a) Read Everything First! Every instruction! Every Warning Label! Browse our Knowledge Base while you are at it. About 90% of problems can be avoided by Reading First.
b) Do NOT screw up the electrical connections! Polarity is important. If you are not sure, figure it out first... trial and error testing can get expensive!
c) Do NOT exceed the maximum electrical specifications! Pay attention to the maximum allowable Voltage, Current and Wattage (Volts x Amps).
d) Do NOT use a propeller that is bigger in diameter and/or bigger in pitch than the specifications provided! Use the recommended propeller.
e) Do NOT overheat. Ensure adequate cooling by exposing the motor and entire ESC to moving air.
f) Do NOT operate the motor if the prop appears to wobble when you turn it by hand! Look at the back of the hub as you rotate the propeller over by hand. The back of the hub should remain in one plane throughout the rotation, not wobble.
g) Do NOT operate if the motor appears to vibrate! Look at the prop shaft when it first gets going. If it looks blurry to the eyes or sounds strange it is vibrating. Excessive vibration will destroy your motor and possibly hurt your servos as well. Stop and check all bolts for tightness and make sure the prop is turning true (no wobble) and that the prop is balanced.
h) Do NOT operate with loose fasteners! Check bolts, nuts, screws etc for snug tightness. Do not over tighten but keep them snug. Check periodically, particularly after the first few times you use the motor. Use blue thread locker such as Pacer Z42 to help keep fasteners from loosening up. If you find that fasteners are continously loosening up even after the motor has been used many times, you have a vibration issue. Check for sources of vibration. Excessive vibration will destroy your motor.
i) Do NOT operate at High Throttle on the ground or test bench for longer than 10 seconds! High Throttle static operation such as this where the airplane is not moving, induces maximum load on the motor while not providing proper air flow to help cool it. Heat will build up quickly, particularly if the motor is cowled. Heat is bad news. Heat can melt the windings down and quickly destroy the motor.
j) Do NOT operate without a safety fuse system!
k) Do NOT assume an electric motor is the same as a glow or gas engine! An electric motor is very different. Electric motors will attempt to overcome any load they encounter, even to the point of destroying themselves.
l) Do NOT use your plumbing tools or hammer! A brushless motor is not a farm tractor. Small hand tools only. Snugly tight does not mean you tighten things to the point they strip.
m) Do NOT get dirt, water or metal objects into the motor! If you drop a small screw or nut when working on your model, find it first before turning on your motor. Electric motors have strong magnets. Chances are that if you drop something small and metal into your model and can't find it... that it will be inside the motor. Turn the motor over by hand and pay attention to any unusual resistance, grinding or other odd sounds or feel. Find the missing metal item before operating your motor!