Props change & general maintenance p3s

[MalteseKev]

Hi All, have just purchased a p3s and love it. Have been getting aquatinted over a few flights now, but experienced a flip close to landing 0.5m off the ground and snapped one prop, what would your recommendation be re the other 3, should they always be changed in sets?

Also, is there any other general maintenance to carry out on these birds to keep them happy?

This forum has already helped me so much on the set up. Thanks for eveything.

Kev

 

[gingerbloke]

Specifically with props - never assume they're balanced just because they're new.

I never do any checks/maintenance on my two P3, other than checking for cracks around the motor mounts and to make sure the battery contacts are clean.

 

[solentlife]

Because you buy props in sets - I would suggest replace all in one go - but you can keep the '3' as spares in case you have need in the field.

Check those '3' thoroughly ... that includes flexing blades to see if any cracks etc. Give them a good wipe of with wet rag to see if anything evident ... any nicks are reason discard. I always snap blade of bad props to avoid them getting back into circulation !

BALANCE all props before first fitting and repeat at reasonable intervals ... if no incidents of props touching etc. - then 1 or 2x a year balance check.

Maintenance ? Give model and gear a nice wipe down after use ....

I bought a battery bay clip in door so that no dust etc. can get in when not in use. Surprised that DJI do not supply one in the box.

Nigel

 

[Great Pumpkin]

Because you buy props in sets - I would suggest replace all in one go - but you can keep the '3' as spares in case you have need in the field.

Check those '3' thoroughly ... that includes flexing blades to see if any cracks etc. Give them a good wipe of with wet rag to see if anything evident ... any nicks are reason discard. I always snap blade of bad props to avoid them getting back into circulation !

BALANCE all props before first fitting and repeat at reasonable intervals ... if no incidents of props touching etc. - then 1 or 2x a year balance check.

Maintenance ? Give model and gear a nice wipe down after use ....

I bought a battery bay clip in door so that no dust etc. can get in when not in use. Surprised that DJI do not supply one in the box.

Nigel

I respectfully disagree with the necessity to change and balance props based solely on my own experience. I flew a P2V with a knicked prop for many weeks with no problems, and I have never felt the need to balance props as long as they are DJI props. In fact, one of my P2V props had about 1/2" of its tip missing - and it still flew great. Still and all, I changed out all 4 props eventually, and it flew no better than with the knicks.

 

[MalteseKev]

Because you buy props in sets - I would suggest replace all in one go - but you can keep the '3' as spares in case you have need in the field.

Check those '3' thoroughly ... that includes flexing blades to see if any cracks etc. Give them a good wipe of with wet rag to see if anything evident ... any nicks are reason discard. I always snap blade of bad props to avoid them getting back into circulation !

BALANCE all props before first fitting and repeat at reasonable intervals ... if no incidents of props touching etc. - then 1 or 2x a year balance check.

Maintenance ? Give model and gear a nice wipe down after use ....

I bought a battery bay clip in door so that no dust etc. can get in when not in use. Surprised that DJI do not supply one in the box.

Nigel

 

[solentlife]

I respectfully disagree with the necessity to change and balance props based solely on my own experience. I flew a P2V with a knicked prop for many weeks with no problems, and I have never felt the need to balance props as long as they are DJI props. In fact, one of my P2V props had about 1/2" of its tip missing - and it still flew great. Still and all, I changed out all 4 props eventually, and it flew no better than with the knicks.

You may not have noticed any problem - but imagine the 'hyper-vibration' you probably subjected your model to.

I can honestly put hand on heart and say : Having over 50 flight ready models of various formats including various Multi-rotors - balanced props fly and sound better. Are kinder on airframes.

If you have ever heard a 3D plane model of built-up construction when an unbalanced prop is on it - you would appreciate the value of balancing. The radio gear and frame will thank-you for it,.

Flying with nicked props or with any damage IMHO is foolhardy and I find it wrong to suggest its OK to do. There are new owners reading this sort of thread who can be mislead into false arena ... could in fact end up with a prop failure and crash of the model or even injuring someone.

Sorry but I respectfully point to the wide world of RC and general advice of NOT using damaged or unbalanced props. Its not just me that says it ... the vast majority of RC flyers in fact support it. Go online and ask ...

Nigel

 

[MalteseKev]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for such a quick response!

I’ll check over the remaining blades and keep as emergency replacements. Do you have any experiences with non-dji to dji props?
Seen lots to choose from on eBay and bit nervous to purchase non branded. Great tip on the battery cover, will look into.

All the best for now.

Kev

 

[kromar]

I’m new to real quads but everything I hear is props should be balanced. Half of my new P3S props were out of balance

 

[Great Pumpkin]

You may not have noticed any problem - but imagine the 'hyper-vibration' you probably subjected your model to.

I can honestly put hand on heart and say : Having over 50 flight ready models of various formats including various Multi-rotors - balanced props fly and sound better. Are kinder on airframes.

If you have ever heard a 3D plane model of built-up construction when an unbalanced prop is on it - you would appreciate the value of balancing. The radio gear and frame will thank-you for it,.

Flying with nicked props or with any damage IMHO is foolhardy and I find it wrong to suggest its OK to do. There are new owners reading this sort of thread who can be mislead into false arena ... could in fact end up with a prop failure and crash of the model or even injuring someone.

Sorry but I respectfully point to the wide world of RC and general advice of NOT using damaged or unbalanced props. Its not just me that says it ... the vast majority of RC flyers in fact support it. Go online and ask ...

Nigel

I respect your opinions based on your experience, Nigel. I was just expressing mine based on my own. You give cogent reasons for flying with undamaged props, and I do understand how unbalanced props could seriously affect flight mechanics and dynamics. I have never found my P3P props to be out of balance, and so have never needed to consider that a problem.

 

[LarBear360]

My P3S tipped a couple of times, of course these always happened the day I left the prop guards off. Nevertheless, they are all in great shape. Plus I purchased a prop balancer thingy and touched them all up like new.I've had the prop guards installed since day one and have not found any cracks.

Honestly I think the auto-land feature is a better pilot than I am when it comes to landing.

 

[Bad Brad]

I about once a month check all screws they can loosen up keep up on it if the body cracks replace it their cheep, the phantom 3 is a amazing machine and I love mine it’s bad to the bone

 

[solentlife]

My P3S tipped a couple of times, of course these always happened the day I left the prop guards off. Nevertheless, they are all in great shape. Plus I purchased a prop balancer thingy and touched them all up like new.I've had the prop guards installed since day one and have not found any cracks.

Honestly I think the auto-land feature is a better pilot than I am when it comes to landing.

Can I respectfully suggest practice manual landing ? There will be a time that you will need it.

Auto Landing - I rarely use it because it does have a tendency to lead to 'tip-overs' ...

Nigel

 

[LarBear360]

Can I respectfully suggest practice manual landing ? There will be a time that you will need it.

Auto Landing - I rarely use it because it does have a tendency to lead to 'tip-overs' ...

Nigel

I land manually 99% of the time. And the few tip-overs I've had were my fault. Prop guards paid for themselves several times. Auto-Land has worked perfect every time.

 

[solentlife]

I land manually 99% of the time. And the few tip-overs I've had were my fault. Prop guards paid for themselves several times. Auto-Land has worked perfect every time.

..... there's always an exception to the norm !!

Most people on the forums advise against full auto land for the Tip Over reason.

No worries.

Nigel

 

[MalteseKev]

..... there's always an exception to the norm !!

Most people on the forums advise against full auto land for the Tip Over reason.

No worries.

Nigel

 

[MalteseKev]

Hi guys,

This is the first time I’ve heard of the tip over, which seems to be experienced by quiet a few of us... does anyone know the main causes and what to avoid to prevent it from happening.

Many thanks

 

[solentlife]

Auto Land means it lands where it lands ... no regard for ground condition etc.

Tip Over can happen.

Manual landing gives you the decision on what patch to land on.

Another that can cause the Tip Over ... is the Two Sticks Down / IN CSC motor stop ...
If you land and do that - it only needs one stick to be ahead of other ... over she goes.
Best to do LEFT stick down and hold.

Nigel

 

[MalteseKev]

Auto Land means it lands where it lands ... no regard for ground condition etc.

Tip Over can happen.

Manual landing gives you the decision on what patch to land on.

Another that can cause the Tip Over ... is the Two Sticks Down / IN CSC motor stop ...
If you land and do that - it only needs one stick to be ahead of other ... over she goes.
Best to do LEFT stick down and hold.

Nigel

 

[solentlife]

Why do you keep repeating my posts with no comment of yours ?

Nigel

 

[MalteseKev]

I see, interesting point about the CSC, I think that I tried that to kill the motors on landing last time I had a tip over, and there was a good chance the sticks were miss timed... left stick down for me from now on.

Thanks for the feed back.