Apex Motor Checker
 

I bought one of this on ebay, it allows me to run a brushed motor for up to 8v and tell me the current drawn and rpm (there is a magnetic thing you need to bolt on the shaft).

Has any of you use this before? there is a reading call "condition" and has a unit of "degree", is supposedly tell you the condition of the comm-brush combination. But is higher better or lower better or a specific number you want to achieve? Please enlighten.

Also I check with my HH TM Pro 45T with 7V, it recorded 7500rpm and drawn 1.91A. If you compare the result to HH website, 45T should give 1210 rpm/volt so it should give 8470 rpm @7v.

It is a spare motor as it smoked before (because some WD40 was sprayed into the motor after water crossing), the comm appreared to be quite dark color, but the motor is fairly new. What can I do to regain the lost rpm?

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...809_105756.jpg

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Not sure on the numbers you want to see.

A comm cut and then an eraser across the brush faces wil likely help your motor numbers.

You may also want to check numbers with the motor running in both directions to see if you have any timing.

Not much of a manual.... Advanced Avionics Ltd.

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

In the pic you have the motor running in the "reverse" rotation. If there is any advanced timing it will spin slower in this direction. Reverse the wires and see what readings you get.

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Ha ha, keen eye..... Did not reliase it, will try again....

To Charlie, yeah the manual is crap..... Not much info....

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

You may get better numbers in the "timed" direction. Setting the motor to "0" timing should yield ~equal numbers in either direction.

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Just from the pic, I can tell that motor has timing in it....so wired backwards its gonna run slower, arc worse and run like poop.

Later EddieO

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

HH will rebuild them, quoted me 20 bucks a motor for rewind.

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Sorry guys,

Its been busy so no time to get back to you.

Ok I have set the timing back to 0 deg, and here is the result.

1.94A with 7400 rpm, still short of the 8470 rpm.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...815_131731.jpg

This is the condition of the brush.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...815_132257.jpg

I used some eraser and clean it up a bit, the result.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...815_132338.jpg

and I gave it a run, 1.82A with 7500 rpm. So a 2 minute clean with a earser gave me a more efficient motor.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...815_132537.jpg

I then removed the end bell and this is the condition of the comm, I cannot do a comm cut but I put the armature on a drill press and use eraser to give it a clean. May need a comm cut.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...5_133031-1.jpg

Anyway this is the result, Again slight improvement 1.81A with 7600 rpm.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...815_133737.jpg

I start to play with the timing. To advance the time you turn the end bell against the rotation of the armature right. I was able to achieve 1.84A and 8100 rpm, this is as much rpm i can squzzed out and you can see it is past the second marker on the end bell, is that too much?

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...815_134032.jpg

Any comment and advise is welcome.

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

To be frank, these Apex units were junk....in the racing days, NOBODY used these that I ever saw....I bought one, Peter and the guys messed with it and said it was junk. I think it got given away....

Don't you find it a bit odd its ALWAYS an even 7600, 7500, 7400?

Later EddieO

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

I did not expect it to be very accuarte but use it as a reference and amp drawn...etc. It was cheap ($30) and even use it as a power supply to break in motor would be ok to me.

Yes it cannot display anything less than 100 rpm....

BTW what sort of dyno or checker do you use or recommend, Eddie?

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Take a gander through the best thread on RCC.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/elect...or-tweaks.html

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Trinty one was my fav, they even just released them again.... Much more would be the secon choice(Orion unit is the same).

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

For the timing, I recommend between the zero mark and the first advanced timing mark which is 12 degrees. About 6 is good for general running.


My RPM per volt needs to be updated on the torquemaster, we have made a few changes to the build since the tables were first generated. Don't worry if your motor is a bit slower than the listed values.

Re: Apex Motor Checker
 

Thanks Eddie, will look into the much more unit. as the brand suggests, it cost 'much more'....lol, I guess what you pay is what you get....

Thanks John, I was worry because the motor subjected to excessive wd40 spray and caused it to smoke a lot. After I cleaned it, I wanted to be sure the performance wasn't adversely affected.

After the testing done using the apex unit, I am ok to continue using this motor a bit more knowing it still performs ok, give and take the value given by the apex tester.