Cheap Maxon motors - get 'em while they're hot

[mmagliaro]

I noticed a recent dump from a myriad of China sellers on eBay selling Maxon 10mm x 17mm  12v motors and thought I'd pass this along.

You will have to do a bit of work to use these, as they only have 1mm shafts.  So you'll have to sleeve the shaft up to 1.5mm
 to fit a typical N Scale worm.  But otherwise, these are really nice, compact, powerful motors.  They are going for about $11 a piece.

They do not have gearheads on them.

Just search for      maxon 10mm motor
and you'll find a variety of sources.

[timwatson]

Thank you for the heads up. Ordered.

[mmagliaro]

Some tidbits from the data sheet:

max continuous torque 0.746 mNm  (stall torque is 1.01 mNm, but we don't normally want our motors stalled!)
No load rpm at 12v = 11600.
Max physical allowed rpm = 19000 (presumably, the motor could start to fly apart inside at speeds higher than this)

Max continuous current = .081  (81 ma)

AT 11600 rpm, .746 nMn torque, that's about 0.9 watt  (that's a whopping amount of power for an N Scale motor, just FYI)
Even at half that speed, 5800 rpm,  that's about 0.45 watt, is still a lot of power.   
A Mashima 10x15 has a max power rating of 0.26W at 11,000 rpm.
A Mashima 10x20 can do 0.51W at 11,200 rpm.

So this Maxon is 2x - 3x more powerful than a very high-end conventional armatured motor.

The actual motor part number is 118391, and you can download the full data sheet for that at Maxon's website
https://www.maxongroup.com/maxon/view/product/118391

[Iain]

What's the rpms of, say, an Atlas motor at 12v?

[reinhardtjh]

There are many listings.  Some seem to be duplicates with different vendor names.

This one has 690* motors available: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-maxon-118391-Mini-10mm-Coreless-Motor-DC-12V-11700RPM-High-Speed-Precision/323920064446?hash=item4b6b23efbe:g:9foAAOSwL4tdf60e

193* motors: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-Maxon-118391-Mini-10mm-Coreless-Motor-12V-11600RPM-High-Speed-1mm-shaft/193109086212?hash=item2cf632d004

 50* motors: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-maxon-DC-Motor-118391-Mini-10mm-Big-Coreless-Motor-DC5V-12V-11700RPM-RE10/253820187975?hash=item3b18dcb547

I wonder if there are any with double output shafts.


* How do I know?  In the Ebay listing, scroll down to the tabs for "Description" and "Shipping and payments".  Choose the "Shipping and payments" tab.  Scroll down and where it says "Quantity", start adding zeros after the "1".  At some point it will tell you "There are xx items available... "  There is your answer.

[peteski]

I bought a batch from one of those sellers. I used Best Offer button and got mine for $10.01/ea, with free shipping of course.

The descriptions state that these are removed from new unused equipment and that they will have scratches and sometimes missing leads. Still, quite a bargain (something Eldon would be all over I suppose).

Since these look like take-outs from a large batch of equipment, I think they will all be the same - no double shafts.

[reinhardtjh]

I bought a batch from one of those sellers. I used Best Offer button and got mine for $10.01/ea, with free shipping of course.

Did you offer a lower price and they counter-offer?

[peteski]

Did you offer a lower price and they counter-offer?

Yes, that happens too (when I use the Best Offer method), but this time they accepted my offer right away.  I was only asking for the price to be 40 cents lower per motor than what they wanted for that quantity. 

[mmagliaro]

In reponse to the question about RPMs:
The Atlas "scale speed" motors typically max out at around 12,000 rpm.
The black "non scale speed" (and typical Kato motors) hit about 18,000 rpm.

These are without load on them, of course.  I have never rigged up a scheme to measure the RPMs while they are running in an engine on the track at full speed.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I probably should get a few. How do these compare in size to the big box style motors used in the MDC/Athearn steam engines? Would there be enough room to cram a decoder?

[metalworkertom]

I do have a number of gearheads from Eldon's inventory. I'm still doing inventory for the most part they will need to be customized to 4:1 . That I have not started doing yet.

[peteski]

I do have a number of gearheads from Eldon's inventory. I'm still doing inventory for the most part they will need to be customized to 4:1 . That I have not started doing yet.

Aha!  This begs a question: Are you going to become the new motorman?   

[mmagliaro]

I probably should get a few. How do these compare in size to the big box style motors used in the MDC/Athearn steam engines? Would there be enough room to cram a decoder?

Do you mean the motor in MDC/Athearn old timey 2-8-0?  I have no idea what motor is in there (I have one of those engines lying around here somewhere).
If you can measure the motor, you'd know for sure.   This Maxon is 17mm long and 10mm in diameter.

Be aware, as I said in my original post, that these motors have a 1mm diameter output shaft.  So to fit most common worms on there, you will need to find some tubing to sleeve it up to 1.5mm.  Also, if you want to fit it with a gearhead, you will need to hunt down the correct pinion gear to put on the motor.   

[peteski]

Do you mean the motor in MDC/Athearn old timey 2-8-0?  I have no idea what motor is in there (I have one of those engines lying around here somewhere).
If you can measure the motor, you'd know for sure.   This Maxon is 17mm long and 10mm in diameter.

Be aware, as I said in my original post, that these motors have a 1mm diameter output shaft.  So to fit most common worms on there, you will need to find some tubing to sleeve it up to 1.5mm.

Those locos have a rather sizable tender-mounted flat/rectangular motor with a drive shaft going to the loco to power the drivers. SO that woudl make the conversion easier (no worm on the motor shaft).

[metalworkertom]

Aha!  This begs a question: Are you going to become the new motorman?   

His knowledge was vastly greater that mine. I'm planning on modifying gearheads and supplying some gears and other parts. Some machining services .  Mainly N Scale possibly some motors in the future . My Full time Blacksmith shop is just approaching a year old now and getting pretty busy. That compiled with my 3 year old being quite active and wanting Daddy's attention  will keep it a part time job for sure. At 58 finding enough energy will be another challenge. I'll probably commit one day a week to this operation.

Do you mean the motor in MDC/Athearn old timey 2-8-0?  I have no idea what motor is in there (I have one of those engines lying around here somewhere).
If you can measure the motor, you'd know for sure.   This Maxon is 17mm long and 10mm in diameter.

Be aware, as I said in my original post, that these motors have a 1mm diameter output shaft.  So to fit most common worms on there, you will need to find some tubing to sleeve it up to 1.5mm.  Also, if you want to fit it with a gearhead, you will need to hunt down the correct pinion gear to put on the motor.   

I can probably supply a gearhead with the proper sleeve and pinion if you decide to take this path.