Phantom 4 Motor replacement

[Eagle Eye 4]

Hi All,
This is my first post and I just want to say how much I like the P4. Long story short is one of my motors is going bad so I ordered a new one and the tech that is working on it says that they need the three little buttons that snap the wires into the ESC board. Do guys know a part number for this or a solution to this issue. Please let me know.

Sincerely,
Eagle Eye 4

 

[N017RW]

Hi All,
This is my first post and I just want to say how much I like the P4. Long story short is one of my motors is going bad so I ordered a new one and the tech that is working on it says that they need the three little buttons that snap the wires into the ESC board. Do guys know a part number for this or a solution to this issue. Please let me know.

Sincerely,
Eagle Eye 4

Well EE4, I don't own a P4 but since no one has answered...

It is my understanding from some web-fishing that the motor (LED & power) wires are soldered onto the ESC boards and the control signals are connected via ribbon cables and connectors.

My first guess based on my 'fishing' is that the 'pads' to which the motor wires are soldered to, referred to as 'little buttons', have lifted from the PCB. If so, then the ESC will need to be replaced.

 

[jogforfitness]

Hi All,
This is my first post and I just want to say how much I like the P4. Long story short is one of my motors is going bad so I ordered a new one and the tech that is working on it says that they need the three little buttons that snap the wires into the ESC board. Do guys know a part number for this or a solution to this issue. Please let me know.

Sincerely,
Eagle Eye 4

I apologize for asking you a question instead of being able to answer yours. But, how did you discover one of your motors was going bad?


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Rich C.]

Well EE4, I don't own a P4 but since no one has answered...

It is my understanding from some web-fishing that the motor (LED & power) wires are soldered onto the ESC boards and the control signals are connected via ribbon cables and connectors.

My first guess based on my 'fishing' is that the 'pads' to which the motor wires are soldered to, referred to as 'little buttons', have lifted from the PCB. If so, then the ESC will need to be replaced.

If the tech is referring to pads on a PCA as "buttons" I would find another tech. As for the pads lifting off the PCA, this can happen two ways. The most likely cause of this type of damage is workmanship errors. The pads separated from the PCA due to excessive heat caused by a soldering iron that was too hot, or a soldering iron that was in contact the pads for too long of an interval. These are common, easily avoided rookie mistakes. Our technicians don't makes these mistakes. The second cause of pads lifting off the PCA is mechanical stress. The wires were tugged on and the pads lifted. If this was a DJI assembly error, the motor wouldn't spin, because the pad was lifted and ESC signals were interrupted. This would look like motor failure, but motor failure is the symptom. The problem is the lifted pads.

I haven't been inside my P4, and I have no plans on doing so, but the damage may have been done during final assembly. ESC wiring may have been pinched as the bird was being buttoned up. The bird would have passed DJI QC, but the improperly routed wiring was a tacking time bomb.

If that was the case I would bet that the motor is fine.

I'm not sold on the analysis provided by your tech. There must be more to it. That's what my gut tells me. I've been working with this stuff for 40 years and I've learned to trust what my gut tells me.

I hope you get all of this sorted out soon so you can go flying!

Just my $.02.

 

[N017RW]

Well said RC.
I had similar thoughts regarding the tech. as well after posting but was too lazy to add/edit.