Re: range complaints?

["paul.compton" <paul.compton@BBSRC.AC.UK>]

>Anyway, when they took a look at the motor, the service
>manager said that they could not tell anything just from 
>looking at the commutator.  They would have to bake, spin
>test and resistance test the armature.  That would cost 
>money, and then maybe they could tell me what a refurbish
>job would cost.

These guys are are taking the piss! 
They're just trying to get money out of you for diagnosis.
>From your description, the motor has simply shed a retaining band. The damage
to the windings was caused by the retaining band shorting out. My 9" GE
5BT1346B46 (same as your's I think) supplied NOS from Wilde Evolution is appart
at the moment (I think they have two left). It only takes a couple of minutes
to dismantle. One look at, and smell of, the motor will show if it has been
seriously overheated. If not, as seems likely, then the repair method you
described in an earlier post should be fine. I've been given (on permanent
loan) two Prestolite motors (MST 4011) both of which have been seriously
cooked. On one motor, the insulation has burned off the drive end of the
armature windings almost completely. Even so the insulation between the
windings and armature is fine and I only expect to clean, re-band, dip, and
bake the armature. Or rather have my FRIENDLY local re-winder do this (the last
armature I brought in he did for free).

>These motors are so hard and mysterious.  No repair manuals
>are available.  It is not like rebuilding an engine.  

I'll admit that the information isn't as easy to find, but I bought a set of
books from Amazon:-

Direct Current Motors and Generators : Repairing,Rewinding & Redesigning by
Samuel Heller / Paperback / Published 1982 Price: $230.00 (Special Order)

Expensive, but informative. Could be less than the diagnosis fee!

>One is
>at the mercy of unknown and unrecommended motor repair shops
>which are, in many ways, like the sleazy auto repair shops,
>but without friends with ICE cars to warn you away from them.
>Eventually, it will probably be necessary to find a way to
>perform a home repair on the motor, or buy a new one.
>  
>Range?  50 miles?  20 miles?  Naah, not a problem.
>  
>Eric


	paul.compton@bbsrc.ac.uk		paulceps@aol.com

	Technical officer for the ECA

	Tel No. +44 (0)1582 573195 home
		    (0)1582 763133 ext 2413 work

	Join the UK Electric Car Association!		28 pounds per annum
	Payment in Sterling only.			35 pounds overseas
	ECA website http://users.abling.co.uk/eca/