Prop Balancing

[KevG]

Come on guys lets have it!

Prop balancing, what do you use and how do you do it,

[Derek]

Flitetest did several videos on multi rotor prop balancing. Here is one of their videos on using a laser pointer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqtUSSdf8b4

[danhampson]

I've flown balanced and unbalanced props and with the gemfan 5030 props there is little to no difference between the two.

[KevG]

Thanks Dan, I just got Diatone 6030 props, same as the 5030's that I have on it now to try, going to do a comparison tonight as the manufacturer says the 6030 on my setup should be more efficient, we will see!

[Graham Lawrie]

You have to balance them??? LOL:)

[Stambo]

I don't bother balancing my mini quad props.
You can not balance a small prop without it on the motor.
As soon as you change the position on the motor the balance changes so there is no real point in having "balanced props" in your box of spares.
If you break them on a regular basis you are forever balancing small props.
If you are not breaking them you are not trying hard enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nu7YwajBhg

[danhampson]

nice video stambo looking for laser pens now.

[danhampson]

Lol ordered a cheap laser pen off eBay. Went on YouTube and test flight have done it again
Flite Test - Laser Balancing Props - FLITE TIP: http://youtu.be/PqtUSSdf8b4

[KevG]

Yeah I had to balance them, just done it with a thumb screw type balancer I use for 325mm main blades, flew them unbalanced and it was horrible so balanced them in the hall as I was putting them on, they then flew lovely.

[pvolcko]

DuBro prop balancer here. I have yet to actually fly any of the props I've balanced, though. QAV500 is still sitting around half finished.

I've balanced and spun them up on a motor hard mounted to my work bench. Felt the bench before and after to see if I cut the vibes down and it did work. Don't know how well though until I put it in the air.

[Stambo]

I find that you need to balance them in situ.
On my bigger quads I put where I will use it, spin it up and check the balance with the laser, then rotate it on the motor a 1/4 turn at a time until it is as good as it can get.
Then I start adding tape until it is near perfect.
If you take it off, move it to another motor or have it sitting with your spares "balanced", then you put it back it will be out again.
I have tested this many times just to be sure.
Same thing on my Sunnysky motors so it is not just motor quality.

[KevG]

My props after balancing

image.jpg (1.58 MiB) Viewed 1621 times

[Derek]

That's really sweet looking, Kev! I like it!!!

Here's a question that I don't think I've seen asked yet....Will I need a 6 channel rx? How many channels are required for a lil bugger mini quad?

[Lee]

Yep 6ch
THR, AIL, ELEV, RUDD, Flight Mode, And AUX for adjusting PID on the fly.

[Stambo]

7, need one for the beeper too.
Or one that supports ppm for a single wire hookup.

[Derek]

sounds good guys. Thanks for that!

...on the hunt for a 7 channel rx

[KevG]

You will only need the aux 2 channel for setup of pids once that is done you can re assign to the beeper so you only really need six,

[Stambo]

Always good to have a spare.

[Lee]

My beeper is stand alone. It is inline with the throttle.
So no extra channel needed. Alarm goes off after 1min of no signal.