NPP exhaust valve actuator motor and controls

ispyred · 05-08-2016, 03:49 PM

Hi everyone, I have a question about the actuator motor used to open and close the butterfly valve in the NPP exhaust system.

Basically my dad is taking an NPP exhaust system from a C7 corvette and putting it into another vehicle. He opened up the black box that contained the "insides" of the motor and controls and stripped the PCB from the box since neither of us are really too good at software and logic and all that stuff. (We're mechanical engineers and novices when it comes to electrical). He can wire up the logic for when the valves open and close with microswitches, etc but don't know how to keep the motor holding the valve closed and not moving without cutting power. Because when power is cut, a spring pulls the valve back open. Sending power to the motor while it is stationary (stalling it) definitely seems like a no no for obvious reasons, especially when this could be the case for hours at a time; the 12V brushed DC motor is ON (actuated) when the valve is closed, for example cruising down the highway at 65 mph.

No part number on the motor is visible. There's no mechanical latch or anything that we can see that holds the valve closed. It looks like the motor is still receiving power to keep the valve closed (or maybe not?)

A car guy at work told me that the motor is likely low current anyway so putting, for example, 5 Amps to it for extended periods of time without it moving is not a problem. I'm not sure about that.

My dad's thinking to put a current limiter in the circuit to dissipate the current to handle the current when the motor is stalled.

Any insights are appreciated!

h422694 · 05-08-2016, 06:09 PM

I had NPP on a C6 but those were vacuum operated. I did read that they are electrically operated on my C7.

05-08-2016, 03:49 PM	#1
ispyred Drives: None Join Date: May 2016 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 3	NPP exhaust valve actuator motor and controls Hi everyone, I have a question about the actuator motor used to open and close the butterfly valve in the NPP exhaust system. Basically my dad is taking an NPP exhaust system from a C7 corvette and putting it into another vehicle. He opened up the black box that contained the "insides" of the motor and controls and stripped the PCB from the box since neither of us are really too good at software and logic and all that stuff. (We're mechanical engineers and novices when it comes to electrical). He can wire up the logic for when the valves open and close with microswitches, etc but don't know how to keep the motor holding the valve closed and not moving without cutting power. Because when power is cut, a spring pulls the valve back open. Sending power to the motor while it is stationary (stalling it) definitely seems like a no no for obvious reasons, especially when this could be the case for hours at a time; the 12V brushed DC motor is ON (actuated) when the valve is closed, for example cruising down the highway at 65 mph. No part number on the motor is visible. There's no mechanical latch or anything that we can see that holds the valve closed. It looks like the motor is still receiving power to keep the valve closed (or maybe not?) A car guy at work told me that the motor is likely low current anyway so putting, for example, 5 Amps to it for extended periods of time without it moving is not a problem. I'm not sure about that. My dad's thinking to put a current limiter in the circuit to dissipate the current to handle the current when the motor is stalled. Any insights are appreciated!

05-08-2016, 06:09 PM	#2
h422694 Drives: '16 Z06 7 Spd, 2024 High Country HD Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kansas City area Posts: 442	I had NPP on a C6 but those were vacuum operated. I did read that they are electrically operated on my C7.