Motor Tech
10-16-2006, 06:54 AM
#1
Motor Tech
I've tried a few searches throughout the site, but I haven't come up with much. I'm looking for some input on running motor-tech for stock racing. For starters, here's what I think I know:
1) Swapping arms/cans is bad.
Unfortunately, I was out of RC for too long and there are a bunch of older cans and arms that I can't properly identify. If anyone has a convenient "Can/Arm Reference for Dummies," that would be incredible.
2) Removing winds is bad.
We're looking into an RLC meter to verify the integrity of the arm, but I'm going to need some time with it and a good lot of motors to make sure that I can successfully identify an arm that's been tampered with while it's still in the can.
3) Attempts to advance timing are bad.
I was aware that the idea of removing the locking tab on the endbell was wrong. I have recently heard that there might be a way to skew the commutator segments relative to the armature windings themselves. Does anyone know of any other nasty tricks to accomplish re-timing? And perhaps more importantly, does anyone know a sure-fire way to check for modified timing?
4) Substituting bearings for the bushings is bad.
I have even been told that back in the day, some companies made bronze-colored bearings to make tech more difficult. I assume that a close look here is all you need, and you just assume that they aren't running a bearing in the can and a bushing in the endbell to fool you.
This is the basic stuff I think I know. Some of this is easier to check than other parts. Are there any tricks some of you have used to identify motors that have been illegally tampered with? My ultimate goal is to get reasonable coverage for those skirting the rules, without unnecessarily inconveniencing those who are following the rules.
Also, is there a basic flow? Like, visual inspection for the heats, with a full tear-down for the top 3 in each main? In the A-main only? For all cars in all mains?
I do have a degree in EE and have been in semiconductor test for the last 8 years, so test and analysis is what I do. Of course, I've normally got ~$100k in test gear to verify DC parameters of small-signal semiconductors. I wasn't very good with motor/generator sets in school, and the total lack of time spent on the subject since isn'y helping me with this endeavor. That said, I'm very much open to hard-core theory and it will make sense to me, so if need be, fire away.
1) Swapping arms/cans is bad.
Unfortunately, I was out of RC for too long and there are a bunch of older cans and arms that I can't properly identify. If anyone has a convenient "Can/Arm Reference for Dummies," that would be incredible.
2) Removing winds is bad.
We're looking into an RLC meter to verify the integrity of the arm, but I'm going to need some time with it and a good lot of motors to make sure that I can successfully identify an arm that's been tampered with while it's still in the can.
3) Attempts to advance timing are bad.
I was aware that the idea of removing the locking tab on the endbell was wrong. I have recently heard that there might be a way to skew the commutator segments relative to the armature windings themselves. Does anyone know of any other nasty tricks to accomplish re-timing? And perhaps more importantly, does anyone know a sure-fire way to check for modified timing?
4) Substituting bearings for the bushings is bad.
I have even been told that back in the day, some companies made bronze-colored bearings to make tech more difficult. I assume that a close look here is all you need, and you just assume that they aren't running a bearing in the can and a bushing in the endbell to fool you.
This is the basic stuff I think I know. Some of this is easier to check than other parts. Are there any tricks some of you have used to identify motors that have been illegally tampered with? My ultimate goal is to get reasonable coverage for those skirting the rules, without unnecessarily inconveniencing those who are following the rules.
Also, is there a basic flow? Like, visual inspection for the heats, with a full tear-down for the top 3 in each main? In the A-main only? For all cars in all mains?
I do have a degree in EE and have been in semiconductor test for the last 8 years, so test and analysis is what I do. Of course, I've normally got ~$100k in test gear to verify DC parameters of small-signal semiconductors. I wasn't very good with motor/generator sets in school, and the total lack of time spent on the subject since isn'y helping me with this endeavor. That said, I'm very much open to hard-core theory and it will make sense to me, so if need be, fire away.
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