 than big costly motors!

Again this is only a suggestion.

HAI PIKLE..dont waste your money...you can simply accomplish this by using a CD 4060 ic, or 555, with BUZ or IRFZ mosfet, and will pumps up to 70 amps without making any adverse effect.you can simply brake or reverse with these circuits...try it because it costs only within 50 rupees in india..then buy professional...COOLL.....

Simple solution, FUSE.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think just add a fuse wire with ESC power line in series (and in three motor line if brush-less) & use. The burnt out ESC will not work. The fuse saves all.

Of course use 2A (little higher than no load current) FAST ACTING FUSE

Just mark the faulty one so that it won't mix next time.

Thanks

By doing it (adding fuses to the 3 wires to motor) we are putting our motor in danger,because 3phase motors don't like single phase or 2phase supply;which may be the case in case of a burnt ESC ;it may overheat the motor and fry one or two phases of motor winding. it is called single phasing of 3 phase motor.

pankaj