motors are sparkin'

[KC_JoNeS]

I have 2 different HH motors, both are pro handwounds.
I have the 45T timed at roughly 8 degrees, and the 35T timed at 12 degrees. Both of them spark while running at anything 25% throttle or more. Is this normal?

I had read that retarding the timing would stop the sparking.

Now, I am no motor expert, however, when I was 20 years old, I had a job hand building the aileron control motors for Stinger missiles. That was pretty cool. I wish I would have taken some pics back then.

Casey

 

[brushlessemaxx]

I have 2 different HH motors, both are pro handwounds.
I have the 45T timed at roughly 8 degrees, and the 35T timed at 12 degrees. Both of them spark while running at anything 25% throttle or more. Is this normal?

I had read that retarding the timing would stop the sparking.

Now, I am no motor expert, however, when I was 20 years old, I had a job hand building the aileron control motors for Stinger missiles. That was pretty cool. I wish I would have taken some pics back then.

Casey

sparks are normal, too many sparks could be due to brush jump. i would consider turning the coms on the arms.

 

[KC_JoNeS]

So, turning down the comms and making sure the brushes have really good contact is the way to make less sparks......makes sense.

Thanks.

Casey

 

[EddieO]

Negative timing will more than likely cause more sparks....

Some sparks are normal.....if there is a lot, thats not normal.....might need new brushes and a comm cut.

A comm cut gives you a new surface and gets rid of any grooves in the comm....

Later EddieO

 

[KC_JoNeS]

Well, I will play around with the timing a bit. The sparks are not that much. Plus, the motors are damn near new.

 

[Aussie Nerd]

Tiny blue ones around the brushes with no load and reasonably high throttle are normal. But larger ones that 'jump' can be because of retarded timing. Make sure you turn the endbell the OPPOSITE direction of the intended forward rotation of the motor.

Kieren

 

[BFGcrawler418]

Are you sure that you have normal timing & not negative timing? May sound like a dumb question but I could see how it could get confusing to someone who doesn't have much experience.

 

[KC_JoNeS]

Are you sure that you have normal timing & not negative timing? May sound like a dumb question but I could see how it could get confusing to someone who doesn't have much experience.

Well, I may be a newb with brushed motors...yes, but I am not a newb with searching on a forum. I just followed the thread about Caring for Brushed motors.

Also, when adjusting the timing on my 45T motor, I was sure to notice that my motor was spinning counter clockwise with respect to the timing marks.

 

[EeePee]

A really easy way to do it is set them both for zero timing, and leave the screws just barely loose enough so you can rotate the endbell, hit the dig switch so you can better hear each motor, keep a hand on the endbell and motor so it doesn't twist itself into some major timing setting, floor it, then adjust them so you can hear it speed up a little bit while going forward. Don't let off the gas abruptly as the drag brake may cause the timing to move. Seems to be a good starting spot for us crawlers.

Zero timing
Dig switch
Hold motor can and endbell for safety
Floor it
Advance timing until faster speed is heard

You could go a bit further more advanced...

Then if you're getting sparks still, clean it all up, could cut the comm, etc...

 

[KC_JoNeS]

A really easy way to do it is set them both for zero timing, and leave the screws just barely loose enough so you can rotate the endbell, hit the dig switch so you can better hear each motor, keep a hand on the endbell and motor so it doesn't twist itself into some major timing setting, floor it, then adjust them so you can hear it speed up a little bit while going forward. Seems to be a good starting spot for us crawlers.

Zero timing
Dig switch
Hold motor can and endbell for safety
Floor it
Advance timing until faster speed is heard

You could go a bit further more advanced...

Then if you're getting sparks still, clean it all up, could cut the comm, etc...

Now, that is some good step by step advice. Thanks a ton. I will do that tonight on both of them.

Casey

 

[EeePee]

That'll be three beers. :mrgreen:

 

[killswitch]

I wouldnt run any more than about 6* of timing on a crawler motor either. That was reverse isnt too hard on them.

 

[KC_JoNeS]

That'll be three beers. :mrgreen:

As long as you dont mind Deschutes Brewery. Yummy!

Casey

 

[EeePee]

Don't mind that at all. :mrgreen:

It's beer right?

Actually, rereading, I assumed you had a MOA truck, so no need to hit the dig switch if it's just a single motor truck.

 

[KC_JoNeS]

Don't mind that at all. :mrgreen:

It's beer right?

Actually, rereading, I assumed you had a MOA truck, so no need to hit the dig switch if it's just a single motor truck.

Ah...ok. I see what you did there.

"thumbsup"

 

[EeePee]

And what the heck, let's keep going... are the brushes FULLY seated yet?

 

[KC_JoNeS]

And what the heck, let's keep going... are the brushes FULLY seated yet?

To be honest...I dont know. They are both quite new. The 35T has maybe 30 minutes of run time...and the 45T has probably less than 8 hours.

Casey

 

[EeePee]

The 8 hour motor, yeah those are definitely broken in.

The other, maybe not. You can pull a brush out and look at the face to see if it's, more or less, completely smooth all the way across the face.

 

[KC_JoNeS]

The 8 hour motor, yeah those are definitely broken in.

The other, maybe not. You can pull a brush out and look at the face to see if it's, more or less, completely smooth all the way across the face.

The comm on the 8 hour motor is not bad, and just has some basic burn marks right at the left hand edge of each of the 3 pads. I guess I am just trying to ensure that I get the most run time out of these motors as possible.

Casey

 

[EeePee]

The comm on the 8 hour motor is not bad

You'd be surprised. I'm at a point, though it's a little compulsive no doubt, but I'm cutting comms on my brush motors after each comp day in the Losi because if I don't it'll take a couple passes to get them round again. If I go two comp days, that's only 30 minutes of driving, the comm isn't round anymore. Granted, it's not bad, but it's not perfect, and takes probably three passes on the lathe. If I cut them after each comp day, so only 15 minutes of driving, it only takes one pass to get it all cleaned up.

Granted, the Losi is hard on brush motors.

After fully seating the brushes before I even run a motor, I take it apart and the comm usually needs a couple passes to get it all good again. Break in is rough.

Lotta work, lotta maintenance. Hence, the brushless revolution, but brush motors are the SWEETNESS!