I will say that blade strike offered to send me a replacement, which was a good sign. However, I'm at the point now where I want some kind of official response in regards to what they plan to do about this. What are they planning to do so this is no longer an ongoing issue???? If customer loyalty matters at all to them, they will see the importance in doing this.
Screw inspection = very bad day
- Thread starter silverstoned83
- Start date
I will say that blade strike offered to send me a replacement, which was a good sign. However, I'm at the point now where I want some kind of official response in regards to what they plan to do about this. What are they planning to do so this is no longer an ongoing issue???? If customer loyalty matters at all to them, they will see the importance in doing this.
Here's what the beginnings of cracking look like. A few more hours of flights and these are going to open up more and look exactly like the OPs cracks. These attached pics don't fully illustrate what you see in person. Very disappointing.
Total flight time of 10 hours and 9 minutes on mine.
Total flight time of 10 hours and 9 minutes on mine.
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There is this guy on youtube that took the top off a P3
It is apparent that the screw bosses on the lower shell are the problem.
Material in the area are thin, have stress risers and no cross bracing.
As long as the two screws inboard of the motor can transmit the torque load from the motor to the upper shell there is no problem; the upper shell is stronger and has cross bracing.
But especially with the new stronger motors the lower screw bosses are overloaded and will crack at the stress risers.
Gluing the two halves together turns the arm in to a very strong tube design, but gluing any further then the mid arm screw is not needed.
After I get home, I will remove the top from my P3 and apply some epoxy around the base of the crew boss and tape the seems.
It is apparent that the screw bosses on the lower shell are the problem.
Material in the area are thin, have stress risers and no cross bracing.
As long as the two screws inboard of the motor can transmit the torque load from the motor to the upper shell there is no problem; the upper shell is stronger and has cross bracing.
But especially with the new stronger motors the lower screw bosses are overloaded and will crack at the stress risers.
Gluing the two halves together turns the arm in to a very strong tube design, but gluing any further then the mid arm screw is not needed.
After I get home, I will remove the top from my P3 and apply some epoxy around the base of the crew boss and tape the seems.
Good find, thanks for posting.
So now my question is, is the P3's shell similar to that of the P2 in this area? I know the clips are new, but I believe they're only there to make it even harder for someone to try and open up. They're not really intended for structural integrity, IMO.
You may be right, but I still have a hard time seeing a clip on fastener transferring a load as well as a screw in faster would.
Remember, when returning merchandise to Amazon, it makes a big difference if the order fulfillment was done by a 3rd party. Always have order fulfillment done by Amazon - the return is a "no questions asked" deal.. If it is done by a 3rd party, get ready for emails, phone calls andheadaches. A word to the wise.....
I've been checking my Phantom for cracks ever since I saw this thread. Nothing to report until tonight. I checked yesterday and saw no cracks. Checked tonight after two 15 minute flights flying very mellow and sure enough I found cracks on both my rear arms. I baby this thing. Hand catch every time. 49 flights and 7 hours 52 minutes on the air frame.
Any if anyone asks, no, I have never wiped it down with cleaning spray or the like. Hell, I've never wiped it down.
@blade strike What should I do? I bought from US Hobby. Let me know if DJI wants mine to look at. It still looks brand new as I baby this thing. Never any issues up until tonight.
EDIT: Video for the people confused by the pics.
Any if anyone asks, no, I have never wiped it down with cleaning spray or the like. Hell, I've never wiped it down.
@blade strike What should I do? I bought from US Hobby. Let me know if DJI wants mine to look at. It still looks brand new as I baby this thing. Never any issues up until tonight.
EDIT: Video for the people confused by the pics.
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Someone will be along in a minute to tell you that it's all your fault for some reason, way too many DJI apologists on this forum.
Any sane person wouldn't accept this level of quality from plastic cracker toys let alone a £1000 quad.
A
Any sane person wouldn't accept this level of quality from plastic cracker toys let alone a £1000 quad.
A
The owner of this forum along with a few members have seen how I fly and can vouch that I fly VERY mellow and take excellent care of my Phantom 3.
I honestly did not think it would happen to me when I first saw this thread.
No, this sounds and looks like a legitimate issue. I started inspecting mine after each outing, after seeing this thread. So far I'm good, no cracking. But I'm getting very concerned about it.
I've flown the last three days. Inspecting before each flight. Not even a hint of cracks. Check tonight after my two flights and was extremely surprised to see one side had cracked so bad there is a hole and the other side is cracked all the way around.
I just went back and read some of the posts in this thread. I saw people mention wobble.
I noticed a lot more wobble on decent tonight before I discovered the cracks.
I have sent an email and pics to DJI US Support and US Hobby Support. Waiting to hear what they say.
Is my other option to glue the two shells together? Or is the crack/hole around the screw make it too late to do that?
I noticed a lot more wobble on decent tonight before I discovered the cracks.
I have sent an email and pics to DJI US Support and US Hobby Support. Waiting to hear what they say.
Is my other option to glue the two shells together? Or is the crack/hole around the screw make it too late to do that?
That's what I keep saying again and again, cracks are happening a hell of a lot more often than people think simply because folks don't know what to look for. And even with my trained eye I was looking at traditional phantom 2 crack locations until realized that on the phantom 3 the issues are happening in an entirely new location. That location being the side by side screw holes between the LED and motor. People out there are either going to have to change shells and wait for the new cracks to develop after a few hours flight time or glue the current cracked shell. Any opening of a phantom for a tracking device should be done once and that's it after glue. Any replacement if internals should include a new shell. It is what it is until DJI finally strengthens these shells to the levels of strength that are present inboard of the LED area and center of craft where cracks never develop in spite of stresses from taking the battery in and out.
No, its not too late at all. Just put the best, lowest viscosity CA or crazy glue in that location and wipe the excess within about five seconds. Maybe a hair longer depending on your ambient humidity and temperature. Lowest viscosity because the glue must find its way into the seam. You must maintain closing pressure between top and bottom shell on that location until the glue dries. Easy on the crazy glue. Just enough for it to get into the seam but not so much to drip around the arm. When gluing, you can also put some in the screw crack, but that one now isn't as crucial as the seam from screw hole area on out to the end. One side first, phantom laying on its side on your lap so that the glue goes in the seam vertically. The result on my bird is a far stronger arm that resists twisting forces much better than new with zero wobble. While I can no longer open my phantom, I don't plan on going in there anyway and if I did I would just open the shell with a hot knife and put all the internals in a new shell which I would also glue. Glue until DJI builds shelss that are up to the task of not cracking.
Here is a video for people that don't understand from the pictures I posted.
