Electronics > Beginners

Cleaning a DC motor without disassembling

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Zero999:

--- Quote from: David Hess on April 30, 2019, 02:51:29 am ---As Jwillis points out, it is important not to leave lubrication around the brushes which in practice means anywhere except the bearings.  Otherwise as the brushes and commutators wear, the lubrication will pick up the dust turning it into a cake which will eventually cause problems.

For bearings I have had good results with gear oil in place of spindle oil.  Motor oil works well.  I have heard good things about using heavy automatic transmission fluid.  In my experience a light oil works for cleaning a bearing but not for lubricating it.

--- End quote ---
Yes, the brushes are carbon which is self-lubricating. I ruined a motor before by putting lots of grease around the brushes and commutator. The result was smoke and burned brushes.

If you can just oil the bearings then good, but I'd just spray it with compressed air to clean any crap out and leave it alone. Only lubricate it, if you think it really needs it.

Gyro:
Just curious, what do you think the motor is contaminated with?  If it's just dry dust, then I wouldn't attempt to clean it with anything wet, that will just make it clog together unless you literally flood the motor. For dry dust contamination, use compressed air - or preferably a vacuum nozzle (to avoid forcing dust into the bearings).

Hopefully none of the WD40 that you used on the rest of the drill has made its way into the motor and gummed up any contaminants.

Ian.M:

--- Quote from: Zero999 on May 01, 2019, 07:49:17 am ---If you can just oil the bearings then good, but I'd just spray it with compressed air to clean any crap out and leave it alone. Only lubricate it, if you think it really needs it.

--- End quote ---
Unfortunately the O.P has already used WD40 which if it has got in the front bearing, is likely to have washed out any lubricant present leaving it minimally lubricated.  IMHO it is likely to need a drop of light oil (not proprietary oil/solvent mixtures) on its front bearing to restore the lubrication washed away by the WD40, as discussed above.

innkeeper:
SAD!!!  unfortunate the OP didn't take my advice..wd-40 is one thing you should never spray into a brushed motor.

oh well...

WD40 is known within the RC community for ruining motors.

what also happens is wd-40 burns and turns into an abrasive on the brushes, and eats the commutator.

it also ruins the brushes and it is also it is flammable, and there have been instances of motors catching on fire after people use it.

on rebuildable motors, this can be rectified if caught quick, cleaned and the brushes replaced. on a closed can there is not much you can do.. maybe try cleaning it well with some evaporative electrical cleaner like i posted and lubing the bearings... but the brushes have already been exposed to the wd-40, so the life expectancy of the motor is gonna be reduced.

 :'(


Zero999:

--- Quote from: innkeeper on May 01, 2019, 06:03:07 pm ---SAD!!!  unfortunate the OP didn't take my advice..wd-40 is one thing you should never spray into a brushed motor.

--- End quote ---
Unless there's another thread or private message, he'd already used the WD-40, before you advised him against it. :palm:

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