Weatherproofing a geared hub motor

[tothehilt]

I will be living near the ocean soon and I would like to safeguard against salt corrosion. I have a 250 watt Bafang geared hub motor and took it apart and immersed it in Spraytech Pump Saver Plus. I have used this on fly reels and hooks and it does a good job on corrosion prevention from salt water. However, I always immerse after every trip into the salt, not so practical with the motor.

After I had it apart I could not understand why the treatment with the insulating varnish is never recommended for geared motors. I understand I cannot spray the rotor that contains the gears, but wouldn’t spraying the stator go a long way toward protecting the motor from damage? What trouble might I encounter if I do? Could I remove the gears, spray the rotor and then reinstall them?

 

[tomjasz]

ACF50
Boeshield

 

[tothehilt]

Thanks, Tomjasz,
I do have Boeshield, which I use on those same saltwater fly reels. Would the ACF50 be redundant?

The insulating varnish looks like another level of protection, preventing any contact of saltwater with the metal.

 

[tomjasz]

Thanks, Tomjasz,
Would the ACF50 be redundant?

Yes.

 

[Comrade]

What mode of failure do you predict on your hub motor if you don't take these extra steps?

 

[tothehilt]

Sorry I am so slow to respond. I am ducking in and out today.
My bike will be in the tropics and I will be using it on a beach road. I have read that that is a recipe for corrosion on the motor as water inevitably enters the hub as it expands when used and then sucks in moisture as it cools. Perhaps this is an exaggerated concern, but I have certainly seen how salt air corrodes metal.

 

[dls]

Start with replacing bearings with SS 2RS kind. I doubt your stator can corrode to a point of failure, but bearings definitely can.

 

[tomjasz]

Keeping Boeshield treatments current as suggested in their literature ought to do the job.