So I am building a multi-rotor, an octo. It has 8 RC Hobbies ESC 70A Brushless Motor Speed Controller and 8 RC Hobbies ESC 70A Brushless Motor Speed Controller, both from rctimer. I wired everything up but when I put power to it, one of the ESCs began smoking. At first I assumed I must have had a wire crossed, but after going over the model carefully with a voltmeter and doing continuity checks, I found the only place was that particular ESC. With that in mind, I disconnected it and tried again. At first it seemed fine, but when the transmitter was turned on one motor, completely separate from the bad ESC mentioned previously, released smoke and briefly caught fire before the battery could be unplugged. After carefully re checking every thing and leaving the damaged motor and ESC disconnected, I tried once more. This time a capacitor on yet another esc blew out. I have checked my wiring system visually and with a voltmeter and no short circuit is apparent. anyone else ever had similar troubles? Thoughts?
Phantom electrical problem on my octo project
- Thread starter gavinseim
- Start date
daveshappy
Member
Hi Gavin
Are the ESCs the correct voltage
Are the ESCs the correct voltage
FerdinandK
Member
ESCs typically smoke on wrong polarity and/or too high voltage. I can only speculate, but I think possibly all the ESCs were damaged the first time (but only one smoked off), and the second time due to a damaged ESC, the voltage war put through to the motors, and here one motor smoked off. I is nasty, but you will have to disassemble and test each motor and esc individually if they are working (off the copter). I would also redo the power distribution, as this one cannot be trusted. It might also help if you post pictures from your wiring.
best regards
Ferdinand
best regards
Ferdinand
mbsteed
aerial video centric
It really sounds like a wire got crossed somewhere - the rating on the ESCs appears fine to me for your batteries. I once accidentally crossed the wires when I was plugging in a battery and resulted in a fire and burned myself bad (got rid of those connectors), so that would explain the fire and fried ESC.
Droider
Drone Enthusiast
Back in my MK days we first plugged in a small 9v Duracell type battery and if anythings started to look like it was going to get hot or there was a whisper of smoke then it was switched off. If you connect big *** batteries to a new build with out being 110% sure everything has been belled out correctly your asking for trouble. I would strip it all down and test every esc to a single motor, if that motor works doi the same with them all, then change the esc and start over until they all have been tested.
Dave
Dave
Droider
Drone Enthusiast
The answer to not frying ESC's is to test them correctly out of the bag. Fuses.. mmm maybe only at testing stage if you dont/can't be bothered to do a all the pre commissioning checks
Dave
mbsteed
aerial video centric
Hmmm... what is the best way to test ESCs? Yes you can hook those up to a motor and test each one but I had a recent problem and the motors were firing up fine but - one of the ESCs would act up and go off the deep end once the octo was in the air (causing no end of problems trouble shooting). Could you put a multimeter on the ESCs and test for consistent amps over a range of throttle settings?
kloner
Aerial DP
you buy quality enough gear that works. rctimer esc's are touch and go. There not the best, your better off with hobbywing or turnigy plush, little more the ipeaka simonK are great quality, solder and fly, never look back
you gotta watch them non simonK esc's, low voltage cuttoffs end in crashing, startup speeds gotta be configured. DJI opto or any simonK esc is plug and play multirotor, none of those problems
you gotta watch them non simonK esc's, low voltage cuttoffs end in crashing, startup speeds gotta be configured. DJI opto or any simonK esc is plug and play multirotor, none of those problems
daveshappy
Member
Maybe a car lamp in series with the positive battery lead would work.
If things are going to short out then the lamp would light and limmit the high current.
One lamp for 3 cell lipo
Two lamps in series for up to 6 cell.
Cheers Dave
If things are going to short out then the lamp would light and limmit the high current.
One lamp for 3 cell lipo
Two lamps in series for up to 6 cell.
Cheers Dave
Droider
Drone Enthusiast
+10 on that idea