What is the lifetime of T200 thrusters run at full throttle in 4°C saltwater at 20V? At 16V?
EliotBR
September 26, 2021, 11:20pm
2
Hi @overblown_petri , welcome to the forum
I don’t believe we have such specific lifetime analysis, but I’ve asked the relevant engineers and will get back when I’ve got a response
EliotBR
September 28, 2021, 2:25am
3
I haven’t yet had a response from our main thrusters engineer, but I’ve been directed to our (quite new) T200 FAQs , which have a question about lifetime:
bluerobotics.com - T200 - FAQs:
Q: What is the lifespan or mean time between failures of the T200? How long can they run continuously?
A: It depends! Because our customers operate in varying conditions across a wide range of use cases, there is no one expected total lifespan that would apply to all situations. Factors such as water quality, sediment density, particle size and composition, throttle level, operating voltage, etc., all play a large role in affecting thruster longevity.
Likewise, these same factors affect how long a thruster can operate in non-stop, continuous use. Anywhere from a few days to several months of continuous usable life are realistic to expect depending on the exact operating conditions.
Thrusters do require routine maintenance, and this also affects how long parts will last. If components are well taken care of, they can last for many years. If they are abused and used in harsh environments, parts may wear down faster and will need to be replaced more frequently. For example, iron particles may be pulled from the water and collect inside the rotor on the magnets. This iron should be cleared out regularly to prevent corrosion and allow for proper operation.
We have recommended thruster maintenance guidelines in our Thruster Usage Guide to help get the most life out of your thrusters. In case anything does eventually need replacing, replacement thruster components are available here .
If there does turn out to be more information available I’ll make sure to pass it along
The standard blue robotics esc’s won’t last at full throttle for more than a few minutes.
EliotBR
August 3, 2022, 11:25am
5
Our Basic ESC can handle up to 30 A constant current, provided there’s sufficient cooling. 30 A is above the maximum T200 current usage for any supply below 20 V.
That said, if the ESC is used in an acrylic enclosure and with no additional heat spreading or active cooling then it’s indeed possible it would overheat and fail when providing continuous high throttle for an extended period.
1 Like
