I understand that the T100 thruster with blueesc cannot operate in air for a long time (low speed for max 5-10 mins and max speed for around 15-30s) but did anyone try to or accidentally operate the thruster in air exceeding the recommended duration ? if yes, what’s the behaviour of the thruster ? Did it has a complete failure or there is a performance degradation (example thruster is not operating as fast as before at the same throttle or is there more noise or vibration) ??
I’m keen to know as my master’s thesis involve the faulty behaviour of the thruster. Thanks in advance.
If you run them for a long time in air, the plastic bushings will eventually overheat and become soft and gummy. They will increase friction in the motor and cause it bind up. It’s possible to repair them from that point, but you need a few specific tools.
thanks for your reply. Am I right to say if I run the thruster at 8000 throttle for 15 mins in air, it will probably still be able to operate but perhaps due to overheating which cause the melting of plastic bushing (becoming soft and gummy) and in turn increase in friction, the thruster might be operational but not running as fast as when it is in perfect condition ?
Can I also check with you how will I be able to repair them from that point ??
At 8000 I2C throttle (equivalent to about 1700 in PWM throttle), it’s likely that you’ll be able to run them indefinitely in air, but I’m not sure. The overheating is primarily an issue at high speeds.
I have finally managed to make the thruster spoil after running it at throttle 32767 for 5 mins in air (total of 3 times) and the fourth time, I stop the motor at 1 min plus mark and the thruster starts to emit smoke and black oil can be seen leaking. Can I check with you at this stage how do I repair them ?
Hi @cteckkai - Were you trying to break the thruster? For the most reliable fix I would recommend sending the thruster back to us and we’ll be happy to repair it.
If you want to fix it yourself, you can use a 4mm drill bit and turn it by hand in the plastic bushings to clear away any melted or damaged plastic.
Unfortunately, yes I have to spoil the thruster in order to proceed with my thesis. If i send the thruster back for repair, how much will it cost, do I have to fill up any form and what is the estimated repair time ?