Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Non-working motor query  (Read 3855 times)

joppyuk1

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 201
  • Location: Suffolk
Non-working motor query
« on: July 14, 2017, 09:10:44 am »

I've just been given a very grotty motor, obviously removed from a model as it is on a wooden mount, which doesn't operate. The leads are soldered on but there's no joy when I attach batteries. On the back of the motor it has the wording "SME - ITALY - FC-170". Would it be worth my trying to fix it, or stripping it down to find a defect?
Thanks in advance.
Logged

malcolmfrary

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,027
  • Location: Blackpool, Lancs, UK
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2017, 09:31:41 am »

Probably not - unless it has screws holding it together, it will be difficult to reassemble it after you have found the problem.  Tags don't always want to bend twice and getting the rotating bit back in without mangling the brushes can be difficult. 
If there is an access hole near the brushes, it might be worth a squirt of contact cleaner, but if the problem is more than a bit of muck on the commutator, it will make more sense to just buy a new motor.  Unless it had some remarkable features which would require something exotic to replace, stock motors are cheap enough.
Logged
"With the right tool, you can break anything" - Garfield

TailUK

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,672
  • Location: East Midlands
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2017, 02:35:44 pm »

That sound like a dynamo not a motor.  I used to have one with those markings that came with a Meccano set. Has it got a blue plastic casing?
Logged
No human society has ever functioned without models to capture, explain,disseminate,
persuade, sell, reinforce and analyse all kinds of ideas, values, concepts and situations.

malcolmfrary

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,027
  • Location: Blackpool, Lancs, UK
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2017, 07:57:52 pm »

That sound like a dynamo not a motor.  I used to have one with those markings that came with a Meccano set. Has it got a blue plastic casing?
A quick google for SME - ITALY - FC-170 turned up a link that implied it could be a generator used with a Mamod steam engine, but when I clicked for a closer look, I was given a warning page instead.  So, if its an AC dynamo, it would just sit there looking at you with power applied.
Logged
"With the right tool, you can break anything" - Garfield

TailUK

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,672
  • Location: East Midlands
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2017, 08:01:44 pm »

Could be helpful to have a picture?
Logged
No human society has ever functioned without models to capture, explain,disseminate,
persuade, sell, reinforce and analyse all kinds of ideas, values, concepts and situations.

HMS Invisible

  • MICROGYROS.COM
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 515
  • Location: Paisley, Renfrewshire
    • Yes, it works!
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2017, 08:11:30 pm »

Logged
< All manner of contact methods over to the left.

TailUK

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,672
  • Location: East Midlands
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2017, 08:21:03 pm »

If that's the same as the one being discussed then that's definitely a motor not a dynamo.  If it is the same I wouldn't bother with it you'll be able to  get any number of equivalents and better quality as well.
Logged
No human society has ever functioned without models to capture, explain,disseminate,
persuade, sell, reinforce and analyse all kinds of ideas, values, concepts and situations.

jarvo

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 662
  • Etherow model boat club
  • Location: Bredbury Stockport Cheshire
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2017, 08:42:53 pm »

Hi Mate, the motor looks like a slot car motor, eg. scalextric etc. for the price i would consign it to the bin, its not worth the hassle


Mark
Logged
Tugs are for pulling

mudway

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 507
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great
  • Location: Sydney
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2017, 01:35:38 am »

It is a good little 12v motor and sold at some time by Mtroniks as a Vision 400 i.e. it is a flat 400 can size motor.


I have them in a couple of boats and they run quite happily on a 3S battery and 30mm props. With a 4 blade 30mm brass prop, mine turns at 3,900 rpm in the water pulling .75 amps.





Logged

roycv

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,389
  • Location: S.W. Herts
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2017, 09:16:16 am »

Hi, looking at that motor, appears to be a generic Mabuchi type motor with magnets.  If you spin it it will be a generator or apply a voltage it will be a motor, your choice!
All permanent magnet motors / brushed, will act as electricity generators if you spin them from any source.
They are so cheap that repair is not worth the effort.

regards Roy
Logged

mudway

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 507
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great
  • Location: Sydney
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2017, 09:23:20 am »

I picked mine up for a fiver each up at the Harrogate Show a few years back. Might have been Proops.
Logged

joppyuk1

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 201
  • Location: Suffolk
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2017, 09:27:20 am »

Thanks for the replies. The one illustrated looks like mine, but I don't have the outer wrapping with the wording on. From comments it seems not worth the trouble, but I might just mess around with it and see what I can do with it.
Logged

grendel

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,948
  • Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2017, 11:13:24 am »

I was about to say, you could pull it to bits, after all if it works again - win, if it doesnt - no loss.
Logged

Onetenor

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 268
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great!
  • Location: Meliden N Wales
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2017, 12:08:11 am »

I was about to say, you could pull it to bits, after all if it works again - win, if it doesnt - no loss.
My thoughts exactly but it  does look dismantlable. Or pokeable.  I am likely too late for that but would like to know how things went. I love fiddling with these things   I'm looking for a motor of this type but of a certain size do any of you know where I can find various sizes or specify size?
Logged

malcolmfrary

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,027
  • Location: Blackpool, Lancs, UK
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2017, 10:10:40 am »

In the model world, motors had a 3 digit number such as "385".  This would indicate a 38mm long can, with a 5 pole armature.  a "540" would indicate a 54mm long can, with the basic 3 poles.  Further reading would be needed to sort out what voltage it would need to give the performance required at whatever voltage.  Even then, there was a huge and confusing amount of scope for variation within a given size due to variations in size, strength and disposition of magnet(s), brush gear, general quality and arrangement of the armature windings within the space available.  Then the "system" was "simplified" by rounding off the numbers.  A "400" is generally a 38x with a new label.
Logged
"With the right tool, you can break anything" - Garfield

joppyuk1

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 201
  • Location: Suffolk
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2017, 11:47:31 am »

My thoughts exactly but it  does look dismantlable. Or pokeable.  I am likely too late for that but would like to know how things went. I love fiddling with these things   I'm looking for a motor of this type but of a certain size do any of you know where I can find various sizes or specify size?
I fiddled. poked, prodded, opened bits up, tried various size batteries, all to no avail. Gave up in the end. Life's too short. Thanks for the interests
Logged

roycv

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,389
  • Location: S.W. Herts
Re: Non-working motor query
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2017, 12:41:34 pm »

Hi, I go along with 'if its broke lets look inside' but after that unless it is a high cost product that might be useful for spares, then out it goes.
regards Roy
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.097 seconds with 22 queries.