I didnt do much FPV before the motor upgrade, but I have gone through some testing since getting the motors with some different props. First attempt was with some other carbon props 8x5 graupner clones and they were well built and all but I lost lots of lift with them and struggled to get 4 minutes fly time with FPV and 8 minutes just the phantom and no camera. Then I went back to DJI props which I just filed down the square notches and got them to 8mm where I used some 8mm to 5mm spacers. I was getting just under 10 minutes with just a gopro and filter before going FPV, I will need to check my older videos and try my current setup in the same config to get a proper comparison between before and after.
These worked quite well and I straight away noticed the extra lift compared to my first carbon props. FPV setup fly time was around 7-7 1/2 minutes and I only just got the other carbon props today and found I was getting 8 to 8 1/2 minute fly time out of it. These times are max run times where it comes to auto land so take a minute off for safety if flying further away, I generally come back with 2 minutes total fly time left and then just fly near by for a bit. I am sure that my paint job added some weight to my setup even though I sanded down the shell a bit before painting, so I was quite pleasantly surprised at my total flight time as the setup is atm. I also pretty much always use a filter or just the blurfix adapter to both reduce jello unless very dark and also protect the lens a little if I happen to have a crash or rough landing. Seeing I have only lost about a minute and a half with FPV using 2200mah batteries to before FPV I think this is pretty good. I also have a couple 2700mah batteries that fit inside the battery compartment though only just but I havent tried these on the latest setup. I was getting a minute and a half more out of them then stock batteries before so likely close to 10 min with FPV or 8 1/2 minutes very safe flying times.
The motors are a little more efficient id say not hugely but every bit counts, I think the DJI versions are stated at 10% more then stock motors. Mine arent a direct replacement and they are mt2216 900kv with a 5mm prop shaft, they are quite easy to install if you are good at soldering. I got a friend of mine to do that bit but basically all you need to do is unscrew the original motors and screw these in. Then we de-soldered the original wires and soldered these on, you need to note rotation and this can be seen by the phantom cover markers. If the motor is spinning the wrong way you simply change 2 of the 3 wires and it will spin the other way. The motors come with long cables and bullet connectors but I chose not to use these in order to save a little weight and reduce one more possible point of failure. Fitting in the shell was fine as the openings are quite large and these are just a little taller but the same diameter I am pretty sure as stock so no need to mod the shell in any way. Only mod to the shell I have done is so I can put my FPV cabling inside so I drilled an extra hole for it. I only have the cable for the TX and gopro coming out with the power cable in the battery compartment to easily connect to my batter via the balance plug.
The motors come with some prop nuts but I decided to scrap these and just use basic lylock 5mm nuts as recommended by the guys at the hobby shop. Easy to put on with a socket and they wont come off unless you want to take them off, and this is easy enough if and no need for loctite.
Tiger motors do make a version that is a direct replacement and also has a dji style prop shaft so you can use DJI props with no issues. I was hoping to have something I can easily experiment with different props to hopefully find something I like, the DJI shaft makes this more awkward then using a round shaft. But using stock props means you will need to mod them, and use 8-5mm adapters to be able to use them. Also the DJI replacements mn-2214 920kv where only available OS where as my local hobby shop had the ones I had in stock at a fair price.
Dont expect miracles from the motors but they are slightly better and I hope more reliable through better build quality, many people are using these in f450 and f550 quads and I will likely do the same at some point. My upgrade was due to one original motor going bad and I figured I may as well upgrade them all rather then keep replacing with the same ones. You can possibly just upgrade bearings on the stocks but I went my way for the heck of it and to get away from the DJI shaft.
These worked quite well and I straight away noticed the extra lift compared to my first carbon props. FPV setup fly time was around 7-7 1/2 minutes and I only just got the other carbon props today and found I was getting 8 to 8 1/2 minute fly time out of it. These times are max run times where it comes to auto land so take a minute off for safety if flying further away, I generally come back with 2 minutes total fly time left and then just fly near by for a bit. I am sure that my paint job added some weight to my setup even though I sanded down the shell a bit before painting, so I was quite pleasantly surprised at my total flight time as the setup is atm. I also pretty much always use a filter or just the blurfix adapter to both reduce jello unless very dark and also protect the lens a little if I happen to have a crash or rough landing. Seeing I have only lost about a minute and a half with FPV using 2200mah batteries to before FPV I think this is pretty good. I also have a couple 2700mah batteries that fit inside the battery compartment though only just but I havent tried these on the latest setup. I was getting a minute and a half more out of them then stock batteries before so likely close to 10 min with FPV or 8 1/2 minutes very safe flying times.
The motors are a little more efficient id say not hugely but every bit counts, I think the DJI versions are stated at 10% more then stock motors. Mine arent a direct replacement and they are mt2216 900kv with a 5mm prop shaft, they are quite easy to install if you are good at soldering. I got a friend of mine to do that bit but basically all you need to do is unscrew the original motors and screw these in. Then we de-soldered the original wires and soldered these on, you need to note rotation and this can be seen by the phantom cover markers. If the motor is spinning the wrong way you simply change 2 of the 3 wires and it will spin the other way. The motors come with long cables and bullet connectors but I chose not to use these in order to save a little weight and reduce one more possible point of failure. Fitting in the shell was fine as the openings are quite large and these are just a little taller but the same diameter I am pretty sure as stock so no need to mod the shell in any way. Only mod to the shell I have done is so I can put my FPV cabling inside so I drilled an extra hole for it. I only have the cable for the TX and gopro coming out with the power cable in the battery compartment to easily connect to my batter via the balance plug.
The motors come with some prop nuts but I decided to scrap these and just use basic lylock 5mm nuts as recommended by the guys at the hobby shop. Easy to put on with a socket and they wont come off unless you want to take them off, and this is easy enough if and no need for loctite.
Tiger motors do make a version that is a direct replacement and also has a dji style prop shaft so you can use DJI props with no issues. I was hoping to have something I can easily experiment with different props to hopefully find something I like, the DJI shaft makes this more awkward then using a round shaft. But using stock props means you will need to mod them, and use 8-5mm adapters to be able to use them. Also the DJI replacements mn-2214 920kv where only available OS where as my local hobby shop had the ones I had in stock at a fair price.
Dont expect miracles from the motors but they are slightly better and I hope more reliable through better build quality, many people are using these in f450 and f550 quads and I will likely do the same at some point. My upgrade was due to one original motor going bad and I figured I may as well upgrade them all rather then keep replacing with the same ones. You can possibly just upgrade bearings on the stocks but I went my way for the heck of it and to get away from the DJI shaft.
