Posts: 69 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 3 in 3 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Sep 2019 Reputation: 0 22-Dec-2019, 05:56 AM (This post was last modified: 22-Dec-2019, 05:40 PM by SnowLeopardFPV. Edit Reason: Corrected typo in the subject. ) Wondering what my next steps should be on a new build. Using an iFlight stack and prior to setup I plugged the FC into Betaflight to update firmware to 4.1.2 or whatever came out today. Everything looked good. It was a for a 6s build, power and motor cables soldered on clean and using a 1000uf 50v capicitor. That's the only soldering since the rest is plug and play. Used a multi-meter to check for obvious shorts. Then used a smoke stopper when I plugged in the battery for the first time and heard the ESC powerup then a little pop. Now the FC doesn't light up or connect to Betaflight. My DJI air unit is also dead now (I know worked from previous build). I don't see any damage to any boards, no idea what happened... Any advise or steps to take? I have a spare iFlight FC and air unit but obviously don't want to ruin two more if it's the ESC. ![[-]](https://intofpv.com/images/collapse.png) The following 1 user Likes dseg's post:1 user Likes dseg's post • Smokie Posts: 12,098 Threads: 125 Likes Received: 3,739 in 2,836 posts Likes Given: 99 Joined: Feb 2017 Reputation: 388 22-Dec-2019, 09:40 AM (This post was last modified: 22-Dec-2019, 09:40 AM by voodoo614.) I would disconnect everything from the FC and see if the FC will power up through the USB or lipo. You want to start troubleshooting if the FC is toasted or something else. Report back with your result. • Posts: 69 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 3 in 3 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Sep 2019 Reputation: 0 The FC doesn’t power up at all now thru USB or lipo.
DJI air unit also doesn’t power up when connecting it another build.
The ESC powers and hear “duh, duh” but misses the last part since the FC is fried.
Wondering if I should remove the smoke stopper and just power the ESC to see if it smokes. • Posts: 21,415 Threads: 595 Likes Received: 9,037 in 6,688 posts Likes Given: 1,428 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 796 22-Dec-2019, 01:27 PM (This post was last modified: 22-Dec-2019, 01:27 PM by SnowLeopardFPV.) What type of smoke stopper are you using? It it a home made light bulb one or a polyfuse one? • Posts: 69 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 3 in 3 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Sep 2019 Reputation: 0 22-Dec-2019, 01:32 PM (This post was last modified: 22-Dec-2019, 01:33 PM by dseg.) (22-Dec-2019, 01:27 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: What type of smoke stopper are you using? It it a home made light bulb one or a polyfuse one? Using this one: Smoke Stopper (XT60) by RDQ and BengineeringLabs - Modern LED Thought these were suppose to prevent everything from frying... • Posts: 21,415 Threads: 595 Likes Received: 9,037 in 6,688 posts Likes Given: 1,428 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 796 (22-Dec-2019, 01:32 PM)dseg Wrote: Using this one:
Smoke Stopper (XT60) by RDQ and BengineeringLabs - Modern LED
Thought these were suppose to prevent everything from frying... Those smoke stoppers don't protect anything. RDQ need to withdraw them from sale and stop selling them. Rather than me repeating what I previously already wrote, I'll just redirect you to that other post... https://intofpv.com/t-smoked-my-first-es...2#pid78092 Unfortunately it won't help you now but a lesson for the future. • Posts: 69 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 3 in 3 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Sep 2019 Reputation: 0 (22-Dec-2019, 01:37 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: Those smoke stoppers don't protect anything. RDQ need to withdraw them from sale and stop selling them. Rather than me repeating what I previously already wrote, I'll just redirect you to that other post...
https://intofpv.com/t-smoked-my-first-es...2#pid78092
Unfortunately it won't help you now but a lesson for the future. Thanks, so get this one instead? When checking with the multi-meter, I check the ground and 5v, is that one FC? My ESC doesn't really have pads besides the two battery and motors. So I check between the battery ground and 5v on FC? When powering new builds, is it better to power the ESC first and see if you have issues. Disconnect battery, connect FC and check for issues. Then connect air unit. That way everything doesn't get fried with an issue? So should I just try to power my ESC without the smoke stopper and see what happens? Trying to figure out if I need a new FC, air unit, and ESC or FC and air unit. Crazy if everything got fried, this is ridiculous... • Posts: 265 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 85 in 61 posts Likes Given: 11 Joined: Aug 2019 Reputation: 3 (22-Dec-2019, 01:32 PM)dseg Wrote: Using this one:
Smoke Stopper (XT60) by RDQ and BengineeringLabs - Modern LED
Thought these were suppose to prevent everything from frying... I saw a video of Joshua Bardwell using of one those, and that thing popped right away! I have one made with a bulb, also from RDQ, lately it's being freaking me put since some parts seems to draw more current and the bulb remains ON, but still, no shirt so far. • Posts: 1,798 Threads: 57 Likes Received: 254 in 227 posts Likes Given: 102 Joined: Aug 2019 Reputation: 12 I hope the title of this thread isn't REALLY the reason something blew on your quad.   Sry. 'Ignore' is the route word of Ignorant.
• Posts: 265 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 85 in 61 posts Likes Given: 11 Joined: Aug 2019 Reputation: 3 22-Dec-2019, 03:41 PM (This post was last modified: 22-Dec-2019, 03:41 PM by CM17X.) (22-Dec-2019, 03:37 PM)bLoWsMokE Wrote: I hope the title of this thread isn't REALLY the reason something blew on your quad.
Sry. I read that and I thought it was a thread by you.  Sorry for yoyr situation, Dseg. And yes, the Smoke Stopper from RDQ you post before (the one with the bulb), It's good, you can buy it or make a better one yourself with Oscar's guide. • Posts: 69 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 3 in 3 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Sep 2019 Reputation: 0 Ah! The title was a mistake, should be something blew.
Okay, so the smoke stopper is garbage.
What should I do now? Plug ESC and see if it catches fire? Throw the ESC away? Any chance of blowing my motors too if I power just the ESC? • Posts: 3,288 Threads: 129 Likes Received: 2,740 in 1,644 posts Likes Given: 2,969 Joined: Apr 2017 Reputation: 65 (22-Dec-2019, 04:17 PM)dseg Wrote: Ah! The title was a mistake, should be something blew.
Okay, so the smoke stopper is garbage.
What should I do now? Plug ESC and see if it catches fire? Throw the ESC away? Any chance of blowing my motors too if I power just the ESC? You could desolder the motors from the ESC for testing and then you know they will be safe. I have had several 4in1 ESC's "blow" a channel and the motors are always fine. Just not happy to have to have to discard 3 good ESC channels. This prompted me to start building with singles and shun 4in1's. SoCal Kaity :D
OMG, no one told me it would be this much fun! Addicted :) • Posts: 69 Threads: 24 Likes Received: 3 in 3 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Sep 2019 Reputation: 0 Think the motors could blow even if they aren’t spinning? • Posts: 3,288 Threads: 129 Likes Received: 2,740 in 1,644 posts Likes Given: 2,969 Joined: Apr 2017 Reputation: 65 (22-Dec-2019, 04:54 PM)dseg Wrote: Think the motors could blow even if they aren’t spinning? Probably not. Unless there is some reason there is a short that bridges the windings, plugging in a pack on a bad ESC will likely result in nothing at all. Dumping amperage across the windings if the motor is mechanically locked WILL burn them, and quickly. SoCal Kaity :D
OMG, no one told me it would be this much fun! Addicted :) • Posts: 12,098 Threads: 125 Likes Received: 3,739 in 2,836 posts Likes Given: 99 Joined: Feb 2017 Reputation: 388 22-Dec-2019, 05:18 PM (This post was last modified: 22-Dec-2019, 05:19 PM by voodoo614.) Yes, a bad ESC can cause the motor to fry. But it is pretty rare. If you don't want to jeopardize all the motors, just use one motor to test all the ESC. I would, pull everything off the ESC. Plug in lipo to 4in1 with real smoke stopper. Test the voltage going to FC. Check continuity on the lipo pads. Solder only one motor to one of the ESC. If you don't have a servo tester, then you plug in your spare FC. Use BFC motor tab to spin motor. If everything works, desolder and onto the next ESC.
Personally, I would have left all the motors and just test to see if all the motors work. |
