Portescap motors

[Lysander]

A quick word of advice about these excellent motors.

Usually extremely expensive, I recently purchased a 'new/old stock' RG4 for a Hall that I am currently building. At £35, it was at least half the usual price and I was pleased with the purchase. I took it out of its box to test it yesterday and found that the gear-box had seized completely. Dismantling the unit, I tested the motor, which worked perfectly: it would not drive the gear-box however.

I could see absolutely no flaw at all in the gear train. These units are lubricated for life and so should not fail. Applying a little oil, I added a half-wheeled axle to the final gear and turned the 'box over by hand: a phenomenal amount of torque was required to move the cogs at all.

A plea for help in the other place brought an immediate response. The problem was known, and it was caused by dried out lubrication which effectively binds the gears solid. Two hours in a bath of IPA [which turned the colour of dry sherry!] resolved the problem. A light oil and the gear-box, reunited with its motor, turned perfectly.

I've a number of these units and have not encountered this issue before. They are so well made and reliable, it never occurred to me that this could happen. If any of you use them too, its worth keeping this in mind.

Tony