[Jeorge]

A day or so back i was running my Prairie around my "Layout" Its speed suddenly cut by about 50% and it started smoking. The armature of the motor got incredibly warm, and watching it running with the body off also displayed some pretty and rather large white sparks as opposed to the smaller blue ones. After it cooled it ran without the problem (Just a horrible smell). After leaving it for the night in its box/siding it does the same

.

Could it be a drop of oil on the commutator?. I currently have it apart on my desk and there appears no way so see easily into there. I dare not even think about somehow cramming a cotton bud soaked in meths either.

 

[John Webb]

Jeorge,
Sounds to me as if something on the loco has moved out of position and is causing extra strain on the motor. If you can slip the motor out and check that the wheels move freely or not with the motor removed, this will tell you if the chassis has a problem.

If the chassis is freely running, it may be the motor at fault. Likely problem is a lack of lubrication on the motor bearings. As the motor warms up under ordinary use, the armature shaft expands - if there is a lack of oil there is more friction and more heat is generated in the bearings and the shaft expands more and it takes more effort from the motor to turn itself..... and so on!

Hope this helps to resolve your problem,
Regards,
John Webb

 

[Colombo]

Jeorge,

I once had an unfortunate experience trying to clean a motor which I had over oiled. So let me pass on a tip: do not under any circumstances attempt to clean your motor with WD40 or any contact cleaning fluid.
The subsequent incandescent display could be quite spectacular when you try to run it. I have been there and done it.

Colombo

 

[pedromorgan]

i use contact cleaner on the comutator. i think it works very well. I try to remove the commutator and take it outside and give it a quick squirt.
I dont use WD40 for anything.
I think this is one of those subjects that different people use different things. i dont think it does any harm. its what ever works for you.

WD40 is definatly NOT the right thing to use. WD40 is a mixture of oil and dry cleaning fluid and is designed to displace water and replace it with a film of oil. so if your trying to remove oil spraying the item with another oil would be pretty pointless!!
(by the way thats what WD stands for - water displacer and the recipie was the 40th attempt or at least thats what i was told at collage)

It may be that one of the windings on your motor had burnt out or become detached. withought taking a look its difficult to tell.
That happened with my voyager.

Peter

 

[ironduke]

*sigh* I miss freon.

It could just be that the motor's brushes have worn down to stubs.