Derek's New 290mm Quad Custom Build

[Derek]

Unfortunately for me, BuddyRC is out of stock on these 2207 2100kv motors. So is Multirotor Superstore, GetFPV.com, ReadyMadeRC, and many many many others. However, I did find a listing on ebay for a pair of new CW and CCW 2207 2100kv motors...so, I went ahead and ordered two new sets. I'll just replace all 4 motors so that I know that all four motors are good. Perhaps I'll use the 3 good motors that I have now for a mini tri copter....who knows.

Because I was having trouble finding replacement motors, I was very tempted to just order all new Cobra motors, Afro esc's (with USB Programming Tool), then flash the esc's to BLHeli and live happily ever after but then I found the ebay listing for the same motors that I already have. Since my current esc's are all still in "working condition", I decided to just order the new motors.

So....I think this about covered what I needed. I have a new Mobius camera coming, 4 new Sunny Sky 2207 2100kv motors coming, and 40 HQ6045 props coming.

[Graham Lawrie]

These are good Derek:)
http://www.banggood.com/T-MOTOR-MN1806- ... 73283.html

[Derek]

Thanks Graham! I did look at a few T Motor's and I couldn't really decide between them or the Cobra Motors. I was going to get the Cobra Motors because I've seen them run on 4S packs. I was uncertain which of the T Motors would run on 4S.

And since I've already placed the order for the new Sunny Sky motors, I'll run with them until another pesky tree jumps into my flight path, lol.

[Derek]

I just got an email saying that my new motors have been shipped. So, I should have my new props, Bluetooth module, Mobius cam, and motors by this weekend.

Hapoy, happy, happy!!!

[Derek]

Bluetooth module and props arrived today! YAY! I hope my motors and Mobius show up quickly.

[Derek]

My new Mobius just arrived. Just waiting on the new motors that I ordered

[danhampson]

Getting close mate.

[Derek]

Getting real close, Dan! I just checked the tracking number on the 4 new motors that I ordered the other day. According to the post office tracking website, the motors are in my states capital, about 130 miles to the south of me. That's typically where all my packages go before they show up the next day. So, I imagine that my motors will be here tomorrow. It's a shame that I have to work the next two nights but....my new motors will be here, my props and Bluetooth module are here, and my new Mobius showed up today. I'll spend some time working on the quad on Friday and hopefully we can see a maiden flight of the new Echo 290 quad this weekend.

My local hobby shop doesn't have the single pin servo connectors that Graham was talking about for connecting the Bluetooth to the Naze so I'll probably just take some of my spare servo connectors and cut them down to fit.

[Derek]

ohhhhhhhhhhh man, I'm getting excited! As I said above, I've got my new HQ6045 props (and a lot of them). I have the Bluetooth Module for the Naze32 board and I have the EZ-GUI Ground Station installed on my tablet. I have my new Mobius camera and I just got done with the settings in the firmware. My new motors should be here tomorrow. I'm just about to burst!!!

[Derek]

oooooooooooooooooooo, my new motors just showed up!!!!!!!! YES!!!!

and.............I have to work tonight and tomorrow night....bummer, lol.

Anyway....if all goes well, we should see a maiden flight this weekend. Whooo hoooo!!!

[Tony]

Exciting times for you D...

[Derek]

Ok guys, I've hit a bit of a snag that just has be confused.

Last week, when I was connecting the motors to the esc's, motor number 4 stuttered and didn't spin normally like the other 3 motors. After some testing, I determined that motor 4 was bad. I ordered 4 brand new motors. I connected all 4 new motors today and went to the "Motors" tab in Cleanflight to check motor spin direction and now only motor 3 spins normally, the other 3 stutter. I don't know what to do.

I think I'm gonna unsolder all the new connections that I just did and redo them. Those joints can be the only thing to cause me grief...I think.

Any suggestions?

I've not changed any of the settings in Cleanflight from my previous quad. All the electronics are the same: same esc's, same Naze32 board, same wires and connectors (all connected the same way), same size of motors but the motors are all new.

[Derek]

Alright....now I'm fully pissed off! I just spoke with a guy at my LHS that said that he has set up his quads with Cleanflight and his fly very well. He even plugged one of his quads in and showed me that it flew...and it did fly very well. Very smooth! So, I let him look at my quad and try to help me sort out the issues. That was my mistake entirely! I had stepped into the other room, briefly, to get a cold pop, when I come back into the room (I was gone for less than a minute), he tells me that he had reflashed my Naze32 to version 1.9 and now nothing works. I take over controls of the laptop and I flash the board back to 1.8. Then, his phone rings and his wife was calling. He then packs up his laptop and leaves the hobby shop. Now, I'm standing there with my quad and I don't know any of the settings that were originally used.

So....that pretty much just pisses away any chance of flying my quad this weekend. I can't even begin to describe how I feel right now.

alsodhakghaskifghasiohgaslkdhgfkljrgfhlksadghakslfdhoperhgisaodghasigh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cml001]

Sucks.

[Derek]

Sucks.

Dude...I can't believe that happened! Now what?? I'm stuck and I have no idea what to do. I've been going through some youtube videos and i've managed to get most of the settings set but I did notice that the "Cycle Time" at the bottom of the screen is still well above 3500. I believe Stambo had me set something so that the Cycle Time was closer to 2500.

I still haven't figured out why my 3 motors are stuttering instead of spinning normally. UGH!!!

[Derek]

I am actually so angry right now that I my hands are shaking. I just can't believe this!!! Prior to ordering new motors, motor number 4 (connected to esc number 4) would stutter and the other 3 motors (connected to their appropriate esc's) would spin normally.

Now that I have ALL *NEW* motors, motor number 3 spins up normally and the other three motors stutter. I've even torn it all down and unsoldered everything. I tore the quad down to it's individual components and started all over. I began the soldering and connecting everything back together and I still get the same results. Unbelieveable!!!

[Derek]

OK, now I'm really at a loss. Absolutely perplexed!!!

This is what I just got done doing:

When I had the quad all wired up and only had 1 "normal" spinning motor (motor number 3), I took that motor and set it aside from EVERYTHING. I, then, took everything apart so that I had clear and easy access to each esc. I turned and connected Cleanflight and went to the "Motors" tab. One by one, I connected each motor to esc number 1 and each motor spins normally. Next, I took that "motor number 3" that I set aside and, one by one, I connected that motor to each of the esc's and each time that motor spun normally. So...one by one, I've found that each esc and each motor are good but once soldered together and connected together I get stuttering motors.

What do I do now???

[Tony]

Just read all this, sounds like a nightmare. Are the ESC's connected to a PDB? If so I'd check that, could be some bad tracks on it, a hairline crack in a track would cause those issues. Just a thought. Get a magnifier and check them all. I believe you have a multimeter, you could check continuity, make sure it reads near zero ohms. Try bending the board a little as you do it...

[Derek]

It's an absolute nightmare!!! This is what I've just got done doing.

I grabbed up the old motors and the new motors. I tested a clockwise motor to esc number 4 and number 2...found two that worked and spun normally. I labeled them 4 and 2, to be later connected to the corresponding esc's. I then tested motors that would spin normally on esc's number 1 and 3. Labeled them 1 and 3, to be later connected to the corresponding esc's. Ok...i'm starting to feel better about this because now, one by one, I have 4 motors that will spin normally on their corresponding esc's. Then I start connecting the labeled motors to their corresponding esc's and.......................

Nothing happens!!!!!!!!! Not a single motor will spin up. I just can't believe this! When only one motor is connected to it's corresponding esc, it spins up. When all 4 are connected, I get nothing, zero, zip.

I don't have a PDB. Each of the esc's + and - leads are soldered together. Several hours ago, I unsoldered EVERYTHING so that I had individual components...as if I were just getting started. Now...I get nothing.

I do have a multimeter. I checked the voltage of the lipo that I'm using and it shows 12.2v. I check the + and - leads at the esc's and it shows 12.2v where all the esc leads come together and it shows 12.2v at each of the esc's.

I'm just gonna put this stuff into a box and come back to it later. I can't handle all this right now. I am just blown away that I can "test this" and "test that" and everything works but then when I connect "this to that" and "that to this", nothing works.

[Tony]

Maybe at some time when you have all 4 motors connected again you could monitor the lipo battery voltage whilst running the motors. See if there is a significant drop in voltage, this could mean excessive load conditions. Or, failing that it could be high resistance on cables under load. Are your wires thick enough to take the loads required? I presume this is all ok, I'm just thinking out loud. Have you tried a different lipo?