Quad 250 Quad ESC/Motor Issue

Tony

Tony

Staff member
I figure I would post up in here as ask all of you if you know what the issue with my quad is. I'm 99.9% sure it's the ESC, but maybe I have a setting wrong somewhere.

When I initialize the quad, and try to spool up, all motors but motor #1 spin find. #1 just freaks out and shakes. Not spinning more than about 25rpm when the others are at 500 or so.

Is there a setting in the cc3d board that I can change to fix this, or is this an ESC issue? I'm almost positive one of the FET's is bad. If I make it back out to the shop, I will take some video of what it's doing. I'm really thinking, if I can find the cash (working on that) about ordering another quad with the same ESC's. It's always nice to have almost a full backup, and for the price of these things, why not lol.

Help me out guys. It's not often that I have to ask a question on here, but now I need some help. And if it is the ESC (pretty sure lmao), and you have one of these, or 4 of the same kind, I have a wanted thread in the marketplace.
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
Here is a quick video.

[video=youtube_share;UYC3ZyYSxf8]http://youtu.be/UYC3ZyYSxf8[/video]
 
EyeStation

EyeStation

Well-Known Member
Have you gone through the open pilot GCS software. There is a vehicle setup page that sets the minimum speed for each motor. you slide the slider positive till the motor spins freely, then save and continue on to the next motor's start speed.
Configuration/vehicle/ Vehicle Setup wizard.
 
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Tony

Tony

Staff member
I sure did, that is when I thought there was an issue, but every now and then, it would catch as you are hitting the start and stop button. motors 2, 3, and 4 spun with no issue at low speed, but motor 1 is and was doing what you saw there in the video. I went into the config menu on there, where there are a crap ton of bars horiz across the screen, adn was able to move motor 1's slider to the right a bit more (same as you are talking, just a different part) and it started spinning. But after the save and reinitialize, it was acting up again.
 
C

claytonbakerjr

Member
Tony
Have you moved motel to a different esc yet.
Not that this may be a problem but look close at the motor screws and make sure one of them didn't get to close to wrapping.
 
C

claytonbakerjr

Member
From what I see it looks as if the motor is dragging on something. Seems to stop almost immediately when you let off throttle but I'm sure Lee and or Stam will chime in.
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
Yup, I have swapped ESC's from 1-2 to 2-1, the issue follows the ESC. I was worried about the screws because I started with the long motor screws first. But, the motor works just fine with another ESC.
 
C

claytonbakerjr

Member
Make sure all electrical connections are solid. Did you solder motors to esc or use a connector?
Could be esc but just double check. But I'm sure you have.
I see some Fat Shark boxes too...really was an early Christmas.
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
Yup, I soldered them directly to the board. These ESC's are weird though, the wires run up through the middle, between the FET's. I may have over heated one causing this issue.

And yup, there are some FatShark boxes sitting there. :chuckles:
 
rjhenry

rjhenry

Member
Hay Tony, I don't know much about quads but I do have almost 30 years " trouble shooting" computers and I think your
exactly right. you moved the ESC connection and the prob. followed the ESC. but I was thinking a quad must have some
kind of mixing like a heli, if u bank left something has to tell the ESCs what to do (2 motors slow down and/or 2 speed up)
what if that ESC is doing just what it's told.

Maybe you could try swapping some of the rx channels, say elev & alaron, if the same motor fails it has to be the ESC
if a dif. motor fails it could be something else

Good luck hope what ever it is it's cheep
 
Lee

Lee

Well-Known Member
Here are a list of things to test, some if not all, you have probably tried.
But i'll list them anyway.
Check on GCS if you can move the motor properly with the slider in vehicle set up.
Take your multimeter, test continuity buy plugging in one probe to the neg lead on the quad, and touch the frame with the other.
This will tell you if theres a short somewhere. Don't touch the top or bottom surfaces, as they don't conduct. Push the probe into the side layers of carbon.
Swap signal wire to another motor port on the FC board.
Turn board orientation 180º in the GCS to make the front of the quad the back, see if the problem follows.
Physically swap ESC to another motor, see if it follows the motor or the ESC.
Check all solder points on the esc. (this will be done when you swap to another motor anyway.)

I always buy 5 escs with these minis, to have a spare. At only 10$ its worth it.
 
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Tony

Tony

Staff member
rjhenry said:
Hay Tony, I don't know much about quads but I do have almost 30 years " trouble shooting" computers and I think your
exactly right. you moved the ESC connection and the prob. followed the ESC. but I was thinking a quad must have some
kind of mixing like a heli, if u bank left something has to tell the ESCs what to do (2 motors slow down and/or 2 speed up)
what if that ESC is doing just what it's told.

Maybe you could try swapping some of the rx channels, say elev & alaron, if the same motor fails it has to be the ESC
if a dif. motor fails it could be something else

Good luck hope what ever it is it's cheep
Click to expand...

You are right, the FC is telling the ESC's what to do. I have as well swapped the ESC from port 1 to port 2, 3, and 4 with teh same results.

Lee said:
Here are a list of things to test, some if not all, you have probably tried.
But i'll list them anyway.
Check on GCS if you can move the motor properly with the slider in vehicle set up.
Take your multimeter, test continuity buy plugging in one probe to the neg lead on the quad, and touch the frame with the other.
This will tell you if theres a short somewhere. Don't touch the top or bottom surfaces, as they don't conduct. Push the probe into the side layers of carbon.
Swap signal wire to another motor port on the FC board.
Turn board orientation 180º in the GCS to make the front of the quad the back, see if the problem follows.
Physically swap ESC to another motor, see if it follows the motor or the ESC.
Check all solder points on the esc. (this will be done when you swap to another motor anyway.)

I always buy 5 escs with these minis, to have a spare. At only 10$ its worth it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Lee. I have done everything but the continuity test, but am 100% sure there is no power getting through to the frame. I will test later on today just to verify.

Swapped wires to another port, same result.

I have not turned the board 180º in the GCS. Quite honestly, I'm so new at that program, I didn't know you could do that. Should have looked it over before putting the board in. Maybe i can turn it 90º and get to that friggin USB port easier lmao. Prolly not though.

Have moved the ESC to another motor. follows ESC. Have checked all solder points. Got out my old man glasses just to make sure lol. Everything looks great IMO visually.

And yup, I should have ordered another ESC while I was at it. But didn't. However, I have just placed an order for 4 new Emax Simon series esc's. It's always good to have a spare or 3 lmao. I think with the way these are soldered on (motor leads), I"m just going to solder to teh wires. The iron is way too close to those FET's for my liking. I will have a bit more wire, but it will be safer.
 
Lee

Lee

Well-Known Member
I snip the esc wires close, just leaving enough of a stub to solder to, so as not to get too close to those FETs.
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
Yup, that is what I'm going to do with these new ESC's. Gives enough lead off the motor to put heat shrink on. Was just trying to do my usual clean wires lmao.
 
Tony

Tony

Staff member
No offense to the author of that article, but there is no way I'm holding an ESC over an open flame to unsolder it lol. He pushed the fet off the board, but he could also be pushing, or adjusting position of, capacitors, resistors and other things on there while doing so.

Having 3 good known working ESC's of the same brand (after I get these 4 delivered), I will be able to replace any FET's or capacitors that happen to go bad in the future. Which in my book is worth the $35 for 4 new ESC's. If one is bad, I have 3 others to choose from. Just have to mark the one that is bad and for parts only.
 
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