Staying Cool Under Pressure - Vex Robotics Falcon 500 User Manual

217-6515-751
Falcon 500 Motor User Guide
Lastly, the Falcon 500 is the first motor
in FRC history that has a replaceable
output shaft. In the past, a damaged or
cut shaft was permanent. With the
Falcon 500, teams now can replace the
output shaft instead of replacing the
entire motor.
There's also the option to replace the
included long shaft with the "Falcon
Motor Short Shaft" (217-6958). This
shaft is already cut to the length needed
to make the Falcon 500 work with a
VersaPlanetary.

Staying Cool Under Pressure

Heat buildup is a problem with any FRC motor. When heat
builds up, the motor's internal resistance changes, which
decreases its overall performance and efficiency. To combat
this, teams have been using fans and freeze spray to try and
cool their motors between matches. The Falcon 500 is the first
motor in FRC to have a dedicated cooling port designed into the
side of the motor. Teams can use this cooling port to connect a
#10-32 push-to-connect pneumatic fitting. By using this, teams
now have several options for actively cooling their motors. Some
examples of how the cooling port can be utilized are:
Pneumatic Exhaust - Plumb the exhaust from your pneumatic
system to the Falcon 500(s). This way every time a cylinder is actuated, cool air is forced into your motors.
Dedicated Air or Vacuum Pump - Use a dedicated air or vacuum pump on your robot to force cool air into
your Falcon 500(s).
Off-Board Compressor - Hook up an external air-source such as a shop compressor to push cool air into
your motors after a match.
vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com
Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc.
12
2020-01-07