Smoked the LRK motor......

[DrScoles]

I got about 12 flights on the LRK 12 turn..... never ran it more than 5 minutes.... haven't taken it apart yet, but its dead, seized up.... batts were only 125, motor was 250..... I was told the batts were the weak link here, so I shortened the flights to 5 minutes....

Next ??????????????????????

Mike

[ScotY]

250? That sounds a bit way too high! :shock: Is there any way to fit a fan to this motor? Which version LRK were you using?

I just got a 32-3 installed in the Ion. Power seems good and the motor seems to settle in at about 160 on the windings. That's hotter than I'd like so I'll be fitting a fan to it as soon as I get a chance.

[fitenfyr]

Dang Doc! :D
You are killing us. :D....and your ION also I guess. :D

When somebody makes an electric that can pass the "Scoles torture test" then we will have something. :D

[JonMann]

My LRK is doing the same thing. Just did a couple test hovers this weekend and after about a minute the motor temp was 180! It is getting real hot real fast. Battery and ESC temps are normal (the ESC was 10 degrees higher than what I have seen with Hacker) Tried about every possible config in the ESC and doesn't seem to make a difference. Waiting for Chris to get back to MA to discuss with him, cuz at this point it just doesn't seem fly-able. Waiting for the 5mm shaft adapter to show in order to get a Actro motor installed.

[ekripper]

Well, you guys are really beating these things up!!! I've got 80 or so flights on mine with no probs. The motor will get to about 192 deg internal measured at the bottom of the can and stay there. Controller does run hotter than with the Hacker but that's to be expected with the much higher amp draw of the LRK. I fly two five minute flights on my LRK and Actro setups with 1 min. rest between. Usually put back in about 6000 mah. or a bit more after 10 min. Wonder if you guys got some motors with bad windings or something. Mike, maybe yours is just the bearings if it's actually seized. Pull that thing apart and let us know. Jon, take yours and go fly the snot out of it for 5 min. just like normal and then check temps. Hovering is really going to heat things up more than normal flight. The motor will get a bit hotter than 180 but will stabalize after a min. or so. Controller will be warmer too but it should be fine. The smoke thing is a bit odd however. Maybe Chris can jump in here and help out. I'm at a loss, both my Actro and LRK's are working fine. Jason and Todd both flew them this weekend and weren't easy on them but they held up no problem. Only thing I can think is maybe some bad motors. Let us know what you guys find out.

Eric K.

[JonMann]

Was hoping to talk to Chris today, but I guess they are a little occupied in Fla right now. I'm gonna take your advice and just go fly it and see what happens.

[ChrisS]

Hi Guys

Hmmm Mike sorry to hear that. The only thing I can think is that you ran it for too long, the settings in your controller are not correct or perhaps there was a problem with the motor. either way, I'd send it in to get it looked at. Can you confirm the settings in your controller or is it cooked too? How are your batteries?

Jon, I agree with Eric, go fly the thing for 5 minutes and see what happens. Just watch the temps. Make sure the controller is set for 20+ degrees of advance and at the lowest frequency (8KHz). And if the gear ratio is anything other than 9.5:1, make it 9.5:1.

We are all without power down here right now, no real damage to anyone.

Chris

[WillJames]

We are all without power down here right now, no real damage to anyone.


Glad to hear you are OK with no damage Chris!! :)

[Qrrambero]

Another LRK fried in Sacramento fun fly.
mmmmmmmmmmm :idea:

[JonMann]

Yep, took Eric and Chris's advice and "just flew it" today and on the first flight with the LRK I let the smoke out of it. Oh well, very dissapointed.

Chris - expect a call monday AM :D :D :D

[fitenfyr]

So...Guess the Actro is now the king of the outrunners for the ION huh? :D :D :D
Well not trying to get anyones undies in a wad or anything so nobody take this personal please.
Maybe we are just asking too much of the motors on the market right now?
Also I think the real key to success with these is higher voltages.
Somebody slap a Schulze controller in there and run one of the Actro's on 13S. :D

[ScotY]

I'm thinking that big, blue, fan cooled Plettenberg is going to be THE next motor to get! :glasses2:

Bring lotsa $$$. :shock:

[fitenfyr]

Nope...
I think no matter what you do until you drop the $$$ for the controller that can handle 12 or 13S you are going to be disappointed in all these big outrunners.

Just watched a buddy today flying a Kontronic Tango in a LOGO 20 with 6S and that thing was AWESOME.
More punch than my ION. Now if we put it on the box......:D

[ChrisS]

Hey Jon, did your motor have a seized lower bearing like Mikes did?

Chris

[ScotY]

Jason,

A bit off topic, but please tell us about the Logo 20.

Rough estimations...that Plettenberg motor is probably somewhere in the 415-420 Kv range. 12-13S is probably going to be a necessity. Bottom line, the big expensive Schulze controller is also going to be needed.

I heard a rumor somewhere that Schulze may come out with a replacement for the discontinued 40.70k...any hear anything about that?

Hey Chris,

What's happened with the LRK motors? Can you tell us more? I was just wondering about these motor failures since Mike's initial flight reports sounded like the motor was absolutely fine and that it was the batteries that were being pushed too hard.

[fitenfyr]

Scot,
Pretty cool setup. I didn't get to fly it and he is just doing basic circuits, but that sucker had the climb rate of a hot 50 size.
He gets about 8 minutes of easy flight on 6S2P Tanics that are about 100 cycles old now.
Running Hacker 48P controller and the Big Kontronic Tango motor (don't know the KV or the model number).
TT 600 blades, Hitec digitals (he hates them. :D ) and a bone stock LOGO 20.
I will try and get some flying in with it maybe next weekend and video it, but it makes me want to go with a LOGO 20 for my "trainer" heli.
He also has his original LOGO 10 that I am thinking about getting and using the box on. :D

Ok now back the the destruction of outrunners. :D

[ScotY]

Thanks for the info, Jason. That's pretty amazing that a 50 sized helicopter can run off 6s2p. Would you happen to know which Tanic cells and what the RTF weight is? If you can find out that (and more), I'd appreciate it. And yes, video would be great! :glasses:

[JonMann]

Chris,

No, looks like one of the windings burned. Motor still turns freely, but you can definitely see scorched area inside. This was about three minutes into the first "flight". It was flying great, hadn't done anything "hard" yet, was still just flying easy circuits back and forth. Outside temp was only about 65 degrees.

-jon

[ChrisS]

Hi Jon

I gotta believe that your motor suffered a manufacturing defect of some kind. It seems really odd that two out of a batch had issues, but then our experience with these things is only eight or ten motors long. Definately send it to Jochen at Torcman and get them to look into it.

I don't know Scot, this is really unusual. The 14, 16 and 12 turn motors that I have have been used pretty hard by me, Russ and a few others with pretty good success. I would definately not recommend the 12 turn to anyone but the most power hungry as it will never be anything more than a 5 minute motor. But the 14 and 16 turn motor should be usable with good success by all.

Chris

[jwooten]

Which LRKs are ya'll managing to burn up?

Jimmy

[DrScoles]

Hey guys, haven't checked in for awhile. I never ran this motor past 5 minutes, period. And unlike eric, I would wait quite a while between flights, like leave flightline, hang out, then go back later...

Turns out my shaft was bent too. About 3000ths off. I theorize that when the bearing went, it was wobbling in the can and bent it. Where the shaft went into the bearing, got so hot that the metal turned blue!

I sent it back to Jochen yesterday. I have no problem getting 5 minute flights, however, I might get a 14 turn just to give myself a cushion. I fly this thing pretty hard and even at 5 minutes with the 12 turn, might not be working for long.

The base plate on my motor usually stayed around 180-90... When I chucked the bearing it was at 250!

I still think the outrunner is the way to go! I like losing the middle gear, and the power is better than the hacker, kinda like when the hacker is blowing up...you know that unreal power you get.... :wink: come on, we've all experienced it.... :mrgreen:

Mike

[Russ McC]

Hi Mike, Hi every one else to,

I have about 25 flights on the new Hacker Kevlar wrapped rotors, so far so good. I just had to send in all my batteries for replacement Monday so I have been enjoying my Tempest for the past few days. I had some puffed cells. Well just thought I would chime in, it’s been a while. :)

[fitenfyr]

come on, we've all experienced it....
Not me. :D
Ok so now bad juju is on my head because I said that. :D

Russ what caused your cells to puff?

[Russ McC]

Beats me, they where good then they weren’t :arggg:

[fitenfyr]

Wonder if the 2 chargers setup caused the imbalance?
Maybe those chargers get out of wack over time?