New motor adjustment

tirion · 03-27-2006, 11:39 AM

I just got a new Systema Hi-Torque motor since my stock ICS was the victim of an unfortunate accident involving a failed grip replacement (the place where the wires attach broke off completely). It came with an allen wrench which I presume is for adjusting the screw on the end cap of the grip. Am I supposed to adjust this, and if so whats the best way to tell if I've sufficiently adjusted it.

arivee · 03-27-2006, 11:49 AM

If I remember correctly TJ the 1st's explanation - and if that endcap you speak of is the heatsink at the bottom of the grip - that adjusts motor height and affect the meshing of the motor gear to the mechbox.

And the way TJ the First adjusted my MP5 was by the sound it was making. This was the way he knew the gears were meshing (with concurrence from Lou as well IIRC).

Its not scientific - but I would imagine that was borne out of years of experience.

noSup4u · 03-27-2006, 11:51 AM

ive been having the same dilemma recently. there is just no way other than trial and error to adjust a motor properly. somebody suggested this weekend that you should turn the motor all the way up then lower it by a half turn and see if it spins freely. keep lowering it by half turns until it can spin.

i really wish there was a way to measure out what height is apropriate and start from there but with the spring load and the fact you can't actually see what you are adjusting i think it is impossible.

arivee · 03-27-2006, 12:56 PM

I'd actually approach it the opposite manner - go from no load to spring load - if only to be gentle to the motor and to be sure not to tax a gear because of a wrong/high pressure seating.

I say old bean, Tirion - did you break in the motor under no load/low volt situation? Or should you? In my old R/C days - I broke in my motor for 24 hours under a 3volt load to properly seat the brush. Is that done on airsoft motors?

tirion · 03-27-2006, 01:05 PM

I didnt, and I dont know if I was supposed to.

**Calaban** · 03-27-2006, 02:37 PM

I honestly don't think you need to break in the motors. HA! when I used to race I never broke in my motors. I think it will work just fine with out the trouble of the break in. I mean do you really think that CA or TM break in all the motors in their new AEG's?

**P7hk9** · 03-27-2006, 02:43 PM

The motor manufacturer should break in the motors as part of their regular testing. All of the brush-type motors we buy for work are tested for 24 hours before they are shipped to us.

arivee · 03-27-2006, 04:34 PM

I believe in breaking in the motor - specially for a highly tuned one. If you use a stock/low wind count motor, then I agree - take it out of the box and play with it.

IMHO - the disadvantage you would have in not breaking in a motor - for R/C at least - is you will not maximize the juice you apply to the motor because you did not allow the brushes or the bearings to seat properly. End result - a shorter run time or lesser torque output from the motor or worse both.

Tirion mentioned a high torque motor - to my mind - that is a high performance/high wind count. I realize he's not going to put wheels on his AEG and race it - but you have to consider the benefits of maximizing the power that gets to the motors from the batts. Will he get a better ROF? Probably not. Will his motor last longer? All factors being the same - I believe so.

Cal - call me optomistic but I also believe TM Motors are QC tested and breaking in the motor is part of the process - I'd think it'd be pretty remiss of TM not to make sure that the motor they are putting in works and works properly.

Lou - I agree it is the manufacturers responsibility. For your application, sending over a 30 pound motor untested would be extremely irresponsible.

I am basing all my comments from my R/C experiece that upgraded motors come in with a manufacturer recommendation to break in under low volt/no load conditions.

Looking back at why manufacturers do this - I think it is because the motors are tuned by the end user for their specific application (this is done by changing the angle of the commutator relative to the endbell/brush plane).

I dont think this adjustment is possible because most AEG motors I have seen are oblongoid in nature and therefore a fixed angle between the commutator and the endbell. Although I have seen some change the shape of the brush to tune a fixed endbell.

So after all that intellectual m*tion - my opinion is - if breaking in is not done for this hobby - I say godspeed and happy hunting. BUT I am of the belief that you will not go wrong with breaking in your motor for the benefit stated above.

**Therabbit** · 03-27-2006, 05:34 PM

there is no other test other then trial and error and sound. The only other bit of advice I would give is to make sure the motor is seated properly and that you can bouce it freely on the spring(meaning it can move on its own up and down without force).