Does anyone know of any retail stores that sell aerosol cooling spray (Freez-It, or the like)? A couple of our motors were running really hot in practice and programming sessions this afternoon, and I’ve tried to find somewhere to buy freeze spray, but to no luck. I plan on ordering some for our other two competitions, but getting some for tomorrow and Saturday at Great Lakes has proven difficult. Any suggestions?
Why not get a few cans of compressed gas for cleaning electronics, and use them upside down to release the gas in its icy-cold, liquid state? At the very least you can test the idea. They sell it at any electronics store and many hardware stores, like Radioshack or Home Depot.
My dad actually suggested this when I asked him earlier tonight. I might give it a try, but I’d like to find some real freeze-spray if possible.
Just a thought with no backing…
The extreme hot of the motors hitting the extreme cold of the liquid in the compressed air isn’t going to cause any damage, is it?
For the canned air, try the following:
Office max
Office depot
Staples
Cosco has them in 4 packs
I think i’ve seen them at best buy as well.
It’s R-152a (C2H4F2), a refridgerent similar to R134a used in your car’s AC system. Be really careful with it. Non-flamable is a legal term - you can make a huge fireball with that stuff if your not careful. Also you can freeze your fingers something aweful. And… have a spare motor. We’ve never used it, but I’d be worried about long term damage.
We’ve had good luck finding the actual freeze spray at Radio Shack. I believe there’s a Radio Shack just a few blocks from the arena on Washtenaw. You go south on Hewitt, turn right onto Washtenaw and it’s in a shopping center on your right, though it’s a bit hard to spot. Google tells me the number is (734) 434-1998 if you want to check first.
Also, freeze spray is pretty much just a compressed air can that’s plumbed differently so you don’t have to turn it upside down.
Also, also, you should be more worried about condensation, though it’s really way to dry and cold up here for this Houstonian. The only thing you might remotely damage from that kind of thermal stress are shoddy soldering jobs, and maaaaaybe the magnets or brushes. As long as you’re not spraying inside the case of the motor, you should be good.
Since you are in Michigan at Great Lakes try the Rite Aide or the Murrays on the corner of Washtenaw and Hewitt. I have visited both in the past. one of the stores should have what you need. If not see team 66 they are from the area.
Good luck
Chris Hunt
Team 397
i got some stuff i picked up in japan in august
they use it for injuries and suff
works great
but i doubt that helps you
lol:D
I wouldn’t worry about it for the competition. We used to use the same stuff when racing slot cars. The motors kept working and running fast with no ill effects.
Jeff,
A few caveats, the heat generated inside the motors won’t be cooled very well by spraying the outside. Particularly the outside of the Chalupas. Also be careful as the refrigerant can wash lubricant out of the bearings, especially bronze sleeves. A towel or paper towel, dipped in cool water and wrung out will conduct a significant amount of heat from the motor case, just be sure to keep drips away from the electronics. You also might want to try backing down the motor drive in software, even a few percent could make a difference.
Re-freezable ice packs work wonders for motors and you don’t annoying everyone around with nasty aerosol can solvent smells.
Watch for environmental impact to the air in your arena… remember that stuff hangs low in the air.
I like the idea with the ice packs, its a nice safe way to go, also… check around… I think you can get (or make) heat sinks for the CIM motors.
-q
Just a thought, but if you are using the banebots, make sure the drive line is not binding. Excess load will build up heat in the motors quickly, especially in the CIM’s which do are not ventilated. We’ve used ice in zip lock bags, which generally work well.
Freeze-It is actually hairspray…and i have a lifetime supply for free 
The stuff you are talking about is sold at staples…i’m assuming you mean the stuff they use to blow off keyboards and things like that? The place i work buys it at staples or office max.
What if you used dry ice? then you dont have to worry about it dripping on the electronics.
-John
Did you mean to have said this? A chalupa is a mexican food. A chiaphua (or CIM) motor is the big black motor (but smaller than it’s Fisher-Price cousin) most teams use for drive trains.
EDIT: OK, after a bit of searching, I think I get the joke. FIRST people have a twisted sense of humor. 
From 2002:
Nope! Hairspray is laquer and propellant.
[quote=“Al Skierkiewicz,post:17,topic:79261”]
Nope! Hairspray is laquer and propellant.[/quote]
“Freeze It” is the name of a company which makes hair spray. “Freeze-It” is the name of an aerosol product from Fuller Brush Company which is intended to freeze gum or wax for easier removal from fabric. There is also “Freez It” spray by Chemtronics, which is specifically made to cool individual electronic components on a circuit board.
I think the suggestion to use a cool, damp cloth is probably the best for a hot drivetrain motor.
Instead of cooling down the motor like you have been saying. Use some aluminum foil wrapped around the motor works really well for dispensing heat. thats what we did at NJ. we just zip tied the aluminum foil around our cim motor and it worked really well as a heat sink. then you wouldn’t need the freeze-it stuff.
For reference, if anyone is looking for cooling spray in the future, we found some “electronic component cooler” at Radio Shack for around $7 a can. Most stores don’t stock much, but they will generally have a couple cans.
That being said, we also tried using canned air from an office supply store, and just held it upside-down when we sprayed it. That worked every bit as well, was easier to find, and was (generally) cheaper.
Both products did the job, and were able to cool off some rather toasty Fisher-Price motors during and after long sessions on the practice field and software testing in the pits.