Victor SPX controlling 3 CIMs

#1

Hi all, I am working on a side project, so thankfully don’t have to comply to FRC Comp rules.

Does anybody know if one Victor SRX can be used to control 3 CIM motors (all geared together in a single reduction gearbox). All the motors always spin in the same direction at the same speed.

So in essence, can the output VCC and GND on a Victor SRX be branched off with a splitter cable to 3 CIMS?

The application is for a 65 lb drivetrain (the whole robot with everything attached) to be able to move linearly (no turning) back and forth at about 2 m/s with a top speed of 4.0 m/s here and there.
The robot will cover an average distance of about 4 meters and sometimes a max distance of 8 m before quickly decelerating to change direction and accelerate in the opposite direction… in a cyclic fashion. This whole process would run for about an hour… with a few minute breaks in between.

I am concerned 1 Victor will not be able to handle all the heat buildup in braking and accelerating.

They can handle continuous current of 60 A according to the manual, so if each of the 3 motors draw under 20 A of current consistently, would that be fine? I am highly skeptical on it, but am on a tight budget and saving the cost of 2 more controllers would be quite helpful.
Thanks.

#2

If your three CIMs only pull 60 A total, then yes, you should be okay. However, I don’t think that’s very likely, if you’re using them on a drivetrain. Looking at the motor curves, 20 A into a CIM doesn’t get you close to the peak power point, let alone stall. Furthermore, you could easily pull 80 A per motor when accelerating from a stop, which puts you far over the 100 A instantaneous current rating.

#3

Your project already has a thread. Let’s keep all the posts there, please.

#4