Heatsink for 56mm can

[dure16]

Where can I find a heatsink for a smooth can 56mm motor?

I've found fan mounts but not heatsinks.

I've also seen that people use an x-maxx heatsink, but I worry it won't make good contact with the 56mm can since it's designed for a 49mm can.

 

[Hector_Fisher]

I remember this was brought up a while back:
https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/56mm-heatsink.54348/
The surpass is probably your best option here. Not many "full heatsinks" at that size.

 

[morrjr71]

It's up to you, but I think fans mounted on a clamp-on or similar mount gives better heat removal than a heatsink and fan, particularly if the motor case has fins.

 

[KevinC]

I struggled with this issue for some time. I ended up buying these….
https://www.ebay.com/p/11051040949
Use some heat tape or a rubber band to aid the mount from not slipping.

Then I discovered these which I think are the best mounts ever made……thx @Notorious J
https://en.kc-rc.com/product-page/clip-moteur-aluminium-7075-t6

It’s a Canadian company though so shipping may be an issue for you. If you order over $225, shipping is free to the US.
These options are way better than heat sink options.

 

[Diem Turner]

Honestly, skip the external heat sink. None of them are particularly massive (how effective they are at absorbing heat definitely scales with weight and they're all made from Al-you-minimum and, as I'm sure you know just as well, any good heat sink, Peltier element, etc. is going to contain a lot of copper...it should anyways). There's a ton of copper inside the can and I and I can't help but feel as though anything I add around the motor is going to reduce thermal transfer efficiency. But that's more of a gut feeling. Additionally, most heatsink designs always seem to create small air pockets all around the motor, whether the can is smooth or finned and this just creates more insulation around the motor and will impede your fans.

But I don't just want to seem like I'm trying to talk you out of it. If I were going to add a heatsink to my motor, I'd look at Frankensteining something together from old CPU cooler blocks and then fit them to the can. I don't have any concrete plans how I'd want to go about it, but lots of copper is where I'd start from. But that's just me. YMMV

 

[djrahbee]

I've just recently encountered this problem and I bought an xmaxx heatsink from jrc and was able to open it enough for it to snuggly slide onto the max5 can. I feel like it's on there pretty tight.

 

[dure16]

It's up to you, but I think fans mounted on a clamp-on or similar mount gives better heat removal than a heatsink and fan, particularly if the motor case has fins.

Thanks. I totally agree if the motor has fins.

Then I discovered these which I think are the best mounts ever made……thx @Notorious J
https://en.kc-rc.com/product-page/clip-moteur-aluminium-7075-t6

Would you mind taking a pic of that on a motor?

 

[KevinC]

Ok, it’s not a smooth can, nor is it 56mm. This is on a 4985. It’s tighter than a nuns vajayjay at the Vatican and I reckon I could lift the whole rig off the ground without it coming off. They come with two in a pack but I tried it with one on the motor and could get away with it. No screws to deal with or other bullshit…..goes on like a snap ring……tight, tight tight as Tuco says in Breaking Bad.

Here’s the powerhobby mount on my K8. So far it’s stays on but the aluminum is sub par and I’ve had to re-tap the screw hole once……the beauty of the KC mount……clip on, easy peasy.

 

[dure16]

Ok, it’s not a smooth can, nor is it 56mm. This is on a 4985. It’s tighter than a nuns vajayjay and I reckon I could lift the whole rig off the ground without it coming off. They come with two in a pack but I tried it with one on the motor and could get away with it. No screws to deal with or other bullshit…..goes on like a snap ring……tight, tight tight as Tuco says in Breaking Bad.

View attachment 281721View attachment 281722View attachment 281723
Here’s the powerhobby mount on my K8. So far it’s stays on but the aluminum is sub par and I’ve had to re-tap the screw hole once……the beauty of the KC mount……clip on, easy peasy.

View attachment 281724

Thanks. What are those four screws for? They look longer than screws to mount the fan.

 

[KevinC]

They’re for the fancy boys who use the big fat fancy fans……KC sells those too. I just use 10mm thick fans.

 

[Hector_Fisher]

More surface area is one of the keys to greater heat dissipation. Considering the motor can is aluminum, if you add more aluminum surface area (heatsink), you are more likely to improve the odds of heat transfer from motor can. But you have to add the additional surface area in an effective way. The straight metal to metal contact from a heatsink on the can is much less effective method to transfer heat. Air is a massive insulator compared to copper or even aluminum, and even tiny air gaps and surface imperfections/irregularities between the two metals would cause reduced heat transfer.

To get metal to metal heat transfer to work well, you'd need an intermediate compound of some sorts that would help fill in all the minute air gaps and get out all of the air possible. CPU thermal paste would do the trick, but would be messy. You could try a silicone thermal pad (with higher conductivity) between the heatsink and can. If you don't use any sort of intermediate compound, I'd wager that blowing air straight across the can with a fan mount and fans would be more effective than a bare metal to metal contacting heatsink and fans.

Just my two cents.

 

[Moirae]

The castle 2028 1100kv I bought from @Armarookie43 came with a xmaxx heatsink on it and I don't know what he did to it but that sucker is on there TIGHT. I wanted to take it of because I prefer using fan mounts, but I couldn't even get it off so now I've just left it on and screwed some fans to it best I could lol. Funny enough the motor is in a DBXL E and I don't know if it's the heatsink or what but I've yet to see that motor get hot yet.

 

[Armarookie43]

The castle 2028 1100kv I bought from @Armarookie43 came with a xmaxx heatsink on it and I don't know what he did to it but that sucker is on there TIGHT. I wanted to take it of because I prefer using fan mounts, but I couldn't even get it off so now I've just left it on and screwed some fans to it best I could lol. Funny enough the motor is in a DBXL E and I don't know if it's the heatsink or what but I've yet to see that motor get hot yet.

Just grab it from each side with a pair of pliers. Pull away from the motor.

 

[MMoelmann]

I don't have any concrete plans how I'd want to go about it, but lots of copper is where I'd start from.

What if you wrapped bare copper wire around the motor between the fan clamps? That way the copper would act like a heat sync but not need any messy paste to maintain good contact. The copper will absorb the heat and the wire has more surface area acting like fins for the fan to blow on.

 

[dure16]

What if you wrapped bare copper wire around the motor between the fan clamps? That way the copper would act like a heat sync but not need any messy paste to maintain good contact. The copper will absorb the heat and the wire has more surface area acting like fins for the fan to blow on.

A heat transfer pad like this might also work.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09R3JP32Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[djrahbee]

So I got the Power Hobby clamp style for my 800kv and had to tape a couple pieces of rubber on the tips of it to help grip the motor better. I actually got 2 just in case and good thing I did because I over tightened the first one trying to get it tight enough to not move easily, and bent it. You can kind of see the rubber under the yellow tape I used to hold it in place until I could get it snug. I think it's good'n tight now! And the rubber might help with absorbing some vibration from landings.

Oh yeh...these fans SCREAM on a little 3s lipo I use!

 

[Moirae]

So I got the Power Hobby clamp style for my 800kv and had to tape a couple pieces of rubber on the tips of it to help grip the motor better. I actually got 2 just in case and good thing I did because I over tightened the first one trying to get it tight enough to not move easily, and bent it. You can kind of see the rubber under the yellow tape I used to hold it in place until I could get it snug. I think it's good'n tight now! And the rubber might help with absorbing some vibration from landings.

Oh yeh...these fans SCREAM on a little 3s lipo I use!
View attachment 282742View attachment 282743

I use zip ties around the mount =D

 

[dure16]

I cut a strip of this stuff and put it between that mount and the motor. It’s made for heat transfer and it also helps the fitment.

I use zip ties around the mount =D

What do you mean? I can’t picture how zip ties would work with that mount.

 

[djrahbee]

I use zip ties around the mount =D

I thought of that...but where would you zip tie these??

What do you mean? I can’t picture how zip ties would work with that mount.

Beat me to it..

 

[Moirae]

https://www.radiocontrolpower.com/p...its-54mm-56mm-diameter-motors-40mm-fans-black

This is the one I have and it has a space to slide a zip tie through. Though tbh half the time i don't even bother and I just cross 2 zip ties over the center and below the fans. It actually works really well. One of the first times I bashed my kraton 8s with that mount it came off and I started zip typing em ever since and it has never happened again.