M200 Possible substitute?

Hello,

I’m starting to build my own BlueROV2, since I’m a student money is tight…
The T200 thruster looks awesome, but six of them is quite a lot of money… I have access to a 3D Printer and will attempt to print the motor shroud and nose cone. Is it possible to find a cheaper motor similar to the M200 or perhaps the actual motor used for the M200? I am capable of modifying a motor if necessary.

Thanks!
Best Regards,
Peter

@Chromate,
Try here
Regards,
TCIII AVD

@Chromate What is the water medium you intend to test and operate in?

If it is freshwater (lake), you can get by with using the off-the-shelf cheap brushless motors as long as you silicone spray the moving parts well. The bearings are usually the first to go. I’ve seen several people replace the metal bearings with ceramic ones and they’ve worked ok-ish.

If you plan to operate in saltwater or chlorinated water, the T-100/200 and M-100/200 series are your best bet for long term use. I remember back when I was building my first ROV frame from scratch for open ocean use and the real breakthrough was the BlueRobotics T-100 thrusters. 3 years later and they are still working great.

Thank you guys for the answers!
@kevink It would operate in salt water.

I would be open to buying an off-the-shelf brushless and modifying it, replacing the bearings and dipping the core in epoxy. Do you think any other modifications are needed?

Does anyone know if the M200 is a custom motor or a rebrand with modifications?

Hi Peter,

The all of our motors and thrusters are our own custom design, and are not based on any existing off the shelf designs.

Simply coating the stator in epoxy can work, but care must be taken to prevent any bubbles or voids from forming. Impregnating the stator with epoxy under vacuum is the ideal method. You will also need to similarly coat/protect the metal can or the rotor and especially the magnets to prevent any corrosion there.

-Adam