KAVAN Smart PRO SBEC ESCs - Instruction manual

Introduction

The KAVAN SMART PRO product line represents advanced AC motor controllers for use exclusively in RC model aircraft. With integrated telemetry and various user configuration options, the controllers offer high efficiency, low weight and precise motor control. The integrated powerful BEC offers a continuous output current of up to 15A and is suitable for even the most demanding applications. Full BEC circuit performance is available at any battery voltage within the controller specification (6-51V).

Features

• Small size combined with high power for motor control.
• High performance BEC switching circuit offers continuous current up to 15A (30A max). Overcurrent and overtemperature protection are included.
• BEC voltage adjustment in 0.1V steps.
• Over-voltage and under-voltage protection, over-temperature protection, protection against sudden motor stop.
• Adjustable current limiter.
• Fast and accurate Heli/governor mode with many adjustment options.
• Safety motor shutdown in case of loss of throttle impulse.
• Configurable acceleration, timing, electromagnetic brake, motor reversal, etc.
• Low acoustic noise due to high frequency switching.
• Automatic telemetry: Fport, configurable via Lua script. Alternative firmware Duplex EX, Hott, MSB, PowerBox P2Bus, S.Bus2, Spektrum SRXL2.
• Telemetry (depending on RC system): voltage, current, power, capacitance, temperature, speed, energy.
• Minimum/maximum telemetry values are recorded.
• Configuration via transmitter, PC software MAV Manager or external terminal (JETIBOX/SMART-BOX).
• Firmware update via USB interface.
• Languages: CZ/DE/EN/FR/IT.

	ESC-65	ESC-85	ESC-115 rev. 2024	ESC-115 ACRO	ESC-145	ESC-145	ESC-155 rev. 2024
Dimensions [mm]	75×29.5×10	75×29.5×12	80×30×13.5	88×32×14	88×32×20	74×53×31	88×32×14
Weight incl. cables	63 g	68 g	81 g	100 g	125 g	190 g	100 g
Continuous current	50A*	60A*	80A*	110A*	110A*	140A*	150A*
Špičkový proud	80A/2s*	100A/2s*	120A/2s*	170A/2s*	170A/2s*	200A/2s	200A/2s*
Peak current	6–51V	6–51V	6–51V	6–51V	6–51V	10–51V	6–27V
LiPo articles	2–12	2–12	2–12	2–12	2–12	4–12	2–6
LiFe articles	3–14	3–14	3–14	3–14	3–14	4–14	3–7
Cables battery/motor	2.5 mm²/ 2.5 mm²	2.5 mm²/ 2.5 mm²	4 mm²/ 2.5 mm²	4 mm²/ 4 mm²	4 mm²/ 4 mm²	6 mm²/ 4 mm²	6 mm²/ 4 mm²
Circuit antispark	No
Recommended connectors	XT60 (60A)	XT60 (60A)	G4 (75A), XT90 (90A)	G5.5, XT90 (90A)	G5.5, XT90 (90A)	G5.5 (150A)	G5.5 (150A)
Temperature range	-10÷110°C
PWM frequency	20kHz
Operating current	60mA
Standby current	4mA
Propeller positioning	No	With additional Hall sensor
Telemetry	Duplex EX, Multiplex MSB, Futaba S.Bus2, Graupner Hott, PowerBox P2Bus, Spektrum SRXL2™
Status LED	Yes
Active brake (freewheeling)	Yes
Trvalý výstupní proud BEC	12A*		15A*
BEC peak current	25A/2s*		30A/2s*
Voltage setting BEC	5.5–8.4V (0.1V steps)
Optical isolation	No
Maximum speed	> 300 000 eRPM (two-pole motor)
Ext. switch voltage	Approximately 10V
Ext. switch current	Max. 30mA

*) These values are valid if sufficient continuous air flow is ensured.

Installation

Secure the controller in your model with Velcro or double-sided tape. Connect the motor and receiver according to the diagram below. You can connect the motor cables in any order, as changing the direction of rotation is done by swapping either of the two cables (or by the "Direction" parameter in the configuration). Switch on the transmitter. Now you can connect the main flight battery and turn on the controller with the receiver connected.

Controller mode

It is possible to select from three basic controller modes:

• Normal - the preset acceleration curve is always used when accelerating. This is the default mode for normal use.
• Fast mode - the selected acceleration time is only applied when spinning from zero speed. Then the minimum possible delay (0.2s for zero to full throttle response) is applied.
• Normal with reversal - behaves similarly to normal mode. In addition, you can select a throttle reversal channel that will control the direction of engine rotation during flight.
• Heli/Governor - fast and precise constant speed control with many adjustable parameters.

Gas input signal

The controller expects positive pulses from the receiver with a maximum refresh rate of up to 400Hz. By default, when the endpoints are set automatically, the controller will work with the vast majority of RC systems.

In this case, a minimum throttle signal pulse is loaded after start-up. The maximum power is then dynamically adjusted when you first give full throttle.

If you need the exact positions of the transmitter lever, where the engine starts and where the throttle is full, you can also configure the use of manually entered endpoints.

Motor settings

Many motor parameters can be configured including acceleration, timing, gear ratio or number of poles. The gear ratio and pole count are important for telemetry and correct display of motor speed.

Acceleration affects the engine's response to the throttle channel. Reducing the acceleration time will speed up the engine response and give the pilot a sense of instant control during aerobatics. However, the engine consumes more power and the controller generates more heat. For most types of models, including electric gliders, layouts, EDFs, etc., we recommend a default acceleration of 1.0s. For 3D aerobatic flight you can go down to 0.5s or even less (with caution). You can also set the controller's "Fast Mode" in the General Settings menu for the fastest possible motor response.

Timing is determined by the type of engine and is usually recommended by the engine manufacturer. Timing also affects power and current consumption. A higher timing value can increase motor performance, but care must be taken to avoid overloading the system.

• Automatic timing: timing is continuously adjusted by an internal algorithm. It is a universal solution compatible with most motor types.
• 0°–10° timing: recommended for inrunners, i.e. motors with internal magnets.
• 15°–20° timing: recommended for most outrunners (motors with rotating casing). It offers a good combination of power and efficiency.
• 25°–30° timing: High torque motors with many poles require the highest timing.

The motor type should only be changed in some specific cases where the application requires it.

There are three options:

• "Standard" motor type - recommended for most types and applications (default).
• "High Torque" - if you have problems with motor synchronization during rapid acceleration, use this mode. Prerequisites: large motor with rotating casing and more than 20 poles, heavy propeller, large current peaks. We also recommend increasing the timing to more than 20°.
• "High speed" - use this mode if your drive unit exceeds 250,000 eRPM (revolutions per minute calculated for a 2-pole motor).

Starting power is affected by the first few revolutions of the engine. If you are not satisfied with the automatic mode, you can set the engine to run more aggressively (positive values) or as smoothly as possible (negative values).

Brake settings

The electromagnetic brake is a standard feature of all controllers used in electric glider models. KAVAN SMART PRO controllers offer several additional parameters for fine tuning the brake function. You can use one of the pre-configured settings or you can freely adjust all brake parameters.

Setting options:

• Off: The propeller rotates freely without braking.
• Medium: transition to full braking force in 0.7s.
• Hard: Transition from 50% to 100% braking force in 0.5s.
• Manual: All brake parameters can be entered manually:

1. Initial force (start of brake) - braking force applied from the moment the brake is applied.
2. End force (end of brake) - the braking force applied after the ramp-up time has elapsed (usually the full braking force that brings the engine to a complete stop).
3. Brake build-up - the time between the start and end of the brake. During this time, the braking force is constantly changing from initial to final power.
4. Waiting time - the time between disconnecting the engine and applying the brake. During this time, the motor rotates freely without power.

Příklad: Brzda motoru s následujícími parametry: Začátek brzdy = 50 %, Konec brzdy = 100 %, Náběh = 0,5s, Doba čekání = 0,3s.

Obvod BEC a jeho nastavení

In the General Settings menu, you can fine-tune the BEC circuit voltage in 0.1V increments. The controller contains a very powerful BEC that is capable of supplying a continuous current of up to 15A. However, if high power is required, sufficient cooling air flow must be provided. It is recommended that both throttle and telemetry cables are connected to the receiver to ensure high current carrying capacity.

Backup batteries

In case you want to use a small backup battery to cover voltage peaks of connected servos, you can specify its presence in the General Settings - Backup Battery menu. After setting the battery type, you must disconnect all power supplies from the controller and then reconnect them. The options are as follows:

• "No" (default) - no backup battery is present and the BEC voltage is set to the value specified in the configuration. No external power must be connected on the receiver side or the BEC will not turn on.
• "2S LiPo 8.4V" - on the receiver side an external power supply with a maximum voltage of 8.4V is assumed (see picture). The controller is not initialized if the voltage of the backup battery is outside the operating limits (or not connected). The BEC voltage is automatically adjusted according to the backup battery voltage, so there is no risk of uncontrolled currents.
• "2S LiFe 7.2V" - external power supply with maximum voltage 7.2V is assumed on the receiver side. The behavior is similar to the 2S LiPo.

External switch

The KAVAN SMART PRO controller allows an external switch to be installed if required. However, the factory switch is not present in the base, so the controller/BEC switches on immediately after the flight battery is connected.

You can specify the type of switching element in the menu General settings - Switch type:

• Mechanical (default) - the switch connects the yellow (signal) and brown (ground) wires of the switch/button cable. Reverse switching logic is used so that the controller will remain on if the switch remains disconnected
• Button/Hall - the first long press turns the controller on; the second long press turns it off. LED indicates on/off status. If a magnet (or button press) is detected, the LED will flash. The Hall sensor can be purchased as an accessory for KAVAN SMART PRO controllers.
• Electronic - this option allows you to connect an external electronic switch (Touch Switch, RC Switch, etc.). In this case, the switching device is always powered and the logic level of the signal wire determines the on/off state of the controller.

Pozicování vrtule

The positioning function allows the engine/propeller to be rotated to the exact position required for a safe landing, or is just convenient for the next flight. With a few external components (Hall sensor and small magnet) you can use this function and avoid the risk of damaging the propeller during landing. The magnet must be properly attached to the rotating part (engine or propeller) and the Hall sensor must be positioned in the fuselage so that the magnet is opposite the Hall sensor at the target position of the propeller. After enabling the positioning function via the controller menu (Propeller Position = "Hall Sensor"), also set the PWM positioning so that the motor spins slowly but smoothly. You can also change the duration of the actively held motor position (Position Hold), which is activated when the correct position is found. The Hold Position feature is useful in a retractable drive because it prevents the propeller from moving spontaneously during retraction.

To enable propeller positioning, connect the Hall sensor to the IN-B port on the controller.

Engine identification

Some brands of motors include an integrated temperature sensor compatible with KAVAN SMART PRO controllers. This sensor (T125-ID) can also be used as a stand-alone telemetry sensor with Duplex/Hott/S.Bus2/Fport telemetry support. In addition, it can be connected directly to the "IN-A" input port on the controller (see picture above). From this point on, the KAVAN SMART PRO controller will know the basic motor parameters (minimum acceleration, recommended timing, gear ratio, number of poles...) and also the current motor temperature. Some parameters will be reset automatically (gear ratio, number of poles), other setting items will be applied once you reset the controller to factory settings. The motor identification sensor is connected to the IN-A port on the controller.

Synchronous switching

"Synchronous switching" or "Active braking" is a function of the speed controller that reduces the heat generated by it during part-load operation. This mode is useful for aerobatic pilots who want not only fast acceleration but also fast deceleration. The engine instantly follows the throttle movement in both directions and the pilot is able to take control perfectly.

Current limiter

The current limiter is part of the safety features of the controller. It does not stop the motor at overcurrent, but constantly monitors the instantaneous current consumption and adjusts the motor output based on it. When this function is enabled, specify the maximum current allowed and the controller will immediately reduce motor power when the current threshold is exceeded. After the current returns to a safe level, motor power is restored.

Battery protection

Integrated battery protection is based on undervoltage detection and motor power reduction or complete shutdown. You can freely set the number of cells (or leave the automatic detection) and the value of the minimum voltage per cell. The supported battery types are NiXX (1.2 V), LiFe (max. 3.6 V) and LiIo/LiPo (max. 4.2 V).

Status codes

Status codes are displayed on the screen (JETIBOX/SMART-BOX) if any error event occurs. If any status code is activated, the red LED flashes continuously.

Available status codes:

• Low Voltage (UL): the battery voltage has fallen below the threshold level specified in the Battery Protection menu and the controller has either reduced the maximum power or shut down the motor completely.
• High voltage (UH): If you are using a soft battery or mains power supply, the voltage may rise above the initial level during braking. In this case, an alarm is triggered and all braking functions are deactivated.
• High current (IH): current is higher than the maximum peak current defined in the product specification (e.g. 120A for KAVAN SMART PRO 80, 200A for KAVAN SMART PRO 130).
• High temperature (T100, T110, T120): the temperature has reached above a safe level. The numeric value indicates the maximum temperature detected and the safety protocol that has been activated.
• Commutation error (COM): A synchronization error was detected while the motor was running. This usually occurs when the motor stops suddenly or in the case of very fast acceleration on some specific power units. This error may indicate a serious problem in the motor-controller installation.

Heli/governor mode

The speed controllers include a fast and accurate speed stabilization function.  You can configure the governor mode in many ways to suit your preferences.

Make sure the propeller blades are removed before activating the constant speed mode. In the General Settings menu, select the controller mode to "Heli/Governor" and follow the options below:

• Set the minimum and maximum speed of the main rotor according to your preference. As soon as you move the throttle beyond the idle position, the engine will slowly spin up until it reaches the target speed. These are calculated by the throttle channel position, where throttle off corresponds to "Minimum RPM" and full throttle corresponds to "Maximum RPM".

• Set the Acceleration Start to make the engine start as smoothly as possible. You can set this time up to 60s. Start-up Acceleration is used when the engine is revved up from zero speed or when the quick autorotation exit function is deactivated.
• Configure the autorotation save time and autorotation acceleration. The autorotation rescue function is used when you need to end autorotation quickly and prevent the model from crashing. In this case, move the throttle out of the idle position, "Autorotation Acceleration" is used to spin the engine until it reaches the desired speed. The "Autorotation Rescue" parameter determines the time after engine shutdown when the autorotation rescue function can be activated. When this time is exceeded, the standard start-up time is used.
• Advanced settings: governor gains - (P)roportional and (I)ntegral. You can adjust these gains to fine-tune the governor's response to rapid load changes during flight maneuvers. Please make the changes only in small increments and verify the resulting behavior in a short test flight.

1. Increase the P gain to eliminate small speed fluctuations during straight flight, e.g. hovering. If you hear unexpected motor/transmission noise (indicating rapid oscillation), reduce P gain by 20%.
2. Increase the I gain to maintain precise speed during manoeuvres. If the engine speed starts to fluctuate noticeably, reduce the I-gain by 20%.

• In Governor mode, fixed throttle channel endpoints are always used (standard 1.1ms - 1.9ms) and active braking is also enabled.

Reversing the direction of rotation

The reverse motor function is available for RC systems with bidirectional bus support (EX Bus, P 2Bus, SRXL2, S.Bus2, Fport). To control the direction of the motor, you must define an additional bus-transmitted channel on the transmitter. Both cables of the KAVAN SMART PRO controller (red and black) must be correctly connected to the receiver.

First, create another channel on the transmitter to control the direction of the motor. This channel should be controlled by a two-position switch.

Futaba/Spectrum:

Use one of the AUX channels and remember the channel number. It is not necessary to limit yourself to only the channels available on your receiver, as RC systems usually send more channels on the bus than the physical number of outputs on the receiver.

Example: if you are using a Spektrum NX6 and a six-channel receiver, you can still use channel 7 (AUX2) to control the reversion function over the SRXL2 bus.

JETI:

Create a new model function in the Model - Function Assignment menu and assign a free two-position switch to it. Then, in the Model - Servo Assignment menu, assign this function to one of the receiver channels (1–16). Again, you can also use channels that are not directly available on the receiver outputs (e.g. 13–16) as they will be transmitted over the EX Bus protocol without restriction.

PowerBox:

Create a new function for the model in the Function menu by pressing the "+" button and assign a two-position control switch to it. Select one of the available output channels (1–16). The position of the switch will be transmitted via the P2Bus to the speed controller.

To activate the motor reverse function in the controller, set "Controller mode" to "Normal/Reverse" and set the reversing channel from the previous step. You can also fine tune the brake settings and the waiting time before reversing when using the "Manual" brake type.