YAQC (let me know if I 'm annoying you guys with that) So I was flying my quad, and one of the n...

[G+_610GARAGE]

YAQC (let me know if I'm annoying you guys with that) So I was flying my quad, and one of the nuts flew off. GRRrrrrr!! I had enough parts to repair it (I should say rebuild it), but the second test flight, the nuts were loose, and the third flight, another propeller flew off. I had the nuts in the right spot, so rotation of the motor tightens them.  Whats going on!! 

 

My guess is that I have the propellers that are keyed. So I am wondering if the nuts aren't self tightening and during spin down, the nut are coming loose. Any idea of what I could do, beside loctite?

 

I had my gopro on, so if you want to see the video: 

 

Stupid G+ won't let me upload a video and photos.

 

Incase you are curious, my motors are ready to fly quads; T2212-980KV with "DJI style" Self-locking Propeller adapters. My (huge)  battery is a 4s and propellers are 8".

[G+_Quadflyingmedic]

Ditch those prop nuts. Go to the hardware store and get some nylock nuts should be 5mm. Bring the old prop nut there to check. Snug them up and dont worry about ever losing a nut again

[G+_Michael Heinz]

Man, that's a bummer. I did use loctite on my nuts (that does not sound right...).

 

Stupid question - is it possible you "keyed" the motors wrong so that they're turning in the direction that loosens the nuts?

[G+_T Burns]

The problem might be that you're recharging with pretzels. Happens all the time. The excess salt and butter just doesn't sit well with FC and it calls it quits and throws the propellers off in a fit.

[G+_610GARAGE]

Quadflyingmedic  I would like to avoid locking nuts for two reasons. They kinda looks tacky, and there heavy. They would add a lot of inertia to the motor. Granted, only one of those reasons is valid though.

 

Wayne Hobbins  & Michael Heinz   The way I install my propellers allows me to make sure that the nuts are going in the right direction. What I do is place the propeller onto the motor, place the nut on the shaft, and turn the propeller in the direction that would push air down. If it is right, the nut tightens.

 

Wayne Hobbins  Too many leds? Never. Any way, that was the only thing keeping it together. :) I think you may be right. The quad is heavy, and the motors are spinning fast. The nuts are probably coming loose and the propellers can't tighten them up since the can't slip. So the nut just rattle loose until the propeller goes flying into the grass someplace.

 

Maybe I should just bite the locktight bullet. They do make locktight purple which is for temporary holding. Didn't know that before.

 

 

T Raburn Oh, so the quad is having a pretzel crash. :)

[G+_Quadflyingmedic]

I am just tacky. Locknuts electric tape and out to fly!!! If the treads are cw and ccw they should not loosen. Dont get the locktight on the props if you go that route the props will crack!!!

[G+_610GARAGE]

Ok, I ordered loctite purple. Thanks for your help guys.

[G+_Michael Heinz]

It still seems very weird to me that this has happened to you.

 

One thing I've experienced a few times when launching from grass - the grass gets tangled with a prop and keeps that prop from turning, causing a flip on launch.

 

Now, your motors are much higher torque than mine - I'm wondering if it's possible that a prop hits some grass, stopping or slowing the prop momentarily, causing the motor to unscrew the nut just a bit.

[G+_610GARAGE]

Michael Heinz I've had that happen. So I got landing gear to lift the quad out of the grass. Also the props are keyed preventing the prop from slipping. So if grass did get in the way, the prop would just tear it up, or stall out the motor.

[G+_610GARAGE]

Wayne Hobbins Loctite red? (thats permanent bond loctite) I'm more curious how one would fly that. I get confused on whether the quad is pointing toward me or away from me. :)

[G+_Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ]

Hmmm.... your quad may have handing issues in that configuration. :)

[G+_610GARAGE]

Update. I tried the quad with 9" props that are not keyed and the nuts stayed on without loctite. I pushed it as hard as I dared (afraid of losing it, 9" props with 4s battery = scaryish fast 450 quad) and the nuts never came off.

 

I would like to try to figure out what's going on (it's bothering me). So as soon as hobby king gets more thrust stands in stock, I am going to set up a motor and prop. Use an arduino to oscillate the rpm and stick a camera on it. Maybe I'll be able to see why the nuts are rattling off and maybe a possible solution that can be easily reused.

[G+_Quadflyingmedic]

610bob glad you got the props to stay on!! Is the shaft keyed also? I had some props like those once and they did not sit all the way down and then I could see them loosening up. I just took a round file and filed the flat spot out of the prop and they sat all the way down. Will look forward to seeing if you come up with anything with the testing

[G+_610GARAGE]

Quadflyingmedic Yup, the shafts are keyed as well.

[G+_Quadflyingmedic]

610bob ok.