Rctimer motors. Opinions?

low4life1

New Member
I've been flying the rctimer clone of the s800 with a naza v2. I've got about five flights on her and she seems pretty stable and happy. Been using one 8000 battery with a tarot 2d and GoPro so it's pretty light. Yesterday I was about four minutes into a flight when she turned hard right by itself and then smoke poured out and she spun semi controlled to the ground from about 200 feet up. Turns out one of the motors fried. No other damage from the crash. My question is: are these motors junk? Or did I just get unlucky? I've ready some good reviews of the rctimer motors but I'm afraid to buy another one now. Any thoughts or opinions on these motors?
 

photobobga

Member
I've been their motors on a RCT800 build and so far... no issues. now their carbon fiber props are another thing. I've had 5 fail so far.
 



low4life1

New Member
Mine just had a crack in it one day. Not sure how it happened. It still flew fine but I didn't want to risk it.
 

I've had two sets of RCtimer motors for many years. I still have a set on a quad that I use for FPV. The ones I have are solid! Always smooth running and not even any bearing issues. They are the smaller BC 3836-11 motors. I hate having to use Collete adapters, but no problems ever. the escs have lasted for years as well.

I did try some of the CF props as well. Within second of takeoff, two of them exploded at the hub. Luckily only about 3 feet from the grass, so no other damage. I have some for sale if anyone want them :)~
 


R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
I can't comment on the motors, but the problem may actually be with the ESC's. I am using iPower motors which are pretty good, with HobbyWing Quattro ESC's, which also have a pretty good reputation. One day, I plugged a battery in, and one motor just went up in a puff of smoke. Seems a FET got stuck on. I replaced the motor and ESC at the same time.
 

Erik R

New Member
I had similar issue with my rctimer s800 clone. On my second flight, it fell out of the sky when a motor failed. When I took out the motor, I noticed that one of mounting bolts had come loose and was in the motor. I'm guessing that this is what caused the crash though when I put in a new motor, I found the ESC blown. Seems very like the bolt in the motor stopped it from turning and that blew the ESC, but it's always possible that the ESC just blew.
 
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soler

Member
I would say that the S800 Clone is under powered, It is possible to remain in control with just 5 motors running but only just. If it starts to oscillate back and forth its going to come down quite fast!!
 

Old Man

Active Member
I had similar issue with my rctimer s800 clone. On my second flight, it fell out of the sky when a motor failed. When I took out the motor, I noticed that one of mounting bolts had come loose and was in the motor. I'm guessing that this is what caused the crash though when I put in a new motor, I found the ESC blown. Seems very like the bolt in the motor stopped it from turning and that blew the ESC, but it's always possible that the ESC just blew.

The motors are both consuming and generating when they are working. All those poles and magnets are like a bunch of electric relays in opposition. Short out a wall socket and wiring can burn all the way back to the first fault interrupt. You might view the ESC as the first interrupt when a screw shorts out a motor. It would have been a lot worse had the short gone beyond the ESC.

You should view the screw as the root cause. They don't fall out in a crash unless they broke off. In that case there would have been a broken screw in the motor.


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Erik R

New Member
The motors are both consuming and generating when they are working. All those poles and magnets are like a bunch of electric relays in opposition. Short out a wall socket and wiring can burn all the way back to the first fault interrupt. You might view the ESC as the first interrupt when a screw shorts out a motor. It would have been a lot worse had the short gone beyond the ESC.

You should view the screw as the root cause. They don't fall out in a crash unless they broke off. In that case there would have been a broken screw in the motor.


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That's what I guessed. My bad for not checking everything before putting it up, but I'm also disappointed in RCTimer quality control. I then overcompensated with a further mistake of putting what I guess was too much medium thread lock on the bolt and was then not able to remove it. Ended up having to dremel off the head after stripping the hex. Guess I'll have to just rely on 2 bolts (with thread-lock).
 

Old Man

Active Member
If you know someone with a drill press and drill vise there's a fair possibility of drilling out the screw shaft. If there's enough of the shaft remaining above the shell of the motor you could try slotting it with a Dremel cut off wheel, heating the screw shaft with a soldering iron, and backing out the shaft. If all of that fails a new motor is a far better option than hoping for two screw motor retention. A propeller is a lot more torque on a mount than most might think.
 

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