ESC Selector Tool
Enter your motor's current draw, cell count, and use case to get a recommended ESC continuous and burst rating, a voltage compatibility check, and a battery C-rating cross-check so your pack can keep up.
Cross-check your own ESC & battery (optional)
Enter motor current draw, motor count, cell count, and use case to see results.
Common questions
What ESC rating do I need for 4 motors?
Size the ESC to each motor's current draw, not the total — each motor gets its own ESC (or ESC channel on an AIO). Take the motor's max continuous current and add 20–30% headroom for your recommended ESC continuous rating. If the motor has a burst rating, add 10–20% headroom for the ESC's burst rating.
Can I use a 6S ESC on a 4S setup?
Yes. An ESC's voltage rating is a maximum, not a fixed requirement — a 6S-rated ESC will run fine on a 4S pack. The risk only goes the other way: a 4S-rated ESC on a 6S pack can fail, since the pack voltage exceeds what the ESC's components are rated for.
What does ESC headroom mean?
Headroom is the margin between an ESC's rated current and the current it actually draws in use. A 20% headroom example: a motor that draws 25A continuous pairs with an ESC rated around 30A. Without headroom, the ESC runs hotter and is more likely to enter thermal protection or fail under sustained load.
Why does my battery need a higher C-rating than my ESC's current rating?
The battery has to supply the combined draw of every motor at once, while each ESC only handles one motor. A quad with four motors drawing 25A continuous each needs the battery to supply 100A continuous — divide that by the battery's capacity in Ah to get the required C-rating.
Should I choose BLHeli_32 or AM32 firmware?
Both are widely used and capable. BLHeli_32 has the longer track record and deep tuning options, popular for racing. AM32 is open-source, has strong thermal protection, and is a popular choice for freestyle and long-range builds. Either works well — pick based on what your specific ESC supports and community feedback for that board.