Props--- what brands work?

Zlin

Member
I have been using APC props on my HT-FPV frame with Turnigy 2217 motors and they have been working well. Using a 5000mAh battery I get about 12-14 minutes of flight without my GoPRO Hero 2 mounted. I just received four new Graupner e-props today and WOW they are sexy!!! They seemed quieter too but I need to check my current draw and flight time.
 
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Rick~K

Free Bird
This is starting not to turnout the way I'd hoped it would. I emailed and ask about warranty on my lost DJI products. In the past two months I got three kits, two NAZA's, one WK-M with other parts. I lost both a 550 and 450 in two days and the F450 malfunction was in front of a group I was hoping to help a friend do a mass sale of DJI kits too. All these guys were saying they were sure the company would make it right. All I got in a reply was:
Hi,Rick, The previous props are very sensitive. Pls stop using the old props and contact the dealer for strengthened props.

Best regards,

Terry Dajiang Innovation Technology, DJI http://www.dji-innovations.com Tel: 086-0755-26656677 ext:203 Skype: terry.one

I'm still awaiting another reply. These were the 10" props also and not the 8" that I been reading about.

I got a surprise this afternoon, I was emailing Patrick at Aerial Media Pros talking about his conversion for the 550 and where he was out of Country for a couple weeks. I told him about how I never expected a problem like this to get "kicked to the curb". I managed to piece together a 550 from parts my Brother had, but not the best. I got a email later in the day saying "Parts on their way!" Patrick had sent some parts to replace the dented parts I scrounged up. I have been buying from Patrick for a while now and he is someone who takes care of his customers. I'm glad I came across this guy because he's helped my with any issue I've come up against and got my orders right out to me. He's always a email or phone call away.

Thank You Patrick @ http://aerialmediapros.com/
 

janoots2

Member
Graupners, Graupners, Graupners! I started with Graupners, until I blew through a bunch learning to fly - take a tip and don't do that...they are stiff but brittle and do break easy if they hit anything while spinning. Switched to APC, they were great learning to fly and took a beating. Once I got good flying, I installed my gimbal and balanced my APC's with good results. Today I threw my Graupners back on now that I "know what I'm doing" it was night and day. The craft was much smoother/solid sounding and my camera vibration was even lessened more than before. Plus, I didn't even really have to balance the Graupners. It took some work with the APC's and I had to discard two right out of the plastic: One because the hole was drilled off center and the other because the tracking was way off. I won't go back to APC, but they did their job. I was also concerned that I would get shorter flight times with the Graupners, because they need to spin faster. But that wasn't the case at all. My flight time was the exact same, they handled the wind better and the craft came down with cooler motors AND ESC's. Graups for me from now on - if I can find more :)
 
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The set of Graupners I have, all four requires balancing. They are not too far off, but enough that requires some adjustment. Before I put those on, I was using the stock DJI 10" blades, surprise to see two of them were right on. The other two need some work.
 
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snurre

Member
Were to buy Graupner MR props?

I am trying to get a heavy octa (now 5kg, but later 7,5kg with payload) up and running on a WKM fw 5.06, CC Ice 50 esc (fw4.01), APC 14x4,7SF.
So far the results are slightly disappointing. When rate gains are increased to have nice hover stability, it gets bouncy/oscillating and unpleasant.
So I am thinking maybe I can get crispier response by using stiffer props. The APC SF are quite flexible.

So where would you recommend me to purchase 14 inch Graupner CF props, or something equally good?
I live in Scandinavia but I am convenient with buying from anywhere in Europe or USA.
I like suppliers with stock and swift service.

Thanks guys.
 




snurre

Member
Yes, maybe I should consider the Xoar. I see they make 14x5 woodies. Anybody using them? Verdict?
Also I am considering moving from 14x5 (actually 14x4,7SF) to 13x6,5 if that will give me better control response on the WKM.
Though, it would be sooo nice to know if anyone have hands on experience with this matter. Trial and error quickly becomes costly on an octa :dread:
Using the eCalc it seems the 14x4,7SF give me more flight time, but then again... maybe the size / momentum is detrimental to control performance..?
 

JeffM434

Member
New to this site and to Quads, So I would like to say hello to everyone.
On the discussion of the props here is my story >>>>>>>

I have a DJI F-450 with the Naza Controller. I received it about 2 weeks ago and put it together last week.

I took it out this morning 6/7/12 for it's maiden flight, had the 10" props that came with it and using a 4000 mah battery . Flew it for just a couple of minutes when one of the blades flew apart.
Quad rolled upside down and broke the other 3 props.

Put on the 8" props that came with it after about 30 seconds one of the blades came off, was only about 1 1/2' up so was able to set it back down.

After reading these posts about the props along with my experience today I have to say that DJI has not fixed the problem yet.

Have more props on the way, as soon as I get more experience I will get the better props.
 

Sorry to hear this.. can you measure the hub diameter of the 10" and 8" prop that flew apart? BTW, are you using 3S or 4S?

thanks
 
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Rick~K

Free Bird
New to this site and to Quads, So I would like to say hello to everyone.
On the discussion of the props here is my story >>>>>>>

I have a DJI F-450 with the Naza Controller. I received it about 2 weeks ago and put it together last week.

I took it out this morning 6/7/12 for it's maiden flight, had the 10" props that came with it and using a 4000 mah battery . Flew it for just a couple of minutes when one of the blades flew apart.
Quad rolled upside down and broke the other 3 props.

Put on the 8" props that came with it after about 30 seconds one of the blades came off, was only about 1 1/2' up so was able to set it back down.

After reading these posts about the props along with my experience today I have to say that DJI has not fixed the problem yet.

Have more props on the way, as soon as I get more experience I will get the better props.

Hi Jeff and Welcome,

I'll never run DJI props again. There are some lower cost props that run fine like the Genfan or GF and APC's. I'm sure there are more.
 

Stupest

Member
I have the exact same setup as Jeff. I have not had the same problem of prop failure at all. I have also had the my quad for about the same amount of time as Jeff.
 

JeffM434

Member
Hi Little nellie, the prop hub is 5/8" across outside to outside, center of hub is 3/8" and 5/16" thick -- this is on the 10" props. the 8" are gone. it is my understanding and I could be wrong, but I was told to use the 10" props with the 3s and the 8" with the 4s.
I'm using the 3s 11v 4000 mah batteries.

Thanks for the info. Rick~K
 


Hi Little nellie, the prop hub is 5/8" across outside to outside, center of hub is 3/8" and 5/16" thick -- this is on the 10" props. the 8" are gone. ... Thanks for the info. Rick~K

Humm.. from what I understand, the 0.620 hub of the 10" is the new prop.. Might want to get a set of Graupner. They do work well. Since they comes with 8mm hole, no reaming is needed. Or if you have a reamer, Gemfan is also a good choice.

Silas
 
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pootman

Member
Hello All,

I've been thinking about switching out my apc sf11x4.7 props for xoars. Does anyone know where to get xoars pairs in the US? Also, when I switch from apc sf to xoars on my planes I tend to got up a size to get similar power output. Should I go for 12x4's or 12x5's vs 11x5's when switching to xoars? I'm running Avroto motors on MK BL ESCs. Thanks

Lance
 


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