Wookong-M issue

[ANX james]

Hey all,

My issue is a single motor that will slow and stop after about a minute of hovering.

My setup:
-SkyHero Spyder 1000mm frame
-Wookong-M autopilot (just upgraded FW to 5.26)
-x8 configuration (just upgraded from x4)
-power is one (or maybe a second if needed) 8000 mAh 5s LiPo
-ESCs are 40A with SimonK firmware
-Motors are t-motor mn3515-15 kv400

Other details:
-After I land it, I can hear the motor beeping quickly for a minute or so and then stops, after which I can't arm it with the others. I'll power it off, and then 10 minutes later I can arm it with the others and it acts like it's ready to fly.
-I've tried replacing the motor and it does the same thing.
-Re-calibrating the ESC (setting throttle max/min) won't affect anything.
-Problem only happens after hovering for a minute or so; not if just on the ground running, nor if props are removed and I run the motor directly from the receiver. (I've changed out the ESC while running directly from the receiver, and I can't get the motor to fail as it does while hovering.)

Puzzling. Thanks for your thoughts, all.

 

[Blue Collar]

I say it is either a bad esc or one of your motor mount screws is just slightly to long and is rubbing on the motor. Make sure the motor spins freely.

 

[fltundra]

-After I land it, I can hear the motor beeping quickly for a minute or so and then stops, after which I can't arm it with the others.

Sounds to me like a temperature warning or maybe an over current warning. Not sure.. check the manual. That's at least how the warnings work with my castles. Different patterns of beeping for different parameters.

 

[ANX james]

Motor spins okay... ESC is brand new, and I've tried swapping it for others... Can't get it to fail on the bench, only after hovering for a bit.

I've been looking for beeping codes online; no manual with the motors or ESCs. I'll keep looking; there's got to be some info out there somewhere. If you know of a good source, let me know?
I did try running that motor alone at 50% for a while to see if it heated up, but nothing unusual...

Thanks again,...

 

[Motopreserve]

Which brand of ESCs?

It sounds to me like what @fltundra mentioned, that the ESC is hitting a point where a safety shut-down kicks in. Either temp or current.

Are your ESCs inside the booms?

 

[ANX james]

Nope, ESCs are all on the central frame; they were burning out too much for me to believe they were staying cool enough in there, even with just one for each arm. ESCs are dys, with simonk firmware.

The beeping comes from the motor itself... Both the old motor and the brand new one.

 

[fltundra]

Nope, ESCs are all on the central frame; they were burning out too much for me to believe they were staying cool enough in there, even with just one for each arm. ESCs are dys, with simonk firmware.

The beeping comes from the motor itself... Both the old motor and the brand new one.

Esc tone is normal for you to here at the motor.
What do you mean by "burning out" ?? Unless they are mounted in direct prop wash, they definitely can be overheating, as moto suggested.
To be safe I would replace them. Do you know how much current draw of each, and total of all motors in hover?

 

[fltundra]

I did try running that motor alone at 50% for a while to see if it heated up, but nothing unusual...

You won't replicate the isssue running the motor static at 50%.
You have to remember in flight,(hover) the esc's are consistently changing throttle. Current spikes, and changing loads are what your not going to see the way your testing.

 

[Motopreserve]

As far as I know - the beeping is created by the ESC (indicating # of cells, for calibration, or other messages etc).

I knew these frames had issues with the ESCs running too hot inside the booms (the TTRobotix clone and Gryphon as well).

It seems to me that the ESCs must be the culprit - especially since it will "correct" itself after sitting for 10 minutes (cooling?). Also, the motor has no smart technology to shut itself off.

 

[ANX james]

Thanks, guys...

You've got me thinking in a couple different directions...
-Now I want to try the questionable ESC on a different arm to see if it will fail there as well.
-If I try a 45 or 50A ESC, will that increase its longevity? I don't know why a brand new ESC would fail right out of the box unless there was another issue present or it was just plain faulty...
-Along those lines, if I suspect the ESC is an off-brand and try something of purported higher quality (and same amperage), do I need to replace all 8?

I think what I'll try next is swapping the ESC to a different location/motor and see if it will fail at hover...

Thanks again for the help, guys..

 

[fltundra]

View attachment 26040

 

[Motopreserve]

@fltundra - are these the ESCs he has?

I would say that the ESCs you have need to be matched to the motor amp draw - so if the specs show under 40A (by a safe margin), you should be fine with the size you have.

ESCs can be bad. Numerous reasons. Definitely test the ESC the way you did the motor to see if the issue follows the ESC.

 

[ANX james]

ESC pic attached. ...I don't think the codes in fltundra's chart would help diagnose accurately, but perhaps they're similar.

My motors are supposed to draw 30A max continuous... right now all of my ESCs are identical, but I'm beginning to doubt their quality. If I switch one at a time (or 4, perhaps) will it mess me up?

Will post again after I try rearranging motor/esc combo...

Thanks, y'all...


View attachment 26041

 

[ANX james]

Tried the ESC on a different motor, after about 2 minutes of hovering, it failed similarly. Time to change that ESC.

 

[Motopreserve]

You definitely want to swap the ESC for the same manufacturer (and firmware). Otherwise you have to swap all 8.

Glad you traced the issue.

 

[ANX james]

So with that new ESC she hovered for 9 min, which is good for all that added motor weight. Thanks for the thoughts, all..

One more question, because now I'm really doubting the quality of these DYS ESCs... I'm okay with replacing all of my ESCs with better ones if they'll last longer, but where do I look for feedback on which ones are good for multis?

 

[Hexacrafter]

Per our experiences a 40a esc is too small for the 3515- 400 kva....
45a minimum, but we use T-motor t60a.... No Simon K for us....
you need a bigger amp ESC for sure....

 

[Motopreserve]

@Hexacrafter how much headroom are you typically looking for?

@ANX james Favorite ESCs are a little like 'best motor oil.' Bound to create an endless thread with no clear winner

I'd recommend doing a little research and determine your budget. Then you should be able to figure out a good choice.

 

[fltundra]

Per our experiences a 40a esc is too small for the 3515- 400 kva....
45a minimum, but we use T-motor t60a.... No Simon K for us....
you need a bigger amp ESC for sure....

Thanks Andrew, you beat me to it! I was going to suggest the castle Edge Lite HV 60.

 

[fltundra]

Favorite ESCs are a little like 'best motor oil.

That is not the case. But better discussed elsewhere.