@jato - Being an Engineer and Linux System admin, I totally agree with you!!
I've played with quite a few of the AM32 ESC's as of late. While not Micro, RhinoESC has one of the best 2 on the market that I've found for the price, a 40a and 80a. The 40a does not have a BEC, which basically throws it out the window since adding a BEC to almost what I would consider a mid sized ESC makes it really lack. The 80a is absolutely small compared to other ESC's of that amperage range. Making it idea for a 1/10 crawler. The ESC config software for Rhino's and AM32's have made huge leaps in making these much more user friendly.
With that said, I've been experimenting with the DYS Aria 40a, coupled with a Castle Creations 10a BEC. This little combo is really hard to beat for 1/10 if size and weight is an absolute consideration. I'm really tempted to start pre-packaging and selling a DYS/Castle BEC combo. Sadly, the way I want to do it limits making the Castle BEC adjustable in an easy manner. But for size and weight, nothing will touch it.
A very brief walkthrough of the AM32 ESC Config Tool and Settings:
High Energy Failures on Youtube, goes over a few of the AM32 topics really well, I suggest giving their videos a look over.
https://www.youtube.com/@highenergyfailures/videos
I've tried to reduce some of the tech jargon on many of the line items here, the above videos talk about some of them in much greater detail.
Setting Check Boxes:
Reverse Rotation: This switches terminal 1/A or 3/C with each other basically. Meaning once the ESC and motor are installed together, if pressing forward on your remote sends you into reverse, check this box to revese the ESC's motor control).
(advise setting this as needed, super handy if you don't want to re-solder leads, connectors etc for the motor).
Complementary PWM: If this is off, the motor is able to Freewheel. Setting this on, the motor will actively brake when the throttle is decreased, in accordance to the level set in the Running Brake Level slider/box.
(advise to set this to on, which allows gradual reduction in motor speed instead of freewheeling).
Variable PWM: This allows the ESC to adjust the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) of the drive signal sent to the motor automatically.
(advise to set this to on).
Bi-Directional: Forward and Reverse, instead of Forward only as a drone would use.
(advise to set this to on, since you'll likely want Reverse).
Stuck Rotor Protection: Will cut power to the motor if the ESC senses the motor is stalled physically, within preset values contained with the ESC. Generally under 10% throttle.
(advise leaving this off, as it may accidentally trigger during low throttle).
Brake On Stop: Work like Hill Hold in a modern vehicle. Applies a percentage of power to the motor, controlled by setting slider/box: Stopped Brake Level.
(advise setting this to on, because who doesn't want Hill Hold).
Stall Protection: Keeps the motor moving in the event of an increase in load @ steady ESC input vs motor RPM.
(advise keeping this on as we're crawling and will see increased load that could be seen as a stall and the ESC will work to maintain RPM).
Sinusoidal Startup: This setting basically forces the ESC and motor to work at lower speeds, where the Back EMF of the motor is likely unable to be read and used.
(advise this being set to on as well).
30 ms Telemetry: Enables a Telemetry output on the serial line every 30ms.
(advise setting this only if your setup can handle it).
Use Hall Sensor: This setting is deprecated, do not use. Additional hardware is needed that (at the time of this writing, all AM32 ESC's do not have).
(This would make the ESC function as a traditional Brushless Sensored ESC).
Silder settings:
Timing Advance: Works just like in a combustion engine. The advance of timing allows the ESC to set the trigger of the next pulse to rotate the motor when it comes into alignment of the magnetic pole.
(suggest leaving this at 15* unless you're really getting into the nitty gritty of tuning for a specific motor and setup and trying to control temperature of the motor - certain motors are better than others with this).
Motor KV: Self explanatory. You want this to match your motor KV size as much as possible. This will bias the AM32 firm/software to bias Maximum Accerlation, Ramp up Power, Low RPM throttle protection (like BL_Heli), which AM32 rolls into one setting.
(advice to set this to match your motor as closely as possbible, setting it lower than the KV of your motor reduces limits and may actually give your curent motor more "punch").
Motor Poles: The ESC needs to know how many poles (magnets) the motor has. RPM calculations within the ESC need to know this. Sine mode relies on this as it's a Brute Force method from the ESC to maintain a targeted RPM regardless of load or motor back EMF.
(advise setting this to match the number of magnets in your motor).
Startup Power: Sets a floor of the Lowest value that will move the motor if stopped, plus a small boost.
(advise leaving this at 100, unless you have a magnetically strong motor that needs a higher level to get the motor spinning and have smooth throttle response).
PWM Frequency: Is exactly as states, it's the frequency in khz of which switching of the Pulse Width Modulation will start. There is mostly no need to adjust this frequency.
(advise leaving this at 24, and using Variable PWM which assists in lower the chance of motor cogging, unless having weird motor issues then try 48 or higher).
Beep Volume: Self explanatory. The ESC sends a pulse to the motor to make it sound like a beep or chime during power up, cell confirmation, and programming mode functions.
(advise to leave this at the stock setting of 5, unless you have hearing issues or commonly operate your crawler in high noise environments).
Stopped Brake Level: This is only live if the "Brake on Stop" box is checked. The level of force (drag brake style) is adjustable from 0-10. 0 = 10% which will feel almost like freewheeling, 10 is Maximum force of the ESC, tying output mosfets together to "short" the motor and apply the electricity generated by the spinning motor against itself basically.
(advise setting this to your level of need, and trying to keep this as low as needed to reduce jerkiness of the throttle).
Sine Startup Range: The number value here is % of throttle input that the ESC will provide sine mode output to the motor.
(advice this setting to be what you need, while keeping an eye on ESC and Motor temp as this is hard on both).
Sine Mode Power: This is the max amount of power a motor will receive from the ESC in Sine Mode. Again this is a brute force mode which could cause ESC or Motor failure.
(advise setting this reasonably to what you need not what you want).
Running Brake Level: This only works with Complementary PWM enabled, and if enabled this applies a percentage of power from the ESC to actively apply braking effort to the motor.
(advise setting this as needed, personally I keep this low to reduce sudden hard stops while manipulating throttle in tough spots).
