Sealing EDF motor wires passing through exhaust duct

[david Osborne]

A bit of advice please. I have to seal the motor wires for an EDF system where they pass through the exhaust duct. I was thinking of using RTV sealant to provide some flex and the ability to remove it if needed. Any experience or tips. One thing to bear in mind is that I have to install the fan and exhaust duct as an assembly but the wires will have to inside the duct until its in its final position, then fed through the hole in the duct because there is insufficient clearance to put the assembly into the model with the wires already on the outside of the duct. No problem getting to the motor wires after final positioning as its a 120mm fan and I can get my hand all the way in.

Cheers Dave

[PeterF]

I have used Gorilla tape with a slit half way through to go around the wire and seal the hole.

[Ady Hayward]

I have used RTV to good effect on my EDF models. I would suggest using a simple shroud over the wires just to streamline them and to stop them flapping in the breeze. A flattened drinking straw slit on one corner will suffice. It can be closed after with some blender tape or similar.

[david Osborne]

Thanks for the tips. The wires to the motor are quite stiff and 5mm diameter each (approx 12 swg). I was going to cover them in two layers of heat shrink with some RTV at either end to seal it. I think this would be stiff enough??

Cheers Dave

[Stuphedd]

I place all my engine wires behind each other , and then bend a bit of thin plastic round them all forming a symetrical airfoil to reduce the drag , and act as an out let guide vane !Works well on smaller EDFs

[Piers Bowlan]

These spine binders might be suitable to act as a duct for the motor wires. I suggest a couple of blobs of silicon sealant to hold the duct in place. I think that they come in different sizes from different makes, not just Staples. Different colours too and can be useful to fair landing gear legs too.