Motor not spinning freely, feels like its constantly slightly braking

DIY Builds
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So I’m running a dual TB6355 board using a makerX dual esc and had no problems with it I til a few days ago. It felt like my board was constantly braking and wouldn’t coast like it used to. I check my motors and sure enough, on motor won’t spin as freely as it used to. The only thing I did the night before was hook it up to the vesc tool to try and get it in sensored mode. It wouldn’t work so I just updated the firmware and left it.

I’ve tried checking the wire for shorts, resetting the motors and ppm receiver and nothing has worked. It’s annoying because it’s the newer motor out of the two as well. It’s also getting hotter than the other one is. Anyone have any ideas?

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Have you tried this method to rule out an internal short?

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If it has resistance and it’s generating a lot of byproduct heat it probably has an internal short, not something big but you likely have some enamel missing in the windings or something

Unless you can repair the stator or get a refund it’s not gonna be much more than a paperweight, and I will happily take the can to replace mine when it gets fuckered :wink:

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I’m not 100% sure what he’s saying to do. Touch the motor wires together?

For the record, the motor has this same resistance even when it’s not connected to anything. Which makes me think it’s a short but I can’t imagine why it would’ve shorted…

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Yes with the motor disconnected from the esc, contact the bullet connectors of each phase wire together two at a time and try to rotate the motor can. The current generated by the magnets and the stator will short across that connection and produce “choppy braking” when two are in contact and “smooth braking” when all three are in contact

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And if it works like he says its good and if it doesn’t the motor is bad?

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Correct. I’ve never experienced a failed test with this method, but I imagine it would exhibit the “choppy braking” while no phase wires are in contact

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Hooraaaay, perfect timing too, a couple weeks away from both my new board being built and black friday sales, now I either gotta risk using it or run a single motor for a few weeks …

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Well currently it has a smooth constant baking when the wires are not in contact so Im sure either way that’s not a good sign…

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Thanks for the help, I’ll check it out

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Interesting. If that is happening while it’s disconnected from the esc then it sounds like all 3 phase windings may be shorted. I would consult @b264 for better advice on that.

Happy to help :+1:

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What even causes a short anyways? Literally all I did different from the other times I’ve opened it up tondo maintenance is connect the vesc to my computer and update it.

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enamel failure on the windings or some debris/damage.

but if your motor was shorted you would have faulted the VESC

not sure

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Yep this :arrow_up: could be several things. The only other thing that comes to mind is a failed/failing bearing causing some extra friction and heat. But you would likely hear that making more noise than usual

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Maybe that’s why my vesc won’t pick up the sensored wires? Who knows I guess…

Thanks

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From what I can gather I guess it’s a short, what a pain in the ass

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Now what would happen if I kept using it anyways? Because I rode it a couple miles already and aside from the constant deceleration it runs?

Not forever, just until I get a new motor in a week or so.

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I’m not sure but I wouldn’t recommend it as it could end up blowing your esc or at least exacerbate whatever issue the motor already has. I’d say disconnect the phase wires for that motor and carefully insulate and secure them inside the enclosure and ride it as a single drive until you can get a replacement or sort out the issue

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Yea that was my plan but figured id ask. A week or two before my new build is finished too, what a pain in the ass lol

Thanks again

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Sorry to hear that, I definitely know those feels lol. Channel it all into the momentum for your new build :muscle:
Hope you can get it all sorted out quick

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