DRONE CATCHES FIRE DURING HERE INSTALL

Thomannjf · Nov 18, 2017

Heads up. I doubt that this has happened before an may not happen again. BUT MY SOLO BEGAN spitting smoke after install and perimeters update of HERE GPS. I just got up to do the calibration when the drone started peeping and smoking.
Im trying to contact the manufacture to let them know what happended. If you know these people give them a heads up.Thanks

Thomannjf · Nov 18, 2017

If you dont know the pictures above are the area that the gps plugs into

mike_kelly · Nov 18, 2017

Are your GPS connection wires soldered rather than using a connector?

RichWest · Nov 18, 2017

I think either C31 or C20 blew....

Thomannjf · Nov 18, 2017

mike_kelly said:
Are your GPS connection wires soldered rather than using a connector?

They came with the connectors already I stalled. The early ones may have required soldering. It was plug and play and smolder to death.

Thomannjf · Nov 18, 2017

What the clueless newbie are C31 and C20? Is any of this mess repairable? Anyone got a spear mother board?

Pedals2Paddles · Nov 18, 2017

Thomannjf · Nov 18, 2017

Was that a question Pepples?
I did it, it worked, or smoked.
How, Why, beats the naughty word out of me.

Pedals2Paddles · Nov 18, 2017

Please explain in step by step details exactly what you did leading up to this incident.

RichWest · Nov 18, 2017

It appears a lead off the harness got toasted as well. Stuff happens, you've got a shell and maybe motor pods now. B&H has a used Solo for $138 with a battery.

Jesters Drones · Nov 18, 2017

Hi Thomann.

That's not good. I believe you got the kit from Jester's Drones, as such, if its caused by the HERE or the kit wiring, we'll make it right. Can you take a photo of the connector in the GPS side?

just_bruce · Nov 18, 2017

And THAT right there, folks, is how you win customers and KEEP them, too.

My hats is off to the fine folks at Jester's.

J0S0L0 · Nov 18, 2017

[QUOTE="Jesters Drones, post: 124676, member:
Jester's Drones, we'll make it right. [/QUOTE]

Jester's Drones has just earned my future business... Nice!!

Thomannjf · Nov 19, 2017

Jester here are some pic as you requested. I can’t imagine what caused this but, it happened just after I found and modified the compus perameter in tower app. You said in the tape that we would have to calibrate the drone. As soon as I turned to get the drone and begin it beeped a few times and I saw it smoldering. I checked all along the wires and don’t see any other signs.
I am not blaming anyone here. Since I could not reach you (misplaced your receipt) I thought this would be quickest way to get in touch. I was using your vid on utube, following and pausing as I went for the install.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Joe Thomann

Thomannjf · Nov 19, 2017

Here’s another. (Thought I attached already)

Thomannjf · Nov 19, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
Please explain in step by step details exactly what you did leading up to this incident.

Here is more info for the CSI Team. The solo in question had been updated WiFi and gps (not HERE) and green cube. After some time and test flights which went well, the solo kept says it was not level(solo must be level before take off). With help and advice we figured there might be a problem with the green cube. To check this I replaced the green with my old black cube, whiched solved the problem. This is the smoldering drone.
Next I decided to install the HERE gps because I wanted to play. Then, after watching the installation vid two times. I began the install. What the vid said I followed, no assumptions, just one step at a time. I also pulled the old compus out of the leg and installed the compus. I tucked the extra compus wire down the side of the solo as he vid instructed and the excess gps wires into the front with the motor pod wires and antenna wire.
Next I used the Tower app to update the one compus peram., I uploaded it to the solo. Then the vid said to power cycle the solo and to expect a calibration to be required.
That is when Solo beeped and was kicking out smoke. I grab a rag and turned off the battery and removed it. The drone was not hot to the touch on the frame. Then I cussed and through a fit.
The End
That’s as much detail as I can give the investigators. There you go
,P2P.

redjr16 · Nov 19, 2017

Yeah, upgrades can be tricky, and must be done with care. Attention, and more attention to detail will win the day. This presumes there was no faulty wiring on the HERE kit. If there was, Jester's got you covered. However, from the looks of that PCB it's long gone. I'd get the used Solo from B&H. $138 is very sweet deal. Hope you get the bird back up in the air soon.

Pedals2Paddles · Nov 19, 2017

The pictured GPS connector and wires were definitely not the source of the burning. That's just soot from being nearby. The connector and wires aren't melted or burned at all. No sign of heat damage.

That large blob of melted goo is what used to be capacitor C31, which quite obviously overheated and failed. I suspect several other smaller components around it also overheated and failed. I do not know what that section of the main board is for though.

Jesters Drones · Nov 19, 2017

Hi Thommann. That cable is correct, if possible, take the bottom cover off the gps puck itself, you need to pop it off the mast, there is one screw which opens a little panel door. I'd like to see that connector.

Jesters Drones · Nov 19, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
The pictured GPS connector and wires were definitely not the source of the burning. That's just soot from being nearby. The connector and wires aren't melted or burned at all. No sign of heat damage.

That large blob of melted goo is what used to be capacitor C31, which quite obviously overheated and failed. I suspect several other smaller components around it also overheated and failed. I do not know what that section of the main board is for though.

Yes, That's correct. I'm looking into what that section on the board is as well.