EcoRider - riding lawn mower electric conversion - Page 34

MetroMPG · 06-06-17, 11:18 AM

OW. What happened to the commutator bar? Acid did that? Or arcing?

Daox · 06-06-17, 12:05 PM

I assume the gouging is from the arcing, but the acid caused the arcing.

pinballlooking · 06-06-17, 12:09 PM

That acid was aggressive on the copper.

Daox · 06-08-17, 07:26 AM

I took the motor over to my friend's house last night. We disassembled it. This is not the easiest task being a permanent magnet motor. We actually used a press to push the armature out of the housing because the magnets are so strong. He is going to take it to his work and have the commutator turned down.

pinballlooking · 06-08-17, 11:46 AM

Just wondering how much material will they take off? Just the surface?

bennelson · 06-08-17, 04:10 PM

Typically, when you turn a commutator, you try to take off as little as possible.

You are really just trying to make it smooth and clean. In this case, I'm not sure what the best approach is for the part with that arcing damage. That does look deep, doesn't it?

Daox · 06-09-17, 10:42 AM

We'll see. They turn comms down all day long there. The gouge is quite deep. I would guess 1/16" or so. If it can't be turned down, there isn't much alternative than a new motor at this point I don't think.

Daox · 06-21-17, 10:04 AM

I got word from my friend. He said the motor comm was able to be turned down. There are two imperfections in it yet, but he doesn't think it'll be a problem. While we're at it, I'm going to replace the bearings in it as the rear bearing was a bit gritty. Gotta get those on order and then I can get things back together.

oil pan 4 · 06-21-17, 12:29 PM

Yes definitely replace bearings, the main cause of failure for the 3 phase motors I work with is bearings.
The main cause of failure for DC motors is brushes wearing down. With new bearings and keeping fresh brushes in it will out last any gas powered mower.

Daox · 07-14-17, 01:22 PM

Last night was the night. I have had the armature for a week or so. I filed down the grooves on the commutator between the armature windings per my friend's instructions. This reduces brush wear and arching. Then, last night I took the armature back over to his shop and we reassembled it. This is no easy task considering you have VERY powerful permanent magnets that want to snap that armature back into place. We ended up rigging things up on a drill press table. The housing was bolted down, and we stuck a pipe up through the table. The top of the pipe went over the motor's output shaft. The bottom of the pipe rested on a hydraulic bottle jack. This allowed us to slowly lower the armature into place so it wouldn't bash up the windings. It worked beautifully. We also loctited the bearings in place. Its a trick my friend said can extend bearing life since it fixes the slip fit and stops it from moving or rotating. He has experienced this issue on motors hes tested at his work and it has fixed bearing life issues.

06-06-17, 11:18 AM	#331
MetroMPG Infrequent noob Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 402 Thanks: 37 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	OW. What happened to the commutator bar? Acid did that? Or arcing? __________________ . To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-06-17, 12:05 PM	#332
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,520 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I assume the gouging is from the arcing, but the acid caused the arcing. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-06-17, 12:09 PM	#333
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,921 Thanks: 172 Thanked 562 Times in 461 Posts	That acid was aggressive on the copper. __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-08-17, 07:26 AM	#334
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,520 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I took the motor over to my friend's house last night. We disassembled it. This is not the easiest task being a permanent magnet motor. We actually used a press to push the armature out of the housing because the magnets are so strong. He is going to take it to his work and have the commutator turned down. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-08-17, 11:46 AM	#335
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,921 Thanks: 172 Thanked 562 Times in 461 Posts	Just wondering how much material will they take off? Just the surface? __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-08-17, 04:10 PM	#336
bennelson Home-Wrecker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 546 Thanks: 3 Thanked 165 Times in 96 Posts	Typically, when you turn a commutator, you try to take off as little as possible. You are really just trying to make it smooth and clean. In this case, I'm not sure what the best approach is for the part with that arcing damage. That does look deep, doesn't it? __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-09-17, 10:42 AM	#337
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,520 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	We'll see. They turn comms down all day long there. The gouge is quite deep. I would guess 1/16" or so. If it can't be turned down, there isn't much alternative than a new motor at this point I don't think. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-21-17, 10:04 AM	#338
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,520 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I got word from my friend. He said the motor comm was able to be turned down. There are two imperfections in it yet, but he doesn't think it'll be a problem. While we're at it, I'm going to replace the bearings in it as the rear bearing was a bit gritty. Gotta get those on order and then I can get things back together. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-21-17, 12:29 PM	#339
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Yes definitely replace bearings, the main cause of failure for the 3 phase motors I work with is bearings. The main cause of failure for DC motors is brushes wearing down. With new bearings and keeping fresh brushes in it will out last any gas powered mower.

07-14-17, 01:22 PM	#340
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,520 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Last night was the night. I have had the armature for a week or so. I filed down the grooves on the commutator between the armature windings per my friend's instructions. This reduces brush wear and arching. Then, last night I took the armature back over to his shop and we reassembled it. This is no easy task considering you have VERY powerful permanent magnets that want to snap that armature back into place. We ended up rigging things up on a drill press table. The housing was bolted down, and we stuck a pipe up through the table. The top of the pipe went over the motor's output shaft. The bottom of the pipe rested on a hydraulic bottle jack. This allowed us to slowly lower the armature into place so it wouldn't bash up the windings. It worked beautifully. We also loctited the bearings in place. Its a trick my friend said can extend bearing life since it fixes the slip fit and stops it from moving or rotating. He has experienced this issue on motors hes tested at his work and it has fixed bearing life issues. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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