Fried an ESC; Can I test With Other 3?

     Soldered up my new PDB yesterday.  Connected everything today and went through the configuration steps in the instructions.  Got to the part where I go into CLI mode, type "setup" then "motors" then connected my main power and poof.  I got smoke from my ESC on motor 1 and the insulation on the thin ground wire from the 3 wire connector that goes to the PDB melted.  I checked my PDB for shorts and didn't find any.  I'm thinking I probably just had a failure of my ESC.  I ordered a couple more ESCs, but was hoping that in the meantime I could test my setup with my remaining 3 ESCs.  Is there any reason I can't put one of the other 3 ESCs on motor 1 and leave another motor without an ESC to see if I fry that one also or will that cause problems? Is there anything else I should be checking that may have caused this problem?

I'm using 20amp ESCs, with 880Kv motors and PDU all sold on this site along with an APM2.  My battery is a Zippy 20C, 3S, 3000mAh from Hobbyking.  Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on March 19, 2012 at 5:46am

It should be OK to use another ESC/motor for testing.  However, I'd check the power earth wiring from the PDB to the ESC.  It sounds like it didn't have an earth via the heavy black wire, so the motor current flowed through the control earth wire instead which is totally inadequate for the current.  The ESC may be OK internally - the smoke may just have been the insulation burning off the control earth wire.

Permalink Reply by Ken A on March 19, 2012 at 5:55am

Thanks Dave.  I checked the PDB and it seemed as though all grounds on the board were connected; my meter showed a short between every ground and every other ground if that makes sense.  However, maybe a bad solder at my connecter to the ESC.  Pretty sure the ESC is fried though.  I cut the yellow insulation off of the board and there was a brown spot which looked like some burning.  I'll check it all again and then try moving another ESC to channel 1.  Thanks again.

Permalink Reply by Jon C on April 23, 2012 at 5:22am

I seem to be having the exact same issue although less of a clue about what is going on than you!  Did you ever get a solution to this? I've fried one ESC and am well on the way to fying another. Many thanks.

Permalink Reply by Ken A on April 24, 2012 at 6:22pm

I apparently wasn't very careful when I checked.  I had the power reversed from the PDB to the ESC.  Fixed that, swapped in a new ESC and all was well ... until I flew into a tree.  :)

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