Vision 2+ wifi units fix and why they are dying.

[rbhamilton]

I opened mine up to put on some Arctic Silver. Thanks for all the tips guys! I got permission to use the thermal pic from Jeremy and put together this slide show of my efforts. Probably a good idea for everybody with the older style WiFi module to do this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9iwUvufOk[/youtube]

 

[burlbark]

I opened mine up to put on some Arctic Silver. Thanks for all the tips guys! I got permission to use the thermal pic from Jeremy and put together this slide show of my efforts. Probably a good idea for everybody with the older style WiFi module to do this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9iwUvufOk[/youtube]

I also do the final output stage amplifiers located under the onboard shielding. DJI puts nothing on the at all.

Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread alive and saving folk a lot of grief.

 

[eyecon82]

I opened mine up to put on some Arctic Silver. Thanks for all the tips guys! I got permission to use the thermal pic from Jeremy and put together this slide show of my efforts. Probably a good idea for everybody with the older style WiFi module to do this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9iwUvufOk[/youtube]

I also do the final output stage amplifiers located under the onboard shielding. DJI puts nothing on the at all.

Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread alive and saving folk a lot of grief.

I wonder if the new wifi units do have thermal compound in the final output stage amplifiers? Have you taken a new one apart yet Jeremy?

 

[CityZen]

I'd also recommend not cutting the copper tape, but rather carefully peeling it off, then reapplying it later.

 

[burlbark]

I opened mine up to put on some Arctic Silver. Thanks for all the tips guys! I got permission to use the thermal pic from Jeremy and put together this slide show of my efforts. Probably a good idea for everybody with the older style WiFi module to do this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9iwUvufOk[/youtube]

I also do the final output stage amplifiers located under the onboard shielding. DJI puts nothing on the at all.

Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread alive and saving folk a lot of grief.

I wonder if the new wifi units do have thermal compound in the final output stage amplifiers? Have you taken a new one apart yet Jeremy?

I havent gotten a new one across the bench yet. I have been plagued with Gimbals being sent to me at an alarming rate. I only have one that I cant get going. Everyone else has been shipped. The camera itself appears to be the fault or possibly a bad factory ribbon cable. I swapped everything else but the ribbon and camera out and still same behavior.

 

[shawnb199]

If you are running damaged antennas for any length of time you risk burning up your wifi module.

Tony backs his product, thats for sure.

How would one know that the FPVLR antennas are damaged? My wifi module burned up after adding them (although it was after many successful flights with them, and I am in no way claiming any cause and effect relationship). I remove them each time I pack up the TX and tuck them away carefully inside of my Tradecraft case, but now you've made me nervous that I may have damaged them at some point. I'm considering buying the new v3 (rather than spending $200 on a wifi module, sell the old one for parts, keep the extra batteries and props), but would hate to put damaged antennas on it.

 

[burlbark]

If you are running damaged antennas for any length of time you risk burning up your wifi module.

Tony backs his product, thats for sure.

How would one know that the FPVLR antennas are damaged? My wifi module burned up after adding them (although it was after many successful flights with them, and I am in no way claiming any cause and effect relationship). I remove them each time I pack up the TX and tuck them away carefully inside of my Tradecraft case, but now you've made me nervous that I may have damaged them at some point. I'm considering buying the new v3 (rather than spending $200 on a wifi module, sell the old one for parts, keep the extra batteries and props), but would hate to put damaged antennas on it.

If you had long range with the FPVLR antennas then they where working properly.

The stock wifi unit is the problem and you can see that DJI is still trying to remedy this with the new hole punched wifi cases. What DJI doesnt see is the resistance building up in the final output stage amplifier, perhaps they are now heatsinking them, perhaps not.

I would have no problem buying a new wifi unit and opening it up to examine it for proper heat sinking, if I needed a new one.

 

[kondorfpv]

guys, the only time an antenna would be damaged is if a lobe is pulled out, if you crash or step on them,
through normal use it's not possible.

Of course the sma plugs have a few hundred screw-unscrew cycles in them then they are not reliable any longer, but it can be quickly fixed by having a new sma plug fitted at any electronics store, or following DIY guides on youtube, buying a crimper , while the plugs are 2$ each.
TOny.

 

[RichWest]

Since we know the issue is heat, have you ever considered applying heat sinks to the wifi module case? Or what about drilling holes like the new one shown?

For my extreme temps, +95F in summer, I am considering both. Just need to see a new module's under carriage and find an ideal set of heat sinks that are low profile.

 

[burlbark]

Since we know the issue is heat, have you ever considered applying heat sinks to the wifi module case? Or what about drilling holes like the new one shown?

For my extreme temps, +95F in summer, I am considering both. Just need to see a new module's under carriage and find an ideal set of heat sinks that are low profile.

Rich, just pull in out of the quad and take it apart. 2mm holes all through the case wherever there is no heat sinking mating surfaces. One thing to take into consideration is the ferrite RF chokes that have been put in place. These may be necessary when drilling all those holes and the emitted rf noise escaping. I dont know the width of the emitted signal or at what attenuation the signal will become small enough to escape. It is a Faraday cage.

This is approaching theoretical science, rf chokes must be needed DJI doesnt spend money if they dont have to.

I know that many people consider rf to be a wave form and it does indeed appear that in manifests these attributes but while in travel it has been proven to travel spherical in shape compressing and rebounding like a bubble. :geek:

 

[RichWest]

I believe you're correct regarding the chokes. I think I'll hold off drilling at this point...on second thought I do have a ton of shielding tape left if things go bad. Also found a heat sink for the recessed area, just waiting on parts and warm weather temp's to return.

Shame the words "theoretical science" enters the conversation, I really only want to think/talk about flying and videos.

 

[eyecon82]

The stock wifi unit is the problem and you can see that DJI is still trying to remedy this with the new hole punched wifi cases. What DJI doesnt see is the resistance building up in the final output stage amplifier, perhaps they are now heatsinking them, perhaps not.

Please let us know if you ever find out

 

[tomas99]

Thanks for a most informative thread.
Ordered the small copper squares from ebay that was mentioned somewhere and will do the this mod and the yaw one sometime during the winter.

-Tomas

 

[bmasar]

I have my unit disassembled and will be applying Arctic Silver soon.

However, I've noticed I can get the live video to come in and out if I fudge with the gimbal by hand. Does anyone have a similar experience? Perhaps my problem is due to a cable that goes from the camera to the WIFI module? If so, can anyone help me locate it? I could then inspect it and/or take a few photos to get some opinions. (I'm a filmmaker, I'm not very technical).

 

[burlbark]

I have my unit disassembled and will be applying Arctic Silver soon.

However, I've noticed I can get the live video to come in and out if I fudge with the gimbal by hand. Does anyone have a similar experience? Perhaps my problem is due to a cable that goes from the camera to the WIFI module? If so, can anyone help me locate it? I could then inspect it and/or take a few photos to get some opinions. (I'm a filmmaker, I'm not very technical).

You have a plug wire possibly coming out on top of the gimbal. Make sure your unit is turned off and try pressing down on the grey wire/ white plugs.

If that doesnt do it look for frays or breaks on your ribbon cable. There is always the chance the ribbon cable has come out somewhere or one of your ribbon cable socket retainers is not pressed down. Be careful not to tear the thin plastic.

Jeremy James

 

[bmasar]

One more question, should I remove the thermal compound that DJI applied before applying AS? Or should I apply AS over the top of the existing stuff?

 

[CityZen]

Remove the existing compound before applying the AS.

 

[bmasar]

So I snapped the black plastic piece that mounts the wifi module to the quad. That double adhesive tape was ridiculously strong. Now I don't have anything to screw into and secure.

Can I use standard double sided adhesive to attach it or do I need something specially rated?

 

[CityZen]

Regular double-sided tape with a bit of foamcore in the middle is fine. You could epoxy the bracket back together, also.

 

[eyecon82]

So I snapped the black plastic piece that mounts the wifi module to the quad. That double adhesive tape was ridiculously strong. Now I don't have anything to screw into and secure.

Can I use standard double sided adhesive to attach it or do I need something specially rated?

Just use some more tape or superglue