Sensorless versus Heat

I would like to run my motor in sensorless mode but I am concerned about overheating the phase wires.
Iran 14 gauge from Battery to controller but only run 16 gauge from motor Phase 2 controller phase

I have been checking the temperature religiously being paranoid too thin of wires and recently switched to sensorless

I believe I have noticed a slight increase in temperature of those wires but only as accurate as my hands can feel

The temperature only feels lukewarm. But we are approaching temperatures into the summer and just don't want to fry this new controller

The controller is 1500 W 45 amp and the battery is 48 volt 20 amp charges 57.4 volts.
I know that controller can take as much as they can pull for my battery but the phase wires if shorted out will definitely fry the controller

Any thoughts on what will run cooler sensored vs. sensorless until I can replace these wires to thicker gauge

I have never noticed any difference in heat running sensored or sensorless. Just smoother starts sensored.

But your wires are thin for 45 amps, and likely the connectors are small too. Get the fix done soon, you can just splice on thicker wire as close as possible to the motor, leaving just a few inches of the thinner wire. 12g should do er.

Wires (depending on the wire) tend to crap out on you at about 200 Celcius. Motors (depending on the motor) tend to start seeing issues as early as 120 C.

You want larger wires to avoid IR and voltage sag but I believe it more likely that you will destroy the laminations (that film around your copper windings) or the magnets themselves than the wire with what you are talking about.

Sensored vs sensorless offers not difference in motor heat from what I have observed.

If your wires are getting hot, more likely the real cause is a bad plug. That can melt a wire, been there done that.

The power you are running is fine for the wires. one way to avoid this pitfall is to cut off phase connectors, and go with solid soldered connections to the motor. Many do this for really high power.

I think a reliable plug is all you need on those phases, such as a 4 mm gold plated bullet from RC stuff.