Prop motor

[WARRIK]

I finished about 20 minutes of flying my zoom and as I was folding it up I noticed one of the prop motors (L/R) seemed much warmer than the rest...anyone know if this is normal?

 

[TineT]

Have you checked the condition of your propellers? If the prop with the warmer motor is damaged somehow, the motor needs to turn faster to provide same lift as the other props. This would explain why it ran hotter.

 

[WARRIK]

I didn't see any issues with it but I can swap it out and see it there is a difference...thanks...

 

[ff22]

I finished about 20 minutes of flying my zoom and as I was folding it up I noticed one of the prop motors (L/R) seemed much warmer than the rest...anyone know if this is normal?

I am not really very knowledgeable but might that motor have been doing more work as you were flying/landing it. Looking at sites that show how these things do what they do - left, right, forward, back, turn, drop and climb the props/motors do work differently from each other to allow all those different movements.

 

[FoxhallGH]

The motor should turn very freely with no prop's on. You should feel a slight 'buzz' in your fingertips as each of the armatures pass the magnets mounted on the inside of the external 'cup' part of the motor that the prop's mount onto. Don't expect the cup to spin freely - as the magnets stop it as soon as you take your fingers off. Check the three motors that didn't seem to be so hot, and compare the way they feel when you turn them, with the way that the 'hot' motor feels. It could be that the bearings are failing in the hot motor, or it could be that the bearings have got fouled with grass etc.

 

[WARRIK]

Ok so if I am thinking it may be fouled can I use a shot of compressed air on them as a method of cleaning?

 

[FoxhallGH]

Can't hurt, but you may find that what's fouling the bearings, is dry grass fibres that are wound around the shafts. Unfortunately, they would need a lot closer attention.

 

[WARRIK]

Thanks, I will check this pm and post results...I have never taken off or landed this drone in or near grass though...a slightly bent prop would not surprise me though as the carry all I was using until recently was a pretty tight fit...

 

[FoxhallGH]

Thanks, I will check this pm and post results...I have never taken off or landed this drone in or near grass though...a slightly bent prop would not surprise me though as the carry all I was using until recently was a pretty tight fit...

You might want to consider taking the prop's off when you fold up the drone. There has been a lot of debate regarding the merits of that, but personally, I pack my prop's separately in a small bag in my carry-box. That way, they are each inspected pre and post-flight.

 

[DanMan32]

I take my props off too. I always feel that they might otherwise get warped when in the Fly-More bag.

 

[Thomas B]

I take my props off too. I always feel that they might otherwise get warped when in the Fly-More bag.

And potentially stress the motor shafts/bearings too.