We're using AC BL, what about DC BL?

[sleebus.jones]

Yup, caps are needed with the locked rotor surges. Funny you guys are talking VFDs. I'm working on an estimate that has several very long conveyors and we just convinced our client they need to go VFD because they are cheap nowadays. :)

I do agree that VFDs for BL would be the ultimate. Much much better than the ESCs used now. Maybe someday....

[BrianG]

Well, all the VFD I've seen have a sine-wave AC output of varying frequency, which is much more complex to do in such a small package as the ESCs we use.

IMO, ESCs are just too physically small for the currents we use to be able to design a true VFD, not to mention the inefficiency of creating the modified sine wave output. I think the best we are going to be able to get for a while is a "VDCFSWD" (Variable Duty Cycle and Frequency Square Wave Drive).

[zeropointbug]

Well, I am not sure on that one... I know all the newest 'traction drive inverters' for electric vehicles are at least 97-98% efficient... but, like you said, these are larger and are much easier to design, and not so limited. There MIGHT just be limitations when we go something smaller like ours esc we use.