# Melted a Bolt on the S2 terminal, repair?



## EVTransAm (Dec 13, 2008)

Hey guys. Trans Amped has been down for a few weeks because I saw that I'd melted the bolt that holds my cable to the S2 terminal of my Warp 11. It looked like so:

http://evtransam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/scaledimg_0023.jpg

I can't say I'm suprised to have problems with the motor connections - they seemed pretty weak compared to all the other connections on the car like the beefy connection on the fuses and controller. I assume the motor vibrated and wiggle the connection loose, increasing the resistance and maybe even arcing, but the main question is how can I fix it? Here is another picture of the outside after the cable broke off with some gentle wiggling.

http://evtransam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/outside_1.jpg

I removed the motor cover/grate and took this picture from the inside. The S2 connects to the lower bolt about an inch left of the center of the photo, covered in ash/dust.

http://evtransam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/inside_2.jpg

To extract the melted bolt I need to be able to get a drill on it which I can't do with the motor in the car without removing the transmission and rotating the motor 90 degrees. It appears that S2 is really a coupler and that both the inside bolt and outside bolt connect to it. Seeing that, can I simply loosen the bolt on the inside, pop S2 off the motor and then extract the bolt on a work bench? As long as I can maintain control over the inside bolt to reattach it I don't see why (mechanically) this won't work.

Aside from that, the motor was in use about 30 miles. is the level of dust inside normal? The motor has a fabric filter on the rear and a cover in the front fed by a filtered blower.

I'll probably put a call into Netgain this week to see what they say. Wouldn't be nice if it weren't my fault and they waranteed with an option to upgrade to a Warp 11 HV.

Thanks,
Mike


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## Jimdear2 (Oct 12, 2008)

EVTransAm said:


> It appears that S2 is really a coupler and that both the inside bolt and outside bolt connect to it. Seeing that, can I simply loosen the bolt on the inside, pop S2 off the motor and then extract the bolt on a work bench? As long as I can maintain control over the inside bolt to reattach it I don't see why (mechanically) this won't work.
> 
> Thanks,
> Mike


Mike,

IMHO
Get the terminal assembly out of the motor and REPLACE it. The insulating block is removable. No telling what the heat did internally. You might have cracks that could fill with material like brush dust and cause shorts later on.

Order a new one from the motor manufacturer. When you call Netgain, ask if there is any tricks or special, procedures to remove it.

To my eyes it looks like the terminal did in fact loosen and heat up, otherwise the internal bolt would probably be melted as well. 

Do you have sufficient slack in the cable? If you do and there is enough movement in the drive train to still cause something like that to loosen, you should look to securing the cable to the motor at some mid point in the cable length using a bracket, let the bracket take the strain, not the terminal end, otherwise make a longer cable. 

Are you using lock washers? You should be using the serrated type (I can't tell for sure but it looks like you are) not the standard split ring type. The serrated type work better with soft metal If all else fails, drill the head of the bolt and lockwire it.

Hope this helps


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

EVTransAm said:


> Hey guys. Trans Amped has been down for a few weeks because I saw that I'd melted the bolt that holds my cable to the S2 terminal of my Warp 11. It looked like so:
> 
> http://evtransam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/scaledimg_0023.jpg


Hey Mike,

In the first picture, it looks like a flat washer on the business side of the damaged lug. Did you have a washer in between the lug and the motor terminal?



EVTransAm said:


> I removed the motor cover/grate and took this picture from the inside. The S2 connects to the lower bolt about an inch left of the center of the photo, covered in ash/dust.
> 
> http://evtransam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/inside_2.jpg
> 
> Aside from that, the motor was in use about 30 miles. is the level of dust inside normal? ...........I'll probably put a call into Netgain this week to see what they say.


No, way too much brush dust in there. Send some photos to Netgain.

major


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## madderscience (Jun 28, 2008)

When you put the motor back together, use some anti-corrosive compound on the motor terminals, and everywhere else in the traction circuit too. Those connections look dry.


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## coulombKid (Jan 10, 2009)

madderscience said:


> When you put the motor back together, use some anti-corrosive compound on the motor terminals, and everywhere else in the traction circuit too. Those connections look dry.


When I worked at Gould Electric we electroplated tons of copper foil per day. In all the cable connections to the plated we used copper based anti-sieze on the connections. The grease kept the sulfuric acid and copper sulphate out of the stainless bolt threads and kept the copper faying surfaces fresh in a harsh enviroment. Buss bars there were passing 40,000 amps DC. Some wrist watches would stop in that magnetic field.


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## EVTransAm (Dec 13, 2008)

Thank you for the replies. I was a little slow in sending Netgain some photos but it does look like the cable did not have enough slack and the connection came loose.

They said that it is field serviceable and sent some instructions. $57 for the part so not too bad off.

Mike


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## Jimdear2 (Oct 12, 2008)

EVTransAm said:


> They said that it is field serviceable and sent some instructions. $57 for the part so not too bad off.
> 
> Mike


Great, glad it turns out to be field serviceable and not too expensive, thought it might.

Good luck.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

EVTransAm said:


> ....but it does look like the cable did not have enough slack and the connection came loose.


I still think the washer between the terminal and lug was a big part of your problem. Is that a 5/16" bolt? What size hole is in the lug? 

Did they say the lack of slack made the connection come loose? "Not enough slack" sounds like they just wanted you to go away. 

What did they say about the excessive brush dust?

major


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