Hi, just been testing my Y6 with it's new 6000mah 4S pack and noticed the motors are getting hot. This is affecting the bottom motors more where if you touch them on the base, non rotating part, they are too hot to touch for more than a few seconds. The rest of the motor is hot but can be held without issue.
To check I did another flight with a 3S 4400mah setup and the motors were again getting hot, not as hot but the flight time was 5 mins vs 13 mins.
It's also worth noting with the 4S setup the ESCs were also getting hot, again after a 13 min test flight.
The flight itself basically consisted of a 13 minute hover in loiter mode, I was testing battery times, and consumed 5000mah. The weather for the UK was hot, 25 deg C. The Y6 is a new 2014 B version weighing 1900 grams or so, std config plus 600 gram pack, with std 10 inch props and 850 blue motors.
And finally to the question, is this normal of does something sound wrong?
The only thing I can think I haven't done is balance the props, guide for this would be handy, but I have no vibration issues looking at the data log.
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Copter was already modded when I bought it, so arms are 295mm (don´t know how long the original arms are) and i use a homemade landing gear.
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Thanks for posting.How does it handle with the larger props on the stock frame?
I ended up making new arms to support up to 14" props for testing the motors for before they go on the new frame; will still fly the 3DR Y6 in stock form, but no more mods and trying to make it do more than it's intended. I may buy the SunnySky 650 motors when it comes time to replace the originals.
Finding square tubes was not easy. No 19mm anywhere in the states that I could find (just .75 x .062+ wall). One place had red, silver and black 280mm long arms 19mm x 1mm wall with the holes drilled but would have had to wait 3 weeks for delivery. The shipping was more than the arms! I finally found this place http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/alumtubing-sq.php .75 x .049 wall rounded corners. They are about 50g heavier total than the 3 stock arms. I could have lightened them up, but didn't bother (.27g per 10mm hole....lots of holes).
For those interested, here's a link to the 3DR "replacement" arms from jdrones: http://store.jdrones.com/ArduCopter_Parts_s/42.htm they are 280mm vs 250mm (stock length)
This may be too much weight for the body plates, may need to add supports at the attachment points.
@ Tearig
@ Mike Bell
At this time, I plan to swap out lower motors only to see what happens. But I'm awaiting more parts in order to do this.
On a seperate note, I plan to build a second Y6B frame to run the 690kv motors. I suspect what I will find is the 850kv motors are inefficient for the frame especially if yours is configured with gimbals and camera. Mine only has the fpv camera and transmitter yet my copter overheats no matter what tuning, prop balancing, or CG balancing of frame. So I'm going to abandon the 3DR motors for more capable Sunnysky motors.
Will keep all apprised to my build and flight tests.
Hi Doug, great news on the motors I am anxious to find out how this works for you. I flew mine again this morning to check how hot the motors get with the 10" props. The ambient temp this morning was 65 degrees and I flew for 8 minutes. Immediately upon landing the average temp of the bottom motors was 128 degrees with the top motors measuring in at 88 degrees. Big difference this time between the top and bottom. I fly with a gimbal and gopro installed but have not measured the weight of the entire craft. It seems to me that the cooler the ambient temp is the cooler the motors will run. Also density altitude must factor into this. I am at 4280 feet. When the temp here is in the high to mid 90's the motors run up as high as 160 degrees. I want to be able to fly this all year round with out issues so the changing of the motors may be the trick. Let us know how the new motors work out. Will you be changing out all 6 motors? Will you stay with 20 amp ESC? Thank You.
Lookie lookie at what came in the mail this week. SunnySky x4108S 690kv motors. See attached pictures for my initial mounting test. So far I think I will be able to use these with the 11 inch propellers I have. Unfortunately I ran out of additional materials and now have to wait for them to arrive before I can build out the other two arms.
I've given up on the 3DR 850kv motors. I feel they just won't work as the lower ones no matter what I have done to it will stay cool. And I'm seeing a power loss (loosing thrust) after a few minutes of flight. Randy (DEV) has no answers other than he feels it could be a battery issue but nothing to do with the 3.2 rc9 beta software.
So I'm ditching the 850kv motors and will use the new motors and see what I get out of them.
More to follow.
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Top only?
Tearig,
Not sure what you're asking.
I replaced all the motors a while ago (see the bottom of the page 1 of this thread) and it worked great for me. No overheating issues since then, much greater lifting capability and in result - longer flight time (18 minutes with 5A/h 4S). I'm using 13" props.
Hi Pektusin
What size of motors did you go with? Did you have to change out the ESC's?
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