Discussions

Channel 1,  ESC Cooking – Burning up Motors

Standard X Frame, 4 motor Quad System we have 2 almost identical Alien style systems, one flys perfect the other is basically  Smoking ESCs on Channel 1- signal coming off the APM 2.6

First set smoked on the bench after ESC set up and running at ½  throttle, just up in smoke both motor and ESC shot. Smoke from the motor, super hot ESC.

I changed both the motor and the ESC  and  after about 2 mins into first flight with new gear I see smoke coming off the #1 Arm ESC (at hover 10m) . Landed- super hot – still works I think.

Trouble shooting

Without props on bench, recalibrated ESCs, Ran up the motors to about 1/2 throttle, With a digital temperature gauge, the #1 ESC started to get to 100 degrees where 2-3-4 were all at 80 degrees. Ran the motors up to almost full throttle, #1 ESC up to 122 degrees all others at 82 to 84 degrees. So ESC #1 is getting hot. Put a prop on just #1, ran the motors up ( looking to see what it looks like under load) ESC ran back up to the 116 level in less than a minute before I shut it down.  Switched around the input power leads to the motor, ran it backwards and it stayed under 100 degrees with all the others at 82 degrees. But still running hot for some reason.  While running with prop, the digital temp guage show it is hotter at the 1^stlead going to the motor. By pointing the laser you can get a sense that the output side of the ESC is running hot and the input side remains at room temperature.

Changed motors to see what would happen. Ran all motors at full throttle for 1 min no props, ESC #1 is running at 100 degree all others 82 degrees.

Here is the ship::

Alien Shaped 4 Motor Quad X Configuration Extended Aluminum Arms

APM 2.6 external compass- Compass on top with pole and paddle

Ardupilot Power module  (( now I did not pull a jumper off the APM, because it worked by powering  the APM, Receiver and External Compass. I only use Signal Wires (no pwr/ground from escs) with 1 exception on the RX wires=  3 wires (+ - S) on 1 channel to the RX for power- otherwise the entire ship is signal wires only.

SimonK  Flashed Hobbysky 30 amp ESCs ALL BECs have been cut off

Power Distribution with 12awg loop (horseshoe shaped)

All

FPV 12V BEC used for the LEDs

Futaba 6ch receiver & Transmitter 2.4G

DJI 2212 motors both CW and CCW

DJI Self Tightening Props

Thanks for any thought on this, this is the only common denominator at this point. Hmmmm

My other quad identical, frame, electronics but is running Sunnysky X2212 motors and flys great. Completely baffllllllllllllllllling.