Stepper motor breather hole.

The leads exiting a stepper motor expose the internal copper wires.
Is this a breather hole.

Can I apply silicone to block the hole to prevent dirt from entering.
I suspect it's not recommended, but I want to double check.

I would specifically use high-temp silicone. Or if wire isolation is the problem, maybe heat shrink tubing.

Tks NoobMan, I was going to use automotive red high temperature silicone.

So no issues with ozone if it's sealed up.
I was thinking of letting the motor run for awhile to evaporate any solvents that might be present before sealing it.
Any issues with blowing out the grease in the bearings when pressure builds up from heat.
I'm thinking that the bearings will act as a pressure equalizing path, after it's sealed up.

Tks.

To stop dirt from entering there's no need to make it airtight. Airtight isn't a good idea, because warming and cooling will expand/shrink the air inside and with an airtight venting hole expanding air exits through the bearings, taking grease with it.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

If there is room between the wires and the opening they come from, i guess that is perhaps because they decided to use lower gauge wires, or a rubber ring there may be missing, but otherwise the gap its not something intentional, my motors are fairly tight in that place. Steppers also dont have fins for internal ventilation like an usual ac/dc motor, because the steppers heat up more when they just stay still, so fins like that wont help. You cant really seal the motor because it still has opening at least near the shaft if not also on the back, and right the bearings cant be air tight. Most of mines have opening on the back so i have some small patch of tape there to protect from dirt entering, especially on Z which is just more exposed. But where is the hole i use a counter patch on the tape so the glue on the tape wont enter in the bearing, that glue could be even worse than dirt. Dunno about the grease coming out, but i had no problems in general, so in my opinion that should be ok. The ozone or negative ions generators need much higher voltage, our usual 12v supplies can not create anything like that. I have a negative ion generator that has a small step up transformer to get the electrode up to 5kV, that i think its about the lower range of those things, else there are others which go even higher voltage.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2014 06:11AM by NoobMan.

Quote
NoobMan
You cant really seal the motor because it still has opening at least near the shaft if not also on the back...

Most of mines have opening on the back so i have some small patch of tape there to protect from dirt entering, especially on Z which is just more exposed.

OK, I just saw the big opening on the rear of the stepper, tks for pointing that out.

Has any one removed the rear end cap without destroying the motor?
I'm curious as to where the gap on the rear routes too, but I don't want to risk harming the motor.
I've read not to pull out the rotor, as it will demagnetize it.

Quote
Traumflug
warming and cooling will expand/shrink the air inside and with an airtight venting hole expanding air exits through the bearings, taking grease with it.

I'll make a simple ridged dust shield, and allow it to breath.

Tks!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2014 07:01AM by A2.

Looks like you can seal the openings on a stepper motor to make them dust, and waterproof. Unless there is some thing else that I'm not aware of that make a wet/dry stepper motor different.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2014 09:19PM by A2.

Haha yes i like that, its quite extreme
Nice one