RC vehicles have become more popular than ever and the remote control car enthusiasts out there are trying to get the maximum performance from their cars.
Getting a program card, especially a brushless ESC for your RC car is a good way to upgrade your RC experience. Now this ESC is no good if not programmed and updated regularly.
The thing with ESC programmers is that they have compatibility issues and mostly, they work with ESCs of their own brands. Here, we are discussing the best RC car program card for you.
They all are for different ESC brands and come with a range of functions.
Best RC Car Program Cards
YoungRC New Programming Card for RC Car
YoungRC makes different RC accessories like ESC motor speed controller, transmission gearboxes, programming cards, gear torques, etc.
Here is a good programming card by them to be used with RC cars with brushless ESCs of 45A, 60A, 80A, and 120A. Please remember that this programming box is only compatible with the RC cars that have ESCs by QueenHobby.
This is an easy-to-operate programming card that comes with an external programming port.
While you are setting up the ESC, this port makes it easy to connect the ESC to the programming card.
The card also comes with protections like throttle signal protection, motor lock-up protection, and protection against over-heating.
When your RC vehicle battery shows signs of low power, the programming card’s low voltage cut-off protection kicks in and shuts off the power.
This is a waterproof and dust-proof card which means you can use it in car racing on various terrains, be it dusty, muddy, or wet. This high-quality programming card weighs only 32 grams so very easy to carry around.
From backing strength to braking frequency and lithium saving, it has got a total of 17 functions. When you are using the card, you have to take care of few things.
When you are programming an ESC to run the car in the water, you must uninstall the cooling fan. After the drive, do not forget to clean and dry the ESC to protect the connectors from rust.
RCRunning RC Program Card
This RC programming card is meant for RC cars that are powered with ESCs by RCRunning.
It can program different brushless ESCs of RCRunning like 25A, 35A, 45A, 60A, 80A, 120A, and 150A. The good thing about this program card is that you can use it with cars of various scale sizes from 1:8 to 1:18 scale size.
You do not need much expertise in the RC world to operate with this. Beginners who have some idea about what a program box is can easily use it.
You just have to make a proper BEC cable connection and connect motor wires with ESC, switch ON, and set the desired values. However, you need to be careful about getting the tooth ratio as it can overheat the motor of your vehicle.
The temperature of the motor should be less than 212°F. The higher temperature can cause burning and slow melting of the coils in the magnet and permanently damage the ESC.
They have suggested constantly checking the ESC and motor temperatures to avoid overheating.
It is an affordable, portable sized ESC programmer that can fit in your pocket or small toolboxes.
You can choose from 3 available colors i.e black, red and silver. A lot of people have given this card a 5-star rating on Amazon but some have claimed that it didn’t work on their car. You should be sure about the compatibility before purchasing this.
HobbyWing LED Program Box for RC Car ESC
Here is one of the highest-rated RC programming cards available on Amazon by Hobbywing.
Hobbywing is known for making trustworthy RC motors and ESCs as well. This programming card is meant for brushless ESCs of the EZRUN and XERUN series by HobbyWing.
It has got around 11 different items that are presented on the small LED screen along with their values.
You will find the value chart made on the card itself. There are 3 running modes offered through this i.e forward/brake, forward/reverse brake, and forward & reverse. You can set the low voltage cutoff limit at 2.6v, 2.8v, 3v, 3.2v, or 3.4v.
The maximum brake efficiency can also be set at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. It has 4 levels of punch rates and you are advised to keep it low otherwise it could damage the gears. This is a portable ESC programmer that weighs around only 45 grams.
HOBBYACCS RC Programming Card
This is a highly efficient electronic speed controller that works on most of the brushless RC ESCs from 25A to 120 A.
You can use it to change controls of cars of scale sizes like 1:8, 1:10, 1:12, 1:14, 1:16, and 1:18. It offers around 5 functions and the best one is to control braking force between 25% to 100%.
There are 3 start modes to program in your ESC through this card i.e. medium, soft, and strong. The other 3 functions of this program box are to set the low voltage cut-off, maximum reverse force, and neutral range of the car.
You can set low voltage detection at 4 points i.e 3.1V, 2.9V, 2.7V, and no detection.
After you select any program, you need to press the ‘Program’ Key to confirm those selections.
To reset all the settings you have done, simply press the ‘Reset’ key. HOBBYACCS has advised you to turn off the ESC and card system before you reprogram again.
HOBBYWING 3 In 1 Professional Multifuction LCD ESC Programmer
If you are looking for a little advanced option, HOBBYWING has one of the best RC program cards for you. This LCD program box too is for brushless speed controllers that work in 3 ways.
Its primary function is to program the ESCs by HOBBYWING. This card comes with an LCD interface which facilitates quick and easy programming.
You can see all the programmable items on the screen, connect the BEC wires and set the ESC accordingly.
Its second function is to act as a USB adopter for connecting the ESCs to your PC. By doing so, you can easily update the ESC firmware and also set ESC programmable parameters.
Lastly, this programming card can work as a LiPo battery voltmeter for measuring batteries’ voltages.
While checking the voltage, HOBBYWING has advised to power the programmer with a balance charge connector and not with Batt or USB port.
This LCD programmer is a compact device weighing 65 grams only. Before making the purchase, do not forget to check its compatibility with your RC ESCs.
HOBBYWING ESC LED Program Box
Here is another program card by HOBBYWING that comes with small LED screens. It is meant for programming brushless ESCs by HOBBYWING Platinum V1/V2 FlyFun V5 XeRun EzRun QuicRun SeaKing series.
You can use it with RC cars and boats as it is without re-labeling but if you have an aircraft ESC, you will need to re-lable the program card with different programmable parameters.
Having an LED screen that displays programmable items makes the ESC programming task quick and comparatively easy. This card has 11 functions like most of the HOBBYWING ESC programming cards.
You will get a user manual in the package. The working voltage of this card ranges from 4.8V to 8.4V. It is one of the most portable ESC programming cards you will find as it weighs only 40 grams.
FAQs On The Programming Cards
How to use a RC program card?
To use the RC program card and program your ESC, connect both with the 3-wire cable.
The connection ports may be marked differently on different types of ESCs and program cards. Make sure that when you do this, your ESC is not connected to the RC receiver.
If you manage to connect the ESC successfully, all the programmed settings will be displayed on the programming card.
The settings on the programming box with LED screens can be checked by pressing the ‘ITEM’ button.
Every time your press that button, different parameters will show on the screen with their respective numbers in front of them.
Now, you have to customize the displayed settings on the card according to your preference.
Select the programming parameter you want to change with the ‘ITEM’ button. Some programming cards might have a different label for this button like ‘Programme’.
When you have selected the item, change their settings by using the ‘Value’ button or the direction buttons in the case of many RC program cards.
After this, press the ‘OK’ button and the ESC will be programmed within few seconds. To know how to reset these settings, head out to the last question on this page.
Can you use any program card on any ESC?
No, ESC program cards are not compatible with different ESCs. Companies make ESC programmers for their own ESCs and some of these cards don’t even work with all their ESCs of their own brand.
RC program cards come at very affordable prices. You can easily get the best RC program cards for the ESC models you are using on Amazon.
How do I reset my ESC With a Programming Card?
Resetting an ESC is very easy with the help of an RC programming card. Most of these programming cards come with a dedicated button to reset the ESC but simply pressing the button won’t help.
Firstly, connect your ESC to the battery pack but keep it switched off. Now, connect the ESC to a program card using a 3-wire cable. Then press and hold the RESET button on the program card and turn the ESC on at the same time.
Within a few seconds, all the LEDs on the programming card will be ON for a very short period. After the LEDs are light up, all the programmed settings on the ESC will be reset to default.
Conclusion
Getting a Brushless ESCs is a good way to upgrade your RC driving. And getting a good programmer for those ESCs is even better. These were the best RC car program cards with distinct functions.
We would again advise you to check their compatibility with your ESCs. To program the ESCs, you have to disconnect them from the receivers and connect them to the program card and a LiPo battery. We hope these cards enhance your RC experience.
