Radio Interference

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Do all electric motors in a Model need protecting against radio interference?

In my latest Model I have the main drive motors protected but I have just started putting in 2 small geared motors to drive the radars. These will sit 12 to 14 " off the deck so far I haven't put an interference kit on them. The radio is a 2.4 ghz system.

Thanks

Tim

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

No – certainly not with a 2G4 radio.

DM

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Thanks Dave

Tim

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

You apply RFI suppression to protect your own boat against interference, AND the boats of anyone who is sailing close to you. Some of these might be on 40 MHz, or indeed, 27Mhz, if they are toys…

However, if these are tiny motors, any radiated interference is likely to be minimal, especially if they are low volt and low load. And I suspect that someone would have to sail quite close with a susceptible boat to be affected. And if they were, once you sailed away they would be OK. And most sets are 2.4GHz nowadays anyway.

So Dave's advice stands…

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Reducing the interference that any brushed motor does generate not only reduces the chance of interfering with other radios, but absorbs the voltage spikes that go with the sparks. Not feeding those into the output of the ESC is usually a good idea.

Contrary to popular opinion, interference does not just get in via the receiver aerial, any internal wiring is capable of doing the job, so it is good policy at less than a quid a motor to stop it at source.

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Malcolm Frary on 13/01/2017 18:53:18:

Reducing the interference that any brushed motor does generate not only reduces the chance of interfering with other radios, but absorbs the voltage spikes that go with the sparks. Not feeding those into the output of the ESC is usually a good idea.

Contrary to popular opinion, interference does not just get in via the receiver aerial, any internal wiring is capable of doing the job, so it is good policy at less than a quid a motor to stop it at source.

Ancillary motors are often on a different circuit to the main system – perhaps with different batteries and a relay switch – but your point is perfectly correct for any connection that can put spikes into the ESC. Cheap Chinese ESCs are often very vulnerable to such interference. I would guess that DM's Action electronics is much more robust!

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