Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: tony23 on September 26, 2011, 10:56:28 pm

Title: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 26, 2011, 10:56:28 pm
OK, I have never had a powered craft before I have only sailed yachts so he's a newbie question  :embarrassed: just bought a lovely boat everything working lights,smoke and sound from the Action sound unit (although it's a strange sound) but I cannot get the motor to run firstly what channel in the receiver should I plug it in at first I thought the throttle channel but know I'm think I'm wrong as it must have forward and reverse so use the elevator channel (spektrum receiver). The boat has an Action Black box unit (looks like a speed controller) that does make a 'click' but no motor runs I have checked to see if the motor runs freely which it does so what am I over looking  :embarrassed:  
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: DickyD on September 26, 2011, 11:01:23 pm


Any chance of a photo of the internals ?
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 26, 2011, 11:20:01 pm
yep, I'm just looking on the Action web site to see what units are installed.
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 27, 2011, 12:14:57 am
just plugged the motor lead into the elevator socket on the spektrum receiver turned on the sound unit and now getting the steam sound ticking over to sounding faster as the stick is pushed for forward and backwards so everythings OK with the sound unit I'm still hearing a 'click' from the speed controller (like a solenoid) but I'm now thinking the 2x 6volt 2AH battery's are flat I charged them up but they took next to nothing before the charger switched off telling me maybe the battery's are dead the boat has probably stood for a while and the battery's have discharged too low to take a charge now.
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: DickyD on September 27, 2011, 08:12:00 am
Thats a P94 you have in there.

Your best bet would be to speak to Dave at ACTion, he'll sort it for you.
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: ACTion on September 27, 2011, 09:14:53 am
Thats a P94 you have in there.
Your best bet would be to speak to Dave at ACTion, he'll sort it for you.
Sorry, Dicky, but it looks like either a P80 Condor or the older P56 Commander (both are 20A ESCs and have identical connections). If the relay is clicking when you go from forward to reverse then the microprocessor sounds like it's working OK. The flat-battery theory sounds most likely. I would suggest trying it with a new, charged battery. If you still get no motor then the MOSFETs are probably blown and it will need our TLC.
http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P80.pdf (http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P80.pdf)
DM
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 27, 2011, 06:47:17 pm
Thanks DM,
                 I doubt very much if the MOSFETs are blown I'm almost sure that the battery's are finished it's probably been left for too long flat and I cannot get them to recover to get a charge in them. I have ordered two today and will let you guy's know the outcome I'm looking forward to have a play with this.

by the way how can I tell what the units are without removing the case or can't I  {:-{
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: ACTion on September 27, 2011, 11:25:32 pm
by the way how can I tell what the units are without removing the case or can't I  {:-{
You can't, but I can tell you that they were bought before Liz and I took over ACTion and that the engine sound unit is a P56. BTW I got the 'P' number of the Commander ESC wrong but it makes no difference to the substance of the reply. The model looks like a Clyde puffer.
DM
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 28, 2011, 05:35:15 pm
So Dm,
          As I have no instructions with the sound unit what can it or can't it do? The boat is the one that was advertised in the for sale section  http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=32717.0 since getting it home I have had a good look around the boat and inside and I must say the build quality and installation of the gear is the best I have ever seen on a model boat.
I should get the battery's within the next couple of days I'm pretty sure that was my problem with the motor not running.
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: ACTion on September 28, 2011, 09:24:11 pm
We have a website for this sort of thing....................http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P56.pdf (http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P56.pdf)
There's all sorts of other useful stuff on there, too.
DM

O - and Dave Abbott was the National Scale Champion at one time and builds a very neat model.
Title: the plot thickens
Post by: tony23 on September 29, 2011, 08:17:52 pm
OK, received my two new 6 volt battery's today put them in tested the smoke unit  :} lovely the smoke works instantly and nice thick smoke, tried the Action sound unit and much louder than before and works a treat with forward and backward stick  :-)) BUT still no motor running  >:-o takes the case off the Action speed controller and puts a tester on it it's working perfectly showing no voltage then full stick showing 6.4 volts so I have power coming out the box so now I can only put it down to the motor  >>:-( I had a spare 6 volt motor in the draw so made up some lead and connected to the speed controller and the motor works in both directions as it should so now I'm convinced the problem is with the motor. BUT the motor is in the most awkward place in the boat to remove it and also for the life of me a cannot see how to remove it from it's mount, any suggestions please it's a Black 6 volt Monoperm super mounted on a Black case type bracket fixed to the hull I cannot see any screws to remove the unit from the bracket. Also I understood the boat was fully operational so why would a unit of this quality not work  {:-{

(http://www.pshobbiesandmodelshop.co.uk/images/Monoperm-6v.jpg)

this is what I have installed in the boat but I cannot get to the mounting screws so how does it come off the mount?
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: Shipmate60 on September 29, 2011, 09:50:45 pm
The Monoperm Super has an on/off/reversing switch, the red lever on the free end of the motor.
Check that the lever is not in the mid point (switched off).

Bob
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 29, 2011, 09:58:09 pm
Hi Bob,
          I was just writing a reply when I got your PM I managed to remove the motor with the mount on and noticed the red lever the motor now works but it's a bit tempermental it does not always run every time I think the lever may have been slightly in the middle position. Do you know how these motors remove from the mount as I'm going to have a hell of a job getting the complete unit back in and screwed to the fixing plate.
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: Shipmate60 on September 29, 2011, 10:15:00 pm
The mount is held on by several plastic lugs on the case which locates in the motor casing.
They are a mare to get off without breaking.
Try moving the switch a few times to clean any muck off the contacts.
For information these motors run at 5000 rpm but dont have much torque.
They are also expensive to replace with the same.
If in doubt replace with new motors and if necessary make simple custom mounts for them.

Bob
Title: Re: motor not running
Post by: tony23 on September 30, 2011, 08:06:45 am
I think you was right Bob, The contacts must of been dirty I have now got the motor running and fitted it back in it's mount but I had a nightmare to get the screws in to fix the mount back in the hull but all's OK  :-)) now.

Thanks everybody for the PM's what a great site...... O0