The Push for Smaller

That sucks. My homebuilt drone had a motor failure on a test flight and went head-over-heels to its crash. Luckily I went for 1x1 wood instead of 3D printing arms.

 

Yeah, leaf brushes suck. Learned that with the Mog's original motors. FYI, I just ordered one of these to fool around with.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371898550214

 

Are you going to try to replicate it?

 

Looks like it could benefit from a 3d printed tighter tolerance lower. Brushless too, that's cool.
If I could find a source for small brushes, it's really easy to swap them in those motors. They make awesome little pump motors.

 

Nope. I am going to compare it's performance to my existing DD pump (the gold standard IMO ). It's also a 12v pump which isn't a common voltage for the hobby so I'll test it on different voltage levels (probably to destruction) to see what it can do in that regard.

 

HA!

 

Steve wants everybody to have great pumps like his. Who wouldn't, can't you see how well they work?

 

Pretty sink due to a maintenance issue (nozzle clogged with dirt).

 

With the ESC, the total weight is 1.05 oz. So I'll count my ESC if you will count your switch. Actually, minimum weight was not a goal of this project, it was size.

The brushless motor has the advantage of not having brushes (duh) to destroy but it went through the 2x5mm ball bearings in about 2 runs. I replaced the bearings with oilite sleeves and everything is good for now. It took me a while to find 130 motors with carbon brushes, which delayed the project, which lead to a loss of enthusiasm, which is why I haven't worked on it in a while.

Pumping performance on mine is less than I would like, but in a Golo that takes few hits it is more important to have a pump that will fit between the shafts. Some day I should test with a 1/2 unit orifice.

 

Well since mine is brushed and current draw so minimal it would be best hard wired in, no switch. But for the sake of comparison my pump with switch weighs 1.5oz.

 

In my design I have incorporated a coarse strainer along the outside of the pump bottom that also sets the height above the bottom. The strainer works as planned. I also have a stator printed on the inside to pre-swirl the water... it probably does nothing.

One thing I like about the brushless setup is its maintainability. Two screws to get the bottom off and one set screw to pull the rotor and shaft.


I glued a square piece of brass in the rotor (7/64 OD I think) and then secured the 2mm shaft with some green retaining compound. I've been very pleased with the result.

 

I designed a grill on one of my other pumps. It works well. I should really put a grill on this new one.