Sand in motors

[Simbo]

Hi all. I was flying my P3A today when the no fly zone parameters kicked and and prevented my drone from RTH. When I realised what was going on I duly dropped from the sky asap (didn’t realise I was so close to it) but then she landed on her lid, getting sand in three of the motors. How can I clean these? Grateful for all responses!!

 

[Erised]

I would try to vacuum the sand out, compressed air will only blow it further in. Reduce the hose size with a smaller tube on one of the vent holes and slowly rotate the motor .

 

[Simbo]

Thank you Sir. Just aside, do you guys “lube” your drones? That used to be a big thing during my mountain biking days.
Cheers.

 

[Steve7777]

Thank you Sir. Just aside, do you guys “lube” your drones? That used to be a big thing during my mountain biking days.
Cheers.

I think mountain bikes are not quite like drones...

Some here say yes, do it, it's good to lubricate - and some say no, the motors are 'sealed' and lubing will only attract dirt/dust/grit etc etc...

I'm in half a mind. With my very cheap drones, I sometimes give them a little squirt of silicon oil and sometimes even a bit of grease onto the shafts and bearings, with a quick wipe-off afterwards.

But I've never lubed the motors on my P3P.. But I have on my Bugs 3's, still a relatively cheap drone, which also has brushless motors.

Has that answered your question? - Probably not, but at least you now know what I do...

But if you pick out the interesting and relevant threads from these search results (magnifying glass, top right) you'll also discover some other members' views on this subject....

Search Results for Query: lube motors | DJI Phantom Drone Forum

 

[Erised]

Like Steve7777 said, the bearings are sealed and don't need any lube and it will only attract dust.

 

[Steve7777]

Like Steve7777 said, the bearings are sealed and don't need any lube and it will only attract dust.

And don't forget that a new motor only costs from GBP15 (c. USD20).. IMHO, that's cheap enough to not worry about it and just leave well alone, simply replacing a motor complete if you have any problems.

 

[Simbo]

And don't forget that a new motor only costs from GBP15 (c. USD20).. IMHO, that's cheap enough to not worry about it and just leave well alone, simply replacing a motor complete if you have any problems.

Thanks for the response, I didn’t realise they were so cheap to replace! Will sleep better now [emoji1303] Thanks again for replies guys, this forum has been very helpful since I’ve began droning.

 

[orionexp]

I agree with vaccuming. find smallest tube attachment, make it even smaller with duct tape. before using the vacuum, tap it all around so motor is upside down. do it in bright light so you can keep tapping until no more comes out. then vacuum moving the vacuum hole you created around. now tap more and see if any more comes out. repeat. the housing turns differently with prop on, so it may feel like it's sandy without prop, but you don't really know until you put the prop back on.

 

[rcnpthfndr]

i fly daily in a desert dusty environment. i used my 3d printer to make an adapter that fits over the motors ofr my shop vac and use that to clean out any dust after a long day of flying

 

[solentlife]

The best way to remove sand from a motor is of course wash in fresh water ... yes fact. But DJI have made it hard by such short leads to the motors hard wired in that you cannot lift motors away enough.
An alternative is spray Contact cleaner (Plastic safe version of course) after putting a standard vacuum cleaner nozzle over the motor ... no need to get thin nozzles INTO the motor ... put the normal vacuum nozzle over and down so motor is basically inside the nozzle... full power vacuum ...

NEVER rotate a motor with grit or sand in it until the grit / sand is removed as much as possible ...

Ok - lets correct the MYTH of these DJI motors .... THEY ARE NOT SEALED ... They are SHIELDED motors ...

As to Lub'ing ..... if you 'wash' the motor with Contact Cleaner - then a tiny drop of very light oil is very good. The best oil of course is what Grandma used on her Singer Sewing Machine .. commonly called Sewing Machine Oil. Its very light, does not produce sticky, does not stain ...
Another is Light Cycle Oil .. we just call it LCO in the trade.
If you don't have a Sewing Shop handy to get the Oil from ... then 3in1 bicycle oil will do ...

How ? (note you can only lub the rear bearing ... front you cannot get to without dismantling motor)

You will need hex drivers to undo motor bolts ...
Toothpick
Tissue

Invert the AC
Unbolt the motor and tilt to one side as best as possible ... its tight but can be done.
While inverted and holding that motor .... have a small drop on end of toothpick of the oil ..
Carefully apply to the side of the shaft (there's just a small section at centre of motor at back) that you can just see with motor to side.
Let drop get to shield and then spin motor by hand still inverted.
Replace and bolt up motor.

Once all 4 done ... give the motors a very short power up

For those who want to tell me I'm talking ***** ... sorry but my P3P and my P3S before it ran as smooth as silk on this ... in fact having other P3's in our club ... guess who's motors are quieter ....

I will say though ... in normal use - lub'ing motors is not generally necessary - but there are occasions it can help..

 

[solentlife]

Like Steve7777 said, the bearings are sealed and don't need any lube and it will only attract dust.

Sorry not true. DJI motors are SHIELDED not sealed.

Use correct Lub and you will not attract or hold dust

 

[Steve7777]

Sorry not true. DJI motors are SHIELDED not sealed.

Use correct Lub and you will not attract or hold dust

Yep - that's exactly why I put 'sealed' in inverted commas in my post, (#4 above)..

 

[solentlife]

Yep - that's exactly why I put 'sealed' in inverted commas in my post, (#4 above)..

Ok .... but there are basically three types of motors in this context :

Open Bearing (usually where the motor is running in a cooling medium and allows the medium to enter bearings)

Shielded Bearings (as in vast majority of electric motors we use in RC and DJI motors are. Shielded to prevent debris entering bearings)

Sealed Bearing (but rarely found in model motors due to cost and the type of use we subject them to).

My point is that the Myth has grown up that DJI use Sealed motors - which is not correct. Putting sealed in '....' imho just adds to that myth as no-one thinks you mean Shielded ...

 

[solentlife]

Its funny actually ... because if you think about it ... IF the motors were sealed ...... then why would dirt / dust be a problem with oiling ? The oil and any dust would not get in to the bearings being sealed ...

Bit like the wheel bearings on modern cars ... sealed ... but they run in some of the worst conditions you could imagine.

 

[Steve7777]

Its funny actually ... because if you think about it ... IF the motors were sealed ...... then why would dirt / dust be a problem with oiling ? The oil and any dust would not get in to the bearings being sealed ...

Bit like the wheel bearings on modern cars ... sealed ... but they run in some of the worst conditions you could imagine.

'Tis true what you say - sealed = no problem.... but shielded = usually also no problem.

I mostly try to cogitate on weightier things than whether I mean 'sealed' - or merely sealed...

Do you mean modern or 'modern'?... I have a Ford Focus - IYHO, is it a modern or a 'modern' car?

Its wheel bearings are not sealed, btw...

 

[With The Birds]

'Tis true what you say - sealed = no problem.... but shielded = usually also no problem.

I mostly try to cogitate on weightier things than whether I mean 'sealed' - or merely sealed...

Do you mean modern or 'modern'?... I have a Ford Focus - IYHO, is it a modern or a 'modern' car?

Its wheel bearings are not sealed, btw...

If you were to disassemble the hubs on your focus you would quickly learn the bearings are sealed. They are what is commonly called a “sealed for life” design. Sealed vs shielded is an important distinction. Shielded can loose lubricant over time and may benefit from additional lubrication during service (this seems to be the point solentlife is making).