This is a stand-alone BEC. It's rated at 14A and because the actual output depends on the input voltage (and temperature), heads up before deciding to get it because maybe you get 14-15A, maybe you don't - depends on what you feed it).
Our best advice is read the specs and make sure it'll do what you want because after you buy it, you're going to Castle for help, not us!
ProTip: there are two major differences between a battery and a BEC for powering the control subsystem of your model. 1st, a battery will for *sure* deliver 20-30A of power, while a BEC may deliver 14A of power, but it may not - depends. Depends on what? Input voltage level and temperature!
That, and 2nd, the BEC delivers digital juice instead of analog. Don't know the difference? Keep reading because servos don't really care if you feed them digital or analog juice - but - there's a greater risk to the delicate control electronics of your receiver with digital juice due to noise, ripple, and other yukky stuff.
Anyway, this BEC is available in 2 versions, one is WP (for waterproof, plus it's a bit heavier if that matters). There's a mere $10 difference between them - but otherwise they're both pretty much the same-same kind of gadget. Use the pull-down menu to select.
How do they work?
They work by stealing capacity from the propulsion battery, then after digitally altering the voltage making it suitable for the control subsystem requirements, delivering the now digital juice to the receiver (for it to use for the servos). Means if the control electronics needs 400mA to operate, it's not free, it came from the propulsion pack's capacity.
Major point being, your propulsion sub-system's pack-capacity is reduced by enough to run the control sub-system. After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch! So the convenience of not charging a dedicated pack come at the expense of run-time (or flight-time). You wouldn't believe how many idiots think it's free!
Moreover, because the receiver buffers the servo (this means the receiver protects the servo because it sits between the BEC and the servos), then the servos don't actually care if the source is a battery, or a BEC (but only true as long as there's enough current). More later.
Look, we don't make BECs, and the only reason we care enough to explain all this is because BECs may not supply enough juice to run the servos, which because shit rolls downhill, always comes back on us! So all we want is for you to understand the pros and cons because it's not our job to sell you a BEC because we're in the servo business. Do you understand the difference? We offer you a BEC as a convenience and *not* because we think its a good idea.
FAQ (frequently asked questions)
Q. Why use this thing if my ESC has a built in BEC? Especially if it's from the same manufacturer?
A. Simple, because if the ESC takes a crap, in our experience, it's likely 'also' fries the BEC. This a) puts your expensive receiver at risk, and b) means your next move involves visiting a crash site instead of nailing a dead-stick landing. True, unless you have a truck instead of a model airplane or helicopter because then your principal risk only involves frying your control electronics subsystem since a truck will just come to a stop on the ground whilst a model airplane is maybe 100 feet high before reaching ground level.
That, and ESCs get hot (the reason some have fans and otherwise suggest mounting so as to get a cooling airflow). Major point being, when the ESC is hot, the built-in BEC also gets hot. Remember an earlier mention of the spec sheet? Look for the tiny asterisk informing you performance decreases as temperature goes up. This means less current. Enough to affect performance? Yes, of course!
- Castle's Footnotes:
1. Ratings are determined with a 5mph airflow at 25° C (77° F). Ratings
for CC BEC 2.0 are dependent on both input and output voltage as
follows:
Q. So is separating ESC and BEC about better performance (lower temperature), right?
A. Yes, but a standalone BEC (or dedicated control electronics battery) is also about what happens 'after' the ESC goes teats up and wipes out a built-in BEC. Our thinking is with either a battery or standalone BEC, you're better off attempting a dead stick landing than being a spectator to a crash, agreed?
Q. I'm reading all this and get the impression you guys don't like BECs.
A. That's true. We prefer a dedicated battery because it guarantees enough current. That, and the clean analog power from a battery is easier on control equipment (receivers) than digital juice which is electrically noisy and dirty. Look, there's a reason batteries are the gold standard.
So some are willing to pay the price of noise for the convenience of not charging a receiver pack. We get 'easy' but we just want you to have all the facts before deciding.
Oh, and please note; this isn't about our selling you a battery. Instead, what we're saying is . . . this is 100% true about everybody's batteries! Any battery on this planet is better than any electronic source. Period.
Our only real dog in this hunt is ensuring our servo gets enough current to deliver what we say it will. With a BEC, we don't know this is true. So in a way, we're just covering our ass by recommending a dedicated battery pack.
Bottom line?
Ultimately, if you prefer to use the built-in BEC, it's not our lookout. And no, it's not like we don't care 'but' our +50 years of experience leads us to share our thoughts regarding best practice because we never know the experience level of you, our customer . . . but ultimately, you're a big boy, so do as you please, capisce? That *we* think you're better off with a standalone BEC than a built-in BEC doesn't matter. And yes, we also happen to believe you're better off with a battery than any electronic alternative. But it's still *your* decision.
Anyway, a nice feature of this BEC versus the import alternatives, is it gives you two power connections to the receiver (just like our dual-connection battery packs). And just like our dedicated packs, each connector is rated at 3.5A continuous and 5A intermittent. Means it's 'possible' to get 7A continuous without heat. Whether the BEC will actually give this is a matter of reading the specs regarding input voltage and temperature. Heads up because for sure, a battery *will* give you more than the control electronics will need for operation. That, and it'll be clean analog juice instead of digital.
Honestly? This is the best standalone BEC on the market - else we wouldn't sell it. But if you ask our 'opinion' then we're going to advise you to use a dedicated battery pack, instead. Why? In part, it's to do with how synthetic juice looks on an oscilloscope. This is a technical, down in the weeds, kind of thing.
Some care, some don't, we're just letting you know. Click this link to learn a little bit more about the subject.
The case against synthetic voltage
So why do we offer this standalone BEC if we don't like using them? Simple, because we're here to serve you (whether we like what you're doing, or not). Our thinking is, if you're going ahead regardless of our opinion, then better we offer you a good quality American made alternative than leave you like a babe in the wood opting for a maybe less costly import, but one for which you probably don't even get a spec sheet, agreed?