Stock motor overheating

[threepdr]

I've been flying my SC (my first RC plane) for several months now. I've crashed and repaired many times, but now can keep it in the air and get it down safely consistantly. But now my motor cuts outs after 5 or 6 minutes. Its not the LiPo battery, because after a few minutes to cool, it will start again.

What would cause it to overheat and cut out? Any cures? It might be time to convert to brushless.

Mark
Huntsville, AL

[Dillzio]

Check out this pic of my stock transmitter and the mod I did to the throttle. I found that I was achieving maximum throttle when the slider was only about 75-80% of the way up, and anything beyond that made the motor cut out after a minute or two. By adding a stopper to prevent the throttle slider from going above where I was getting full throttle it eliminated the problem.

Check to see where you're getting full throttle, and if it's not at the top of the slider try blocking off the top bit like i've done in my pic. I just cut a piece of popsicle stick to size and superglued it on.

In case you're wondering why those screw's are sticking out of the battery compartment, it's because my old transmitter has found a new life as an adjustable voltage power supply for testing my circuits.

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[flydiver]

Dill's method is easy and worth a try. There are only about 5 gradations in the throttle of the stock system anyway. If you listen closely while you throttle up you can hear them. I put a piece of tape next to my throttle and made marks.

You can also try a water break-in; yes for real.
www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5788&page=2
Best done when new but I've had it fix a problem like yours in 'later life'.
If neither work, probably new motor time.

[threepdr]

Who'd a thunk it! I didn't even know a motor would work under water.

Thanks guys. I'll check on the throttle stop idea, but I usualy run at about 1/3 throttle or less anyway.

So, the idea of break in is to run it hard while keeping it cool, so that there is less friction when it runs later?

Thanks again

Mark

[flydiver]

It ONLY works for BRUSHED-don't try on brushless.
The idea is break in the brushes at low voltage, cool, while repressing arcing.
Be sure to dry and oil.

Those little lentil things one the back of the motor are capacitors to suppress the interference caused by arcing.

[Dillzio]

the water break in works great, once you see how much crap it cleans out of the motor you'll understand. Here's how I did it to mine: supercubclub.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=ts&thread=993&post=18542

[flydiver]

If you do this you need to take it apart. Check shafts for true and bearing smoothness. You could be having a binding issue contributing. Crashing does that. ;D