I've read quite a lot of threads on this & other forums about older ESCs being the cause of fly-aways & crashes... overheating due to small wires... ESCs failing due to one prop-stop (tipovers), etc, etc.  It's enough to keep a guy awake all night worrying!
I have a P2V+ v3, purchased on 12/22/14.  I have never had a true fly-away (although I did have an apparent loss of control & seemingly uncontrolled jerky flight for 1-2 seconds maybe once or twice - but control quickly returned & flight continued)... I have had probably 4 or 5 tipovers in which the props hit the ground... but she continues to fly fine.  I've flown her over water numerous times (yes, there was a little "pucker" in my lower rear region!), and last weekend I flew her about 1,000' off some scenic mountain overlooks in the TN mountains (great footage!! (but SIGNIFICANT PUCKER!!!)). :-O

Well... I decided to pop the hood & take a peek at the ESCs... she appears to have the older "bad" ESCs - no version info on the white labels at all.  The wires look fine.  Kind of THIN (not the heavier wires I've seen in some pics), but no noticeable heat stress, etc on the wires or any chips.

I contacted DJI support, told them I have the 2312 motors with the incorrect ESCs, and thay have indeed offered to replace the ESC's.  Said it would take 5-6 weeks for a turnaround.

MOST of me wants to send her back for the repairs, but part of me says "if it ain't broke don't fix it!".

So, I'm taking a poll - what would YOU do - send her in for 5-6 weeks to get what some say is a needed modification, or since all SEEMS well, just keep flying?

My P2V+ V3 received early December has the plain Jane ESC's with solid wire, and the 2312 motors.  I worried a lot at first about the ESC/wire issue when it was the rage to fret over it.   Now I just fly it.  My ESC's are fine.  They, the wires nor the motors get hot.  If it shook and vibrated like a Harley, I'd worry about the solid wire.

It was a huge issue here on the forum for a few weeks or a couple of months.  Perhaps a few guys returned them or repaired them themselves.  Truth be known, I'd say most just went about their business and forgot about it, until someone posts something again.

But YOU gotta do what YOU gotta do.  If it bothers you, send it in.  What are a few weeks to go without a Phantom?  You went your whole life without one until you got it.

I had 50+ perfect flights on my early-build Phantom2 non-Vision V2 (purchased Nov 2014 with blue capacitor markings and ESC v2s) with no crashes. And then this happened:



If I were you I would send it in.

I would be concerned about getting a little sand in the motors based on the takeoff/landing zone location.  Perhaps the sand could screw up a motor during flight.  That is my idea of a possible cause.

john.coggi@gmai Posted at 2015-3-25 14:56
I had 50+ perfect flights on my early-build Phantom2 non-Vision V2 (purchased Nov 2014 with blue cap ...

John, I have an alternative theory.  The navy disrupted your flight guidance system so you did not get too close to their vessel. The video is poor, but the image I saw looked like a carrier out there. I'm sure, if it were true, it would be classified.

john.coggi@gmai Posted at 2015-3-25 14:56
I had 50+ perfect flights on my early-build Phantom2 non-Vision V2 (purchased Nov 2014 with blue cap ...

Sorry about your losses..That sucks!
Just a few comments...Holy crap you were out 950+ meters..Wow!
Any chance with the boats/ships or whatever it was floating around had any impact or possibly caused any interference with the Phantom with their communication devices/radar etc?I would not dismiss the dirt or sand in the motors either, definitely an accident waiting to happen IMO...
Anyone ever really think how conductive water is? And the potential for large bodies of it to play havoc with the comm's between land and the Phantom..
Planes, Boats etc. that are on over or on water have all their gizmos built in and yes I know they receive data via sat etc. but they are not being piloted remotely per se...just a thought!

We have the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier anchored just off shore near me at the moment.  I wonder how close I could get my Phantom before it got shot down (if they even knew it was there)?

Interesting DJI told me I had the correct ESC's based on serial number on the body of the quad even though the esc's  werent marked 2.1 or had the yellow mark on the capacitor. I purchased and received mine before thanksgiving (mid november) and it shipped directly from China.

I've flown it 51 times and had two tip overs and looked inside twice and everything appears normal. If I hit the 100 flight mark I'll probably open the top and take another look.

I've decided to let it go and just fly. If it comes crashing down I'll deal with it then. In addition to the esc issue there also appears to be a wire issue but Im not going to worry about it and be the Guinea Pig.

Well it appears Jamie and I are flying the defective esc/wire P2V+'s and not going to worry. I wonder how many more flyers out there dont even know there might be a problem. I guess you'll hear from Jamie or I if our P2's ever come crashing from the sky.

I appreciate all the thoughts.

Since it is flying fine, and I have inspected the boards & wires & everything LOOKS fine (and I think I'll check again), I am leaning towards NOT sending it in for repairs, and just keep flying the darn thing, and worry about it if/when something happens.  Maybe by then DJI will have a "Phantom 3" out with all the quirks resolved!

should i be concern?? i have the phantom 2 v2 non vision. Bought it a month ago...should i pop the hood and inspect it as well??