testing amp draw
 

I am new to the electric side of RC and am interested in testing the amp draw of a motor and seeing if it runs in the range the manufacturer says that it does. I have a Sperry digital multimeter that I use to check some of my batteries with and I assume I can use to check amp draw. I am in now way an electrician so how would I do this?

RE: testing amp draw
 

What model do you have? looks like most of Sperry models only handle up to 10 Amps. Anyway in the case you want to test I would recommend you take the manufacturer's word for it. An inexperienced user could really mess up there motor trying to do so. In fact you need a similar test environment to perform manufacture type measurements accurately. The last thing you want to do is hold you motor at stall unnecessarily just to get that max current measurement because you can easily burn it up.

RE: testing amp draw
 

Your Sperry meter may not have a high enough range current capacity to check your motor current directly. You would need a shunt. FMA Direct has such a device or you could simply get a Wattmeter that gives you current, voltage, amp hours, and watts all on the same screen. Hook it between your battery and ESC.

RE: testing amp draw
 

ok, I guess its a little more complex than I thought I checked out the Watt's Up Meter and I guess that is something I will eventually need to invest in.

RE: testing amp draw
 

It is a himax motor rated at 4-11 continuos with 14 amp burst. So would you say that the manufacturers are generally on target with their numbers?

I know that manufacturers always try to streeeeetch their numbers to make things look better so I was a little worried that if they say the motor needs 4-11 with 14 amp burst that it is more like 6-14 with 18 amp burst or something similar.

RE: testing amp draw
 

Max Amp draw is at a stall, cant u just hook up an ampmeter between the motor and a motor lead?