You can always contact Eclipse Rover to get recommendations about which model would work best with your equipment and applications.
Eclipse Rover Models vary in price, size, hauling capacity and propulsion systems. Choose from brushed, brushless, and sensored brushless systems. You can evaluate which system will work best for you by answering the following questions.
A: Crawling or Racing Speeds?
If you need to operate at crawling speeds you will need one of the sensored models.
We offer two models with the sensored system:
- RPR HD Crawler Eclipse Rover
- SHR Crawler Eclipse Rover
The brushed system in the SMR Eclipse Rover also operates well at crawling speeds.
If you need to operate at racing speeds you will need a model with a brushless system.
We offer two models with the brushless system:
- RPR Eclipse Rover
- SHR Eclipse Rover
B: What are you going to haul on your Eclipse Rover?
The dead weight capacity was identified by testing each model with a weight placed flat on top of the mounting plate. The dead weight rating represents the most that the suspension is designed to hold. Of course, the more weight that you haul, the less run time will be available.
You will also need to consider the height of what you’re hauling. The higher the load, the more leverage it will produce. We offer suspension locks for each model. These clip over the shock springs thus locking the suspension in place. This helps cut down the amount of sway when hauling elevated loads. We also offer three lengths of MonoPod Adjustable Poles for hauling elevated loads which can be further stabilized with our diagonal brace kit.
Eclipse Rovers come with three different types of propulsion systems.
Brushed, Brushless and Sensored Brushless. Besides each being a different motor technology, each require a different type of electronic speed controller (ESC).
All three types of motors have the same internal operating mechanisms. They are powered by direct current (DC) in which the motor wire windings have DC current that is supplied to them.
As a result, an electromagnetic- field gets generated. The generated electromagnetic field alternately pushes and repels against these permanent magnets, thereby causing these shaft to turn.
The pushing effect of the turning shaft successively transfers kinetic energy from a set of these windings to the other set and as a result causes the motor-shaft to rotate continuously.
However, there are basic differences in how each of them work.
A: Brushed motors
Brushed motors have wire windings which are fixed onto a central shaft. Therefore, the windings spin along with the shaft as the current gets applied. The brushed motor has wire windings which are fixed onto a central shaft. Therefore, the windings spin along with the shaft as the current gets applied. In addition, the magnets are permanent, they are firmly fixed onto the inside of the motor.
The motor windings receive electric power through two brushes with positive and negative poles.
These brushes push against a commutator that’s located on the central shaft.
The frictional force is always generated between the commutator and the brush which makes the motor less efficient and with a less run time than brushless or sensored brushless motors but the brushed motor in the SMR Eclipse Rover has better slow speed control than the brushless systems.
B: Brushless Motors
Unlike the brushed motor, brushless motors do not require any physical commutator, and this is among the reasons is why these create faster speeds and longer run times.
Due to the absence commutator, RC cars are easy to maintain and it saves maintenance costs since there are no wearing brushes and commutators and the bearings can last a fairly long time.
Since a brushless motor does not make use of any current carrying device (commutator and brushes), it uses components such as an external rotor and three-phase driving coils as well as an integrated electronic drive.
In addition, the position of the rotor causes the coils to be gradually triggered synchronously, one phase after the other, and the electronic drive is initiated. This process can result in juicing or what is commonly called cogging. The RPR Eclipse Rover and SHR Eclipse Rovers are equipped with brushless motors and produce racing speeds but if you need to have control operating at crawling speeds a better choice would be a sensored brushless RPR HD Crawler or a SHR Crawler.
C: Sensored Brushless Motors
The RPR HD Crawler and SHR Crawlers both come equipped with sensored brushless systems and produce great speed control even at crawling speeds.
Unlike the brushed motor or brushless motors, sensored brushless motors contains sensors. These sensors send information back to the electronic speed controller (ESC) about the position of the rotor. When the ESC knows the position of the rotor, immediate synchronization is established right from zero so your Eclipse Rover speed can accelerate smoothly and strongly right from a dead stop.
Eclipse Rover run time is influenced by a wide variety of factors like load weight, speed and terrain. It is always best practice to test your Eclipse Rover with your equipment in the environment that you will be operating in. The video explains the run time and battery testing we have done:
The dead weight capacity was identified by testing each model with a weight placed flat on top of the mounting plate. The dead weight rating represents the most that the suspension is designed to hold. Of course, the more weight that you haul, the less run time will be available.
You will also need to consider the height of what you’re hauling. The higher the load, the more leverage it will produce. We offer suspension locks for each model. These clip over the shock springs thus locking the suspension in place. This helps cut down the amount of sway when hauling elevated loads. We also offer three lengths of MonoPod Adjustable Poles for hauling elevated loads which can be further stabilized with our diagonal brace kit.
We normally use the services of UPS for international shipping customs. Your shipping cost will be calculated by our website as part of the check out process.
We normally use the services of UPS for shipping. Orders shipping in the United States and are over $500.00 ship free. Your shipping cost will be calculated by our website as part of the check out process. Product pick up is done by appointment only.
All Eclipse Rover models come with the Eclipse Wheels except for the SMR Eclipse Rovers which can be ordered with or without the Eclipse Wheels. The Eclipse Wheels mount on the outside of the tires and do not interfere with tire operation. The Eclipse Wheels allow you to operate inverted or in the up rite position on cables, pipes and other ridged surfaces.
Eclipse Rovers comes with everything you need to run out of the box. The only thing you will need is the AA batteries for the 2.4GHz radio controller. The controller has a knob that controls the steering and a trigger for forward, reverse and breaking. It has control knobs and switches that allow you to adjust the steering alignment, trigger direction, and throttle. This video will help how to use the controller.
No, not yet. But we are working on an app base controller system that will provide the user the ability to operate at greater ranges as well as program patterns. This has a wide verity of applications like having un limited slider shots and auto return. Watch eclipserover.com for news and updates.
The Eclipse Rovers can be controlled in line of site. If you go out of range the radio signal will be lost and the vehicle will stop. Obstacles can also cause loss of signal. It is always best practice to test your Eclipse Rover with your equipment in the environment that you will be operating in.
Yes you will find the pipe hangers, crank stands and trusses to operate with pipes.
We also offer a cable hanging kit for operating on cables.
This video will help you with using our cable hanging kit:
How to use our Cable Hanger Kit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3n0fwxuSdU
This video demonstrates a variety of set ups using pipes and cables:
Eclipse Rover Setups on a Custom Built 1968 Camaro
The only place we have ever had to acquire a permit is in a national park.
They are safe to operate around people or animals. When operating around people you may consider purchasing one of our safety rods. They are spring loaded so they will not hang up on obstacles and a flag can be easily be attached for better visibility.
Each model has a different speed capacity and the speed it will produce will vary by how much weight you are hauling and what the surface conditions are. The most helpful advice we can give you is that you to stay with a sensored system if you need to operate at crawling speeds or a brushless system if you need to operate at racing speeds. Click here to read what the differences are between the propulsion systems for the Eclipse Rover models?