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View Full Version : 230 degrees a problem?



harryball
04-07-2008, 04:32 PM
I'm a little concerned, I've been reading threads and I'm not finding temp reports anywhere near this. I'm taking the temps with an infrared thermometer which I verified as accurate with a cooking thermometer.

I upgraded to the 7.2 Alpha motors a few months ago. While I was running my bat house files for 4 or 5 hours Saturday I had the misfortune of touching the X motor "housing" which resulted in a blister rather quickly. I'm running grooves at 12 ips with very little cutting load (a 5/32" bit cutting about .03" deep). For the largest job the bot runs about 20 minutes continuously as it sweeps the table along X at 12 ips every 1/2". It takes about 5 minutes to change sheets and repeat.

After burning myself, I got my handy infrared thermometer and took a quick reading, 205 degrees F on the transmission housing/gear box portion! The stepper itself was about 140 degrees (the motor out on the end) the extended middle section (which I think is the gear box) reached 230 degrees while running and the portion close to the bot was about 90 degrees.

Is this normal? 230 degrees seems too hot to me. Maybe I'm wrong? If it is too hot... what do I do about it?

/RB

Brady Watson
04-07-2008, 05:16 PM
Yep...that's about right when you are pushing the tool repeatedly @ 12 IPS. You'll have to learn not to touch the motors when you push them that fast, as I have.

-B

harryball
04-07-2008, 05:24 PM
Well... it doesn't take me long to look at a hot horseshoe. ;-)

I just wanted to make sure something wasn't going wrong. Thanks!

/RB

erik_f
04-08-2008, 10:34 AM
Why not fit some sort of heat sink on the motor...I would think it could really help wear and tear.

Erik