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How to Align the motors..?

Discussion in 'Cinestar 8' started by Pavlos Antoniou, Oct 18, 2012.

  1. Pavlos Antoniou

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    When i say balance i mean how to make them parralel?? Or to make them 0 pitch..!!

    Do you have an easy way..! I tried to put the CS8 on a big surface but i didnt like this..! something else??

    Thank you!
     
  2. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    What I do is make sure that the battery plate is level using a spirit level both in the long and the short axis, using pads of Post-Its under the landing gear to make sure it's completely level in both axes.

    Then I take a 6" spirit level and hold it under the outer boom clamp holding the motor on the boom -- then I can see when the boom clamp is level and the motor is, therefore, at 90 degrees to that -- and therefore 0 degrees pitch.

    Hope that helps.
    Andy.
     
  3. kjetil tønnesen

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    Can you make a photo off how you level the motorclamps
     
  4. Pavlos Antoniou

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    Hmmm thats not easy i am trying to find an easier way..
     
  5. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Here's what I do.

    First I level the battery plate -- use Post-Its or sheets of paper or beer mats (if you have to) under the landing gear to get the plate level in both axes. I use a spirit level to check that the plate is level.

    Leveling battery plate.jpg

    Then I use a spirit level under the outermost mounting bolts of a motor -- you can also see two red lines that I've drawn on the image below -- you can even just sight up the side of the boom clamp or the motor housing and see that it's not parallel with the battery mounting post. You can use this sighting method if you're out flying and need to re-align a motor quickly.

    Leveling motor.jpg

    Hope this helps
    Andy.
     
  6. Pavlos Antoniou

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    ok i will use the tool for the swashtool of the helis..!
    I tried this method you say but i dont like it.>! the screws on the motors are not 100% parrallel.!
     
  7. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    They are not parallel to the motor casing? Can you take an image? I'd like to see the situation you have.

    I was also thinking of getting just a small photographic spirit level that I could hold against the side of the motor casing as an alternative.

    Andy.
     
  8. Pavlos Antoniou

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    its not only me... its on all kits..! its a plastic clamp..!

    Try to remove the gimbal and put the cinestar on a flat surface and you will understand..!
     
  9. kjetil tønnesen

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    what i have done is to align eatch proppeller so the tip off it is align with eatchother ,i have the carbon props,dont do this with the apc ,is not hard enougth

    i have use the digital swashplate level tool ,i just set it on the batteryplate and pull the button to get i set to 0

    then i check eatch motormount:))

    thanks for the pictures andy:)
     
  10. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Oh, I agree. the underside of the C8 may well not be level, but the issue here is whether the battery plate is horizontal -- and if it is, whether then the top surface of the hub is also horizontal?

    Then, given that the top surface of the hub is horizontal, why would the bolt heads under the motor not be horizontal when the motor's thrust axis (through the propeller shaft) is vertical.

    I must be missing something....

    Andy
     
  11. Pavlos Antoniou

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    Because you cannot tightem them 100% with the same strength.! also the plastic is not 100% the same on all points..!

    If the clamp was carbon you wouldnt have problem..!
     
  12. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    True. The clamps are plastic. But are you not going to have the problems of them being plastic and not being able to tighten them 100% regardless of how you measure whether the thrust line of the motor is vertical?

    I thought about using the propellers as the alignment plane -- I'm glad to hear that your technique works using a swash plate level tool. As you say, you cannot use it on the APC props as they are too flexible -- which, sadly, then brings us full circle as to how to align the motors vertically when you are using APC props. :)

    I've also pondered whether I could make up some kind of mounting for a bubble level (where the bubble is in the center of a circle) and mount that on the propeller shaft itself so that I could see if the shaft was vertical when the battery plate/hub/FC board are level.

    Andy.
     
  13. Pavlos Antoniou

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    There is and another method wihtout getting this much difficulties with leveling the copter..!You buy a digital pitch gause and you Zero it on the battery plate...! then you go and put the pitch gauge on the prop shaft and you are turning the motor when the pitch is to Zero..!

    Also the other way is to use this http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/products_leveling_tool_12081840-p-18903.html tool and then you are doing what you did.! Level the copter and then you go to the prop adaptor you put this tool and you tighten the motor..!


    Soz for my english :)
     
  14. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Useful information, thanks.
    Not a problem with your English! :)
    Andy.
     
  15. Arthur Vieira

    Arthur Vieira Flight Squad

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    I totally agree with the above techniques. They will give a very precise alignment, but..... if you need to align the motors in the middle of nowhere or in a hurry this might be an option.

    I do like this:

    1 - Install all the booms but I don't tighten the screws on the centerplate, so I can turn them with my hands.
    2 - Install all the propellers.
    3 - Choose one boom, any boom, to start with. I align this boom with the centerplate "by eye" (motor mount parallel to the top centerplate).
    align 1.jpg
    4 - Next move to the next boom and align the propellers tip together.
    IMG_1071.JPG
    5 - Continue doing this. Aligning the tips of all propellers.
    6 - Tight the screws and check the alignment for the last time.

    This is not 100% precise but it will do the job, any misalignment will be corrected by the electronics as they won't be that big.
     
  16. Pavlos Antoniou

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    i think that this is the best way..1 to align one motor and then align the other with the props..!

    But you must have check your props for tracking.! I have not done that :(
     
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  17. Arthur Vieira

    Arthur Vieira Flight Squad

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    PaNt,

    You are right on track.... If you know what I mean :D
    The propellers MUST be ok, if they are not then it's time for a replacement.
     
  18. Joe Azzarelli

    Joe Azzarelli Active Member

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    This is how I do my motor alignment.
    motorAlignment_1.jpg motorAlignment_2.jpg (I apologize for the poor image quality)

    Be sure to use a stiff ( 1/8" thick ) aluminum angle.
    I loosen the motor clamps before tightening the nut on the motors. Use of a pen light behind the motor can help to see if there is any sliver of misalignment between the angle and the face of the motor. Then tighten the motor clamps.
    I work my way around the first four and then the second four motors.
    As I have overlaid on the photo, the triangulation ensures good vertical registration of the motors, as long as you have done a reasonably good job of getting the arms installed in in the same plane.
    How do I make sure the first four motors are parallel to the second four? You will see, it is a natural outcome.

    Hope it helps!

    Joe Azzarelli
     
  19. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Nice idea, Joe. Should be in "mini-tips?" :)

    What do you use as a reference point for the triangulation on the battery plate?

    Also, do you have the GPS out on boom #6, or the red marker on boom #3?

    Andy
     
  20. Joe Azzarelli

    Joe Azzarelli Active Member

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    Andy
    It seems my photo is a bit misleading. The magenta triangle is a graphic overlay to emphasize what is happening. The two booms [hopefully all booms] are planar, and the aluminum angle forces the motor base plates to be planar ( parallel to the boom plane ) , assuring both motor shafts will be perpendicular to the plane of the booms. There is no need for a reference and there is no need for the copter to be level. This is why this method is perfect for field assembly.

    red boom is boom #1. The Nav board and GPS are on boom 7. Please tell me if this is a problem that I do not know about. ;-)

    Best,
    Joe
     

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