minimans

Well went out today just to run it with what I've got and ended up burning both motors out! stopped in mid-lake, luckily it was blowing a good wind so I didn't have to wait long for it to be blown ashore. The motor that was giving trouble is now totally dead and the good motor for some reason is melted inside, the fan is melted around the armature and seized solid!! I don't think the Traxxas motors are much good at this point. ..............So now it's two new motors and a right hand screw on the way..........................

dauntlessfan

Mini sorry, that's a bummer. How did your speed controllers hold up during all that? Or was it drifting too long for you to be able to tell if they got hot before the motors quit? I gotta think something else besides just bad motors is going on to cause such severe malfunction to both of them. Too much voltage, or shafts binding, or junk caught in the props, or I donno... I'd just caution you to not spend money on new motors and swap them out only to have this happen again.

minimans

Not really sure to be honest after I got it ashore I checked the fuses first but none had blown. just the burnt out motors, after I got it home and stripped it out I fitted the two Traxxas 550 motors I have and both speed controls operate no problems. the boat stopped during a high speed run up the lake so I suspect the motors just got too hot and burned? I am using 16.4 volts which should be no problem for the 775 motors and they are water cooled but perhaps not enough for a sustained high speed? I have found a pair of 775 Johnson motors made for robotics which are equivalent to the Traxxas motors for power/revs/load but are zero timed so can run both directions with no problems and their half the cost of the Traxxas motors so I'm going to try those for now and get a pair of the Graupner motors when I'm in England next month. I am having a blast with the boat so far even with the problems, which to be honest are of my own making, was just to cheap to stump up for the proper motors! Yes your right Rich, do it right first time so you don't pay twice!!! but hopefully the Johnson motors will keep it going till I get to England. On a happier note since I had some time this afternoon I got my old mini cooper out of the garage and that fired right up after sitting all year...........................Its the Yellow one.............

PS I did check my shafts but they are running true and silky smooth with no binding

Hydro Junkie

One quick question that might have already been asked, are the ESCs the same type as the motors? For example,if the motors are brushless, they will require ESCs made to work with them as the outputs can be different than an ESC for a brushed motor. Only reason I ask is I've seen similar issues in the forum before

kokaneezer

Captains-
I will have 4 10 cell (12v) 5000 Mah battery packs in Dauntless and 2 6 cell (7.2v) 5000 Mah battery packs in Lobstah boat. Can you recommend charger that will charge both? Can I leave 2 12v packs connected in parallel (10k Mah) to charge or do I charge as single packs? I would like to charge at home 110v and at lake 12v. Have searched forums and haven't found answer yet. As my Graupners are rated at 9.6v what is advantage to using 12v packs over 9.6v packs?
Bill-
How is the DX3C radio working for you and why did you get the MR3000 marine receiver over the receiver that came with DX3C?
Thanks in advance!
Steve

minimans

Yes the ESC's are for brushed motors EVX'2 for the 775 motor's

geo8498

I've been strapped for cash the past few months, so I'm limping along on my Dauntless. Doing what I can without spending a lot of cash. In doing so, I was able to fabricate my own rudders from ply and fiberglass. I also had brass from another project that I used for my stuffing boxes and prop shafts. Saved me a bit of money, without compromising too much.

I have a question about is about bushing inside the stuffing boxes? Are they full length, of what length are they. I have 3/16" shafts, then the bushings, and then the stuffing boxes. Also, should I make one of those grease plugs that I've seen on others?

I'm ready to buy my props. Should I be prepared tap/die my shaft ends for props? Are there props available with a set screw?

As for the motors; I'm leaning toward the Traxxas 775s. What is the story with the Dumas 12V motor? What motor is that? and why the heck is it $50? Is it just a Johnson 775 or something? Alternatively, I have 4 Mabuchi 550s that I could pair up, but I don't think I like that idea. Noisy gearboxes and all.

WhiteWolf McBride

My Feedback: (3)

Geo:

Making bushings that will 'fit' halfway down the shaft inside the stuffing tube is problematic, as you'd have to have some way to hold them there. Dumas supplies shafts such that the stuffing box fits snuggly around the shaft its full length, basically a full length bearing surface.

The Dumas setups also come with the 'grease plugs'... but they are easily made with a bit of tubing, if you are handy with a small propane/butane torch. I could walk you though it with images, but I'm not at hhome at the moment.

As for propellors and tapping, it all depends on whether you're going to try using 1/4" or 3/8" props from Dumas or someone, or the usual opyions of Raboesch, Rivabo & Graupner ones, where you'd probably get a better selection with a 4mm thread. I used 50mm diameter 4mm thread ones, triblade, and got very good performance from my 'American Enterprise' hull, which is comparable to the Dauntless.

The critical thing is to be sure the threads on the shaft are straight, as any deviation will translate to prop-wobble, and that will mess up the works.

As for Motors... You can use cheap-grunt 550's right thru fancy 750's and such, even going brushless... but here, as noted by Mini, you want ones that turn in opposite rotation to each other, and that their timing is either neutral or timing-advanced in right and left-hand rotation (or can be manually adjusted as such)

Plus you want a decent link between shaft and motor, be it a universal joing of some sort, or a small secrtion of tubing that acts as this (allows for a lot of mis-alignment and eliminates almost all vibration-transfer between shafts and motors)

It may take a bit of experimentation to find the performance you want... batteries, ESC's, motors, linkages (and mebbe even gear-drives) and props, but thats part of the hobby.

WhiteWolf

hoping to be home soon wuith some sunny weather so he can epoxy-coat his hulls and then test-run them.

minimans

AS above! The Traxxax motors are a good motor for speed and torque but you cant run them in the reverse direction! they will burn out! so make sure any motor you buy is zero timed. I think a bushing at either end of the shaft is just fine as the shaft will be supported at three points already, ie both ends of shaft and the Hull supports. just make sure the end of the shaft at the motor end is well supported so it doesn't start whipping around. I found Dumas very helpful when I called about props on my Dauntless and of course the guys at MAC seem to be very helpful as well try giving either a call and tell them what you have and ask what you need.................Paul

Rich404

It seems that the Traaxas motor is no good for the Dauntless..check eBay and try to score a pair of Astro flight Super Ferrite 25's. They are hands down the best motors for this boat. They are the Rolls Royce of boat motors but they are worth the price of admission.

Rich

minimans

Rich don't think i'm a dick please but as an ex Rolls-Royce man Rolls-Royce is always spelt with a hyphen! and although it's a compliment there's never a Rolls-Royce of anything!! At the factory they used to beat it into us!! The factory was always known as Royces never Rolls-Royce.......................Trivia of the day...........

Hydro Junkie

Does that mean that the thousands of Merlins built from Rolls-Royce plans by Packard are not Rolls-Royce Merlins



In truth, they are not. Packard had to do some redesigning to make the more plentiful US made accessories work with the Rolls-Royce design. The Merlin was also not designed to be mass produced, meaning more redesign work was needed for Packard to employ the American methods of mass production that were required to supply North American, DeHavilland, Supermarine, Hawker, Bristol and many others that I missed.

minimans

Correct they are called Packard Merlins, and they only ever made one mark of the engine equivalent to the Merlin XX

This engine was a ((single stage, two speed supercharger)). This engine (Merlin 28) was used for the Lancaster bomber. The USAAF version of this engine was designated the V-1650-1 which were also used on the P-40F's.
The initial Packard modification on the Merlins were done on this engine by changing the main bearings from a copper lead alloy to a silver lead combination and featured indium plating. Indium plating had been developed by the General Motors (Pontiac Division) to prevent corrosion which was possible with lubricating oils that were used at that time. The bearing coating also improved break-in and load carrying ability of the surface. British engineering staff assigned to Packard were astonished at the suggestion but after tear down inspections on rigidly tested engines they were convinced the new design offered a decided improvement.

minimans

Got my motors today in the mail they look like excellent bit's of kit and less than half the cost of the Traxxas ones, I got them from a company called Banebots RS775 is the part number 18v motor but they also do the same motor in a 12v version. and at $17.50 a piece a very good deal on a powerful little motor. now to get back on the water and try them out................

machinist007

question for everyone, what make and model of ESC do you guys have? I'm trying to pair the one I have right now with another one like it, but the lead times on it is up to a month from China. ugh. I'm tired of running on one shaft, it makes me nervous and the boat is slow compared to what I know she can do.

John.

kokaneezer

007-
I have jperkins 5510135. Marine waterproof esc 50A with low speed reverse. www.jperkinsdistribution.co.uk Good stuff. two weeks from UK. usually.
Steve

minimans

I have a pair of Traxxas EVX2's which work well and they have a Marine water cooled version as well. I've had no problems with them (unlike the motors) they are programmable but I haven't played with them yet to find out what they are capable of.

machinist007

Well, I got tried of looking at the wide trim pieces on the side of the cabins so I started peeling them off and cutting them in half. 1.5 hours later and I only have one side done. That is they are split, sanded, and ready to go back on the boat. Once I get the cabins repainted where the trim came off. I have to admit, that Rich is partly to blame here because I used his boat as a guide for placement and size of the trim. He has set the bar so high, at least for me I'd end up taking half of my boat apart just to redo it. Anyway, here is what I've been done this evening. Oh, also having the canopies off is kind of growing on me, so I'm not sure if I'm going to put them back on.



The trim on the right is the original width, compared to the thinner ones on the left.

John

dauntlessfan

I'm using the Viper Marine 40 amps, two of them, bulletproof so far. Before I used a single Novak/Traxxas EVX and it worked like a champ for 550 size motors. But once I upgraded to 700 it melted into a pile of mush.

Rich404

Hi John,

I am running a pair of Astro Flight Harbor Master ESC's.

-Rich.

Rich404

The comparison between the Rolls-Royce and the Astro Flight motors was simply that they are expensive when new, high quality and they are built by hand. The Astroflight motors are not your typical motors that you use and discard after a few seasons. Rather, if something goes wrong with them, even years down the line they are willing to repair the motors for a relatively small fee. I can't think of many other model motor companies that stands behind their product to such a degree.

Hyphens aside, I am a fan of Rolls-Royce motor cars. The Corniche convertible is on the top of my bucket list for a garage queen in the future. What did you do for them?

-Rich.

minimans

Rolls-Royce trained mechanic or technician as they like to call them. worked in the dealer network for almost 25 years before starting my own restoration shop. and yes my car of choice would be one of the last corniche's with the turbo charged engine.....................................

Rich404

I see we have the same taste in cars.. ; )

Rich.

kokaneezer

62 E type. Englands best contribution to motorcars.C'mon-Get in !!

minimans

Two a penny in my shop mate I have to stack 'em...............................................



Bloody TR3 are getting the same..............................