Step 1: Initial Setup Wizard in VESC Tool

VESC Bible Setup Guides (beta)
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The VESC Tool features an Initial Setup Wizard to guide users through the basic configuration of a VESC controller. This wizard simplifies the process, especially for beginners. It is important to carefully follow the prompts and understand the settings being adjusted to ensure the VESC and motor are properly configured for safe and optimal performance.

:warning: DISCLAIMER: The VESC Bible is currently being republished and rewritten to encompass all necessary beginner guides. All guides with a beta tag are still preliminary and need to be vetted and reviewed by VESC experts.

Importance of Following Prompts and Understanding Settings

Each step in the wizard is designed to configure a specific aspect of the VESC. Rushing through the process or entering incorrect values can result in:

  • Motor damage: Incorrect current limits or other motor settings can lead to overheating or damage.
  • Controller failure: Supplying the wrong voltage or pushing components beyond their limits can damage the VESC.
  • Safety hazards: A misconfigured VESC can lead to unexpected behaviour, potentially causing accidents.

General Tips for the Initial Setup

  • If you are re-running any wizard for your already running board, don’t forget to press Backup Configuration on the Start tab to save all your settings just in case
  • When entering values manually, make sure to hit Write button every time
  • If you do a typo or modify the wrong value, hit the Read button to set it back to the currently set value

Beware of the Wizard weaknesses

Some parts of the setup wizard, particularly motor detection, may not always work reliably and may require manual adjustment of the detected values. The flux linkage and sensor detection sections are particularly prone to issues. If the wizard reports errors or the detection seems off, it’s essential to manually verify and adjust the values.

Configuration Wizard - Overview

If you are setting up a board for the first time, you need to do the following steps below:

The “easiest” to follow the setup is this video below. If you encounter any issues, better to check out the detailed guides for each of the steps as they include some troubleshooting parts for common issues.

Motor and IMU Wizard (Video)

:warning: NOTE: This video was done with VESC Tool 6.05 which is the latest version as of writing this tutorial. Keep in mind that if newer versions come out, some of the steps here might not apply anymore. Therefore make sure to always follow the tutorial for the correct version of the VESC Tool that you are using.

Accelerometer Setup (Video)

The video above doesn’t cover the accelerometer calibration. For that, you can follow this one starting from 3:44min:

Don’t forget testing

Once everything is set up, do a hand test first. This is covered in Dado’s video above. Only then an actual first test ride.

Next steps

If you have done everything correctly, congratulations! You can now enjoy your fully fledged VESC board.
If you want to continue your deep dive, you can try out different Tunes via VESC Tool app or Floaty app. Or you can start tuning and the values manually.

Conclusion

The Initial Setup Wizard in VESC Tool can be a helpful tool for configuring a VESC, but it’s crucial to understand that it’s not foolproof. Carefully following the prompts, understanding the settings, and verifying any questionable values is essential for a safe and successful VESC setup. Remember, even if the wizard completes successfully, it’s best practice to manually check critical parameters before powering on your VESC system.

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