WET MOTORS
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HOW WELL WILL MOTORS OUTSIDE OF THE WTC WORK? WILL THE LIFE OR PROFORMANCE BE REDUCED?
ALSO, WILL TWO MOTORS INSIDE THE WTC HEAT UP THE AIR IN THERE AND POSSIBLY BLOW THE SEALS? ARE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES ON THE WTC TO LET THIS PRESSURE OUT?
ALSO, WILL TWO MOTORS INSIDE THE WTC HEAT UP THE AIR IN THERE AND POSSIBLY BLOW THE SEALS? ARE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES ON THE WTC TO LET THIS PRESSURE OUT?
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>WILL THE LIFE OR PROFORMANCE BE REDUCED?
I would think so. I had a wet-motor sub running briefly. I remember my rudder motor died once; since I used generic scavenged r/c car motors, I just rotated a fresh motor in from the stockpile. Checking it tonight, I see I've lost the rudder motor a second time. These two motors have died over a span of about four months of occasional water runs, followed by two months of the sub decomissioned sitting on the shelf.
I think I replaced my bow-planes motor once as well, though I can't recall why--and it may not have been related to water, may just have been some new installment I wanted to try with a different motor.
>HOW WELL WILL MOTORS OUTSIDE OF THE WTC WORK?
In operation, these recycled r/c car motors did what I asked them. I think the burnouts may have been related to the fact I used hot glue--sufficiently rigid but tacky stuff--to mount them and make the servo arms, two parts that sometimes came into conflict with my makeshift linkages. Maybe the tackiness contributed to the motors burning out. But oddly enough, I think I found these successive burnouts both on occasions when I hadn't been playing with the sub all day--then picked up the sub and tested the rudder. So maybe it was corrosion that had advanced, just waiting for me to notice the motor was broken.
I would think so. I had a wet-motor sub running briefly. I remember my rudder motor died once; since I used generic scavenged r/c car motors, I just rotated a fresh motor in from the stockpile. Checking it tonight, I see I've lost the rudder motor a second time. These two motors have died over a span of about four months of occasional water runs, followed by two months of the sub decomissioned sitting on the shelf.
I think I replaced my bow-planes motor once as well, though I can't recall why--and it may not have been related to water, may just have been some new installment I wanted to try with a different motor.
>HOW WELL WILL MOTORS OUTSIDE OF THE WTC WORK?
In operation, these recycled r/c car motors did what I asked them. I think the burnouts may have been related to the fact I used hot glue--sufficiently rigid but tacky stuff--to mount them and make the servo arms, two parts that sometimes came into conflict with my makeshift linkages. Maybe the tackiness contributed to the motors burning out. But oddly enough, I think I found these successive burnouts both on occasions when I hadn't been playing with the sub all day--then picked up the sub and tested the rudder. So maybe it was corrosion that had advanced, just waiting for me to notice the motor was broken.
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Correction (Update)--that second motor didn't die. I had prepared a new motor to take its place--but when I removed the old motor and checked it out--turning it back and forth more freely than I'd been able to do when it was in-place--I heard some glue crack, and suddenly it was ready to spin both ways like a champ. I'm re-installing it.
The noise I heard was Superglue breaking, still present from a brief attempt during the sub's active career when I was gluing the motor pinion wheel to the "servo" arm. Hot glue, which is pretty viscous and which I use in bulk, wasn't the culprit--it was Superglue, which slides into every nook and cranny.
So do wet motors die early...probably they do...but I can only say I've lost one.
The noise I heard was Superglue breaking, still present from a brief attempt during the sub's active career when I was gluing the motor pinion wheel to the "servo" arm. Hot glue, which is pretty viscous and which I use in bulk, wasn't the culprit--it was Superglue, which slides into every nook and cranny.
So do wet motors die early...probably they do...but I can only say I've lost one.
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In short:
Running motors outside the WTC is ok. It will reduce the life of the motor by wearing brushess and coroding the terminals.
You will see a larger ampreage draw with motors outside the WTC due to the resistance created by the water. This will equate to shorter run times and motor life.
Is it a big deal. Not really most motors we use for our hobby can be purchased very cheaply. A great place to by motors is www.allelectronics.com Also depending on your boat size, prop size and pitch it might not make a difference.
As for two motors in a wtc. It is done all the time. You may have a concern with the motors heating up the air inside if the amperage draw is great. No one ive ever know has installed a relief valve inside but one trick that works is to use a double o ring on the motor end WTC bulkhead and install a shrader valve on the end so that after you install the bulk head you can equalize pressure.
Does that help at all.
Running motors outside the WTC is ok. It will reduce the life of the motor by wearing brushess and coroding the terminals.
You will see a larger ampreage draw with motors outside the WTC due to the resistance created by the water. This will equate to shorter run times and motor life.
Is it a big deal. Not really most motors we use for our hobby can be purchased very cheaply. A great place to by motors is www.allelectronics.com Also depending on your boat size, prop size and pitch it might not make a difference.
As for two motors in a wtc. It is done all the time. You may have a concern with the motors heating up the air inside if the amperage draw is great. No one ive ever know has installed a relief valve inside but one trick that works is to use a double o ring on the motor end WTC bulkhead and install a shrader valve on the end so that after you install the bulk head you can equalize pressure.
Does that help at all.
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"use a double o ring on the motor end WTC bulkhead and install a shrader valve on the end so that after you install the bulk head you can equalize pressure"
COULD YOU PROVIDE A GENERIC DRAWING FOR ME? I'M ALSO NOT QUITE SURE WHAT A SHRADER VALVE IS
THANKS FOR ALL THE INPUT
CHRIS
PS THE MODEL I'M BUILD THE COMPARMENT FOR IS A REVELL GATO 1/72. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE MOTORS?
COULD YOU PROVIDE A GENERIC DRAWING FOR ME? I'M ALSO NOT QUITE SURE WHAT A SHRADER VALVE IS
THANKS FOR ALL THE INPUT
CHRIS
PS THE MODEL I'M BUILD THE COMPARMENT FOR IS A REVELL GATO 1/72. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE MOTORS?
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thanks for the pictures, is the gato your's? it looks very well done! What type of motors is it running and were do you get them?
chris
chris
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No the gato is not mine. It actually belongs to david merriman. He is a master of the hobby and the creator of the sub driver. You may know his stuff refered to as D&E. I have not started a gato because he warned me that even with the video he includes it was a royal pain in the butt. Especially the retracting bow planes. His boat is a work of art really. You may have seen him on the discovery channel when they did a program on the Aligator. He made the model for it.
I own the Seawolf you see in those pics.
The motors in the Gato are graupner 360 i believe but i will ask him if you like.
I own the Seawolf you see in those pics.
The motors in the Gato are graupner 360 i believe but i will ask him if you like.
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thanks for the info.....Just from looking at his sub and designing my own, I alrealy can appreicate the time and effort he has put into his. I think I'm going to skip the retracting bow planes
chris
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chris
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I'm kind of new to this RC and submarine building thing, so forgive the noobie question. I'm converting a Revell U-Boat 1/72 scale static display model that somebody else has started to convert to RC and gave up. There are several mistakes to correct in the first place, but my main question is, and this has stymied me for a while, WHICH motors are the best to install in this model? I don't want to deal with a separate 3:1 ratio gear down, just install some electric motors that provide somewhat-scale performance, and be able to power the model through some rough weather water (not a pool, a lake). What do I ask the guy at the local RC shop to sell me? Graupner 360? A 400? 500? I have some Ax-man surplus mystery-meat motors that I bought to try out, but either they do not spin fast enough or are under-powered at 7.2VDC. Prop shaft is 4mm thick with a stuffing box. How do I couple this to the motor shaft if it is not equal to 4mm? Dog connectors or flex hose are fine, but I have not seen any solution to my problem.<div>
</div><div>Motors will run dry, but space is an issue.</div><div>
</div><div>Thanks in advance. If you have built this model before, what did you use? Hoping for a $10-per-motor solution here
I have researched the issue, but with everything being brush-less, 2.4GHz these days the major vendors are not interested.</div><div>
</div><div>Regards ... Q.</div>
</div><div>Motors will run dry, but space is an issue.</div><div>
</div><div>Thanks in advance. If you have built this model before, what did you use? Hoping for a $10-per-motor solution here
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</div><div>Regards ... Q.</div>
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Hi. I maybe wrong, but I see that Dave Merriman used 2 x 280 motors in his D&E system. I am sure Dave has extensive
knowledge of the appropriate motors to be use in specific model.
knowledge of the appropriate motors to be use in specific model.