Motors just jitter back and forth

[Televisionaryguy]

Out of the blue, my Phantom2 suddenly has developed an issue where instead of going into idle, the motors only jitter about a quarter of an inch back and forth without going into normal rotation. It will not go into powered flight mode. I have upgraded to latest firmware and there have been no crashes. Any ideas are welcome. I am grounded right now.

 

[Bcook01]

Any solution?

I have new one that has same problem with one rotor right out of the box.

How many act up? Have you tried calibrating the controller?

Bob

 

[Big Ben]

You didn't by any chance remove prop guards... and used the same screws again... two of which are then too long and will reach inside the motors shorting them and frying them and possibly the ESC's too?

 

[Televisionaryguy]

Seriously, Big Ben?! That can happen?! Why, why, why wouldn't there be a serious warning about that when you buy the prop guards? And why would it even be possible to short out a motor with too long screws?! That is a serious design flaw. Yes, I MAY very well have done just that. So I'm looking at replacing all the motors and maybe the ESCs? Wow. How does one even go about doing that?

Ok, thanks for your insight.

 

[Big Ben]

I knew about this 'problem' before I bought my Phantom because I had read about it on the Internet. You're at least the third or fourth experiencing this and reporting it on this forum since I became active here around four months ago so I immediately recognise the 'symptoms'.

I completely agree DJI should write a warning with big red letters on the box to prevent this from happening but apparently they rather take people's money for the replacement parts. If it would have happened to me I would find that completely unacceptable and I would hold DJI responsible for the damage and I'd inform them I'd expect them to repair the damage 'under warranty' or whatever they want to call it with no cost at all to the user.

Depending on where you live you could very well have solid legal grounds to hold DJI accountable for the damages. I would certainly write them an e-mail informing them about my point of view. If enough people experience this it's a matter of time before some kind of class-action suit will be filed.

 

[jimdenburg]

There is a warning in the instructions...in red too!

 

[UrAwFuL]

Yeah, the screws need to be colored differently and there should be a big fat red label on the box.

Definitely need to replace the motors, but I think the ESCs should be fine.

 

[Big Ben]

From what I've read these instructions are not present with all guards. But it's also not enough. Such an expensive mishap deserves a much clearer warning in huge letter on the outside of the box. I did a quick search and found another 9 threads about people experiencing this.

Surely there can be only one adequate response to this. A BIG WARNING ON THE BOX!!! And yeah. People should take better note of the instructions. But it is also a KNOWN FACT that too many people don't and it is the job of the manufacturer to take this human factor into account.

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[Big Ben]

The guards should also come with four stickers you can put on each arm near the guards which warn in red letters: "WHEN REMOVING PROP GUARDS USE ORIGINAL SHORT SCREWS AGAIN TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO MOTORS" in case people have forgotten the warning in/on the box after extended use of the guards.

It's basically the same principle as all the "Remove Before Flight" warning labels which are in ubiquitous use in 'real' aviation. If you don't warn/remind people they are prone to forget such things.

 

[jimdenburg]

The guards should also come with four stickers you can put on each arm near the guards which warn in red letters: "WHEN REMOVING PROP GUARDS USE ORIGINAL SHORT SCREWS AGAIN TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO MOTORS" in case people have forgotten the warning in/on the box after extended use of the guards.

It's basically the same principle as all the "Remove Before Flight" warning labels which are in ubiquitous use in 'real' aviation. If you don't warn/remind people they are prone to forget such things.

I bet the OP won't forget again.

 

[F6Rider]

OK, I am going to be the bad guy here. it all depends on where you bought the prop guards from, DJI or a 3rd party. If you got them from dji then yes, there should be a big red warning on the box not to reuse the longer screws, but if you got them from a 3rd party then you can't hold dji responsible as no one I know warrants a after market add on. When I got my guards I noticed right away that the screws were longer than the OEM ones, and by using them without the guards would push further into the motor housing, never a good option. I hope you got the guards from dji so you have a basis for a case.