Motor / ESC Problem?

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Carter7868

Well-Known Member
I recently built my first racing quadcopter and second drone. I used the build guide found here. I had a good first flight but on my second flight a had a crash and one of the motors gave off a lot of smoke. I tried to fly it again a couple of times and then gave up and came in to check on the motor. The coils on it were black so I ordered in a replacement and wired it up. Once I wired the replacement and tested it gave off smoke as well. I think something happened to the ESC during the crash. I wanted to check here before I buy another ESC just in case it could be something else. I am also wondering why the ESC stopped working and what I did wrong.
 
C

Carter7868

Well-Known Member
When I look at the 4 in 1 ESC there is no damage that I can see. and I did not see any "magic smoke" come out of the ESC when the motor burned out?
 
Dugdog47

Dugdog47

Well-Known Member
Hey bro if you used those cheap 20amp ESCs that is probably your problem. I was advised against those
 
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Carter7868

Well-Known Member
Hmm, on the motor page it looks like the motor pulls more than 20 amps. I am using the 2300 kv version. Should I replace it with a 30a 4 in 1?
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BL Swagger

BL Swagger

Well-Known Member
Carter7868 said:
Hmm, on the motor page it looks like the motor pulls more than 20 amps. I am using the 2300 kv version. Should I replace it with a 30a 4 in 1?
Click to expand...

Honestly, depends on your flying habits. 35A would be safer for 2300kv motors. I have been running a 4in1 20A esc with 2300kv motors for a while, (still waiting for the smoke) and the reason it has not burned up yet is because I am flying in a slow, smooth, controlled manner. If your zipping around with crazy freestyle antics, your going to be pushing those esc's and motors to their limits.

Btw, I have been flying without the c-clip on one of my motors. (Only thing holding it down is magnetic force!) Needless to say, I am being wreckless but I believe my goodluck is due to my dull flight habits.
 
mozquito1

mozquito1

Well-Known Member
Dugdog47 said:
Hey bro if you used those cheap 20amp ESCs that is probably your problem. I was advised against those
Click to expand...
I use £6.75 esc's that have been running for 3 years, pocket rocket. 20amp.
Somthing maybe touching the frame & shorting it out. Get a spare new esc & try the old motor. If it's dead try a new motor if still nothing then its the esc.
Motors can run underwater because of the coating on the stator wires so the only place to short is the esc solder pads or the components itself on the esc.
Check the whole arm for any debris or touching the frame.
You using single esc's or a 4in1?
Always be careful when trimming wires on the worktop just one tiny little iddy biddy wire can cost you a ton of money.
Believe me. My build are is near surgical.
Lessons learned & all that.
 
C

Carter7868

Well-Known Member
mozquito1 said:
I use £6.75 esc's that have been running for 3 years, pocket rocket. 20amp.
Somthing maybe touching the frame & shorting it out. Get a spare new esc & try the old motor. If it's dead try a new motor if still nothing then its the esc.
Motors can run underwater because of the coating on the stator wires so the only place to short is the esc solder pads or the components itself on the esc.
Check the whole arm for any debris or touching the frame.
You using single esc's or a 4in1?
Always be careful when trimming wires on the worktop just one tiny little iddy biddy wire can cost you a ton of money.
Believe me. My build are is near surgical.
Lessons learned & all that.
Click to expand...

Cant find any debris or anything that could cause a short. I am using a 4 in 1 esc that is 20a.
 
mozquito1

mozquito1

Well-Known Member
You would be surprised what can get where. I'm surgical sometimes especially if it's for someone else.
If you got shrink wrap on it, are you using bullet connectors on the motors. If you are may get you should look at those.
I could be wrong, it's just from what you said the esc has a cover on it like you never solderd them yoself.
Was it a hard crash ?
 
C

Carter7868

Well-Known Member
mozquito1 said:
You would be surprised what can get where. I'm surgical sometimes especially if it's for someone else.
If you got shrink wrap on it, are you using bullet connectors on the motors. If you are may get you should look at those.
I could be wrong, it's just from what you said the esc has a cover on it like you never solderd them yoself.
Was it a hard crash ?
Click to expand...
BL Swagger said:
There isn't shrink wrap around the solder pads on the ESC that lead to the motors, though.
Click to expand...
Okay, I attached the motor wires to the esc wires by directly soldering the wires together and putting heat shrink tubing on it. Now that I look at it it apears that one of the wires was missing its heat shrink tubing(I must have forgot). But even if one wire out of the 3 was missing the heat shrink is that enough to short the motor and cause my ESC and Motor to break?
 
DrAbsurd

DrAbsurd

Well-Known Member
Race or Acro always make sure your esc's are covered. Electrical tape, shrink wrap or that locktite self adhesive tape that works like tape and wrap combined. I like the last one cause you can put it on without taking the motors off. put a piece under it and then another on top of it and pinch the two edges together as tight as you can, then wrap those under and slap on a tie strap.
 
C

Carter7868

Well-Known Member
DrAbsurd said:
Race or Acro always make sure your esc's are covered. Electrical tape, shrink wrap or that locktite self adhesive tape that works like tape and wrap combined. I like the last one cause you can put it on without taking the motors off. put a piece under it and then another on top of it and pinch the two edges together as tight as you can, then wrap those under and slap on a tie strap.
Click to expand...
Yes but I do not get how a motor would burn out just from one motor wire shorting?
 
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