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- Jan 9, 2019
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How do you know the supposed failed 0603 part is a capacitor vs. a resistor if unmarked? I only have the schematic for the older P2V+ ESC, though probably quite similar to the newer Phantoms. Only so many ways to get those motors to spin. The MOSFETs gets its drive pulses from a microprocessor controller chip, which in turn energizes the motor windings in sequence. Only resistors in that circuit for setting the MOSFET gate drive levels and voltage sensing (to verify the motors are spinning). Only a few 0.1uf and 1.0uF capacitors on the voltage bus and a voltage regulator output. If you have any electronic skills at all, I would recommend seeing where the failed device traces goes to. Probably to one of the MOSFET ICs. Knowing the pin number and markings on the MOSFET chip could help determine its function. A spark in unsettling. As others have said, that would be caused by a short further down the line (like the motors or wiring), or perhaps that component wasn't soldered correctly on one side making it spark when you applied the heavy load of the motors. Capacitors on the ESC are used primarily for smoothing out the DC voltage on the battery buss from the motor pulses. I would unsolder that component in the event it is shorted out and carefully power it up again. If a failed capacitor, that should not effect how the motors are driven. If a failed resistor, it would alter the gate bias on ONE of the MOSFETs, making ONE of the motors spin with a hiccup. The only real way to know if the motors are getting the proper drive pulses, proper voltage and sequence is to use an oscilloscope. A DVM won't tell you much unless one of the three wires is zero volts. Good luck and let us know what you find.
I googled '0603' capacitor. I'm no expert, but it would make sense to me from my experience working with those little things that they would be capacitors. From your explanation, you may be right but I still don't know why everyone else I've seen calls it a capacitor and why it looks like one.
My experience with electronics is fairly limited. I tried to trace the traces from that blown capacitor/resistor and didn't have much luck. At this point, i've already gotten the drone back up and flying with the new internals, even though it still cost me a bit of money. I'm not going to put that old board back in the drone, but i'd still be interested in fixing it, or at least donating it to the cause of research, if not by my own hands, maybe someone else wants to give it a try.
I did remove the component and I sorta kinda 're-tinned' what remained of the pads (since they kinda got blown apart). I was curious about powering on the drone, and I still could, but I won't have a camera to use and I'm not pulling the one off my drone. I don't need to see the whole thing running and all, but I could at least hear the beep and see the LEDs on and motors twitching, right? (or at least 3 of them) Thoughts? It's worth a try, what do I have to lose? I've got tons of spare parts now XD
Thanks for the continued support as always!
-Benji