Sealed vs Open BLDC motor?

Hi all,

I'm building a small art car for Burning Man (so dusty, hot conditions). I'm trying to decide between one of the Motenergy open PMAC motors (such as http://www.electricmotorsport.com/e...201-pmac-motor-24-72v-6-hp-cont-19-hp-pk.html) or one of the sealed PMACs (http://www.electricmotorsport.com/e...601-sealed-pmac-motor-12-96-vdc-13-kw-pk.html).

The page for the sealed motor says External cooling apparatus required. Any idea what they're referring to? Would a sealed motor be a better idea for a dusty environment, and if so, what would I have to do to handle the heat? Or should I just go with one of the open fan-cooled motors (that presumably handle heat better) and blow the dust out periodically?

Hi all,

I'm building a small art car for Burning Man (so dusty, hot conditions). I'm trying to decide between one of the Motenergy open PMAC motors (such as http://www.electricmotorsport.com/ev-parts/motors/brushless-motors/pmac-ss-me0201014201-pmac-motor-24-72v-6-hp-cont-19-hp-pk.html) or one of the sealed PMACs (http://www.electricmotorsport.com/ev-parts/motors/brushless-motors/motenergy-me0201013601-sealed-pmac-motor-12-96-vdc-13-kw-pk.html).

The page for the sealed motor says External cooling apparatus required. Any idea what they're referring to? Would a sealed motor be a better idea for a dusty environment, and if so, what would I have to do to handle the heat? Or should I just go with one of the open fan-cooled motors (that presumably handle heat better) and blow the dust out periodically?

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That part of the desert floor has been so destroyed by the Burning man event that I say sealed. The dust is so fine it will surly clog up any open motor quickly. Any place that might have iron ore in the sand will cause problems over time. Where I ride moisture is not a problem so open motors are not required for drying out the motor. On the other hand, there is lots of iron ore in the blowing sands around here. I don't want that sticking to my magnets.

If this is a one off build, then an open motor could work for a short period of time. Have you ever run a magnet through the sands at the Burning man site? If you ever get the chance to do so, please report back your results as to what sticks to the magnet.

As for an "External cooling apparatus", I recommend contacting the sellers and ask them what they mean.

Most motors can handle the desert heat. Pushing them beyond their rated torque is where you might find problems. If your motor can't easily push the weight you have applied to the motor, then it will heat up. In other words, don't overload the motor and you will be fine.