*** All things with lubricants will stiffen up if not used for a long time - I often see locos, especially Bachmann, that are totally seized because of hardened lubricants!

In relation to Cobalt motors, it will depend on two things: Which version they are and their age from manufacture to use. (Later models and all Cobalt iP and omega models) have a different and much thinner lubricant to earlier ones).

It will also depend on how long they are not used for... All lubricants slowly harden as volatiles evaporate.

As a quick fix try squirting a spray lubricant into the fulcrum slot. Otherwise, users are able to open the case carefully, clean up the old stuff and add a fresh lubricant. Use a light plastic- compatible oil on the front motor bearing and a spot or two on the gears. It does not need much at all...

To keep lubricant costs reasonable - I find a brand called Super-Lube quite good, and oil made for fishing reels is also very stable.

ALSO after long absence of use... Operating several times is a good idea anyway as things like switch contacts need operating to remain in good contact. We actually gold plate the switch "fingers" to help this but they do run on a hardened PCB that is able to oxidise very slowly with no use.

regards, Richard

 

Hi Richard
Thanks so much for this help. Would you recommend a silicon lubricant to spray into the fulcrum slot? I have a can of that already.
John

 

Hello John

Yes, that will work fine. It will actually be better than an oil in that long term, its more stable too. Spray then Change the motor a few times after spraying to work it around the gears.

If you continue to have problems please email us and we will get them sorted for you.

Kind regards

Richard

 

Hi Richard
The silicon spray lubricant worked very well. I have a can with the application tube for getting into small tight spaces. I sprayed quite a bit into the fulcrum slot of all my cobalt digital motors and they are all moving tremendously freely.
I can't believe the transformation!

Superb point motors BTW. Compact and so easy to set up. I'd recommend to anyone who buys these motors to spray this silicon lubricant on the fulcrum slot before first use anyway. Seems to definitely do the trick.

John

 

Beware when using silicone (not silicon) lubricants in the vicinity of open switch contacts.
A quote from just one Electrolube document I found with a quick search:
Silicone Contamination
As silicones can "creep" great distances, these products should not be used in switch assembly areas. When silicone is present between moving or vibrating contacts, they react under arcing conditions to form silicon carbide. These crystals abrade the contact surface and cause electrical breakdown.

 

we'll see if this happens, I've just given one of mine the treatment. I must add that they work great out of the box.

 

*** Its generally good advice with standard switching, but with Cobalt, I'd not worry about the silicon contaminants issue.

Cobalt switch contacts are a smooth sliding contact that does not tend to arc at all because it is a clear break before make. It is actually a very rare application that switches under any meaningful load as well.

Also, the contacts are literally gold plated and the PCB tracks are also hardened - giving up to 500k reliable switch changes at the extreme of our tests - (all counted by those same switch contacts.... literally hundreds of years of busy layout use

regards