Can a P3 gimble motor be repaired

[Quick Cal]

I just picked up a P3 standard for cheap because it had the camera knocked off in a landing.

The gimble motor just seems to have come apart. Are they just pressed together. I see no way to secure it. If I do just press it back together will there be any kind of alignment issues.

The only other damage I can see is the ribbon and a bent fin on the gimble arm. But I don't think it would necessarily need replaced would it?

 

[WV. Rootman]

There are utube videos that show you how to put it together. Easier for you to watch the video than for me to tell you. Also motor cost around $30.

 

[Quick Cal]

There are utube videos that show you how to put it together. Easier for you to watch the video than for me to tell you. Also motor cost around $30.

I did a quick search last night and found a couple of videos on how to change the arms and ribbon. But I didn't see anything about putting the motor together like mine is tore apart.

Can you remember if the video you're talking about addressed my issue. I'll look more in depth tonight when I get home.

 

[WV. Rootman]

I'm taking a water break from mowing the lawn. It was something like " how to repair a phantom gimbal ". He went through the whole gimbal. I remember he said don't remove the glue from the motor.

 

[mdowney58]

Have you tried to press the parts together? If you can, and it feels as though they are tight afterwards, then it should be good. All that you would need to do afterwards is the alignment.
Getting the parts together "perfectly alighned" would be hard to do without the alignment tool that FStop-Labs makes.
The magnet is what does most of the holding together, and the pin on the end of the "rotor" (the part with the copper windings) should be very snug in the "stator" (the silver metal cup), but it can still be turned for alignment.
If you remove the rear cover from the roll motor and view the rear of the roll motor, the shaft is D shaped, and the flat side should be aligned with the top of the camera.

 

[Quick Cal]

Have you tried to press the parts together? If you can, and it feels as though they are tight afterwards, then it should be good. All that you would need to do afterwards is the alignment.
Getting the parts together "perfectly alighned" would be hard to do without the alignment tool that FStop-Labs makes.
The magnet is what does most of the holding together, and the pin on the end of the "rotor" (the part with the copper windings) should be very snug in the "stator" (the silver metal cup), but it can still be turned for alignment.
If you remove the rear cover from the roll motor and view the rear of the roll motor, the shaft is D shaped, and the flat side should be aligned with the top of the camera.

It does seem like they would just go back together. But what would secure it. Should I use a couple of drops of super glue or something.

But I still need to take it all apart to change the ribbon.

 

[mdowney58]

Yes, they do just go back together, but it should require a little force with your fingers.
Here's what I would do.
Line the flat side (again on the rear end of the roll motor shaft) straight up, then press the roll arm on and press it together as far as you can.
Be sure to apply pressure (on the back) to the roll motor shaft. You may need to remove the roll motor board first. I'm afraid that if you don't, the pressure from the front could break the roll motor board.
At this point you want to see if it feels pretty hard to separate.
If it is hard to separate, then I would call it good.
Next make the final alignment of the roll motor shaft with the top of the camera.
It has been recommended here that if the pin in the front doesn't have enough resistance to keep it from turning on it's own, to place a tiny drop of super glue there (after alignment) to keep it from turning in the future.
As far as you question on the ribbon cable replacment.....this point (roll motor) does not need to be separated in order to replace the ribbon cable.
The only point that I had to take apart when replacing my ribbon cable, was removing the camera body from the pitch motor shaft.
CAUTION!!
when you remove the camera body from the pitch motor shaft, note the orientation of the "D" shaped pitch motor shaft, AND the direction which the screw is inserted.
They can both be misleading, and cause you to have to re-do the cable install.

 

[Quick Cal]

Yes, they do just go back together, but it should require a little force with your fingers.
Here's what I would do.
Line the flat side (again on the rear end of the roll motor shaft) straight up, then press the roll arm on and press it together as far as you can.
At this point you want to see if it feels pretty hard to separate.
If it is hard to separate, then I would call it good.
Next make the final alignment of the roll motor shaft with the top of the camera.
It has been recommended here that if the pin in the front doesn't have enough resistance to keep it from turning on it's own, to place a tiny drop of super glue there (after alignment) to keep it from turning in the future.
As far as you question on the ribbon cable replacment.....this point (roll motor) does not need to be separated in order to replace the ribbon cable.
The only point that I had to take apart when replacing my ribbon cable, was removing the camera body from the pitch motor shaft.
CAUTION!!
when you remove the camera body from the pitch motor shaft, note the orientation of the "D" shaped pitch motor shaft, AND the direction which the screw is inserted.
They can both be misleading, and cause you to have to re-do the cable install.

Thanks for your help.

I believe I need the whole repair kit as both arms have damage.

Do you recommend the aluminum arms from fstop. Or one of the cheaper plastic kits from someone else.

I want to wait to order the kit until I figure out if I'm having other issues. I'll explain after I've done a little research.

 

[Quick Cal]

I just got this thing and don't have a manual. So I need to find one. Can I download one from DJI.

One quick problem I'm having is when I turn the transmitter on the power indicator light flashes red and beeps continuously for the most part. But some times it stops after awhile.

I'm assuming this is telling me not to fly this that there's something wrong. I'm hoping it's because the camera has been ripped off of it.

I did see this thing fly before I bought it. So any ideas what the red light and beeping is.

I'm off to find a manual and see what it says.

 

[Jthomp]

When you say "the camera has been ripped off" I'm assuming (from the photos you submitted on your original post) that is the extent of the damage to your gimbal, correct?

There is a grey ribbon cable and two very thin grey (or one grey and one black) wires which come out of the underside of the drone body and connect to the upper circuit board of the gimbal. Those provide electrical power to the gimbal, as well as command signal pathways to the individual boards which control the motors. IF those wires / cable are still connected to their respective terminals in the gimbal it could be that one or more of them senses a lack of communication with the partially-dismantled motor and is, therefore, sending your controller a message saying "things are not right, so be careful when you fly".

I have damaged two gimbals in my flying experiences, and in both cases one or more of the thin grey power wires noted above actually became disconnected from their respective terminals. When I went to fly the 'coper (sans the damaged gimbal) I did NOT get any warning on my controller (nor on the DJI-Go visual display on my tablet).

 

[Quick Cal]

Here is the gimbal repair kit I went with. It has a gimbal sver it it which should keep the motor from coming off I think.

DJI Phantom 3 STANDARD Gimbal Yaw and Roll Arm Repair Kit Part + Screw+installer | eBay

 

[Quick Cal]

When you say "the camera has been ripped off" I'm assuming (from the photos you submitted on your original post) that is the extent of the damage to your gimbal, correct?

There is a grey ribbon cable and two very thin grey (or one grey and one black) wires which come out of the underside of the drone body and connect to the upper circuit board of the gimbal. Those provide electrical power to the gimbal, as well as command signal pathways to the individual boards which control the motors. IF those wires / cable are still connected to their respective terminals in the gimbal it could be that one or more of them senses a lack of communication with the partially-dismantled motor and is, therefore, sending your controller a message saying "things are not right, so be careful when you fly".

I have damaged two gimbals in my flying experiences, and in both cases one or more of the thin grey power wires noted above actually became disconnected from their respective terminals. When I went to fly the 'coper (sans the damaged gimbal) I did NOT get any warning on my controller (nor on the DJI-Go visual display on my tablet).

If I move the controls on the transmitter a bunch the beeping stops. But the light stays red.

I now have the gimbal and camera totally disconnected.

 

[Philltayl]

There is a grey ribbon cable and two very thin grey (or one grey and one black) wires which come out of the underside of the drone body and connect to the upper circuit board of the gimbal. Those provide electrical power to the gimbal, as well as command signal pathways to the individual boards which control the motors. IF those wires / cable are still connected to their respective terminals in the gimbal it could be that one or more of them senses a lack of communication with the partially-dismantled motor and is, therefore, sending your controller a message saying "things are not right, so be careful when you fly".


The thin Grey and Black cables are co-axial antenna cables. BEWARE!!!!!

The grey ribbon provides power and control.

 

[Jthomp]

There is a grey ribbon cable and two very thin grey (or one grey and one black) wires which come out of the underside of the drone body and connect to the upper circuit board of the gimbal. Those provide electrical power to the gimbal, as well as command signal pathways to the individual boards which control the motors. IF those wires / cable are still connected to their respective terminals in the gimbal it could be that one or more of them senses a lack of communication with the partially-dismantled motor and is, therefore, sending your controller a message saying "things are not right, so be careful when you fly".


The thin Grey and Black cables are co-axial antenna cables. BEWARE!!!!!

The grey ribbon provides power and control.

I have a damaged gimbal which, among other things, has one of those two gray wires that is broken off about an inch from the terminal that attaches to the gimbal. Is there a replacement for the entire length of the antennae wire?

 

[Quick Cal]

I have a damaged gimbal which, among other things, has one of those two gray wires that is broken off about an inch from the terminal that attaches to the gimbal. Is there a replacement for the entire length of the antennae wire?

Is this what you need.

DJI Phantom 3 Part #97 2.4G Antenna 2pcs for P3 Standard(Sta) -US dealer | eBay

 

[Jthomp]

Is this what you need.

DJI Phantom 3 Part #97 2.4G Antenna 2pcs for P3 Standard(Sta) -US dealer | eBay

Hey, thanks for the (very quick) reply. That is exactly what I am looking for.

 

[Quick Cal]

Hey, thanks for the (very quick) reply. That is exactly what I am looking for.

I think there was a cheaper one on there too.

Just search phantom 3 antenna.