{"id":973,"date":"2020-08-25T20:33:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-25T19:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/?p=973"},"modified":"2022-11-16T19:51:59","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T18:51:59","slug":"overheating-rc-motor-heres-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/overheating-rc-motor-heres-what-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Overheating RC Motor? Here\u2019s What to Do."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It is true, RC motors can overheat. Many people may be caught off guard by how easy it is for an RC motor to overheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I, too, have experienced some of my RC cars overheating, and this has taught me the importance of really knowing how RC cars and their motors work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RC motors will heat up as they are operated, but they can overheat if not tuned and step up properly. It is not safe to get electric RC motors over 150\u00b0F and nitro RC motors over 300\u00b0F. Overheating an RC motor should be avoided as this can damage and destroy the motor.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to RC motors and how to keep them within the best working temperatures, there are a lot of little caveats and details that you need to be aware of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I share with you everything you need to know to better understand how, why, and when your RC motor may overheat and, most importantly, what you can do to prevent it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is Overheating Bad for the RC Motor?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Overheating is always going to be an issue and, in fact, one of the things that can and, most likely, will destroy any RC motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related post: Fixing A Smoking RC Car- A Simple Guide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overheating can cause the RC motor to fail, have poor performance, or even cause a short and damage or destroy the ESC and the batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some motors may send their temperatures back to the ESC, and if they are overheating, the ESC will shut the motor down, which could prevent damage due to overheating. However, other motors will not have any such means of thermal protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brushless vs. Brushed vs. Nitro RC Motors<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Brushless motors are more efficient than brushed motors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In brushed motors, there is more friction and more electrical resistance between the brushes and the commutator interface. This leads to higher, on average, working temperatures in brushed motors compared to brushless motors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that being said, depending on the magnet, brushed motors can usually withstand a little more heat than brushless motors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nitro motors use nitro fuel (or glow fuel) and thus will have higher operating temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Hot Should an RC Motor Get<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The temperature RC motors can get to will vary a lot depending on various conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally electric RC motors will operate in the 80\u00b0F to 130\u00b0F range. However, in particularly hot days and on closed tracks that are not temperature controlled RC motors can easily exceed 150\u00b0F. Some RC motors may even get up to 220\u00b0F.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nitro RC motors are a little different and will run at higher temperatures\u2014generally around 190\u00b0F to 260\u00b0F. Some nitro motors may go up to and above 300\u00b0F.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Hot Is Too Hot for an RC Motor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How hot is too hot for your RC motor is going to vary by the motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally speaking, you want to keep your RC brushless motor below 150\u00b0F. Temperatures between 150\u00b0F and 160\u00b0F should also be safe for an RC motor in most cases. Temperatures above 170\u00b0F may cause permanent damage to the RC motor and should be avoided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people would consider 110\u00b0F to 150\u00b0F to be the sweet spot and will try to avoid going above these temperatures.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 180\u00b0F, you will be risking damaging the magnets of the motor. The magnets will demagnetize, increasing the kV and heat output, which will fry the whole motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperatures above 200\u00b0F will most likely permanently damage the motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a nitro RC motor going above 300\u00b0F, is usually considered too much. Temperatures around 350\u00b0F will most certainly destroy the glow plug as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Causes RC Motors to Overheat?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know which temperatures are a no-no, it is time to take a look at what actually will make your RC motor overheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, even one of these reasons may be enough to make your RC motor overheat, however, often it may be a combination of at least two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Operating Conditions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The weather is the number one reason why an RC motor may overheat even if correctly set up and tuned. During the summer, when the temperatures are generally higher, depending on where you live, you are most likely to have the RC motor overheating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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However, it is also possible for an RC motor to overheat during the winter. Just because the temperatures are low doesn’t mean the motor cannot overheat.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may sound strange and counter-intuitive, but it can happen. People are often driving their RC cars for extended periods of time during the winter, and if the cars are not properly set up, don’t have good airflow, and ventilation they can overheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that being said, one day, you may be running your RC car just fine, while a few days later, it will overheat because the temperature or the humidity has changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it is important to keep track of the temperature of the RC motor all the time in order to prevent overheating\u2014this applies to both electric and nitro motors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related post: 13 Reasons Why RC Motors And ESC’s Burn Up<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Terrain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The type of track you are racing your RC car on will affect how hot your RC motor can get. The different types of terrain will cause different amounts of strain on the motor and the drivetrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asphalt and paved roads will usually cause the least amount of strain on the RC motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dirt and grass (especially tall grass), however, can create more strain on the engine, causing it to overheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Setup \/ Tune-Up<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Several different things can lead to higher RC electric motor temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n