Starter trouble
 

I have a Hobbico TorqueMaster 90 that I have been using for the last 3 years. I am noticing that I am starting to have trouble being able to turn my engines over with the starter. I initially thought it was the battery in my field box was going bad; but after replacing im still having the same problem. Ive been using the starter mostly on a Saito .91 and 100. I was recently doing work on an OS 46Ax and needed to turn it over a few good times, and I was surprised that I wasnt getting the force I had expected from the starter on such a small engine.

Question: Have I been overpowering the starter with the saitos? Is there anything I can do to recondition, improve the starters performance other than stepping up to higher voltage? Or is it just about that time to replace?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

RE: Starter trouble
 

If you're certain it's not the battery, you might check for corrosion in the wiring and connectors. Corrosion can build up under the wire casing and not be visible. This might be causing a reduced current to the motor. I would also check the condition of the motor brushes.

Paul

RE: Starter trouble
 

If your sure it not low battery voltage, did you change the rubber cone? It may be worn, and not grabbing the spinner or nut you are using. Clean the rubber cone with alcohol wipe it down and , try it again. If it's an issue with the starter, contact Hobbico, they will help you.

RE: Starter trouble
 

As far as cone, Im using a newer silicone(red) cone. This things is great. Grips hard and doesnt get chewed up.

The battery, no - Ive tried two batteries, both fully charged and still the same.

RE: Starter trouble
 

There are two brushes inside that wear out. I get replacements from the hardware store and just solder in a new pair then spray the starter down with electrical cleaner on the inside and off it goes again. Sounds easier then it really is, you need four hands to get it back together again but I manage so most anyone should be able to do it. A new starter from Hobby People is about 20 bucks so if you have problems getting it back together you know where to go.

RE: Starter trouble
 

Well took it apart and back together again...with only 2 hands - ha!!! :) Ta-daaaaa!!!

Well it seems that the brushes might be a bit worn down - im guessing. They show signs of wear, but still appear to be making contact, I took a dremel polishing wheel and cleaned up all contacts and the can that rotates within the magnets.

So i tried it with the 46, turned it over no problem. The 91,,,had to bump start it to get it to turn. So we have an improvement, but still not up to par.

What kind of brushes am i looking for at the Hardware store? ( thanks Grey!)

RE: Starter trouble
 

Are you running the Torquemaster with one of the packs which Hobbico sells or a 12v pack?

If so, RUN, do not walk, and get higher VOLTAGE packs ( or make one up ).

I use 14.8v racing packs on my regular torque master, and others at my field use the same starter with 18v packs to turn over engines up to 1.80

With my High Torque Torquemaster and higher voltage packs I have no problems starting up 50CC engines.

RE: Starter trouble
 

I've sctually been thinking og going cordless for next season with 2 7 cell packs. At the moment I'm using a 12v sealed battery.

My issue here is I want to pinpoint the prblem here before I go on making upgrades. I've been using this starter for 3 years with no issues. Like I said before, I thought it was my battery, but it wasn't. I might just give in and buy a tm180. Don't know if its worth the trouble. But the 2 7 cell packs look tempting. I have a few 3 cell lipos sitting around, could I use a pair of these? 11.1v 2100 packs.

RE: Starter trouble
 

I have the TM 90 and it just quit working last week. I've had it about 4 years. Like you, it was getting weaker and weaker. I disassembled it, cleaned it, check the switch contacts, reassembled, still nothing. I put the TM 180 on my christmas list. The TM 90 wasn't working well for me anyway as I've been moving up to larger motors.

Brad

RE: Starter trouble
 

I've never run it at 22v, but I believe others have.

I've been contemplating using some older style ( 10C ) 18v 5000mAh LiPo's I picked up for a song at a swap meet.

I've always have had problems with 12v sealed batteries on these things and switching to higher voltage racing NiMH packs cured it for me.

RE: Starter trouble
 

I'm not sure if it's a good thing, but I've been using 2 3s 2100 lipos hooked up for 22v for a few months on my T90. So far so good, no smoke yet.

RE: Starter trouble
 

Yeah given the relatively short duty cycle ( seconds!), the size of the winding wires ( thick! ) and the heat dissipation of a typical starter motor, it would be reasonable to assume that we could put a lot more voltage through a starter.

Heck those motors are so big, it wouldn't surprize me if they could accept 80 volts or so without problems!

RE: Starter trouble
 

If you're of a mind to put time into it, you can go from the battery through to the windings with a multimeter and see if you can find a connection that is dropping voltage. I would suspect the switch before anything else.

RE: Starter trouble
 

Well im guessing that Ive Isolated the issue after talking to my LHS. She said that I should try direct connect to battery bypassing the power panel. Guess what, it works just fine. :)

So now the question is, what could be wrong with the panel?

RE: Starter trouble
 

Probably so, but with the 22 volts running through it, it spins plenty fast. First time I tried it, it about jumped out of my hand.




I would forget the panel and just use a [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXL372&P=M]battery box[/link] on the starter. Or make your own.

RE: Starter trouble
 

Nothing, as the battery ages it looses a lot and the pannel draws juice so the battery is even lower. At one point I had one of those batteries hooked up to the bottom of my starter, that worked grreat but it was heavy. I went over to running everything from one of those engine jump starters, I clip it to my power pannel to run my long glow driver and fuel pump too. With all the great batteries we have today you have a lot of ways to do it. One of the guys I fly with has one of those 18V drills and chucked up a nose spinner in it, starts up to a 50cc gasser. One day he lit up my G-62 for me to just to proove it would do it. Brushes, I just took mine in with me and matched them up. I bought that starter used and I used it for years and years. I do have a bigger and better one now but as needed I just kept fixing it!!

RE: Starter trouble
 

That explains why I've never seen this issue, as I have my battery packs right on the starter.

RE: Starter trouble
 

When I started flying RC only a very few people hooked up there battery directly to the bottom of the starter, the power panel ruled the flight line. It still does for the most part but as soon as people start using bigger engines they notice there starters don't have the zing needed to spin over there bigger engines and start looking around at what other people are using. My flight box is still set up with a panel and I use an electric fuel pump. My battery went dead so I just left it hooked up and clip on two leads from my jump starter to the panel. Most the time I use something like a hot shot for my glow driver but this time of year I use the driver from my panel, I can get more heat out of it and my engines start easier. If I had the money to be changing over there are some very good starters with some outstanding battery packs these days. Until I hit it big I will be living in the stone age though and just keep doing what it takes to stay in the air. That big drill my buddy is using looks like a pretty good idea to me, it even comes with all the stuff needed to be used as a drill and it has a charger in the box. Even comes up on sale!!!