3 MOSFET RC power controller design (1990's)

[Bob Eisenman]

The image is of a 3 MOSFET power controller that I built around 1990 for a an radio controlled 'Electra' powered (Electric) 2 meter glider.

I got the circuit design from an article in a magazine (pre internet days) like Popular Mechanics. The parts list was not too long and components were purchased from RadioShack.

In actual use I found the power controller to be mostly unable to get my somewhat heavy powered glider into flight following a hand launch. So what is the point of this post?

I found a hobby shop (1990's) in the yellow pages in a town several miles away. The owner sold me a Futaba power controller that was not only smaller but also more powerful and efficient with my motor. With the purchased power controller my powered glider was much more capable of attaining flight after a hand launch. The same prop spun faster and with more torque.

While the power controller construction was both instructive and functional the performance of the purchased power controller was unmatched. Perhaps this observation serves as an analogy for performance of controller boards of different priced Electric Unicycles.

Another concern leading me to buy a commercial power controller was a worry that should the wiring come loose in my hand soldered board the flight path of the glider would no longer be under my control.

In the photo the three nuts are short bolts affixing the MOSFETs to a channel shaped piece of aluminum which served as both housing and heat sink. 

The large integrated circuit is CD4066BE

https://store.ti.com/CD4066BE.aspx

and the smaller integrated circuit is

(M9024 )

LM 358N (dual op amp)

http://www.ti.com/product/LM358-N

So...the hand made power controller might make a satisfactory controller for a model boat powered by a spinning prop.