Castle switching regulators....questions/opinions?

[Bartman]

I just pulled two Castle 10A regulators out of the mailbox and I'm going to use them for a build I'm doing. The input voltage range is max 6S in but does it make it more likely that they'll fail sooner if I run them at max power in?

Two can be put in parallel to add a little safety net to things but do the odds of failure go up as the input voltage approaches max?

I've always tried to avoid voltage regulators but since changing over to 6S packs (and non-BEC ESC's) I don't really have a choice other than to maybe put a 4.8 Nimh pack under the hood for the receiver.

Thanks,
Bart

 

[yeehaanow]

I have had some die a few years ago (always when powering them, never mid-flight), but they have been redesigned since then, and on a multi for powering the board, the amp load is very low so I have a lot of trust in them.
I think it's the power out that counts the most, but I am not an electronics engineer by any means.

 

[Bartman]

THanks Tim. I don't think I'm going to put 22.2 volts through them so one should be safe reducing 11.1 to 7.5.

Bart

 

[STI-REX]

I have one of the blue castle 10A ones running off the power dist board on the discovery and it runs my Immersion vtx just fine

And voltage out being adjustable with the castle link is too easy

 

[kloner]

there pretty solid and take 6s all day long. there dirty though and will raise the noise floor. They all do but at 10 amp is a big sbec....... the 25 amp pro are even dirtier. i've never lost any and have had 10-15 over the last 5 years.

 

[BorisS]

yeah same here I trust them never had any issue mainly runnin them with 6s input. Good to know though that they are dirty never used them to power any VTX stuff and now i wont.

Boris

 

[redridinghood]

I use some CC bec's in my builds too, lately I prefer to use Jeti gear since the build quality is much better and the max voltage is 42V. As for the noise from CC bec's this little addon helps alot.

http://www.hacker-motor-shop.com/e-...=&a=article&ProdNr=22985468&t=880&c=884&p=884

https://www.electricwingman.com/jeti-sbec-12a-regulator.aspx

 

[Danub]

I have used the blue 10 amp CC bec for about 3 years. . . I have had one failure, it was due to an offsite landing (fpv) and was sitting int the 90deg sun powered for about 45 min. . . But I now no longer use them due do increased noise floor and cost!
I currently use this BEC for 4s power setups and the power is so clean I can power a lawmate vtx without any additional filtering. Last but not least they cost about $5
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=33297
It has a jumper to select 5v or 6v output.
I got some spares at home so if you need one asap I can toss one in the mail.

 

[kloner]

to power video equipment hands down this is the one to use.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251066005460?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649


but they work best with one of these, actualy any bec benefits

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__26246__L_C_Power_Filter_for_FPV_A_V_Systems.html

pimpin aint easy