Hurricane cooling

[Leslie Crane 1]

Hi guys, I was lucky enough to get an unflown built Tony Nijhuis 62" Hurricane for very little at my club auction last night. I am checking it out as it has all electrics etc. The motor and ESC are both attached to a motor mount inside a removable cowling and I wonder if anyone has experience of this as it strikes me that overheating could be a significant problem. There is no air inlet or outlet in the cowling making it an enclosed space and whilst I can cut some holes that will do little for its appearance!! Any thoughts or suggestions or am I just going to have to take the knife to it and try not to notice it too much....ugh. Les

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I've no idea Les, give the motor/esc/lipo/prop specs, someone will tell you how cool it's likely to run ?

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Engine Doctor]

You could use the exhaust stacks to draw air through the cowling and a small inlet grill in the lower front. You may have to change the stacks if they are not hollow.

[Leslie Crane 1]

Well, the answer is simple if you accept the inevitable! There is no way to get air into the cowl without surgery irrespective of the appearance so the bullet has to be bitten. The RCME build article of 2008 had a number of photos which showed that TN had, indeed, cut an inlet into the lower cowl so I have copied that - why didn't I look more closely at that first!!. The rest is easy. There is a 1" hole in the firewall just below the motor mount to which the ESC is attached for the battery and other cables to go through and this can easily be widened without affecting the integrity of the firewall or motor mount. From there it is only 3-4" to the wing in which to cut 2 holes, 1 either side of the centre rib for the air to escape into the wheel wells and out. Distance from cowl inlet to wheel wells is no more than 7-8". Time will tell if it works ok, should be ready for maiden in a week, weather permitting.