Installing the VESC 6 Plus on the platform consists of several steps. First, remove the protective wrap on the platform. The VESC 6 Plus will be mounted to the bottom of the platform. Using the 4 supplied M5 screws, attach the VESC to the left side of the car.
The 3 motor control wires should face the rear of the vehicle. These will be attached to the Traxxas motor. The power from the battery should come from the front of the vehicle as shown below. The VESC 6 Plus is a XT-90 connector and requires a XT-90 to Traxxas plug adapter (which is included in the kit).
The wires to control the Steering Servo connect to the VESC 6 Plus using a 3 pin JST-PH connector. The plug on the VESC is labeled ‘PPM‘. Connect the other end of the cable from the VESC to the Steering Servo lead through the Futaba J male connector. The Steering Servo lead from the Traxxas terminates in a Futaba J style female connector. There is a protective sleeve that fits over the Futaba connectors.
The VESC is controlled from the Jetson using a USB cable. The VESC side connector is labelled ‘USB‘. A right angle USB cable is provided which should help with cable management. Plug the right angle side into the VESC, the other end goes into the USB hub.
The three motor cables are labelled ‘A‘, ‘B‘ and ‘C‘. While the wiring isn’t very strict (if the motor spins in the opposite direction desired, switch any two wires), the wiring that seems to work is:
- A output -> White motor connector
- B output -> Yellow motor connector
- C output -> Blue motor connector
The VESC motor wires terminate in 4.0mm female bullet connectors. The Traxxas is a 3.5mm male connector. Therefore a converter connector (supplied) is required. Of course, you can replace the bullet connectors as desired to eliminate this issue.
Make sure to secure the wires to the platform, you can use the supplied zip ties. It is important to make sure that the wires stay clear of the rotating assemblies. There is an exposed driveshaft which runs the length of the chassis. Of course, you also want to make sure that the wires do not make contact with the wheels.