The P2v BUILD, from scratch! Parts 1 & 2!

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Part 1

Hello Everyone,
I decided to try my hand at a complete build ( ground up ). It will be a Phantom 2 vision when I'm done!
I've never done anything like this before, so we will see what happens?
Here is what I have to deal with:
CFFEE3EA-EEE1-44B3-A7AD-0D600EDC16D7_zpsrccmcams.jpg

That is a LOT of parts!
The STORY:
About a year ago, I bought a water damaged P2v ( mainly for the shell, and accessories ) came with everything, Tx, charger, box with everything inside, ONLY bird was toast, I bought it all for $50. ( craigslist ), I stripped it out as all electronics inside were destroyed by the saltwater. Then a few months ago, my GREAT friend ( DIRKCLOD ) a member here, sent me ( 4 motors, and 4 esc's) as he upgraded his phantom with new ones ( 2213's ),
Donated his ( 2212's ) to me for FREE! ( with a lot of other goodies as well!
Thank you @dirkclod

Then another member here sold me ( main board, naza-m, GPS puck, and 5.8Ghz receiver all for $150 ) ( Atyler34 )
THANK YOU @Atyler34

I found a complete vision FC200 camera at a camera repair shop for $80 ( told me it was not working )?
As he could not get it to LINK up!
Thanks ( Josh O. ) @ Device Savers Tampa Florida!

Now I had almost everything to build a spare phantom!
Parts I had to buy retail
1) USB PORT ( $8 )
2) screw set ( note these sets are NOT complete sets ) only provide 10 motor screws, 16 needed, and 10 top casing screws, 12 needed! ( I had to buy another set ( $6 each ) ( $12 spent )
3) cable set ( $14 )

Total
Bird, Tx, accessories ( $50 )
Circuitry. ( $150 )
Camera. ( $80 )
Misc. ( $34 )
Total cost of build
( less my time ). $314.00 for a stock p2v. Not bad at all!

The build:
First thing I tackled, was motors and esc's. ( MOTORS ) I wanted fresh bearings in the motors, went like this:
Bearing replacement: ( 101 ) lol
80CF356D-1299-428A-85C1-AA7ED28C2275_zpsnmwttn8c.jpg

Remove " E-clip ", and " Spacer " with small flat screwdriver, like this:
0FC8D53D-E2B6-4A73-B4BA-62E80CDD8BDF_zpsymyif1yg.jpg

Place these in a safe place for reassembly
26ED9405-3B08-4A6B-A23D-DB901A668B87_zpsm3q6xt0j.jpg

Next pull bell off of motor
04B65EB6-9917-4C93-AC30-22A9492C17C2_zpsjrwbntxm.jpg

Now you will need these items ( spacer, dowel, small screw, vice, plastic hammer )
E97580DA-C835-42B1-9AE9-47C18D6236C9_zps9adlwsnm.jpg

A13892A9-9582-4685-8E6F-45A755332D5F_zpsfvtpvkle.jpg

To remove base bearing
Place small screw through motor to bottom bearing, place spacer under, then tighten vice
8A49DBBB-DCE1-4BB9-BEEA-F7E653BC883B_zpsksmk5ujt.jpg

9699A409-A844-4211-90C2-9C952B6095E7_zpsoo91npma.jpg

Now top is a bit tricky as windings protrude past bearings.
I took the dowel, and plastic hammer like this
EF2065B9-F31A-45C5-8C50-6D8091E38474_zpscbwonidn.jpg

9A5DA95F-B259-437B-A976-55908410CF42_zpsjdz7mw1w.jpg

Should look like this when done
51AA7904-AB81-4664-8500-D1C1BE855F9B_zpst3ocoifs.jpg

Ok
Next speed controls ( esc's ) the wires were cut, causing them to be too short, so I had to build new ones.
The speed controls
E5C01B90-E1FB-47DA-A0CB-AF34472F2D30_zpsqrrj6kbc.jpg

So I took 2 pieces of ( 16awg ) wire, and a piece of 1/4" shrink tube, and made my own reproduction pieces! Had to build 4
1170E095-5913-4A53-B555-9AA683212C70_zpssdrulsu3.jpg

Turned out PERFECT!
Alrighty then:
Speed control assembly
FFF0BACC-98C1-4F57-8413-678FC058D99C_zps5bjuryna.jpg

05BE30D6-053A-4359-A51B-B45FD8EC06CB_zpskpnr2aft.jpg

First had to REMOVE old wires
0177552B-2B36-4C22-8FC1-636947C395B0_zpsutsm2lvp.jpg

Now with all old wires removed, time to solder on new ( custom built ) wires
B190B287-DD31-4F6E-A61F-FF8D8FB94F64_zps31rnltom.jpg

7BFFDDC8-36C2-446A-917A-33973E3E3802_zpsyp7zkdmp.jpg

Turned out nice
A1DE3A50-8D1A-41D6-8713-C1714CFA7A6B_zpsxkqzrjtp.jpg


Part 2 below!

J Dot
 
Part 2

Then I soldered the speed controls to main board, like this ( watch your motor order ) as 2 are clockwise, and 2 counterclockwise!
E2C86B4C-9844-4D67-BE79-1B069F1230B9_zpsq0kraqkh.jpg

Now that the preliminary stuff is done, let's start the assembly!
Note: I messed up a bit and forgot about the pitch wire.
So I'll explain in pictures
E6C449AF-FB14-4909-8602-327EE2E07DC6_zpshc4mblhg.jpg

I had to go back and do it! Cost me some time!
Next is the USB PORT
E449699C-6C57-418B-B8ED-F7AE62AC431D_zpsxe0sgvap.jpg

2688BE7C-F564-4532-9AAF-854DEEBAFEE8_zpshi2ezhnj.jpg

6BF748BA-0F01-42B7-B59C-DDA000F30AF2_zpsvojyozyg.jpg

USB PORT uses ( 1.6 x 6.0 ) screws X2
Ok
Next is 5.8Ghz RECEIVER and antennas:
742196B6-9B0C-4A89-AADB-31A81A22D6E1_zpsqa18zvlj.jpg

Uses ( 2.0 x 6.5 ) screws X2
Next
POWER SUPPLY / DATA PINS:
D40F83A7-F5C4-47BA-A7E4-CCE26F071D4E_zpsrkbo5yxm.jpg

Uses ( 2.0 x 6.5 ) screws x2
Next
MAIN BOARD
F460D7BA-C81C-4B8A-B913-4681185CF2F8_zpsmrurywwm.jpg

Uses ( 2.0 x 6.5 ) screws x4
Then
ESC's
A6C724C7-7D07-4CD2-892F-37648BE43966_zps3m1osdeq.jpg

Then
MOTORS
D75364DA-2683-4453-8C8C-924AF4C7F29A_zps4olcvdfy.jpg

Then
Attach legs, ( landing gear )
Lost some pics here?
Then
Attach NAZA-M with double stick tape! Keep it square and straight
6D2DBC94-042D-4A67-A508-5E1EB32BB26B_zpstcjdmh8u.jpg

Then plug EVERYTHING IN
7197F4DE-74E2-4A33-A56C-6289DC1B4FC8_zpsvspeftme.jpg

Now take top plate with GPS installed, plug in GPS, and attach top plate!
Lost some pics here? Took them but can't find them?
Now, she looks like a bird again ( the BLUE ONE ) the orange one is my old one!
CE1380F2-CB4B-4E3D-BE65-BC7A4A956300_zps7g8cfx7b.jpg

E451E9F5-10C7-4F51-B148-A078D12AFF9C_zpsehzas10n.jpg

4B4EF19E-266E-4AE1-997D-C0680127C718_zpseishcgrb.jpg

Once together she turned on, normal sounds, normal lights, so I bound it to my old Tx, then bound camera ( using InSSIDer app to retrieve Mac addy )
Here is a video, for easy mac addy:
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then hooked Tx to RC ASSISTANT, calibrated all sticks, and switches there, unhooked, then hooked bird to PC ASSISTANT, calibrated Tx there as well, set RTH height, did an advanced IMU calibration, set my camera limits!, it is running 3.08 firmware which is great, I hate that I upgraded my older phantom to 3.12!
Anyhow took it outside, did a fresh compass calibration! Balanced a new set of props, charged EVERYTHING up, went for a flight, SHE FLIES, drifts around a little, but I did the IMU calibration without a level, so gonna try again today correctly!

Update
Did another calibration. With level this time, she flew great!

J Dot
Take care, Fly safe!
 
Amazing build Jerry !
I think what amazes me more is not that you pulled this off cause I knew you would..
but that you made these 2 post on just your phone :)
monker thumbup.gif
;)
 
Last edited:
Wow Jerry that was a hell of project there;) You and Dirk are some kind of Phantom wizards:cool: Glad I ran into you guys on here you've been so much help to the newbie I was early this spring:D I got a really cool video that I'll post in my media (when I set it up one of these days LOL) of a 500 foot radius around my neighborhood using a right turn in home lock making a complete circle. Your yaw switch came in real handy keeping the video nice and smooth and the camera pointing away from me the whole time:).
 
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Awesome!!! I have a spare p2v I crashed (flew it on vacation in florida, beach wind sucks!), need to replace camera and props but I wanted to tinker a bit more with it. Is it easy to change out rc controllers with other models? I wasn't sure if it is as simple as plug and play.
 
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Awesome!!! I have a spare p2v I crashed (flew it on vacation in florida, beach wind sucks!), need to replace camera and props but I wanted to tinker a bit more with it. Is it easy to change out rc controllers with other models? I wasn't sure if it is as simple as plug and play.

Most of the components are plug-n-play! But there is some soldering involved ( if using new stuff ), if reusing old stuff ( soldering, de-soldering, cleanup, testing ) is involved. The soldering parts are mostly Main board, motors and speed controllers! The rest is pretty much plug n go! If your talking about the naza ( flight controller ) I believe they are all compatible with different models ( p1-p2 models ) I know the guts of a p1 is different from a P2 ( not sure what parts could be swapped there? Other than naza?
And on the P2 models ( you have different frequencies ( some are 2.4ghz, others are 5.8ghz ( like your P2v is 5.8ghz ) I think replacing your camera will be the hardest task ahead of you, everything else is a breeze, if you have a little patience, mine flew first try, and flies nice ( did have a IMU calibration ( user error, me not leveling craft first, being lazy ) caused a slight drift ( back and away to the right ), did it again CORRECTLY, she just floats now! I was originally building a BASHER, something to HOTDOG around with, but it turned out mint, clean, flies great, takes beautiful pictures, and video, no issues over 35 flights now, I can't bring myself to bash on it! So building a copy of my first one, as a spare craft with 2 axis gimbal, currently looking for another project! If you need any help , I'd be happy to help where I can, or provide pics of mine to cross reference yours to, if something don't look right! Let me know!

Take care, Fly safe!
J Dot:cool:
 
Jerry, you sent me this post back in February. I dumped phantom 2 in water last November. I'm been too busy to work on it until now. I cleaned all connections put electronic cleaner and dielectric grease on them after being cleaned. My question is how can you test each component to find out which one(s) got fried? Or which components are most likely got fried and I should replace them first? Is it trial and error to keep replacing components until you find the right one? Also if I don't have a good friend like you do, how do I get replacement components? Pat
 

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Well mostly trial and error,
when I get a bird to fix, I first turn it on with a good battery, I watch for startup sequence, lights, sounds, smell.
So upon startup,
If it in fact does startup ( deedle-deedle-deedle-Dee-beep-beep-beep-beep ) than power supply, mainboard, and naza are ok
If any arm lights do not light, or no sound from motor, or if you smell something burning ( very rare, but seen it once ) capacitor was smoking a bit ! This is a good sign either a speed control ( most likely ) , or motor is bad. But motors rarely go bad, only bearings, or esc.
So let's say it starts up, you hear the tones, but front left arm lights not working ( most likely bad esc )
If all checks out, all have lights, all have tones, then with props off, turn her on, check motors for jitters, pauses, or any erratic behavior, great sign of bad esc. If only 1 is acting up replace just the one esc, now if more than one, you might want to replace all 4? Up to you. Once you diagnose all obvious damage ( physical damage, and burnouts ) next hook Tx to RC ASSISTANT, do a full calibration, next hook phantom to PC ASSISTANT, do a full Tx calibration there as well under basic/RC tab, after that, do an ADVANCED IMU calibration, finally a fresh compass calibration, and go test fly her!

Hope this helps. I have a guy who has any part you need, I'll pm you his number.

J Dot
 
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Pitch control cable, check, that's the one I forgot to do when I reshelled mine, just had to loosen the 4 main board screws and then poke it down into place. Still a bit of a fiddly job though.


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