Hi, I have built a radio controlled 3 1/2" gauge model locomotive which uses VESC technology for traction drive and electrical generation.
The chassis is a model of a UK Class 93 diesel electric tri mode locomotive, the real thing is capable of operation from diesel, overhead HV cable and from its internal rechargeable battery, its a hybrid. My model chassis differs only in that it cannot practically operate from a HV overhead line via a pantograph.
It uses two Flipsky 7070 110kV motors, one in each loco truck/ bogie and a Flipsky 6368 140kV motor which works as a starter motor for the generator and the generator to maintain the operation of the loco electric traction and to recharge the on board Lithium battery which allows the traction systems to ride through high torque actions such as startup and navigating hills.
The loco uses three 75100 VESCs, one for each motor, the traction motors are sensored for smooth low speed operation and CANbus links the two so that they do the same thing. The third VESC runs the stater/generator motor. The motor is attached to a 20cc 2 stroke petrol engine prime mover.
Configuration of the VESCs in each role wasn't without its challenges, but I found the VESC wizard very intuitive and a little help with getting the CANbus to work was needed to spot that one motor was trying to respond to the RC PPM signal and the CANbus, a tick in a box finally had the traction system behaving. I have set the loco traction controls to work on a current dem,and at this time, further running made inform this as the right decision or not!
The generator function was set up through the VESC App as a motor such that the 'start command' spins the IC engine in the correct direction, then once started 'mid stick' results in no generation and the engine is able to spin the motor with the engine at at idle, then 'opposite' command progressively brings in more regeneration, which has to be balanced with an increase in throttle to the IC engine. I set up max regen currents and voltage limits in the VESC to keep the Lithium buffer battery in its charge limits.
Limited testing showed that the system is surprisingly stable and generator is quite effective managing sufficient to drive the loco and charge the battery. I am able to read the traction battery voltage back at the transmitter providing additional feedback to the operator.
Despite being quite intimidating at first I found the VESC configuration via the wizard quite straight forward with only the more advanced features requiring more research to resolve, I am very pleased that i chose the VESC over a more simple plug and play ESC which for me, as a bit of a technophobe, would have been the more obvious choice.