water cooling system for motor

[chriszuma]

I just bought a RTR Traxxas Blast electric boat that has a 540 sized electric motor, and I took the boat out and after a while I noticed that the motor is getting really really hot when I use it, sometimes even smoking when I use it for two consecutive battery lives. I was wondering a couple of things. The main thing is that I was wondering if anyone has a good method for liquid-cooling my motor. I had a couple of ideas, all of which could work, but if anyone has a really good proven method that works for this i would be really interested and grateful. The other thing is I was wondering if there is any other way of keeping it cool, not involving a stupid vent hole.

[chriszuma]

Well, I went out to the local hobby store and I was in the mood for spending money, so I bought a Green Machine 3 motor and a better speed control that has reverse. unfortunately, I forgot to buy a new receiver to replace the POS Traxxas noname receiver and as soon as I plopped it in the lake, it went 20 feet and died. I am really PO'ed so I think I'll buy a new freakin' receiver, maybe futaba or something and I'll tell you how the new motor and speed control work in a few days. :mad: Anyway, I did find a water cooling kit from some guy who sells them for about $10.00 on EBay, but with my new motor i doubt I'll need it.

[Electro992]

I vote for water cooling-I've tried it on my electric boat. Juat buy some alumumn tubing at the hardware store and wrap it around the motor. Make the water pickup just like it is on nitro boats and put the exit somewhere on the side of the hull. Peice of cake really. Best of luck with your Blast.

[Twmaster]

You are still going to need to water cool it. Next, you will need to replace all the wires in your boat cuz the 18 gauge that comes in the thing sux and is not big enough to supply the power you will need. There is much more you could or should do but that is the subject for another thread.

[FrostyTheBeerman]

How do you get the boat to pick up the water from the lake ? ... since there is no pump for a simple water cooling system, how do you go about getting the water to enter that coil of tubing ? ...


I vote for water cooling-I've tried it on my electric boat. Juat buy some alumumn tubing at the hardware store and wrap it around the motor. Make the water pickup just like it is on nitro boats and put the exit somewhere on the side of the hull. Peice of cake really. Best of luck with your Blast.

[raz]

You can buy or make a water pick-up. As the boat starts moving forward water is forced into the tube. I agree with Twmaster, you still need to water cool the motor. Check this site for water pick ups. It even shows how to make one.
http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/MainPage.htm

[martin richards]

On a modified motor, brush cooling is more worthwhile than can cooling. Solder a short length of copper/brass tube to each brush-holder and join them together with silicon tube.
The water inlet on most suface drive boats is a piece of alloy or brass tube located just aft of the prop. This gives plenty of cooling water to the system.

[lostrider]

in the salt water- water can do the resistor function? or wasting the power?

[BeauMartin]

I trust water cooling for all of my electronics (when needed) There a good system and you get your moneys worth.

[retoabcr]

Ok, -. I gather from reading, you're new to boating, best bet is to buy a can cooling and water pickup and for esc, get a rc-hydros 60 amp esc which is watercooled and water proof. I guess from surfing offshores is your best bet.

[AndyKunz]

I would second the suggestion for going to www.offshoreelectrics.com as I am out of stock on the BEC controls right now and don't expect to build more for a couple more weeks.

Andy

[785boats]

Some setups don't need cooling if they're not over propped.
Water is the best way of cooling a motor & ESC because it takes the heat out of the boat. Heatsinks & fans don't unless the boat is well ventilated.
In fast electrics under peak performance You should watercool ESC, motor can & motor brush tabs if it is a brushed motor.
Less heat = less resistance = less current drain = longer runtime.
Paul.

[AndyKunz]

I just scrolled back and realized that BeauMartin resurrected a thread last posted to on Aug, 2005. Only 2+ years old...

When I test my ESC designs (http://www.rc-hydros.com), I never use water cooling. I always pushed them as hard as possible with no cooling, because so often water cooling isn't done properly and this is about as worst-case as one could get. As a result, the air-cooled variants of my ESCs enjoy tremendous popularity with the racers (NAMBA has a few brushed-only classes) because there was no need to cool them. Cooling pickups are another source of drag, and another failure point. I just never got around to putting the air-cooled ones on the website for the masses to order - if you want one, just e-mail me.

Andy