Sefl tight propellers

[Trancoz]

Ive a dji p3a. Should self proppler loose on flight. Doesnt supossed to self tight when rotors start moving? I loose one about 20 meters high after doing some test movement before go up.


Sent from my SM-G925I using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[msinger]

It is possible for the props to fly off mid-flight if you do not properly tighten them before taking off and/or they are damaged.

 

[Dinsdale]

Yes, the props can come off, Sometimes even if you've tightened them. Mine came down in a parking lot from about 70 feet up. Smashed into bits. I found one of the propellers quite a ways from the wreckage. Do not be afraid to tighten them well.

 

[Tunnelsen]

DO NOT BY aftermarket propellers from Ebay or Amazon whatever. Specially with aluminium center. NEVER EVER!

 

[Steve7777]

DO NOT BY aftermarket propellers from Ebay or Amazon whatever. Specially with aluminium center. NEVER EVER!

Everyone to their own opinion, of course but I did and I've been flying metal-hubbed props (9450's, from a P2) for almost two years now with absolutely no problems.

Here's how:- Are these props compatible with the P3?

 

[Tunnelsen]

Everyone to their own opinion, of course but I did and I've been flying metal-hubbed props (9450's, from a P2) for almost two years now with absolutely no problems.

Here's how:- Are these props compatible with the P3?

Opinion and experience are different things. Isn't?

 

[Steve7777]

Opinion and experience are different things. Isn't?

Not really - I'm sure that you have experience and your opinion. I also have my experience and my opinion.

It's a diverse old world....

 

[Tunnelsen]

Not really - I'm sure that you have experience and your opinion. I also have my experience and my opinion.

It's a diverse old world....

Exactly. And my are the bad one.

 

[Steve7777]

Exactly. And my are the bad one.

Condolences.... Possibly using my tip for metal-hubbed props would have avoided it...

As in all things in life, we live and learn and, hopefully, have confidence in our own judgement, as I do with most things I do.

 

[Tunnelsen]

Condolences.... Possibly using my tip for metal-hubbed props would have avoided it...

As in all things in life, we live and learn and, hopefully, have confidence in our own judgement, as I do with most things I do.

The first set i have get, i put nicely on my P2. After a little hoovering i decide to go higher. On approx 20m height while yawing suddenly one prop release himself and Ac fell down. Luckely with no injuries. The second set i tried to put on but hub looks so tight... So after i did a little damage on thread - i decide - never ever.

 

[Steve7777]

Yep - with the composite (plastic) hubs there is a risk that when you want to make sure it's tight, you may over-tighten the prop onto the hub and weaken or even strip the thread on the prop. There's no chance of this with the method I use and, as I said, I have confidence in my own judgement of risk.

Should that judgement ever prove to be misplaced then I will be straight on here posting that I made a mistake in my advice.

But after almost 2 years of happy flying with no catastrophes?.... Seriously, I doubt it'll ever happen... Not that I had any doubts anyway when I started using my 'system'..

 

[Tunnelsen]

Just in case.

 

[solentlife]

There are basically three reasons a prop can fly off :

1. Not fitted properly. My advice is to hand fit till stop and then give a slight maybe 1/8 -1/4 turn tighter .. But not force it.

2. Hard violent stops such as letting go sticks from high speed ... the motor basically brakes to hover speed but momentum of prop tries to keep it spinning ... WHEEEEEEEE away it goes if not tightened as in 1.

3. Damaged or poor threads ... if a prop is badly aligned when trying to fit - you can damage the plastic threads. I have actually PROVED by video posted here and elsewhere that plastic hub DJI props CAN and will screw on the WRONG motor ! Don't believe me ?

Yes - it was total surprise to me as well !!

But of course if you did do that - you would soon know as the AC would never take off ... it would try to push down into the ground with FC being totally confused !

Note : The Plastic hub is as I understand designed to not only be self-tightening as motor torque acts - but also self-locking as the threads are as per usual plastic - slightly out of size to the mating thread ... which of course metal to metal is not. This may be the reason metal hub props have been known to 'throw' more than the plastic variety.

Nigel

 

[PhantomHero]

1. Use the little tool they give you. It’s not a newbie thing or makes you uncool if you use it..
2. If you cannot read, there are several indicators to get the right props on the right motors. Lock/unlock arrows on the prop, the motors are marked, and the props hubs are colored. In addition , the black hub goes with the black spot.
3. If you have to force it , It’s WRONG!
4. Do a small preflight, it’s 10 sec.
And finally
5. OEM props are like $6 at Best Buy, is it really worth losing a $5-6-700 plus bird over a couple buck??

 

[alokbhargava]

The DJI props are self tightening type props and get tightened during flights. However you should tighten them enough by a finger that they don’t come off during initial breaking. It’s known that if the props are lose and you apply heavy breaks, there are chances to get them further loosened.

 

[solentlife]

1. Use the little tool they give you. It’s not a newbie thing or makes you uncool if you use it..

Actually the tool is there to REMOVE props ... not to over-tighten when fitting - which is likely.

2. If you cannot read, there are several indicators to get the right props on the right motors. Lock/unlock arrows on the prop, the motors are marked, and the props hubs are colored. In addition , the black hub goes with the black spot.

True - good to remind ...
My video was based on a discussion outside of this forum after an incident. Like most people I did not believe props could be mis-mounted - but the video shows that it can be done. The amount of 'force' to start it screwing on was very little and certainly well within the bounds of not taking care when fitting. An absent minded moment could easily have it happen. The other surprise was the lack of damage to the hub and it screwed on correct motor without any problem AND fully secure .. I wouldn't advise using the prop after wrong threading just in case - but just passing on observation.

3. If you have to force it , It’s WRONG!

As I said in the video and shown - it took so little 'force' to do it ... absent minded and its done.

4. Do a small preflight, it’s 10 sec.

?? Most common loss of prop is due to hard braking from flight .... what will 10secs do ? Apart from possible torque to maybe tighten a little ... if it needs torque to tighten it - then you are not fitting correctly.

And finally
5. OEM props are like $6 at Best Buy, is it really worth losing a $5-6-700 plus bird over a couple buck??

Totally agree. Genuine props are cheap and cheerful. Any hint of damage / nick / scrape .. change it and bin old.

Nigel