If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 READ!

slothead · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

robinb said:
slothead said:

Something just dawned on me.

I haven't read all the recent posts that are now on this thread (I don't have that much time), but In one of those sets of photos, I thought I saw a "V2" identification on the ESC. If we know for sure that the motors in that image are the newer V3 version (I can't remember the new number), and they are being driven with the old ESCs, what those images show is exactly what I would expect to happen: ESC overheats and MOSFETs short, allowing high current through the "new" wiring to the motors, and everything looks burned up.

The above may not be the case (I'm not sure what motors and what ESCs were in use there), but whatever the case, I would strongly recommend that you don't use new motors with old ESCs because it is very likely you will experience what those images show. (I think this caution was stated by DJI some time ago.)

Click to expand...

From what I understand the V3's are using V2 ESC's though on DJI forum there is mention of a newer software on these.

I am surprised that you heard there was any software on the ESCs. I didn't think (but really don't know) that there is any processor or memory on-board the ESC to employ software. Generally (in my experience) ESCs are only circuits that translate processor drive commands to motor-driving pulses. I'm not sure what DJI might have dreamed up as a smart driver. I am even more surprised that DJI would use the old ESCs since I thought it was they who warned NOT to use them. Thanks for your input.

robinb · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Both

robinb · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

slothead said:
robinb said:

slothead said:

Something just dawned on me.

I haven't read all the recent posts that are now on this thread (I don't have that much time), but In one of those sets of photos, I thought I saw a "V2" identification on the ESC. If we know for sure that the motors in that image are the newer V3 version (I can't remember the new number), and they are being driven with the old ESCs, what those images show is exactly what I would expect to happen: ESC overheats and MOSFETs short, allowing high current through the "new" wiring to the motors, and everything looks burned up.

The above may not be the case (I'm not sure what motors and what ESCs were in use there), but whatever the case, I would strongly recommend that you don't use new motors with old ESCs because it is very likely you will experience what those images show. (I think this caution was stated by DJI some time ago.)

Click to expand...

From what I understand the V3's are using V2 ESC's though on DJI forum there is mention of a newer software on these.

Click to expand...

I am surprised that you heard there was any software on the ESCs. I didn't think (but really don't know) that there is any processor or memory on-board the ESC to employ software. Generally (in my experience) ESCs are only circuits that translate processor drive commands to motor-driving pulses. I'm not sure what DJI might have dreamed up as a smart driver. I am even more surprised that DJI would use the old ESCs since I thought it was they who warned NOT to use them. Thanks for your input.

The software version information came from the DJI forum.

Mori55 · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

I have a us with upgraded v3 motors. The esc in it are v2. It has the right beep and lights.
I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but my first thought when I was putting the new motors in was. These wired and insulation look to thin and fragile. Even soldering the wires on the esc the insulation wanted to melt off.
IDK , I think it's ******** if I just wasted 100 dollars !! I got my motors from Daves Discount motors and I'm sure he won't refund them. DJI do something about this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who spent the money to upgrade.

jasonb777 · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Got a couple questions for burlbark and hunch. Today Im going to bring my phantom to work with me(family owned car audio business) and Im going to open up the phantom to see if there is enough room for proper routing of a larger gauge multi stranded wire. I have a technician who serviced in field electronics for the United States marine corps here in Jacksonville NC and now that he is retired he just repairs basic electronics. I told him the entire situation and he wanted to know what gauge would allow fitting the motor back into the casing without the wires once again laying on top of one another, and he also mentioned that its best to use silver solder because of the amount of heat being generated; is that what you guys are using? And the third question is will this solve the issue or is the mosfets still a questionable danger? Sorry for all the questions but I would like to resolve this issue and be a benefit to the forum. Hopefully these guys doing their own work are not using cheap solder that cannot withstand the heat.. :idea:

Johngibson · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Hi, just got my phantom 2+ for Christmas and a bit worried about the motor failure. How can I check?

Mori55 · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

So where do u cut the wires ? Aren't they the winding wires too ? So wherever u cut them is a fragile breaking point ??

Eltrochaphantom · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

as also said in the dji forum that maybe it is the same ESC of the v2 and putting a little label on the "new" ESC making people think it is new. Therefore the new motors are outputting to much current to the ESC (if that is the correct way of saying it)

JJM · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Hi, I'm new here. Just got a V3. So everyone keeps saying vibration causes stress on these wires. What if foam or some other material was used to prevent these wires from vibrating so much? Would that help?

Mori55 · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Eltrochaphantom said:
as also said in the dji forum that maybe it is the same ESC of the v2 and putting a little label on the "new" ESC making people think it is new. Therefore the new motors are outputting to much current to the ESC (if that is the correct way of saying it)

There's a whole different sequence with the lights and the old esc beeped 4 times and the newer software versions have one beep. There a thread on here on how to tell what version you have.

Eltrochaphantom · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

JJM said:
Hi, I'm new here. Just got a V3. So everyone keeps saying vibration causes stress on these wires. What if foam or some other material was used to prevent these wires from vibrating so much? Would that help?

As someone else was saying before. The wires may not be the only guilty one. Any sudden interruption of the motor rotation, like a tip-over or a branch will immediately blow up the ESC.

Mori55 · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

JJM said:
Hi, I'm new here. Just got a V3. So everyone keeps saying vibration causes stress on these wires. What if foam or some other material was used to prevent these wires from vibrating so much? Would that help?

No it's not just vibration , it's also the insulation melting off.

rwskinner · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

It would seem they would have some sort of fault protection built in as most BLDC controllers have. I guess anything to keep the cost down and keep selling parts.

BTW, my V3 ESC to motor wiring looked fine after a couple dozen flights. What I did notice is the kinks and the routing. I tried to separate the leads and get them up off the ESC some so they will cool better and not short to each other. About the only big think I saw inside the V3 was the lack of cleaning flux from the main power leads to the motors. Most of the solder looked just okay but the power leads have solder balled up pretty high and there was fluxed flowed all over the edge of the distribution board.

Richard

Luap · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Seems to be some confusion on new and old ESC versions. From different forums this is the info I could find.

All ESC have V2 on the PCB board ( marked in green in attached picture).

The stickers show differently though - marked in red.

Stickers with no version on have Firmware vision 1.xx (that is the pre-Phantom 2 V3)
The "New ESCs" have either
V 2.0 equivalent to fimware 4.02
V2.1 equivalent to firmware 4.06

Apparently v 2.0 FW 4.02 had some bugs so was updated to V2.1 FW 4.06.

budfox · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

This is not true I have a v3 and there is no "v2" printed on the ESCs sticker, however on the ESCs that I bought as spare parts it does say "v2.0" on the sticker. Both the original and spare say "v2" on the motherboad

robinb · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Trouble is there is no way to know what firmware is installed.

Eltrochaphantom · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Luap said:
Seems to be some confusion on new and old ESC versions. From different forums this is the info I could find.

All ESC have V2 on the PCB board ( marked in green in attached picture).

The stickers show differently though - marked in red.

Stickers with no version on have Firmware vision 1.xx (that is the pre-Phantom 2 V3)
The "New ESCs" have either
V 2.0 equivalent to fimware 4.02
V2.1 equivalent to firmware 4.06

Apparently v 2.0 FW 4.02 had some bugs so was updated to V2.1 FW 4.06.

The update. Through the assistant or changing the whole ESC

Luap · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

budfox said:
This is not true I have a v3 and there is no "v2" printed on the ESCs, however on the ESCs that I bought as spare parts it does say "v2.0"

Interesting - so that would mean only the ESC sold as spare parts show a sticker identification V2.x?

That would be bad news as then there is no way to identify what ESC/firmware is being used on the phantom 2 V3 kits.
Do you have a picture with sticker of your ESC from the V3 model ?

Luap · Jan 3, 2015

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Eltrochaphantom said:
Luap said:

Seems to be some confusion on new and old ESC versions. From different forums this is the info I could find.

All ESC have V2 on the PCB board ( marked in green in attached picture).

The stickers show differently though - marked in red.

Stickers with no version on have Firmware vision 1.xx (that is the pre-Phantom 2 V3)
The "New ESCs" have either
V 2.0 equivalent to fimware 4.02
V2.1 equivalent to firmware 4.06

Apparently v 2.0 FW 4.02 had some bugs so was updated to V2.1 FW 4.06.

Click to expand...

The update. Through the assistant or changing the whole ESC

The ESC's firmware can only be updated by DJI (if at all) from what I've read in German forum (one guy going diretly to DJI Germany to have his ESC changed).
http://www.drohnen-forum.de/index.php/T ... /?pageNo=1