testing a phantom 3 advanced motor

mjw

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Is there a way to bench test a phantom 3 motor on the bench just to see if it spins. Getting a "ESC error, restart aircraft" - I don't want to sent the P3A off for repairs if it is a simple motor damaged in the crash - all four seem to manually spin with the same amount of resistance - none of the motors start - camera and gimbal seem to be okay - can't rotate the camera down......any input would be appreciated
 
What happened in your situation again? Crash?
 
What happened in your situation again? Crash?
I think from previous issues, there was a hairline crack around the battery slot - I think it vibrated loose or I failed to seat it properly - battery ejected - drone dropped about 60' landed on top - after gathering up the pieces and returning to office - powered her up - LEDs, camera, gimbal all seemed to work (except could not rotate camera up and down) - none of the motors would start and I get an "ESC error, restart" - so far some findings indicate a bad motor -- apparently if one motor bad none will start (so I was told by a repair company) so before I sent it in to be fixed, if a motor is the problem I can replace it, if not off to a repair shop - then the next decision is cost of repair vs. just buying a new one..........a body is $50, mother board $150.00, shipping both ways probably $30-50, determining problem by repair $100 - so before all is known I am out $300 - and most likely there are unknowns........
 
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It's a (3 phase) brush-less DC motor, you can't just hook it up to a battery.

It needs an ESC to operate.

Without the proper equipment the only testing you really can do is to test coil resistance to see that they are all the same.
 
It's a (3 phase) brush-less DC motor, you can't just hook it up to a battery.

It needs an ESC to operate.

Without the proper equipment the only testing you really can do is to test coil resistance to see that they are all the same.
thanks kinda thought that since there were three leads -
 
Motors are pretty tough unless you really smack it and bend something or damage a coil.

The only wearing parts are the bearings.
 
I think from previous issues, there was a hairline crack around the battery slot - I think it vibrated loose or I failed to seat it properly - battery ejected - drone dropped about 60' landed on top - after gathering up the pieces and returning to office - powered her up - LEDs, camera, gimbal all seemed to work (except could not rotate camera up and down) - none of the motors would start and I get an "ESC error, restart" - so far some findings indicate a bad motor -- apparently if one motor bad none will start (so I was told by a repair company) so before I sent it in to be fixed, if a motor is the problem I can replace it, if not off to a repair shop - then the next decision is cost of repair vs. just buying a new one..........a body is $50, mother board $150.00, shipping both ways probably $30-50, determining problem by repair $100 - so before all is known I am out $300 - and most likely there are unknowns........

Did you see the battery separate from the drone in air? The phantom was designed to separate from the battery at or during the point of contact. This is why the majority of crashes you see the battery not in the body. I wouldn't mind looking at the dat file from that flight. It would be good knowing what exactly took place.
 
Did you see the battery separate from the drone in air? The phantom was designed to separate from the battery at or during the point of contact. This is why the majority of crashes you see the battery not in the body. I wouldn't mind looking at the dat file from that flight. It would be good knowing what exactly took place.
Yes I saw it pop out in mid-air
 
Well I don't have a mother board just lying around and it's a fairly expensive experiment but thanks for the feedback
I was trying to answer your original question, "is there a way to bench test a Phantom 3 motor", and the answer, again, is yes. You just need the right setup on the bench. Sorry if you didn't like the answer.
 
If your motor spins normally, it is very doubtful there is something wrong with it. Most likely if anything it would be a issue with the ESC for that motor. Everything throughout that area is soldered. I would consider using a multi-meter to see where the current is or isn't flowing.
 
If your motor spins normally, it is very doubtful there is something wrong with it. Most likely if anything it would be a issue with the ESC for that motor. Everything throughout that area is soldered. I would consider using a multi-meter to see where the current is or isn't flowing.
I am going to mess w/ the board a little more - I am attaching link in drop box with the four data files that were recorded during my adventure - FLY392.DAT is probably the one that has (if any) data recorded about the fall from the sky - I have the p3a apart - circuit board looks fine - I can't figure how landing fairly softly in thick grass / soft soil could damage an integrated circuit - my thought is that when the battery came loose in mid flight it may have caused an arc and damaged the ESC circuitry ......but what do i know
Dropbox - fligtlogs.zip
 
I can't figure how landing fairly softly in thick grass / soft soil could damage an integrated circuit
"drone dropped about 60' landed on top - after gathering up the pieces..."
That's enough to cause significant damage I'd say. You're actually lucky that your gimbal and camera were not broken off and the ribbon cables severed which often happens with drops even less than that height.

I agree with Frank and the others that your motors are likely fine if they spin normally. They are very tough. Was anything broken or bent on the shell that may have obstructed a motor or two the first time you powered it up right after the crash? I'd be checking connections (solder and cable) and for pinched wires if the shell was damaged.

Unfortunately, ESC error threads that I have seen here haven't often ended well without a main board replacement. You've had a rough go of it so far with your P3A, so I'm really hoping that you can get it going quickly. Good luck sir!
 
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"drone dropped about 60' landed on top - after gathering up the pieces..."
That's enough to cause significant damage I'd say. You're actually lucky that your gimbal and camera were not broken off and the ribbon cables severed which often happens with drops even less than that height.

I agree with Frank and the others that your motors are likely fine if they spin normally. They are very tough. Was anything broken or bent on the shell that may have obstructed a motor or two the first time you powered it up right after the crash? I'd be checking connections (solder and cable) and for pinched wires if the shell was damaged.

Unfortunately, ESC error threads that I have seen here haven't often ended well without a main board replacement. You've had a rough go of it so far with your P3A, so I'm really hoping that you can get it going quickly. Good luck sir!
before trying a motor restart just after the crash I removed the props and hand spun the motors - I will double check the wiring to the motors good suggestion - all else being equal I think when the battery initially released the batter connection could have caused an arc zapping integrated circuits because the P3A and battery were separated in the air and landed separately - the battery right at the time it ejected did hit and break aa prop.........I work in close quarters everyday - I inspect real estate and hover around chimneys and a few feet from roof tops - when i can see areas from the ground and/or roof is to high a pitch - this is the first major incident other than last weeks rebar issue - and I think that incident was a precursor to Monday's adventure - I have a new one on the way and will work on replacing the motherboard on this one at a later date.....appreciate the input....
 

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