Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: windwardcd28 on August 02, 2012, 10:25:46 pm
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I have just roughed in the motor and electronics for the Model Slipways Envoy. I installed steam engine and whistle/horn sounds and an ESC. Everything works as expected but the whine of the motor is so loud the sound effects are nullified.
I initially secured the motor mount to a block of wood epoxied to the hull using four screws. The vibration noises were horrendous. I experimented with various ways to cushion the motor mount from the wood block and found that using Velcro instead of screws really dampened the vibration noise. Now the main problem is the engine whine. Has anyone found a way to dampen motor whine noise. Any idea of an effective sound absorber that can be used?
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I've had the problem of engine vibrations on my Waverley and also solved it (a bit) by softening the mountings. It seems some motors are noisier than others.
Regarding the whine, this is an age old thing where it's down to the speed controller. It's actually the noise of the electronic speed switching itself. The only way around this is to change the make of speed controller.
Hope this helps
ken
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Vibration noises can be deadened when the boat is in water.
As Ken says, whine is usually from the speed controller. :-))
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I knew a modeller who always used to mount his motors in a bed of silicone rubber. They were quiet as a mouse, all you could hear as his boats went past was the water lapping past the hull.
Most ESC's tend to pulse the motor at about 1-2khz which is easily audible. Some controllers pulse it higher rates, this puts more strain on the FET's, via switching losses. Older controllers tended to pulse at the stadard R/C signal rate- 50hz. That is inaudible, and the motors don't whine or sing.
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Vibration noise, and motor whine due to the ESC frequency is very different.
The ESC frequency pulsing through the motor windings and resonating is what causes the motor to sing.
Finding a different motor, or an ESC that runs at a different frequency is what will stop that resonation.
I know someone that tried all manner of capacitors, diodes and coils and iron rings to supress the music, nothing worked.
:((
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Older controllers tended to pulse at the stadard R/C signal rate- 50hz. That is inaudible, and the motors don't whine or sing.
http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/speed.php (http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/speed.php)
All 50MHz except P98. Expect a low growl from the motor on start-up at most.
DM