Phantom 4 safe motor temp

[KingDad1985]

What is the maximum temp the motor can get before damage occurs? I have a IR temp gun and I want to make sure my motors are safe. Thank you!

 

[Pharm]

The normal/safe motor temp is listed in the manual, I think.

 

[Monte55]

I'm UOTE="KingDad1985, post: 908773, member: 69792"]What is the maximum temp the motor can get before damage occurs? I have a IR temp gun and I want to make sure my motors are safe. Thank you![/QUOTE]
Im sure most use IR temp guns improperly and get incorrect readings. Everything emits IR and that's what the gun sees. But, not every material at the same temperature emits the same amount of IR energy. Most cheap IR thermometers have a fixed emissivity value of about .95. Better units have selectable emissivity values for more accurate temps. Wood, iron, blacktop, white paper, etc emit different IR at same temp. There are charts for this. If you want the most accurate temps with the cheaper units...have a flat black spot on motor to read temp. Also the FOV of the unit makes a big difference . Even cheap units may have a laser on them. You may think the laser dot is the only thing you are reading but you would be wrong. Just try to take a temp of a chrome bumper or mirror reflecting the sky and you will get some crazy readings. I use an expensive Fluke for my work. I can't get by with the $30 IR thermometers that have flooded ebay. I have to measure copper lines at times. A new shiny piece and an older oxidized piece will give me different readings at the same temp. As usual....know your equipment and how to use it.

 

[KingDad1985]

I'm UOTE="KingDad1985, post: 908773, member: 69792"]What is the maximum temp the motor can get before damage occurs? I have a IR temp gun and I want to make sure my motors are safe. Thank you!

Im sure most use IR temp guns improperly and get incorrect readings. Everything emits IR and that's what the gun sees. But, not every material at the same temperature emits the same amount of IR energy. Most cheap IR thermometers have a fixed emissivity value of about .95. Better units have selectable emissivity values for more accurate temps. Wood, iron, blacktop, white paper, etc emit different IR at same temp. There are charts for this. If you want the most accurate temps with the cheaper units...have a flat black spot on motor to read temp. Also the FOV of the unit makes a big difference . Even cheap units may have a laser on them. You may think the laser dot is the only thing you are reading but you would be wrong. Just try to take a temp of a chrome bumper or mirror reflecting the sky and you will get some crazy readings. I use an expensive Fluke for my work. I can't get by with the $30 IR thermometers that have flooded ebay. I have to measure copper lines at times. A new shiny piece and an older oxidized piece will give me different readings at the same temp. As usual....know your equipment and how to use it.[/QUOTE]

Ok thank you. I will put a piece of black tape on the motors and measure the temp to see if the black tapelite produces different readings than the shiny motor

 

[royster]

I;ve never recorded a motor temp.of more than 79 degrees F. after 12-16 minute flights.
Averages- 72-78 degrees.
Highest reading from back left motor, which is the prop. that I stuck in the sand after a rollover.

 

[Monte55]

I;ve never recorded a motor temp.of more than 79 degrees F. after 12-16 minute flights.
Averages- 72-78 degrees.
Highest reading from back left motor, which is the prop. that I stuck in the sand after a rollover.

Not sure how you measure temps but even after an easy flight my motor temps are much higher than 72-78 degrees F. I can tell that just by touching them

 

[Monte55]

Im sure most use IR temp guns improperly and get incorrect readings. Everything emits IR and that's what the gun sees. But, not every material at the same temperature emits the same amount of IR energy. Most cheap IR thermometers have a fixed emissivity value of about .95. Better units have selectable emissivity values for more accurate temps. Wood, iron, blacktop, white paper, etc emit different IR at same temp. There are charts for this. If you want the most accurate temps with the cheaper units...have a flat black spot on motor to read temp. Also the FOV of the unit makes a big difference . Even cheap units may have a laser on them. You may think the laser dot is the only thing you are reading but you would be wrong. Just try to take a temp of a chrome bumper or mirror reflecting the sky and you will get some crazy readings. I use an expensive Fluke for my work. I can't get by with the $30 IR thermometers that have flooded ebay. I have to measure copper lines at times. A new shiny piece and an older oxidized piece will give me different readings at the same temp. As usual....know your equipment and how to use it.

Ok thank you. I will put a piece of black tape on the motors and measure the temp to see if the black tapelite produces different readings than the shiny motor[/QUOTE]
If your IR thermometer does not have a narrow field of view and sees more than you think, your temps will be an average of all it sees and not accurate.

 

[KingDad1985]

Not sure how you measure temps but even after an easy flight my motor temps are much higher than 72-78 degrees F. I can tell that just by touching them

Yes true. Mine measured 100-105 after about 10-15 minutes.

 

[Monte55]

[Qdon't E="KingDad1985, post: 909156, member: 69792"]Yes true. Mine measured 100-105 after about 10-15 minutes.[/QUOTE]
I don't measure mine but check them after each flight. They are not hot but warm as expected. So much depends on the ambient air temp and how you flew that day. Load, wind, etc all has effect on this.

 

[royster]

I agree my "range" my not be spot on accurate temp, after 8-12 tests, I know these temps. are always the same range.
After landing, soon as I can, if I grip a motor they are just warm to the touch, so I think temp.readings are pretty close

 

[jwt873]

I've done a few quick measurements with my IR thermometer. I took them immediately after landing.

In mid 70's weather, the rear motors are usually around 78 and the front motors are usually a bit warmer at around 82.

 

[KingDad1985]

Like I said mine were around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The ambient air temperature was around 95-100 outside. I live in the high desert in southern California and temps can get up to 120 here. So that's why I was wondering about motor temps. You guys seem to live in cooler climates. Right now it's almost 6 pm and still 100 degrees out

 

[KingDad1985]

Just checked forecast for the week and 100 plus all week so I guess I'm flying early morning where it's around 80-90 . I can't wait for winter where it's 50-60

 

[Pharm]

I;ve never recorded a motor temp.of more than 79 degrees F. after 12-16 minute flights.
Averages- 72-78 degrees.
Highest reading from back left motor, which is the prop. that I stuck in the sand after a rollover.

With mine sitting outside waiting for me to take off and an ambient temp of 90 degrees, the motor temp is also 90 degrees (assuming it's been sitting in the shade) before I even start the motors. After flying, they couldn't be less than the ambient temp. For yours to always be 72-78 degrees even after flying, you must always be flying in pretty cool ambient temps. If you're flying on a 90 degree day, they can't possibly be cooler than the air around them (90 degrees).

 

[Pharm]

...I know these temps. are always the same range....

THAT is what's important. Even if your temp readings are incorrect, as long as you're getting consistent results every time and there are no flames, smoke, mushroom clouds, etc., then you have a good baseline to compare to.

 

[KingDad1985]

I assume the motors are brushless because if I move the prop it has a sort of magnetic feel just like my Traxxas rustler vxl which has a brushless motor. And with that motor it recommends staying under 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Would I be correct to assume the same applies to the phantom 4s motors?

 

[deltalimatango]

Okay. New to this and why is this a consideration? Didn't DJI design these things to fly multiple times, and to be pretty much maintenance free? Is motor temp an issue or just a one off question. This is the first time I have ever seen this come up.

 

[N017RW]

Many people enjoy the minutia surrounding hobbies. So long as the motors have similar post-flight temps you can be confident all is well. These Outrunner brushless motors only have one moving or wearing part and that is the sealed bearings in the base. They are good for hundreds of hours of operation. Developing a feel for typical temps and sounds during operation will go a long way to help monitor their condition. Unless damaged during a crash they should last a lifetime.

 

[KingDad1985]

Okay. New to this and why is this a consideration? Didn't DJI design these things to fly multiple times, and to be pretty much maintenance free? Is motor temp an issue or just a one off question. This is the first time I have ever seen this come up.

One off question. I haven't had any issue with temps. I was just curious

 

[KingDad1985]

Today I flew my Phantom 4 and my wife flew her Phantom 3 Advanced. We flew for exactly the same time, mostly hovering and flying around slowly going up to 60 feet or so, I flew a little faster and farther. I measured motor temps on both aircrafts immediately after. My P4 motors were all around 123 degrees Fahrenheit give or take a couple degrees and my wife's P3A motors were around 118 degrees Fahrenheit give or take a couple degrees. We also took the temp of the batteries which were also around the same temp with the P3A battery being a few degrees cooler. So I would say they operate around the same temp and motor temps don't seem to be a problem especially since it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside temp. I don't know what the point is for this post besides trying to figure out what is the max temp the motors can get before damage occurs but I can't seem to find that info anywhere.