My FT Viggen will not take off. Help..

[peddiparth]

I recently built my FT Viggen with the swappable power pod option.

I could not make my FT Viggen take off even with full throttle. What am I doing wrong?

This is my configuration:

Motor: Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 - 2822-1090kv
ESC: Hobbyking SS Series 25-30A ESC
Battery: ZIPPY Flightmax 3000mAh 3S1P 40C
Prop: Slow Fly Electric Prop 8045R SF AND I also tried 1147 prop.

The battery is placed all the way in the front of the Viggen to make it slightly front heavy.

Should I switch to DT750 motor for better luck?

 

[peddiparth]

I also noticed that the motor gets hot after a little while, and will not even run with a little throttle. Does it have anything to do with HK 25 amp ESC?

 

[eagle4]

i'd firstly say check that your prop is on the right way. make sure the numbers are pointing to the front of the plane, if you're bringing your powerpod from another plane there is a chance the prop is backwards.

also try moving your battery so the cg is right on the mark David sets. it could be that your viggen is too nose heavy.

when you say it wont take off. do you mean when you launch it it just kind of glides down to the ground?

have you tried calibrating your esc? setting the throttle end points? usually done by having your throttle set at 100 when you plug your plane's battery in. then you move it down all the way to the bottom, then back up to full and then down again. (i think thats it anyway lol) this will set your end points of your throttle, maybe this is whats not allowing it to run at full power...

a 25A esc should be fine on that setup. have you used the motor before on other planes? how did it go?

 

[peddiparth]

I do the full pre-flight checks, so I already checked the following:
1. Prop direction. Prop rotation direction. I have to do this when I switch from 8045R prop to 1147 prop.
2. I already calibrated this ESC for a failed quad (used 2S battery on quad so failed to lift off with dt750 in unrelated info).
3. I marked the CG point from the FT Viggen plans with silver marker. So I think the battery placement is just ok. I am able to balance the plane just 5mm in front of the cg mark.

When I toss the plane with full throttle (no wind), it tries to fly, but falls down to the ground in 20 ft. Belly landing indicates it is not too nose heavy.
When I throttle up quickly after a few trials, the motor does not spin, but makes this weird noise. When I raise the throttle slowly (with plane in my hand), it revs up decently. After several attempts, it will not rev even with a slight increase in throttle.

I have used the same motor on my FT22 raptor build, and it flew the plane without any problem with 8045R prop. The FT22 raptor did not take off vertically though. I used the same HK SS ESC with it.

 

[xuzme720]

The strange noise sounds like a timing issue but I have no personal experience with that combo and the 11" prop seems a little large for that motor. I think a 9 or 10" is better suited.
What foamboard did you use? This is almost acting like a weight issue unless the motor is just not putting out it's max thrust

 

[CrashRecovery]

xuzme has the right idea..... that 11" prop is too much for that motor. second re calibrate that esc. How do you have your prop mounted to your motor? Prop saver? And like asked above is this a pod used for other aircraft?. just because you flip the prop the motor still has to spin the right direction.

 

[peddiparth]

I will try the ESC re-calibration one more time and try the 1047 prop this time.
If this is could be a timing issue, it must be the ESC causing the problem. I will try to replace it with my Plush 30amp ESC (from my tricopter) if re-calibration does not work.
I used the black adams dtf for this build.

 

[Andrew]

When I throttle up quickly after a few trials, the motor does not spin, but makes this weird noise. When I raise the throttle slowly (with plane in my hand), it revs up decently. After several attempts, it will not rev even with a slight increase in throttle.

.

I've had this exact same problem a few times when setting up new models. It's the ESC timing, my ESCs that were doing this were set at LOW-timing from factory.

With a ESC program card I increased the timing from LOW to MEDIUM and that completely cured the problem every time.

 

[peddiparth]

I've had this exact same problem a few times when setting up new models. It's the ESC timing, my ESCs that were doing this were set at LOW-timing from factory.

With a ESC program card I increased the timing from LOW to MEDIUM and that completely cured the problem every time.

Thanks for confirming that it is an ESC problem Andrew. I was worried that my motor purchase was a BIG waste of money.

 

[xuzme720]

Do you have anyway to program the ESC? Most of them can be programmed even if you don'[t have a programming card. You'll need to find the instructions for your particular ESC and follow the stick position programming routine to get the timing right.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

It might just be the lighting, but it looks like the prop is on backwards. Although, I can't see any of the numbers on it.

 

[xuzme720]

I'll be damned! It sure does! I fixated on the "strange noise" as being a timing issue and never looked at the picture of the motor!

I don't know...I keep looking at the pic and it's just hard to tell...Sometimes it looks backwards but it might just be the grainy...top one looks like it's dished in the right direction but the bottom looks reversed

 

[peddiparth]

The problems are the ESC and the motor.
The motor stopped rattling on switching ESC to the plush 30amp esc.
Then the motor started to fume and burn red.

I was able to repeat the same experiment with my FT-22 setup.
What a waste of two $15 motors that I thought is an upgrade to the DT750.

Can anyone suggest if this motor has a problem? Or is it just my luck with HK?

 

[peddiparth]

I apologize for the grainy pic. I took it from my mbp.
The prop is facing the motor as it is in the pusher mode.

I have to load the SimonK firmware to the HK 30amp esc to fix the problem as the only default options it has is LiPo or NiMH or brake.

 

[xuzme720]

I don't think it's a firmware problem if it's burning the motor. More likely that you are over loading it with too large a prop size and causing it to draw too much amperage. You don't happen to have a wattmeter, do you?

 

[peddiparth]

I tried both 1147 and 8045R props.
With 8045R prop, I tried keeping it in mid throttle, and over a period of a few seconds, the motor heated up, and it burned red by the time I cut the throttle.

Unfortunately I do not have a watt-meter with me.

 

[xuzme720]

I'm surprised that a 8" prop is killing that motor. Of course, you may have damaged the windings throwing the 11" on there. This is after all, only a 7A max motor. I had to look it up, I was thinking it should be 10-15...
Is (or was) the motor completely free spinning? As in no bearing or rubbing/binding issues? I guess it doesn't matter now, but you could rewind the motor so don't toss it.

 

[OrcaSea]

Did you find a solution to your motor issues? I am considering the prop version Viggen and am curious...