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Old 12-18-2021 | 01:06 PM
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fox2002
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Joined: Dec 2021
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Default Servo Idle Current increase

Hello, I have a few brushed-motor 12kg Servos, brand-new the idle current is ~5mA. However after some use, the idle current increase quite a lot to about 30-40mA.
The affected Servos still work although the min and max angle seems to be slightly off by a few degrees, and under load the current also seems to have increased from about 0.8A peak previously, and after some use, now about 1.3A peak. The Servo is rated to 1A. It still works even under load, and there is no weird noise, just the current increase. I wouldn't be surprised if it did fail at some point, but then I will do a tear-down. What would cause a current increase in a brushed motor, could be the gear-box binding and increasing the load, but then the idle current has increased, or could be the motor brushes or a partial short in the windings / rotor commutator.
There is a 16kg brushless alternative but the cost 3x the price of the brushed motor.
Thanks, any advice welcomed.
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