Cardinal Sin!

[gusdo]

Hi guys,

Made the sin of purchasing a phantom 3 on ebay!

It powers on. Two Solid Red at the front, 2 flashing green at the rear. Everything is calibrated, looks good. Yet the props or motors won't engage.

I have popped open the case, everything is fine, including the compass, as it is not showing any errors.

However, one motor is a bit stiff, so unscrewed it, and it shows signs (copper wire in the motor shredded) of someone screwing the wrong size of screws into the holes as if they have removed the prop guards and reconnected the old screws.

Would I be wise in purchasing and replacing one of the motors and testing it, or am I onto a dud here?

Gus

 

[dronesky]

Can you return it? Maybe get partial refund for replacement parts? Good luck whatever you decide to do

 

[gusdo]

I got it for £80.00 GBP so am working this as a bit of a gamble!

Seller claimed in the listing that it wouldn't connect, but other than that he didn't know what was wrong with it. It connected fine after I did a firmware update. But I did discover damaged windings in the motors indicating that the wrong size of screws had been used.

So long and short, not really able to return to seller on ebay.

 

[WV. Rootman]

Motors are cheap. Go for it.

 

[Oso]

Hi guys,

Made the sin of purchasing a phantom 3 on ebay!

It powers on. Two Solid Red at the front, 2 flashing green at the rear. Everything is calibrated, looks good. Yet the props or motors won't engage.

I have popped open the case, everything is fine, including the compass, as it is not showing any errors.

However, one motor is a bit stiff, so unscrewed it, and it shows signs (copper wire in the motor shredded) of someone screwing the wrong size of screws into the holes as if they have removed the prop guards and reconnected the old screws.

Would I be wise in purchasing and replacing one of the motors and testing it, or am I onto a dud here?

Gus

Welcome to the forum!

We have frequently seen people ruin their motors with the longer prop guard screws, so if you see clear indications of damage to the windings of one motor I would strongly suspect damage to the others as well. I do find it odd however that you are not getting any ESC errors.

If it were mine, as @WV. Rootman said motors are cheap. I'd for sure at the very least try changing that one with obvious damage. Read the numerous posts here about proper soldering of the motor wires (wires are enameled and may not have clean tips) and other best known methods for replacing motors.

 

[gusdo]

Welcome to the forum!

We have frequently seen people ruin their motors with the longer prop guard screws, so if you see clear indications of damage to the windings of one motor I would strongly suspect damage to the others as well. I do find it odd however that you are not getting any ESC errors.

If it were mine, as @WV. Rootman said motors are cheap. I'd for sure at the very least try changing that one with obvious damage. Read the numerous posts here about proper soldering of the motor wires (wires are enameled and may not have clean tips) and other best known methods for replacing motors.

Yes, I too find it odd that I am not getting any esc errors. As everything that I have read directs motor failure with ESC errors. However, motors are on order and expected by the end of the week, so shall need to wait till then.

If it doesn't work, then I will be firing it back onto EBay as Spares or Repairs. Confident in soldering as I teach it for a living, so no worries there!

 

[Oso]

Confident in soldering as I teach it for a living, so no worries there!

Nice! No doubt a breeze for you.

We’ve had numerous posts from people who have done bizarre things when replacing motors. With your background, you’d either laugh or cringe or both. Also, a lot of folks dont know to clean off the enameling so they are confused when the new motors dont work.

 

[gusdo]

Just replaced the motors, and BOOM, it is working.

Just took it out for a test flight, and crashed it into the ceramic flower pots, shredding the props! New ones on order! Reckon I need to practice flying in an open area, like the school playing fields when the replacements come!

 

[Nightwolf]

Just took it out for a test flight, and crashed it into the ceramic flower pots, shredding the props!

Excellent start LOL

Glad you got it working

 

[gusdo]

Excellent start LOL

Glad you got it working

Absolutely Pissing myself at my flight skills, I am gonna blame the blades as being defective given the state of the motors!! Well, at least that is my excuse!

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Absolutely Pissing myself at my flight skills, I am gonna blame the blades as being defective given the state of the motors!! Well, at least that is my excuse!

Great post , yes some first flights can not go according to plan but you fixed it once so stick at it,yip pays to have a few sets of props in with spares box,,yes open space help avoid these silly crashs to you get the feel of it,,you be pro next week ,,p3s is a little unstable at very low flight due to rotor wash and no vps module (vision positioning),so above flower pot height is recommended,,you'll get it ,hey also don't be shy to read manual,good knolage for the head

 

[Nightwolf]

above flower pot height is recommended

 

[captainmilehigh]

Phantom magnet trees..........now phantom magnet flower pots.

I’d blame those dern flower pots for being in your line of flight.

Good to hear damage was minimal. Just a bit more altitude should do it. [emoji106]