Winter Set up?

[jhautz]

As sad as it is to say, its already time to start thinking about getting ready for the winter here in chicago. :dft004:

With that comes snow and generally poor conditions for RC. So This year I am planning on putting a winter setup together for my e-maxx so I can at least run one of my vehicles year round.

Right now my plan is to run an Mtroniks Truck Brushless esc because they are waterproof according to them. I got a pretty decent deal on one so I figured what the heck.

As far as batteries go, all of my trucks are pretty much set up for 5s voltage. The Mtronics is a max of 4s or 12 cells, but I can take the 2s packs and make a couple 4s battery sets for the winter. Plus I have a couple 12 cell cell packs still around. A good wrapping in seran wrap should be enough to protect them from the and melting snow and such, and I will take an old t-maxx battery box and mount my UBEC and Reciever in it to hopefully keep them dry.

Now, all I need is a motor to go with this. Since I'm limited to 12 cells max by the ESC, I was thinking about going with a really hot XL like a 6xl or 7xl. My only question is will the Mtroniks ESC take it? Or will that be to much motor for it to handle. I guess I could always dust off the old 9L. :) But if possible, I would really like more power than the 9L can deliver. I am thinking relativly cheap as far as the motor goes, I don't think heat will be an issue when is 30 degrees F outside:027: and I dont want to worry about trashing a really expensive motor with water or something. (Although I don't think water will hurt the motor right?)

Also, any other winterproofing things I should be worrying about?

[Serum]

Lipoly and cold don't go hand in hand. You will nearly have the punch like they have on room temperature..


Carefull with snow.. Once it's melted, it's water..

You can always warm up the packs before you go out.

I've wondered about Lipos and snow myself. There are some close connections insde the pack. Would one drop of water in the wrong spot be diasterous? Do boat guys use Lipo?

[jhautz]

Keeping the lipo packs as warm as possible untill use is a given.

And yes I know snow turns to water.;)

I guess my biggest question was if the Mtroniks Bushless truck ESC will be able to handle a hot motor like a 6xl or 7xl?

[MetalMan]

It should be able to, especially if you mount it directly to an aluminum chassis. Besides, it'll be cold, so that'll help cool it down.

[BrianG]

Pure water has around 15k ohms of resistance per inch, less in normal, mineral (especially salt) laden water. Water doesn't usually short out electrical connections unless it has very high salt/mineral content. It's usually the resulting corrosion that does more damage than it simply getting wet. Corrosion creates bad connections, then arcing, heat, and so on.

If a circuit "blows" because it got wet, it's most likely caused by the low voltage section of the circuit where the resistors and caps have larger values, which changes the signals and causes the output to do strange things.

Since snow, mixed with whatever is on the ground, can have high mineral content, it might cause substantial oxidation/corrosion in things like the motor, wiring, battery contacts, causing them to go bad.

[Serum]

pure water?

I thought the most pure water had no resistance?

[jhautz]

So what you are saying is use a motor. and electronics I dont care about because chances are they will get ruined even if they dont short right away.

Just using the old 9L is sounding better and better all the time. :)

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by Serum

pure water?

I thought the most pure water had no resistance?

Actually, absolutely pure water has very very high resistance, but I was talking about "relatively" pure - like snowmelt.

And to be correct, it should be expressed as "resistivity" (resistance per length and cross-sectional area), rather than a constant resistance.

[jhautz]

Originally Posted by Serum

pure water?

I thought the most pure water had no resistance?

I think what you are thinking of is that pure water does not conduct electricity. This would be infinitely high resistance.

Zero resistance would be a perfect conductor

[aqwut]

I was thinking of a winter setup myself..... Pure water has no conductivity... is that correct?.. :)

All I know is I'm sealing my esc, motor, receiver and batteries.... I was out in the winter last year... I was using lipos.. and I had no problems... I kept my battery in a heated cooler box.. ( what a contradiction) I had no problems running.. but when I came inside the house.... I immediately put my M/T and batteries right infront of a portable heater... I didn't want it to build up any condensation around/inside the motor and other stuff.... That worked for me...

[monel_funkawitz]

I am an electrical engineer and repair technician by trade, so I have some insight on this thread.

99.99% of the time, water itself (Especially on low voltage) does not cause the circuit to blow. This is referring to regular water (With no elevated levels of salts or metals) I had a old cd player that I removed the cover to, and would lay it in a bucket of water for a few minutes while I taught a class. I would then remove it, fling the water off with a snap of my wrist, clean off the lens, and play some CD's.

Usually what happens (Especially in circuits above 95 volts) is the water dissolves some of the salts, metals, or contaminants on the board and creates a highly localized area of high conductivity, and THAT is what blows things. Remember, water is a very effective solvent. It may not attack oil, but it attacks salts and metals with the voracious appetite of a teenager at Taco Shack. Transistors get driven into saturation, gates are driven way over their current rating, MOSFETS receive 50+ volts to their gates, etc. At low voltages, this kind of damage is not as common but it does happen. At 14 volts and water having 15,000 ohm resistance per 0.080 inch (Probably not real common though. It is usually either much higher or lower than this in real life) that would equal 0.0009 amps current draw and 0.013 watts. This is hardly enough to do ANY kind of damage, unless the parts are already running at or above spec.

This, however, does not address water damage that occurs from parts flash cooling, physical damage from water, water physically getting into IC's, or detuning of RF circuits. This is just the conductivity aspect of it.

Pure water + simple salts + copper = Flashy, bangy, smokey, no worky.
Higher voltage = Less likely no worky.
Pure water with no access to salts or metals = Anti-flashy, bangy

[monel_funkawitz]

I forgot to address the thread. :007:

Just make your truck, electronic wise, the same as you would run in a rain storm. Waterproof the receiver and ESC (I use baggies with rubber bands). Lipos will not work as well in the cold, so I would go with NIMH or Nicad. Run lighter shock oil (I use 10w) Run spiked tires if possible, and weigh the ass end of your truck down with lead wheel weights or whatever. Cleanup sucks.

Once you run a few times like this, it gets old. Run your trucks in the summer, work on 'em in the winter.

[jhautz]

Originally Posted by monel_funkawitz

I forgot to address the thread. :007:

Just make your truck, electronic wise, the same as you would run in a rain storm. Waterproof the receiver and ESC (I use baggies with rubber bands). Lipos will not work as well in the cold, so I would go with NIMH or Nicad. Run lighter shock oil (I use 10w) Run spiked tires if possible, and weigh the ass end of your truck down with lead wheel weights or whatever. Cleanup sucks.

Once you run a few times like this, it gets old. Run your trucks in the summer, work on 'em in the winter.

Why does it ''get old''??? To me what gets old is staring at my trucks all winter hoping for a break in the weather and a chance to get out and run a few packs. Most of the time I am stuck in parking lots only cuz I don't want to get into the snow for fear of frying something. Anything I can do to get more run time in the winter months will be welcome to me.

[BrianG]

I know it got old for me because I was always breaking various plastic parts - A-arms, steering knuckles, rims, and even bulk heads. Of course, it helps to not hit things, but I know the plastics are far more brittle when it's cold out...