Test
Bench
Tekin RS Gen2
EZ Access Hot Wire Port: One of the big annoyances with the old RS speed controls was that you’d have to disconnect the receiver lead in order to hook up to your Hot Wire interface. The GEN2 comes with an extra lead that connects to a separate set of prongs located right next to the sensor wire port. Now you can just plug your Hot Wire in and adjust away—no muss, no fuss.
On the track, today’s horsepower battles are won and lost depending on the technology ou have on your side. At the highest levels of racing, being able to fine-tune your speed
control and motor is the difference between taking home
the big trophy and packing it up early. With no changes other
than software updates, the RS line of speed controls, with its
Hot Wire PC interface, has been Tekin’s flagship for five years—that
is until now. Fresh from the factory, we’ve snagged one of the very first
RS GEN2 speed controls out there ... even their team drivers didn’t get theirs
before us! Early previews boasted improved robustness, but on closer look, the
GEN2 is even better than we expected. With all-new features like a high voltage BEC,
improved throttle and braking, an all new EZ Access Hot Wire port, and even datalogging
capabilities, the GEN2 is primed and ready to wage war on the competition.
Features
While Tekin has released a laundry list of “new”
features, we’ll skip a lot of the carry-over stuff and
just agree that the RS GEN1 was a great speed
control. After all, being one of the first racing speed
controls to integrate computer software into the
mix is quite an accomplishment on its own. The
GEN2 takes things to the next level, designed to
perform and built to last. So, what does GEN2 have
in store?
Sensored/Sensorless Compatibility: D2TM Dual
Drive checks for sensors in the motor and adjusts
to the proper mode automatically. The GEN2 is
also capable of starting in sensored mode and
then switching over to sensorless for higher
efficiency. This not only frees up your range of
motor selection but also keeps you out of trouble
in the middle of a Main. Ever have a sensor wire fail
on you or have you ever simply forgot to plug it in?
The GEN2 will keep things running no matter what
you’ve got going on.
Datalogging: The wow factor feature of the RS
GEN2 is its datalogging capability. While you run
your vehicle, the GEN2 records throttle telemetry
for you to view via the Hot Wire software afterward.
You can view the throttle position, battery voltage,
temperature, rpm, and motor temperature in real
time. There are even sliders up top to rewind and
fast forward as well as set playback speed.
Quick specs
Price: $175
Length: 1 in. ( 25.4mm)
Width: 1.3 in. (33mm)
Height: . 51 in. (13mm)
Weight: 2.0 oz. (48g)
Controls: Forward/brake/reverse
Input voltage: 4-9 cells, 2S-3S LiPo
BEC: 6.0V / 7.4V, 5.5amps
Motor limit brushless mode: 8. 5 turn, 540
2-pole (36mm)
Motor limit brushed fwd only mode:
10 turn
Motor limit brushed fwd/rev mode:
12 turn
Timing profiles: 7
Brushed modes: Fwd only, fwd/rev, rev
delay
Brushless modes: Fwd only, fwd/rev, rev
delay
Brushed or Brushless Mode: The Gen2 is also
capable of running both brushed and brushless
motors and even features multiple forward and
reverse modes for each. On the brushless side,
the mode is set within the Hot Wire software or by
using the Quick Tune Modes. For brushed motors,
i initially connected the speed control to a Tekin Gen2 17. 5 sensored motor
and gave it a spin. Confirming that everything worked smoothly, i left the
speedo on and disconnected the sensor wire before pulling the trigger
again. Sure enough, the motor spun to life as promised, despite the sensor
harness coming unplugged. i ducked out of work early to run the Gen2 and see how it per-
formed. i installed a 10. 5 motor for testing and went through the Quick Tune programming and
set up my brake strength, motor type, voltage cutoff, and timing. On the track, the RS Gen2 was
as solid a performer as i have come to expect. The brake-heavy layout of the track did little to
heat up the unit, and back in the pits, i checked the built-in temperature monitor to confirm that
i was running nice and cool after my first heat. For the second heat, i ran the same motor setup
leaving the sensor wire in my pit. The buggy ran without any real hitch although starting up in-
volved your standard “i don’t have any sensors” type of delay. The next day, i took the Gen2 out
and installed it in my oval pan car and connected it to my Hot Wire software to switch my settings
over for 1-cell, 17. 5 racing. With the settings where i normally run them for oval, i put the car
down and pulled the trigger. The first few warm-up laps are always a little crazy until you burn
off the top of the battery charge, but once it settled in, i began to feel the difference that the
Gen2 brings to the table. it’s a lot more linear than its predecessor, a testament to Tekin’s Dual
Drive, which kicks in the sensors on the bottom end. However, once things spool up, it switches
over to sensorless and lets the voltage consumption take a breather.
however, modes are selected by the way you
connect the motor to the speed control. Forward
and Reverse Modes use the C wire as the negative
and A as the positive for brushed operation. If you
want F WD only, wire all three motor wires to the
negative pole and run a bridge from the battery
positive to the motor positive.
Tes Ting
Quick Tune Programming: If you don’t have a
Hot Wire, don’t sweat it. The RS GEN2 features
Tekin’s Quick Tune Programming that allows you to
use the Mode and increment buttons to navigate
through modes and adjust settings.
the verdict
I have to see an update in action to believe it’s
worth anything, the Tekin GEN2 is a worthy sequel.
After five years of driver input from customers and
team drivers alike, the RS GEN2 not only resolved
issues, but it also takes a speed control that set
the benchmark for high-end performance and
raises its bar even higher with a set of all-new
features that put it over the top. — Erich Reichert
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