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I have spent a large amount of time over the past couple weeks analyzing the ESC's that have been returned, and tried to piece together what might be causing these failures. What I have determined is that the failures are being caused by the end user overloading the BEC circuit with high power digital servos. In most of the cases, the end user is not aware that they are doing anything wrong, but that does not stop the fact that the BEC is being overloaded.
Over the past several months, people have found out about the performance increases that can be gained by switching to Digital Servos. These servos provide faster response, better centering, and more responsive control, but all that comes at a price.
The older analog servos would gradually increase their current draw as a control was either moved or drifted off center. Small current inputs would correct any off center conditions, and everything was fine. The newer digital servos provide full operating current as soon as the servo moves off center and corrects the surface more accurately and much quicker. Unfortunately, these new servos can pull as much as 2 amps of current every time the move at all, and this creates an extreme load on the BEC circuit. If you multiply this by 4 servos, then you end up with current surges in the 8 amp range and this will quickly toast the BEC circuit.