Motors heating up..Plz ASAP

[bilal1219]

Hey Guyz

I used 2 window motors for the arm, However when i turn on the robot , it starts to heat up wheaher or not i run it or not. Can it be motor problem or is it PWMS what is making a difference. My Collegues say that it is connected directly to the Battery.This just happened 2 days before shipping.I have connected them to victors but it did not heat up before, Now it heats up like no tomm.

Can you plz TEll me what can possibly happen.

[Bharat Nain]

1) Make sure they are not connected directly to the battery. Run them through a breaker panel and speed controller.

2) Make sure they are running in the same direction and not fighting against each other. Do this one by one. Make sure the program is configured correctly for these motors. You can either use two PWM cables or one Y-PWM cable. Either way make sure it is programmed correctly.

That's about it. Although you might have already burnt up your motor. Good luck.

[kevin.li.rit]

If they're heating up then there must be current running throught them. They're probably being stalled.

[JamesBrown]

Originally Posted by Bharat Nain

You can either use two PWM cables or one Y-PWM cable. luck.

You can only use a y cable if the two motors are facing in the same direction or one is wired backwards.

[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by Bharat Nain

1) ...Although you might have already burnt up your motor. Good luck.

Window motors should not "burn up". They usually have thermal resistances built in to reduce current in the event of a stall. This is supposed to keep your car window from crushing an arm (neck or other bodily part) in the event that the window control is being accidentally pressed.

They will get warm to the touch if you are demanding too much current (too much torque) in your design.

[Mike Martus]

If the motors are heating up they are drawing current.
Make sure you have them wired correctly under control of the RC.

I would venture a guess that you have a programming / control issue.
Check the trim on the joystick if you are using that to control it.

If all else fails blame the programmers that's what we do

[kjohnson]

If all else fails (checking the wiring and programming that is) you can mount one of the fans that came in the KOP to blow on the motor to help cool it.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

In all liklelyhood you have them wired to run against each other and you have not calibrated the speed controllers that feed them. Under this condition, one or both (if both are hot) are trying to move because of the mis-calibration but are being held by the opposing motor.
I hope that they are not connected directly to the battery or the output of the main breaker as this is not allowed under the robot rules.
James, you can use a "Y" if you reverse the output wiring of one of the speed controllers.
The best way to check operation is to remove the coupling so that each motor can run independently, then power up the robot. You should see an effect immediately and I am guessing they will run in opposite directions and speeds. Reverse the wires to the motor that is running backward when you push on the joystick, then check calibration so that don't move when the power is on but the joystick is not pushed. When all of this is working, then check operation to see that they are running at about the same speed. If all of this is OK then install the coupling and check operation again.