Motor question. How hot is too hot?

[CC glocker]

So I've been running my buggy for about 2 weeks since installing my Plum Quick bandit. The very first night I drove it I got caught in a pretty bad rain storm so I was giving it hell trying to get back to the house. I was off-road but not in any mud. As I was riding the buggy had a few violent "bucks" and then loss of power. Let off the go pedal and it would go again. I was pretty worried about it so I have been keeping track ove every ride since.

First off, my buggy is rarely on hard solid ground. Over the course of the last couple of weeks I have been taking the the same ride that I did before the bandit conversion. It usually lasts about an hour and a 1/2 and is through sand and brush. My speeds on my rides rarely exceed 10 mph so I'm usually only at 1/4 throttle. I've been checking the motor temps with an infrared thermometer after each ride. All temps are above 200° with the highest being tonight at 225°. The violent "bucking" and power loss has not occurred since the initial ride and im pretty happy with the bandit. I did not check the temp that time so I'm not sure if it overheated which caused the problem.

So this brings me to my question. Is 225° too hot for a motor? There is no smell of anything burning but I'm not sure what the acceptable range is. Is there a possible safety measure in the controller that could cause it to shut down? Hopefully some of you know the info I need. I definitely don't want to cause any damage to any electrical components.

[cartattach]

Given the info in your siggy, I'd call plum quick and confirm temps with them. They answer the phone almost every time

[greg-g]

That is getting up there and that is outside temperature where are you measuring the body measure the endplate also it would be much hotter inside

[greg-g]

Originally Posted by cartattach

Given the info in your siggy, I'd call plum quick and confirm temps with them. They answer the phone almost every time

So I take it they don't answer the other time

[CC glocker]

Originally Posted by greg-g

That is getting up there and that is outside temperature where are you measuring the body measure the endplate also it would be much hotter inside

The end cap is always about 20 to 30° cooler than the body of the motor. Can low speed driving cause more heat than high speeds? Seems to me that lower speeds means lower amperage and in turn, less heat.

[greg-g]

Just the opposite high-speed cruising uses less. Both armature and field

[klanel]

I talked to PQ about a Bandit which purchased but haven't used yet and they told me there were two types of GE motors used. One more tolerant of heat than the other. I ended up with the less tolerant they called a thin can.

If I remember correctly, I think they said 200 degrees F max outside case temp on my Bandit. He said if I couldn't keep my hand on there for more than a 2-3 seconds, it was too hot.

Think it will depend on which motor your Bandit is using.

[CC glocker]

I guess was hoping for a more definitive answer but I realize that there are a lot of variables that yield different results. I guess I should call them and get their spec.

The upside though, is that it runs great! 26 MPH when it does see hard ground. I just don't want to burn anything up by overheating.

[MyCousinVinnie]

This thread is a couple of months old, but how is your cart? Any more issues? I have a similar set up, which is why I am asking.