# Warp9 questions



## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

So I just picked up this warp9 for my RX7 project. From what I can tell, it must be an older model, because the Netgain site said Warp motors have 1/2" lugs and this one has smaller. Does anyone know what the two wires coming out of the case are? And the black two prong plug in the side? (I think it's for the thermal snap switch inside). The seller said this motor has low run time...is there anything I should do to check it over? I've also seen mention of a Hellwig brush upgrade (doug?). 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Thermal switch. Yes that is the older model. I have yet to see a new upgraded Warp9 for sale yet. No matter, the old ones are still real good motors. Helwigs are not cheap brushes. I have a set still wrapped up. They come with the nordlock washers to keep them in place once installed. $199 shipped.


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## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

onegreenev said:


> Thermal switch. Yes that is the older model. I have yet to see a new upgraded Warp9 for sale yet. No matter, the old ones are still real good motors. Helwigs are not cheap brushes. I have a set still wrapped up. They come with the nordlock washers to keep them in place once installed. $199 shipped.


Which is the thermal switch, the wires coming out, or the black plug in the side with the two spay connectors? 

What are the advantages of the Helwigs?


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Harder brushes, less drag, less dust, longer life split brush allows more voltage without arcing. Its that red top that is like a shock absorber and keep the brushes on the com with out coming off causing arcing and pitting. It is a good upgrade. 

Not sure about the spade plug. Could be they both are some kind of thermal switch. Did you ask the guys at Netgain? 

Pete


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

PowerSurge said:


> Which is the thermal switch, the wires coming out, or the black plug in the side with the two spay connectors?


The thermal switch has the 2 black wires and the plastic plug with spades in the end head casting is for a BWI (Brush Wear Indicator), if equipped.


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## dragonsgate (May 19, 2012)

Is that a piece of 12 gage house wire? I hope the motor was not run with that hooked up.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Thanks Major and I think the wire was used for 12 volt testing. Still not such a hot idea with that gauge of wire. Toaster wire


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

PowerSurge said:


> I've also seen mention of a Hellwig brush upgrade (doug?)


George Hamstra strongly recommends the brush upgrade. He pretty much forced me to change mine out. The only people who shouldn't change them are those pulling extremely high currents (drag racing).

Having said that, if you would be able to reach the brushes to change them with the motor in the car go ahead and get the car running. Then swap them out. Save the couple of hundred dollars until you actually start driving the vehicle. I've heard that there is an even better compound now but the downside of this one is that they are so hard it might take several thousand hours of operation to get them seated well.


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## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

Is there anything I should do with the motor right now? Like take it apart and check/clean/upgrade anything?


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

PowerSurge said:


> Is there anything I should do with the motor right now? Like take it apart and check/clean/upgrade anything?


Leave it as is. Don't remove the brushes but you can have a look at the commutator and maybe take some good pictures. But don't do anything right now. Its more than likely just fine.


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

PowerSurge said:


> Is there anything I should do with the motor right now? Like take it apart and check/clean/upgrade anything?


I would take off the shield over the brushes and straighten that out. Take some decent pictures of the comm. Turn it by hand and see if the bearings are good. Remove that wire and connect it up correctly and then apply 12V and watch it spin. If you don't have a copy you can download the little manual that tells you how to hook everything up off of the Netgain site. What else. Oh, verify the timing is correct for the direction of rotation. This is done on the comm end with the bolts. I think about the only car company where the motor turns the other way is Honda so unless you are going to put it in a Honda it is probably set correctly for your application. I would not take it apart unless there is something wrong. You need some specialized tools to do this properly.


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## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

Ok I pulled a pair of brushes and took a pic of them and the comm. I also hooked it up to my snap on battery charger and took a video of it running at 10, 20, and 50 amps. It spins nice and smooth by hand, and seems to run well with 12v. But I'd like to get thoughts on the how the brushes and comm look, and how the motor sounds. Thanks!


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

It does not look like its broke in quite yet. The brushes look like they are only partly contacting the commutator.


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## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

onegreenev said:


> It does not look like its broke in quite yet. The brushes look like they are only partly contacting the commutator.


Ok so you would agree with the seller's claim of low miles on the motor? I am not sure what the comm should look like with usage. Looked a bit worn to me so I was concerned.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Correct. Below you will see a well broke in commutator but with maybe 500 miles at most on the motor. It was Built by Jim Husted one of the West Coast Motor Gurus. He built the motors for Jack Rickards Cadillac Escalade. He manages a work of art from his motors. But aside from that have a look at the comm bar. It has excellent color and graphite coating and the motor runs smooth. No fancy brushes.

The comm should look nice and smooth and with an even color like this motor.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Your motor sounds good and will get better as it breaks in. They will always make that electric motor whine. Commutator and brushes make DC motors louder than AC motors.


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## dougingraham (Jul 26, 2011)

The brushes are not seated yet. Guessing it was never run much at all. With the original brushes it was supposed to take around 100 hours to fully seat.

The whining sound will lessen quite a lot once the brushes are seated. Pulling the brushes to look at them will require them to be reseated so you don't want to pull them out to inspect because this unseats that brush. Run it a couple of hours and it will most likely quiet down a lot.

I ran my motor about 20 hours before I started driving the car. I probably have about 80 total hours on my motor (1500 miles averaging 25mph + 20 hours).


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## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

Great, sounds like I really did get a low hour motor. That makes me feel better for sure


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## kennybobby (Aug 10, 2012)

*Seating brushes*

To reduce the run-in time for brushes i make a fixture using 600 to 1000 grit paper wrapped around a cylinder of the same diameter as the commutator, then rub the brush end axially along the fixture to cut the correct arc into the end of the brush. It makes for quick seating and keeps brush dust out of the commutator slots. It looks to me like your commutator and brushes are barely used and it still has the periodic grooves from the tool bit as it was turned in a lathe.


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## PowerSurge (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks, I'm feeling better now about the deal I got on this motor. 

I was looking inside it with the brush cover off, and it looks like the two prong black plug in the side goes to one set of brushes. Is this a low brush sensor, similar to how a brake pad sensor works? (creates a short when the brush is worn to the wire which can be used to trip a light?)


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