APM 2.8 - QUAD Copter - ESC 30A, 2212 MOTORS - Discussions

Hello Everyone,

I've been browsing the forums for awhile now, learning and lurking as they say. I purchased a quad copter kit from Amazon using a DJI 450 Flamewheel design. It came with some simonK 30A esc's, and some ReadyToFly 2212 motors. I managed to solder the wires together, put it together, mount the APM, flash the APM with the SBUS flash, calibrated the GPS, and even programmed the AT9 transmitter.

I get to the ESC calibration, and think everything is going great, Get to ESC calibrate mode, and then I see SMOKE. #1 engine smoking. I figured CRAP!! Smoke can't be good, so I unplug ESC #1 and test the other 3. All the others throttle up, sound nice, spin nice. So I'm thinking OK! Bad motor, called up Amazon ordered another motor and installed this weekend. Calibrate ESC's and POOOF Smoke!!! My ESC is hot too, like really hot to the touch. I ordered 4 more ESC's now, and tore apart the old one to find a smoked chip (Solder busted, smells of burnt icky).

Here's the question. I have the JP1 on the power jumper right now, hoping my ESC's will power everything. I've read somewhere where I should clip the power leads off the other ESC's? Could someone give me some insights, or do you think the ESC was just bad from day 1 and I didn't know it? I'm going to get my meter out tonight and check for shorts in the circuit board of the kit. Just don't want to see more motors smoke up :)

Thanks!!

Replies

Gus Gunderson III August 30, 2016 at 9:49am

These are linear according the website. Thank you for the information Bill. I've been browsing the forums, and it seems for every answer that says clip the wires (Or the youTube video on how to unclip the red wire from the 3 way connector) I get another one that says don't disconnect. I guess I should just play it safe and disconnect the red's on all but 1 of them. I'm just trying to figure out if the first esc was bad or if I smoked it.

Thanks again for your help!
Developer

Bill Bonney August 30, 2016 at 4:45am

You only need one esc power lead connected to the servo rail. All 4 connected can be peoblwmatic if the escs have switching voltage regulators. Linear voltage regulators don't have the same problem. There loads of posts on this site about it
Gus Gunderson III August 29, 2016 at 4:13pm

I did a little more research and found that the clipping of the power wire from the esc' is only if I want to power my apm and other accessories with the power port plug in straight from the battery. I sounds like I can keep my JP1 on, and plug in all 4 esc's and I shouldn't get smoke. I'm still going to check for shorts before putting my new esc on board :)
I own a DJI FC40 and a Parrot AR 2.0, but this will be my first home built. I wanted to learn how they work, and I'm finding there's a fine line between flying high, and letting the magic smoke out.

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