F550 up in Flames! What just happened?

BruceTS said:
http://aerialmob.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7

You might want to consider this arm kit, so many more possibilities. I have one set on my TBS Discovery and will be ordering another in a few weeks for my endurance build, expect to get almost an hour of flight time.

What kind of setup are you using for your endurance build?
 
4 SunnySky 4112 320kv motors, 4 T-Motor ESC 45A (2-6S) w/SimonK, 4 Gemfan 15" CF props, Ariel MOB arm kit, NAZA LT, TBS Discovery frame, 3 GEB8043125 6000mAh 6S batteries(unless Trappy gets a better battery), FlyTrex CORE to record flights, 2.4 Vtx, UHF receiver and GoPro hero 3

should be ready next month, just depends on my work schedule. Eventually I'll build a gimbal for it as well similar to the one I modified to fit my other one. For now I'm just keeping the weight down until I get a long flight recorded. Yup it's gonna have 3 6000mAh batteries onboard.


Have all the parts except the arm kit, esc's and batteries, but those will be here in a few weeks.
 
I would agree with Ladykate. I am an electrical contractor and it sounds like a mis-wire on your part or the factory's part when they made the motors. Please let us know what happened. We all are only as good as the problems we encounter.
 
BruceTS said:
http://aerialmob.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7

You might want to consider this arm kit, so many more possibilities. I have one set on my TBS Discovery and will be ordering another in a few weeks for my endurance build, expect to get almost an hour of flight time.

Pictures?
 
Newlineliving said:
I would agree with Ladykate. I am an electrical contractor and it sounds like a mis-wire on your part or the factory's part when they made the motors. Please let us know what happened. We all are only as good as the problems we encounter.

I think this is now pointing to incorrect screws for motor mounts - which sorta explains it... maybe... The longer screws shorted everything out. Big badda skzzzt.
 
ladykate said:
Newlineliving said:
I would agree with Ladykate. I am an electrical contractor and it sounds like a mis-wire on your part or the factory's part when they made the motors. Please let us know what happened. We all are only as good as the problems we encounter.

I think this is now pointing to incorrect screws for motor mounts - which sorta explains it... maybe... The longer screws shorted everything out. Big badda skzzzt.

Yes, just to be clear, it was the screws. The stock screws are 2mm too long. Even tightened down all the way, the motor still turns freely leading one to believe that they're ok.
 
lgeist said:
ladykate said:
Newlineliving said:
I would agree with Ladykate. I am an electrical contractor and it sounds like a mis-wire on your part or the factory's part when they made the motors. Please let us know what happened. We all are only as good as the problems we encounter.

I think this is now pointing to incorrect screws for motor mounts - which sorta explains it... maybe... The longer screws shorted everything out. Big badda skzzzt.

Yes, just to be clear, it was the screws. The stock screws are 2mm too long. Even tightened down all the way, the motor still turns freely leading one to believe that they're ok.

Yes, the long screws ARE the problem if you have the AIMDROIX Aluminum Arms. I had the same problem as Igeist but not nearly as bad and the only difference between his and my setup was that I was using the E300 Propulsion System. In the Naza Software, everything tested fine, even Motor Test. But on Motor Initiate (startup) 2 of the ESC's burned up and 5 of the 6 motors spun slowly. I had unsoldered the ESC's when I saw the 1st ESC go up in smoke and I thought that was my only problem. After reading about Igeist's problem, I reconnected the remaining 5 and found another one smoked. I removed it, mounted the Motors with the smaller screws and Voila, the remaining 4 worked except one motor hesitated on start-up and then started. That exercise PROVED it was the screws that caused the problems. I sent a letter to AIMDROIX explaining what had happened to the 2 of us and it appears that in the future, they will be including screws with the arms.
Personally, I'd rather they put a piece of paper in with the arms saying NOT to use the STOCK M3 Screw package that comes from DJI for the Motors or do both, the warning and the screws as people may think the screws are for different brand motors.
 
Success, finally! New E300 Propulsion System and AimDroix Aluminum Arms with CORRECT size screws and no fire this time.
A few more test flights and then ready to mount gimbal and FPV, then start tweaking the Futaba 14SG with Ian's profile. :)
 

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Just an FYI on the AIMDROIX Aluminum Arms, I just received an email from AIMDROIX and this is what they stated:
Thanks for letting us know your concern. We will take it consideration. From now on we will include 4 M3x6mm screws with each arm.

What they are taking into consideration is a Warning Label about the screws and DJI Motors.
 
lgeist said:
Success, finally! New E300 Propulsion System and AimDroix Aluminum Arms with CORRECT size screws and no fire this time.
A few more test flights and then ready to mount gimbal and FPV, then start tweaking the Futaba 14SG with Ian's profile. :)

I notice you have your battery on top, do you keep it there even when you have your GoPro Mounted? Just curious about your COG.
 
FangsCPO said:
lgeist said:
Success, finally! New E300 Propulsion System and AimDroix Aluminum Arms with CORRECT size screws and no fire this time.
A few more test flights and then ready to mount gimbal and FPV, then start tweaking the Futaba 14SG with Ian's profile. :)

I notice you have your battery on top, do you keep it there even when you have your GoPro Mounted? Just curious about your COG.

I haven't mounted my Zenmuse yet. I have only two test flights on it so far and want to get at least a few more before I start hanging more stuff on it. Will reevaluate COG once I have Zenmuse, GoPro, FPV and iosd Mini installed. I'll hopefully get around to it next week when I get home and will post an update then.
 
lgeist said:
Success, finally! New E300 Propulsion System and AimDroix Aluminum Arms with CORRECT size screws and no fire this time.
A few more test flights and then ready to mount gimbal and FPV, then start tweaking the Futaba 14SG with Ian's profile. :)
Nice build...

What kind of time do you get out of the Maddog Battery with your 'barebones' (no gimbal, gopro, fpv, etc...) configuration?
 
PJA said:
lgeist said:
Success, finally! New E300 Propulsion System and AimDroix Aluminum Arms with CORRECT size screws and no fire this time.
A few more test flights and then ready to mount gimbal and FPV, then start tweaking the Futaba 14SG with Ian's profile. :)
Nice build...

What kind of time do you get out of the Maddog Battery with your 'barebones' (no gimbal, gopro, fpv, etc...) configuration?

Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to test endurance with my Maddog 5,000's or my Onyx 6,400 yet. I've only made two 5 minute flights and then had to leave town on business. I can't wait to get home to resume testing!

On another note, I noticed today that DJI dropped the prices on their S-800 packages significantly. It might be time to sell my 550 and move up :)
 
Just had a similar experience with a new F550. Only my ESCs didn't burn... the bottom board started smoking at the connection of one of the ESCs. I tested it and there was continuity across the positive and negative contacts so I de-soldered all connections and used electrical tape paint over the part that had smoked. I plugged the battery in and a small fire started immediately at the point where it was smoking earlier. I unplugged it and it went out. Before all of this I had gotten to the point where I could configure it and ran all of the tests without any problem. This was my final check before taking it out to fly. I hadn't changed anything between the successful configuration and the second one where it started smoking. In my case, it has to be a defective bottom board... there's nothing else connected to it at this point.
 

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