Fireteam Optional included speed pinion, problems?

[cazrack]

I realize people use their Fireteam rc in different environments and temperatures but if you use the optional included speed pinion with stock setup have you experienced any problems they claim with the warnings of damage to the electronics?

And if so what kind of use and temperature outside?

Thanks

 

[GraniteFox]

Normally the “speed pinion” is to be used on flat surfaces for speed run type of passes. If you have a temp gun just keep and eye on your motor temps. 160f is about the top end until I let things cool off. You can also replace the stock motor fan with a high speed one…..helps a lot. If you are running in grass I would not use the optional pinion. Hardpack or even loose dirt you should be fine.

 

[cazrack]

Thanks I will check stock motor fan performance and compare it to something more suitable for motor cooling.

 

[RCbuzz]

Upgrade that ESC fan too and turn down the stock timing.

 

[cazrack]

Upgrade that ESC fan too and turn down the stock timing.

Will look at that as well.

Stock ESC will apply overheat protection when needed and halt until it’s cooled compared to motor that will fry/break since it has no protection?

 

[RCbuzz]

Will look at that as well.

Stock ESC will apply overheat protection when needed and halt until it’s cooled compared to motor that will fry/break since it has no protection?

Search Firma 150 Fire on the forum. Best to treat the stock Firma 150 with respect . And yes, the motor will just continue to heat up until it seizes or burns up. This is usually only a problem with high speed gearing and very hard use.

Could be 100% random or it could be people pushing the Firma a bit too hard, water entry, high stock timing, not sure if anyone knows 100%, many of them have gone up in flames though. Maybe it was only a certain batch of them? Perhaps someone could gather some MFG data on the ones that have gone up to pinpoint a production issue.

FYI I have never burned one up but I have seen the posts here that have..

 

[cazrack]

Normally the “speed pinion” is to be used on flat surfaces for speed run type of passes. If you have a temp gun just keep and eye on your motor temps. 160f is about the top end until I let things cool off. You can also replace the stock motor fan with a high speed one…..helps a lot. If you are running in grass I would not use the optional pinion. Hardpack or even loose dirt you should be fine.

Will this dual fan setup work good on motor and work good with the stock BEC ?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003580819638.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.41d82329Jc1azl&algo_pvid=dba50472-6c34-4629-a0a1-97074d96feeb&algo_exp_id=dba50472-6c34-4629-a0a1-97074d96feeb-23&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000026365132181"}&[email protected][email protected]!12000026365132181!sea&curPageLogUid=mGrYlDTuJPD7

 

[rotauq]

Will this dual fan setup work good on motor and work good with the stock BEC ?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003580819638.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.41d82329Jc1azl&algo_pvid=dba50472-6c34-4629-a0a1-97074d96feeb&algo_exp_id=dba50472-6c34-4629-a0a1-97074d96feeb-23&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000026365132181"}&[email protected][email protected]!12000026365132181!sea&curPageLogUid=mGrYlDTuJPD7

Surpass makes quite decent stuff. It's rated for 5-8.4V so for bec use, but doesn't mention amp draw (which i suspect it wont be a problem either)

In my humble opinion, stock cooling is more than sufficient for the stock gearing. Brushless motors are extremely efficient. I only replace stock fans with better ones when they break. Once you really want go for high gearing (more topspeed/less accelleration) it quickly becomes better to upgrade the motor&esc. Gearing adds load, so does high resistent surface like grass or mud, but in the end 50% of it, is all about your trigger finger. Get a set of pinions and use a tempgun to measure at what pinion size it starts to run hot for your typical use case. Some people can run the speed pinion without any trouble, some can even go up higher.

In any discussion about cooling i like to put it in this exaggerated perspective, it's like asking: Would this huge intercooler improve the motortemp of my tiny chevy spark pulling a heavy trailer uphill? In the RC world it's easier just to replace the tiny engine with a big v8.
Obviously a better fan is a cheaper option to take some of the edge off, but ones it really gets too hot, either go lower on the pinion or upgrade the power system to your (new) requirements.

 

[cazrack]

Fan ordered so hopefully it perform better compared to stock fan with included speed pinion running on short grass, stock fan can maybe act as a extra fan blowing on the esc.