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View Full Version : ***Quark 33A Pro-Car ESC Review***



AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 05:40 AM
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before I start this review, I would like to thank Troy over at www.b-p-p.com. He has replied to dozens of my e-mails gladly and I've talked to him over the phone. He is happy to answer my questions and always has a positive, and super nice attitude. He even soldered my gold/deans plugs on the esc for free without me asking. Now that's customer service.

Alright, time for the review. After installed the esc on my KMI, I went ahead and read the manual. Adjusting settings is super easy.

Basically, there are 3 different modes you can go into. One is the adjust the amount of throttle you want along with where you want neutral to be on your transmitter. The other one is basic adjustments which include amount of drag brake, battery type, braking power, cut-off voltage, a variety of reverse settings, and more. The third mod is the advanced adjustments. This is where the Quark 33A gets impressive. It has settings such as turning off/on drag brake, "race" or normal mode, many different torque settings, noise removal(interference,) the amount of time you want to wait before going into reverse, and much much more.

Adjusting the settings is very simple. I used to have a Mamba and without the USB Link that is a PAIN in the you know what to program. With the Quark, you choose one of the three modes. Then by pulling the trigger different combinations of LED's show on the ESC. For example, if you want hard braking power, then you pull the trigger until green/red shows(not correct). If you want normal braking power, pull the trigger until only red shows(not true). Once you have your setting, you simply push the set-up button and it automatically moves onto the next setting. I programed my ESC to my specifications in under 10 minutes.

Now to the actual testing. I am using this ESC with a Wraith 7k motor in my KMI. The first thing I immediately noticed as soon as I went on my driveway was how smooth the throttle was. Even though it had tons of power, it felt very controllable. It even felt smoother than some brushed setups I have previously had. This gives the ability to have lots and lots of power but to use the power efficiently. What's good about being fast if your not in control?

This smoothness can be seen especially in the corners. With other brushless systems I have tried, *cough*mamba*cough* :p, you had to be extremly gentle with the throttle in the turns because it will immediately break the tires traction. With the Quark, I can give a considerable amount of throttle smoothly in the turn and the tires just grip and pull the car out of the turn. Racing and bashers alike will love this.

In conclusion, IMO the Quark ESC is one of the most advanced and easy to use LED ESC's out there. If you look away from the Quark because of no USB link, don't even think about that. The design they use is very simple and easy to use. It ran around 130-135 degrees which is great considering I was running a 3-cell Lipo. What's amazing is the Quark can handle a 4-cell lipo too, and the most advanced brushless motors out there. I think the Quark will save you money in the long run because as technology keeps improving, the Quark 33A will be able to keep up with technology.

-Armand

AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 05:43 AM
Here are some pics!

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/9073/img49604fa.jpg

AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 05:44 AM
http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/7831/img49646ij.jpg

AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 05:46 AM
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4109/img49531gx.jpg

gorbasho
06-20-2006, 05:46 AM
so would you recommend this over a mamba with a usb link? I am debating over these two.

AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 05:47 AM
Definitely....

habitforming
06-20-2006, 02:34 PM
What do you mean when you say "not correct" and "not true" in regards to the LEDs when programming brake?

I just got my Quark in the mail yesterday, still looking for time to install it. Now I really can't wait!.

On a side note, where did the upper CF brace come from?

AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 05:55 PM
When I say not true I mean that those are not the correct LED combinations for that setting.

All the braces you see are custom.

Migs
06-20-2006, 06:18 PM
All the braces you see are custom.

Do you happen to have any extra top plates in CF that you would consider selling...? I'm talking about the one in your pic that goes from the front to the rear bulkheads. If so, let me know as I would like to purchase one.

I happened to have read your review on the Wraith motor in another forum and sent you an email through your user profile on that side. Feel free to email me back or reply here.

By the way... I couldn't agree with you more about all your comments regarding the Wraith, Quark, and Troy at BPP. All very outstanding performers...!!!

bbking9
06-20-2006, 07:36 PM
Great review AK and yes Troy is great.

Have had my eye on the Quark - since I use a MAC - the Mamab link does me no good. Im using Tekin Mini Rage ESC right now and love it.

Also saw the JWerks system -
http://www.allspeedhobbies.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=47&products_id=4188&osCsid=185e8aa779155534b94a5ece4760ed68

Looks like a Quark ESC to me - just repackaged. I asked them - they said no - not sure though - how many ESC look like that?

Again great review.

habitforming
06-20-2006, 07:47 PM
When I say not true I mean that those are not the correct LED combinations for that setting.

All the braces you see are custom.

So how do we know what the correct LED's are?

AkRacingProducts
06-20-2006, 08:14 PM
It will say in the manual, I just didn't feel like walking downstairs to get it. :P

ChrisOFNA
06-20-2006, 11:31 PM
Yeah, the manual says everything needed to set it up.

Oh, and as a hint to anyone who gets the quark/hacker combo ( http://www.hackerbrushless.com/motors_e30.shtml ) but want to use the stock Tx... Make sure you flip the throttle reverse switch on the Tx, so you wont get frustrated like me...

I love this ESC, definitely is easy when you get ahold of it. I'm not brave enough yet to go to the professional settings though...

habitforming
06-20-2006, 11:43 PM
It will say in the manual, I just didn't feel like walking downstairs to get it. :P


ahhh! haha, now I understand. in your post you were just giving an example... i thought you were saying the instructions are wrong!

OvaYaHead
06-23-2006, 06:54 PM
chris the professional settings is nothing to be affraid of. Just like you said, follow the manual. The only one to be really concerned about is the first option for "out drive or inner drive motor".

ChrisOFNA
06-23-2006, 07:40 PM
I'd put it in inner drive right?

OvaYaHead
06-24-2006, 05:12 PM
it depends on what motor your using. An inner drive motor has a spinning center shaft. In the out drive the center is stationary.

habitforming
06-24-2006, 08:36 PM
it depends on what motor your using. An inner drive motor has a spinning center shaft. In the out drive the center is stationary.

for any motor you *should* be using on the truck, you would set it for inrunner (the default). The mambas, aon, hyperion, and wraith are all inrunner motors.

typically the only outrunner motors you see are lower KV prop specific motors, that are shorter than their diameter. i'm sure not all outrunner motors are like that, but that should give you some idea.

OvaYaHead
06-24-2006, 11:16 PM
an example of an outrunner is the Align 430L

BitHed
07-03-2006, 03:56 AM
...Nice work fellas...A really good thread for al involved...I stickied it :D

Mut1ey
07-31-2006, 12:40 PM
an example of an outrunner is the Align 430L


Align 430L is an in-runner from the descriptions above? I have one and I think the centre shaft spins - or it did last time I looked. :p

Turps
02-27-2007, 10:52 PM
Trying to program my ESC. I have the motor going forwards and stop. But dont seem to be able to get Rev (edit- its alright I worked it out. I had full brake then rev). I am also not sure which colour wire from the ESC goes on which wire on the motor.
If it makes anydifference , but to get it to work I had to rev the throttle on the TX.
I am using the std TX and a Futaba Rx.

Turps
02-28-2007, 09:38 AM
OK I think I worked this out now. Bugger me is it fast. Running 9.6v Nimh (8cell). So after the long wait. I think I am happy. Except I killed the spur gear, so it was replaced with a 3R spur gear. Killed the first one of those too.
So on the 3rd spur gear in 3hours. Might need to find something better for the job.
But power, powering thru a gutter it holds the front wheels off the ground for a good 2-3m.
This is with a wraith 7k.

Q8y_drifter
02-28-2007, 04:17 PM
i too have the Wraith/Quark combo. running with 8-cell IB1200, 12T pinion and 30T 3R blue spur gear. i fried the 30T and 31T spurs in 3 battery packs. this thing is FAST. and the front wheels balloon even with the tight center slipper. runs cool too. barely gets warm. i might bump it to a 13T pinion and 30T 3R spur gear.

Turps
02-28-2007, 11:19 PM
Yer, I was surprised just how fast this suckers.
Going to have to change the way the front chassi brace goes though. Had to use a tool of my Hyper7 to get the balljoint off. So I could get the center diff out.

CrustyNoodle
03-13-2007, 11:18 AM
So what sort of run times are you guy's getting from your Wrath 7k / Quark 33A ProCar with your 8 cell NiMH packs (and what mA are your packs)?

Q8y_drifter
03-13-2007, 12:28 PM
pretty good runtimes
i don't keep track but i'm using 1200-1400mah IB packs and get good runtimes (no figures yet).

CrustyNoodle
03-13-2007, 12:54 PM
Care to hazard a guess?

Q8y_drifter
03-13-2007, 01:07 PM
10-20mins,, sorry its a rough estimate but i haven't kept track of it. plus it depends with gearing, on/offroad, throttle, etc.