Is this a pitch motor or board issue?

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I've had a few crashes when my P3S would lose GPS and go into ATTI mode and the drone would drift quickly into trees before I could recover. I replaced the gimbal ribbon cable with a DJI part, but it still didn't fix this issue: My camera will pitch downward, but hits a "bump" part of the way down. When pitching back up it will not come past that "bump". Does that sound like an issue with the pitch motor?

This was my first drone. I have a Mavic Pro now, but would like to get the P3S back to working again.

Thanks for any input.
 
When your camera goes down, does it go past where it should be? Sometimes the stop gets broken. Yours my have been chipped off in a way that allows the camera to go past the stop, but won't allow it to go back.
 
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When your camera goes down, does it go past where it should be? Sometimes the stop gets broken. Yours my have been chipped off in a way that allows the camera to go past the stop, but won't allow it to go back.

It actually hits the "bump" (a momentary stop) only about 20 degrees less than level, so nowhere near the stop. I also noticed that the stop was intact when replacing the ribbon cable.
 
Is the set screw positioned on the pitch motor shaft right. Does the pitch motor turn smoothly? Is the saft bent? If so, check board. The potentiometer should read 4 k ohm. Then turn it 90 degrees. It should read 2 and 6 ohms. If that checks out the potentiometer is good. That's all I'm good for. A new board is about $35 US.
 
I've taken it apart, but don't know where to place leads to test resistance, and haven't been able to find any videos on that. I believe it's the motor, because I can turn it and feel it catch on something. Have a new motor on the way now.
 
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I've taken it apart, but don't know where to place leads to test resistance, and haven't been able to find any videos on that. I believe it's the motor, because I can turn it and feel it catch on something. Have a new motor on the way now.
One lead at the top and one in the bottom corner. As you turn the potentiometer it should read from 4k to 0.
 
I've taken it apart, but don't know where to place leads to test resistance, and haven't been able to find any videos on that. I believe it's the motor, because I can turn it and feel it catch on something. Have a new motor on the way now.
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start watching around 1:40.
if you need more details, let me know.
i made this video from a P3P but the procedure for a P3S is the same.
 
You know I'm surprised nobody mentioned this. But if the ribbon cable, where it comes out of the camera, then wraps around about 1 1/2 turns, if that isn't done really carefully, and great care not taken to ensure the ribbon cable is nesting cleanly, and not rubbing against the side of the camera itself, it creates drag, and that can be enough to give you the issues you mentioned.

Also have to take care that all the adhesive areas or the surface they attach to are cleaned with alcohol prior to reassembly, otherwise, sometimes, the adhesive areas of the ribbon cable don't stick very securely, and if any of those areas become detached, that will also give you problems

Hope this helps.
 
Update: I ordered a pitch motor on eBay, which just came in today. (USPS first class took 6 days from NJ to NC!!!!)

Installed the motor and it fixed the gimbal issue. Thanks for all your help!

Now I'm having an issue with weak controller signal...
 
That could be as simple as reconnecting the remote to your quad. If it is connected, does the menus say anything? The grey and black wires are your wifi transmit and receive antennas. They are connected to your gimbal. They are both coaxial.
 
I did do a reconnect with no luck. I had the quad almost completely disassembled a few weeks ago and now I'm wondering if I have a loose connection in the antenna wires where they plug into the gimbal. Hopefully I'll have time to look into that tonight. Thanks!
 

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