Motor Balance

ApogeeAir · Aug 10, 2015

Is there a method to activate a single motor at a time for balancing?
My props are balanced; I'd like to test the motors as well...
Thanks!

Rich · Aug 11, 2015

You can do this in mission planner

ApogeeAir · Aug 11, 2015

Rich said:
You can do this in mission planner

Thank you. Downloaded last night but got sidetracked listening to Perseid meteor shower on ham radio. Hope to try motor balance tonight.

Rich · Aug 11, 2015

You're welcome. See the motor test menu to turn on one motor at a time.

Scott Bush · Aug 12, 2015

Rich said:
You can do this in mission planner

What if you don't have android phone or tablet? Any other way?
Thanks,
Scott

Jubalr · Aug 12, 2015

Scott Bush said:
What if you don't have android phone or tablet? Any other way?
Thanks,
Scott

Mission Planner runs on Windows PCs, and I believe there is a Mac version but heard it has a few less features...
http://3drobotics.com/download_software/

ApogeeAir · Aug 13, 2015

Motor control under Mission Planner worked perfectly! I connected Android Tower, Apple Solo Ap, and MP @ same time. All worked well.
Using a vibration ap, I only had to balance 3 motors. Noticeable difference noted on Z axis after tune-up.
So much fun I might take the balancing tape off and do it all again!
Thanks.

Barry Mews · Aug 13, 2015

ApogeeAir said:
Motor control under Mission Planner worked perfectly! I connected Android Tower, Apple Solo Ap, and MP @ same time. All worked well.
Using a vibration ap, I only had to balance 3 motors. Noticeable difference noted on Z axis after tune-up.
So much fun I might take the balancing tape off and do it all again!
Thanks.

make a video and share your knowledge. There'll be a plethora of folk who would appreciate the guidance.

Jubalr · Aug 13, 2015

Barry Mews said:
make a video and share your knowledge. There'll be a plethora of folk who would appreciate the guidance.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rc+motor+balancing

Barry Mews · Aug 13, 2015

Jubalr said:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rc+motor+balancing

there's a bunch... but NONE balancing the solo... That's your USP. ;-)

Jubalr · Aug 13, 2015

Barry Mews said:
there's a bunch... but NONE balancing the solo... That's your USP. ;-)

USP?

Sorry Barry, didn't realize the Solo motors were different.
You can use the above videos for how they apply the tape to find the sweet spot on the motors.

Dl Mission Planner..http://ardupilot.com/downloads/
Dl vibration app Android..https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.sira.vibration&hl=en
Apple Version..https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vibration-analysis/id817385888?mt=8
Remove props!
Run MP, connect to SOLO and go to motor test section.
Secure phone to top of SOLO or the software is sensitive enough to leave on hard surface with Solo.
Pick a motor to start with in MP. Run that motor and note vibration levels. Per the videos, place small piece of tape on motor and rerun to see if better/worse. Rinse/repeat until no longer improving, move to next motor.

Note that the underlined section above is specific to SOLO.

Barry Mews · Aug 13, 2015

Jubalr said:
USP?

Sorry Barry, didn't realize the Solo motors were different.
You can use the above videos for how they apply the tape to find the sweet spot on the motors.

Dl Mission Planner..http://ardupilot.com/downloads/
Dl vibration app Android..https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.sira.vibration&hl=en
Apple Version..https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vibration-analysis/id817385888?mt=8
Remove props!
Run MP, connect to SOLO and go to motor test section.
Secure phone to top of SOLO or the software is sensitive enough to leave on hard surface with Solo.
Pick a motor to start with in MP. Run that motor and note vibration levels. Per the videos, place small piece of tape on motor and rerun to see if better/worse. Rinse/repeat until no longer improving, move to next motor.

Note that the underlined section above is specific to SOLO.

thank you.

Timmytimetravel · Sep 15, 2015

So. Would like to try this. Might have to wait a week until near a windows pc for mission planner. )Osx version does not seem to have motor test. Thought I read another thread talked about using iseismometer on iOS but can't find thread with search.

So do you really put tape on the inside of the plastic shrouds on a solo motor pod? Or is it more like to identify a bad motor/ replace that pod?

tesmithp · Sep 15, 2015

ApogeeAir said:
...got sidetracked listening to Perseid meteor shower on ham radio...

Forgive me, but I'm completely ignorant of whatever you're talking about here. Were you listening to people talk about shooting stars or listening to some sort of interference caused by meteorites entering the atmosphere?

RichWest · Sep 15, 2015

This just keep getting better and better...was just pondering balancing motor and props a week ago. Thanks to all that knew the answers and provided guidance....

Edit to add: Video I just watched and want to refer to later when Solo is in hand. Long and maybe to involved for most.

And to correct words...

Rich · Sep 16, 2015

tesmithp said:
Forgive me, but I'm completely ignorant of whatever you're talking about here. Were you listening to people talk about shooting stars or listening to some sort of interference caused by meteorites entering the atmosphere?

Fyi, hams bounce signals off the meteorite trails through the ionosphere.

Doug Benson · Dec 7, 2015

Jubalr said:
USP?

Sorry Barry, didn't realize the Solo motors were different.
You can use the above videos for how they apply the tape to find the sweet spot on the motors.

Dl Mission Planner..Downloads | ArduPilot
Dl vibration app Android..Vibration Meter - Android Apps on Google Play
Apple Version..Vibration analysis on the App Store
Remove props!
Run MP, connect to SOLO and go to motor test section.
Secure phone to top of SOLO or the software is sensitive enough to leave on hard surface with Solo.
Pick a motor to start with in MP. Run that motor and note vibration levels. Per the videos, place small piece of tape on motor and rerun to see if better/worse. Rinse/repeat until no longer improving, move to next motor.

Note that the underlined section above is specific to SOLO.

I finally got Mission Planner and I finally got connected and I finally found the motor test page....
but when I hit the start motor A or any motor, Solo does its normal beeps, goes into the flashing colored light mode as in the video above and does a few more beeps and shuts down.

or rather goes back into stand by mode.
Any thoughts?
I haven't loaded the firm ware, do I need to do that with the USB? Is there a thread describing how to do that?
Too tired to think anymore tonight.

RichWest · Dec 7, 2015

Bump up your throttle percentage to at least 50%, it defaults to 5%.

Doug Benson · Dec 8, 2015

RichWest said:
Bump up your throttle percentage to at least 50%, it defaults to 5%.

You Da Man, Thanks!

Doug Benson · Dec 8, 2015

OK wow! I cant believe how much difference there is between each motor? What the hell 3DR?

What kind of crappy bearings did you use that I have to know pay what $60.00 per corner to replace this crap you made me what months for.

And then what I have to rebuild the old ones with new after market bearings to make them good again, who the hell has time for that crap?
I'm not surprised now how many people are and want to return their Solo.
I have already replaced the No. 1 pod. This does not please me at all. First the wait, then the gimbal, vibrations, unbalanced props, unbalanced motors, motor that grab and jitter, GPS that doesn't connect for 5 minutes... Gasp!
Here is a quick video of the motors one at a time.