Need more power
01-08-2006, 10:31 PM
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Need more power
I have a 600 size motor in a 2 meter sailplane. The motor is under powered. What is a good replacement for it. Brushed or brushless.
01-09-2006, 09:21 AM
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RE: Need more power
The first question is how many cells are you using? Next, What prop are you using. Then, Is it direct drive or geared?
If you are using the typical vendor recommended system you can probably add one and maybe 2 Nickle metal cells or switch to two Lipos. Naturally you have to be sure your esc can handle the volts and amps.
Adding a gearbox and larger prop can dramtically improve performance in S600 powered gliders.
Walt
If you are using the typical vendor recommended system you can probably add one and maybe 2 Nickle metal cells or switch to two Lipos. Naturally you have to be sure your esc can handle the volts and amps.
Adding a gearbox and larger prop can dramtically improve performance in S600 powered gliders.
Walt
01-09-2006, 11:30 AM
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RE: Need more power
Walt's on the right track.
So many times, people automatically think they need a "bigger" motor to get more power. That's sometimes the case, but not always, and not for the reason most people think. In electric, power is Volts and Amps, not the physical size of the motor. If you want more power, you increase the Volts and/or the Amps going to the motor.
If you go to a physically bigger motor, but keep the same Volts and Amps, you will have the same power. The only difference is that now the plane is heavier. A physically bigger motor only works when you take advantage of its capacity to handle more power, in other words, you tune the rest of the power system to increase Volts and/or Amps. You increase Volts by using a battery with more cells. That in itself also raises the Amps, but you can increase just Amps by using a larger prop.
What I'm getting at is that often times, the motor isn't being used to its full potential, and by making a simple prop or battery change, you can increase the power output of the existing motor. The only time you need a bigger motor is when the power increase exceeds the capacity of the existing motor.
There is one case where you can get big performance increases with the same Volts and Amps, and that's by converting from brushed to brushless. In this case, though, you're not necessarily going with a bigger motor, just a more efficient motor that puts more of the Volts and Amps into the prop.
On your 600, the maximum power output direct drive is a 7-cell battery pack and an 8x4 folding prop. I believe a 3:1 planetary gearbox with 12x6 prop will increase your efficiency and performance vastly. However, you've just dropped $59.99 on a planetary gearbox, which is about 2/3 the price of an AXi 2820/10 motor, which is generally what I recommend as a brushless replacement for a geared Speed 600. It'll run a 12x8 prop on 7-10 cells and give you quite a performance boost.
So many times, people automatically think they need a "bigger" motor to get more power. That's sometimes the case, but not always, and not for the reason most people think. In electric, power is Volts and Amps, not the physical size of the motor. If you want more power, you increase the Volts and/or the Amps going to the motor.
If you go to a physically bigger motor, but keep the same Volts and Amps, you will have the same power. The only difference is that now the plane is heavier. A physically bigger motor only works when you take advantage of its capacity to handle more power, in other words, you tune the rest of the power system to increase Volts and/or Amps. You increase Volts by using a battery with more cells. That in itself also raises the Amps, but you can increase just Amps by using a larger prop.
What I'm getting at is that often times, the motor isn't being used to its full potential, and by making a simple prop or battery change, you can increase the power output of the existing motor. The only time you need a bigger motor is when the power increase exceeds the capacity of the existing motor.
There is one case where you can get big performance increases with the same Volts and Amps, and that's by converting from brushed to brushless. In this case, though, you're not necessarily going with a bigger motor, just a more efficient motor that puts more of the Volts and Amps into the prop.
On your 600, the maximum power output direct drive is a 7-cell battery pack and an 8x4 folding prop. I believe a 3:1 planetary gearbox with 12x6 prop will increase your efficiency and performance vastly. However, you've just dropped $59.99 on a planetary gearbox, which is about 2/3 the price of an AXi 2820/10 motor, which is generally what I recommend as a brushless replacement for a geared Speed 600. It'll run a 12x8 prop on 7-10 cells and give you quite a performance boost.
01-10-2006, 12:40 AM
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RE: Need more power
Matt,
It is direct drive and the prop is a folding prop around 8 x 4. It does not say on it. I am running a 3250 mah 2c lipo pack. I bought a 2c pack because the instructions said the motor was rated for 7.2 volts. I was affraid that 11 volts would be too much for it. Now I wish that I would have tried it.
It is direct drive and the prop is a folding prop around 8 x 4. It does not say on it. I am running a 3250 mah 2c lipo pack. I bought a 2c pack because the instructions said the motor was rated for 7.2 volts. I was affraid that 11 volts would be too much for it. Now I wish that I would have tried it.
