Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Wallace
I will second that. CIMs are some to the most durable motors I have worked with in any application. However, like any motor, they can be damaged by overheating. See this thread for a good example.
Also see this other thread for some details on how CIM motors heat up when loaded to their maximum mechanical output power.
As many long time FRC participants can attest, CIM motors typically last several seasons unless severely abused. Measuring their free current is an easy way to detect such abuse. Typically that will be about 3 Ampere when first started and will reduce to about 2.5 Ampere after running for a few minutes -- friction reduces a bit when the bearings warm up. |
I strongly recommend following the links Richard provided. I've gained a deeper appreciation of motor performance from the graphs, explanations and descriptions by several posters.
Thank you all.