HawK86uk
Professional Amateur
So, some of you may kind of recognise my name, some of you most likely not. I've been having a few problems with my quad that I received as a present in the not too distant past (late last year). In my last post as I was having some PI issues / questions, I decided to rebuild it and iron out any "kinks". 
One fateful Saturday morning (Last week as it happens) I did just that. A few scorched fingers and a lot of de-soldered and re-soldered joints later, I was raring to go. LED's were go, Flight Controller was lit up and motors were correctly orientated!
Good to go, one last spin up check to make sure everything works... POOOOF.. A cloud of smoke appeared from one of my motors / ESC's. Nope, definitely the ESC.
I fried one of my ESC's by shorting it. Not insulating your bullet connectors? Great idea as it happens! :black_eyed:
Well, either I shorted it or... I accidentally damaged it when i took the cover off to see whether it could be flashed as the stock firmware was shocking - I can't.
Sufficed to say, better part of half a day to remember your heat shrink on components is a good lesson, one way or another.
Alright, replacement ESC time. Sky-Wing 10A ESC? Shouldn't be too difficult to find. Should it? A few hours later, no avail - unless I wanted to buy in large quantity of 60 ESC's courtesy of Ali Baba that is. No Thank You!
I happened onto some SimonK 10A ESC's on Bang Good at a very good price. Sunday order, arrived the following Saturday from the US of A all the way to the UK - Impressive turn around bang good, you've probably got a return customer now.
Parts arrived.. This is it, I CAN DO THIS! De soldered the faulty ESC, it's three brethren that should perhaps reside in the same grave as the first and the fateful bullet connectors. Another scorched finger any many re-soldered joints later, I am done!
LED's on, motors spinning correctly, receiver all hooked up and NO SMOKE. Ready to go, I took it for a spin (and even let my better half give it a shot (She crashed, the orientation confuses her, I get that)).
Vids from Tx POV for your perusal below. They're a little shaky but you get the gist. Last is probably the best as I tried to hover for the camera.
Don't worry, only the first was filmed vertically!
This little thing moves! We're thinking of calling her Berta but I think she's too fast to be a Berta. Suggestions?
The next vid doesn't give much away, but rest assured, she landed a few hundred meters away from me in a nice snug patch of tall grass!
It had a slight bump, that battery lead wouldn't normally be flapping loose but alas, it needs some cosmetic repairs.
All said and done, scorched fingers, burnt ESC's, this is too much fun to give up! Batteries already recharging ready for round 2 next weekend!
I hope you enjoyed my little trials and tribulations, please feel free to comment.
One fateful Saturday morning (Last week as it happens) I did just that. A few scorched fingers and a lot of de-soldered and re-soldered joints later, I was raring to go. LED's were go, Flight Controller was lit up and motors were correctly orientated!
Good to go, one last spin up check to make sure everything works... POOOOF.. A cloud of smoke appeared from one of my motors / ESC's. Nope, definitely the ESC.
I fried one of my ESC's by shorting it. Not insulating your bullet connectors? Great idea as it happens! :black_eyed:
Well, either I shorted it or... I accidentally damaged it when i took the cover off to see whether it could be flashed as the stock firmware was shocking - I can't.
Sufficed to say, better part of half a day to remember your heat shrink on components is a good lesson, one way or another.
Alright, replacement ESC time. Sky-Wing 10A ESC? Shouldn't be too difficult to find. Should it?
A few hours later, no avail - unless I wanted to buy in large quantity of 60 ESC's courtesy of Ali Baba that is. No Thank You! I happened onto some SimonK 10A ESC's on Bang Good at a very good price. Sunday order, arrived the following Saturday from the US of A all the way to the UK - Impressive turn around bang good, you've probably got a return customer now.
Parts arrived.. This is it, I CAN DO THIS! De soldered the faulty ESC, it's three brethren that should perhaps reside in the same grave as the first and the fateful bullet connectors. Another scorched finger any many re-soldered joints later, I am done!
LED's on, motors spinning correctly, receiver all hooked up and NO SMOKE. Ready to go, I took it for a spin (and even let my better half give it a shot (She crashed, the orientation confuses her, I get that)).
Vids from Tx POV for your perusal below. They're a little shaky but you get the gist. Last is probably the best as I tried to hover for the camera.
Don't worry, only the first was filmed vertically!
This little thing moves! We're thinking of calling her Berta but I think she's too fast to be a Berta. Suggestions?
The next vid doesn't give much away, but rest assured, she landed a few hundred meters away from me in a nice snug patch of tall grass!
It had a slight bump, that battery lead wouldn't normally be flapping loose but alas, it needs some cosmetic repairs.
All said and done, scorched fingers, burnt ESC's, this is too much fun to give up! Batteries already recharging ready for round 2 next weekend!
I hope you enjoyed my little trials and tribulations, please feel free to comment.
