Avios/Hobby King 1600mm C-130 Hercules

[xviper]

Thats a weird change of things, usually we wait for over a month before spare parts are listed

From what I've seen on the other forum, I believe HobbyKing has been feeling the heat for their crappy PR style on the forum but mostly from owners who have been having "boo-boos" with this plane and the anger/frustration of no parts to fix things. I'm as yet, uncertain whether those boo-boos were a result of pilot error or some inherent deficiencies in the model. I'm right back on the fence on this one, having been so gung ho about getting one.

[rifleman_btx]

Thats a weird change of things, usually we wait for over a month before spare parts are listed

[themudduck]

I've noticed that HK now has all the spare parts listed, in blue and gray, for the Avios C-130. But not the whole plane yet.

[rifleman_btx]

As do I, if they don't and we will all know, thats alot of business turned away. And we will damn sure make every effort to have them feel it too.

[NoDirt!]

Mine is on its way back to HK. Hope they stand by their word.

[davecee]

I think I’ve done what I can short of taking the wings apart:


I pulled #4 motor, mounted it to a board with the stock prop and connected a known good ESC. It worked just fine, no stuttering or noise.

Good, eliminates the motor as the problem

I connected a known good 2825-1950kv motor (it’s what I have) to the #4 wing position and it stuttered like crazy and would not spin up.

This can be caused by poor solder joints on the bullet connectors or loose bullet connections. The motor bullets seem fine as the motor ran on another ESC. If reachable you could perhaps heat each ESC bullet connector in an effort to flow the solder better

I still can’t figure if it is a power thing or ESC’s. From just peering into the nacelles, I can’t tell how the motors and ESC’s are wired – all together, individually, inboards together etc., without digging into the wings. But #2 and #4 are the ones acting up the most. And like I’ve said, it’s a shame since everything else is working like it should :Angry:

You seem to have eliminated voltage sag as a cause. ESCs are unlikely cause for these specific symptoms

I guess it’s off to HK and/or Ian.

Probably the best thing to do.

good luck.

[Woodcock]

I think I’ve done what I can short of taking the wings apart:

I’ve tried a healthy Pulse 3700mah 70C battery & a couple Turnigy 2200’s – no difference.
I cleaned what looks like the main power connectors in the wing root (the two larger ones).
I unscrewed both wing root connectors and checked that all the wires are firmly connected.
I pulled #4 motor, mounted it to a board with the stock prop and connected a known good ESC. It worked just fine, no stuttering or noise.
I connected a known good 2825-1950kv motor (it’s what I have) to the #4 wing position and it stuttered like crazy and would not spin up.

I still can’t figure if it is a power thing or ESC’s. From just peering into the nacelles, I can’t tell how the motors and ESC’s are wired – all together, individually, inboards together etc., without digging into the wings. But #2 and #4 are the ones acting up the most. And like I’ve said, it’s a shame since everything else is working like it should :Angry:

I guess it’s off to HK and/or Ian.

Tell them you want a new one! Personally I think you should get a new one! Every time I've had HK replace a plane they never ask for the old one back This might be different?? But that's what I'd do for sure. It's probably a bad connection in the circuits to those motors, but how you going to find it without getting your saw out for a brand new plane.

Good Luck
Woody

You may have to wait till Jan, but look at a calendar, Jan isn't to far away mate. W

[NoDirt!]

I think I’ve done what I can short of taking the wings apart:

I’ve tried a healthy Pulse 3700mah 70C battery & a couple Turnigy 2200’s – no difference.
I cleaned what looks like the main power connectors in the wing root (the two larger ones).
I unscrewed both wing root connectors and checked that all the wires are firmly connected.
I pulled #4 motor, mounted it to a board with the stock prop and connected a known good ESC. It worked just fine, no stuttering or noise.
I connected a known good 2825-1950kv motor (it’s what I have) to the #4 wing position and it stuttered like crazy and would not spin up.

I still can’t figure if it is a power thing or ESC’s. From just peering into the nacelles, I can’t tell how the motors and ESC’s are wired – all together, individually, inboards together etc., without digging into the wings. But #2 and #4 are the ones acting up the most. And like I’ve said, it’s a shame since everything else is working like it should :Angry:

I guess it’s off to HK and/or Ian.

[davecee]

Here's a video of the motor sounds. I'm moving the throttle quickly but the motors slow down when the noise is present.
https://youtu.be/YTzO8LH-3J0

Is your battery up to the task? It sounds as though the motors and ESCs are out of sync. I've seen this happen when the battery cannot hold enough voltage under load to provide the necessary power being called for. I'd measure voltage under load. You'd think it would affect all the motors/ESCs, but each ESC could be seeing a bit different voltage due to differing resistance of wiring and connectors and solder joints. Also, isolate the motors and run them one at a time to see if they operate OK separately.

[Jhnybgd]

Here's a video of the motor sounds. I'm moving the throttle quickly but the motors slow down when the noise is present.
https://youtu.be/YTzO8LH-3J0

Is it possible you have an opposite rotation prop on 1 on 2 motors?

Just a thought

[wvrailfan]

Here's a video of the motor sounds. I'm moving the throttle quickly but the motors slow down when the noise is present.
https://youtu.be/YTzO8LH-3J0

Did you calibrate the ESCs per the instructions? Just curious.

[xviper]

They're quite solidly mounted. All set screws Loctited and tightened.
Thanks though.

It's a mystery then. I would be cautious that the Loctite can spin out by centrifugal force and touch the plastic bits of the prop.

[NoDirt!]

I've read that some owners have indicated that those set screws are not always fully seated and the prop is NOT secured onto the motor shaft, thereby allowing the prop to NOT spin with the motor (under load). IE, the props can slip. If you haven't yet removed the props that sound different, try to hold the motor and spin the props. I'll bet they aren't solidly attached.

They're quite solidly mounted. All set screws Loctited and tightened.
Thanks though.

[rifleman_btx]

Im still on the wait to see long term issues fence personally. Just not ready to trust their electronics

[xviper]

The prop adapters are held by two set screws. There is a flat on one side of the motor shaft.
The adapters have a round section with flats on either side that the prop sits over. It's all pretty positively engaged.

I've read that some owners have indicated that those set screws are not always fully seated and the prop is NOT secured onto the motor shaft, thereby allowing the prop to NOT spin with the motor (under load). IE, the props can slip. If you haven't yet removed the props that sound different, try to hold the motor and spin the props. I'll bet they aren't solidly attached.

[NoDirt!]

The prop adapters are held by two set screws. There is a flat on one side of the motor shaft.
The adapters have a round section with flats on either side that the prop sits over. It's all pretty positively engaged.

[xviper]

Prior to mounting the props the motors sounded good. I should try again without them.
Did my best to balance the props with a DuBro balancer.

If you take the props off and the motors sound OK, I would suggest that the props are slipping and the motor shafts are spinning independent of the props. If anything, the motor is not slowing down. They are speeding up. It just sounds like they are slowing down because they aren't turning the prop at the same speed. You hear less prop noise. Find a way to tighten them down without breaking them.
PS. How are the props secured onto the motor shaft? Is it like FMS and Freewing planes where there's a hex nut that slots into the hex hole on the back side of the prop? It doesn't sound like it.

[NoDirt!]

What's it sound like when you do that without the props on?

Prior to mounting the props the motors sounded good. I should try again without them.
Did my best to balance the props with a DuBro balancer.

[xviper]

Here's a video of the motor sounds. I'm moving the throttle quickly but the motors slow down when the noise is present.
https://youtu.be/YTzO8LH-3J0

What's it sound like when you do that without the props on?

[NoDirt!]

Here's a video of the motor sounds. I'm moving the throttle quickly but the motors slow down when the noise is present.

https://youtu.be/YTzO8LH-3J0