Cooling your hardware... [ESC - Motor]

… dip it into 3M™ Novec™ 7000 (or something else) and seal everything.

So hey I am Alex from germany, I am just into building my esk8 boards but because I started kiteboard a few month ago I just got into this forum about 4 hours ago and could not stop reading … okay maybe 5 hours :smiley: .

It seems to me that some people got problems with cooling the ESC or the motor. So because I was quite into PC´s a few years ago I know that 3M has Novec 7xxx (different liquids with similar characteristics) in its portfolio.

Novec 7000 is a liquid that is used in server centers and pc overclocking. You simple put all your components in a sealed container (aluminium, copper, PTFE …), put in your Novec 7000 up to a considered level and you are done. Your casing should be conducting heat to the outside.

Novec is

  • non electrical conductive
  • boils at 34°C
  • critical temperature 165°C
  • highly safe for the environment
  • heat conductivity around 3 time the conductivity of air (yeah there are better fluids but almost all of them are based on oil so very hard to clean and not especially something I would like to run my motor in)

~around 200-250€ per 4 Liters
→ first seems much but when you consider that you only have to fill the compartment up to 1/2 - 1/4 to give the liquid the option to boil and condensate, so the pressure to do not raise over a certain level and burst your casing .

Some videos:

I think its a nice option which has proven. And maybe a consideration worth it. There are a lot non electrical conductive fluids out there - maybe lets discuss this option. Because almost all of you build water tight compartments for motor and esc. simple fill them and put some copper head shrinks on them or roughen up the surface and you are good to go.

The heat will be transferred via the liquid/gas to the casing which then takes on the heat to deliver it to the outside world. No water cooling needed or for the motor a more effective head transfer to the casing and from there into the saltwater.

Would like to hear your opinion on this.

King regards,
Alex

5 Likes

This is a great idea. Anyone every try it?

We do it cooler, at much higher power losses :wink: