Thursday, August 6, 2015

PSA - Do Not Buy - Nichibo FK-180SH-3240 = Scam! Metal Brush Junk!

I received a few comments from someone who decided to test out these Nichibo -3240 motors that Zinky86 on ebay was "able to get in" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/121624679840)...


Well, that's conclusive. 2 separate reports. I have not received that set from meishel to test but no need now.

I don't know what it is about the FK180SH-3240 that makes it so attractive for lowballers to slam metal brushes in! Hell, even the China clone variety FK motors have proper carbon brushes, and seriously, if you look at a 3240 armature and think "That will work with metal brushes for more than 5 minutes" you're an idiot, there is NO way that can have a legitimate purpose.

What's more is that the designation "FK" is a LIE. "K" specifies carbon brushes. It's very unambiguous, go look at the Mabuchi website. To put "FK" on a metal brush motor is misrepresenting the product. Same with Kysan Electronics - the Draugr team checked already and until we asked specifically they had the damn thing labeled as an FK with not a peep about metal brushes, and the specs were ripped from Mabuchi's datasheet on the real motor.

This is what Zinky86 had to say about the Nichibo -3240 motor:
This does not reflect positively on Zinky86, nor Nichibo, at all. I am going to give Zinky the benefit of the doubt and assume he was sold this motor believing it to be a clone from a reliable and experienced manufacturer, but I am still disappointed that the problem was not caught until members of our hobby bought fraudulent product.

And Nichibo, what the fuck?

5 comments:

  1. This needs to be seen by more people. This is a pretty important PSA.

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  2. With Mabuchi 3240s becoming impossible to find, and these clones coming up short, are there any comparable 180 motors that you would recommend?

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    Replies
    1. The Xtreme Pro180 shouldn't be counted out. It is still being produced, supposedly. Also, 3240 continue to be available in the form of Blade/Eflite repackages.

      You can try your luck with the -3534 or -3831 Chinese clones.

      For <15rps setups there is also the 90 turn FK130 (falcon, MTB Rhino) option and a couple other FK130 motors that are available off and on.

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    2. I might be posting twice here... so sorry!Old OS on the Mac Abacus... Also not sure about "profile selection"...

      Toruk - Amightywind here. We talked briefly on HVZ Forum about the Rayven/Makita cordless integration. Looking for motor alternatives I just opened up a RC helicopter I thrift-shopped for NZ$3. Turns out theres two 180's in there: FK-180SH-3539E (1 long and 1 short shaft) and a 7.4v LiPo. A quick Google search turns up these:

      http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/7-2V-rc-toy-car-mini_479346464.html

      FK-180PH-3539
      Technical Data: 
      Rated Voltage: 7.2V

      AT NO LOAD:  
      SPEED = 29500 RPM     
      CURRENT = 0.5AMP

      
AT STALL:  
      TORQUE  = 31.4mNm  
      CURRENT  = 15.5AMP

      
AT MAXIUM EFFICIENCY:
      EFFICIENCY     62.5%
      
SPEED              25007RPM

      TORQUE            4.78mNm
      CURRENT           2.78AMP

      OUTPUT             12.52WATTS

      Has anyone come across these before? Unfortuntely I went and junked one trying to lever off the shaft-gear... sigh. It's friend seems like a grunty little fellow though when attached to 9.6v. Just from the stats, where do you think these might sit in the alternative 180-Nerf-motor bestiary? And specifically running off the Nerkita's 9.6v cordless drill battery-pack?

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    3. Sorry to reply late, it's about time I go log in to a backlog of comments. Those -3539 would be very similar to a -3240 by a close enough margin that for flywheel purposes they should be a direct substitute, i.e. excellent. SH and PH magnets, QC, materials, brushes, and test procedures might change the numbers a bit (and the numbers you dug up suggest the opposite of having 1 turn less and larger wire than a -3240 wind) but really anything close in winding parameters to a -3240 should be an excellent flywheel motor.

      The only question, like all clones, is reliability and service life. There are plenty of good Chinese motors out there and a few that are junk. Being in a RC heli and rated at 7.2V in the datasheet are both good signs.

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