I did not think it would be easy to mount props on wrong motors - but in fact ... it was relatively easy ! Shock ... Horror ...
I can now well believe that an absent minded person could in fact do it.

Watch the video ....




The prop hub is in good condition, it is only binned due to a chip out of one blade. The motors are P3 motors that I swapped from my drowned P3S to a 450 FPV quad.

The possibility to mount wrongly - I believe comes from the softer plastic hub mounting to a hard alloy motor shaft thread. It took only a small amount of press down to get thread started - similar to many plastic threads in fact !

Nigel

I am just amazed that no-one has picked up on this post ...

No prob.

Nigel

I’m surprised it didn’t take more force but I’m not surprised that it’s possible, like you say in the video, plastic is relatively easy to cut a new thread. It’s just another reminder for people to be careful when setting up their  drones and have a proper pre flight checklist in place.

The props and motors are evidently color coded.

So unless the drone pilot is color blind or just painfully dumb, it only takes a glance to notice, which props go where.
Besides, don't we understand the difference between CW & CCW?


I have no sympathy, for foolish behavior, or those who broadcast such silly practices.
People will now go and duplicate this uneventful wrong doing. Booo


RedHotPoker

RHP ... you fail to understand why I posted this. It was because of a Facebook post by a person who flipped his P3 on the ground having fitted props wrong. Like many - I thought it was a BS report and never thought it easy to swap props.

But in fact - it was easy ... far easier than I expected.

The video is to prove this and so inform others to pay attention.

YES we know about black and silver hubs / arrows etc. - but crap happens especially if a moments lack of attention.
To be honest - whether you have sympathy or your opinion about the matter - my intention was to INFORM ... so what you think of it actually means very little.

nigel

actually, it seem so me that this clumsy guy did his absolute best to screw up a propeller the wrong way, and he did it on purpose...

Antonio76 Posted at 2018-1-10 04:08
actually, it seem so me that this clumsy guy did his absolute best to screw up a propeller the wrong way, and he did it on purpose...

Me ??
I made the video to show that props CAN be mounted on wrong shafts. I did not believe the guy on Facebook who said he broke his P3A by fitting props wrong. Like most people I did not think the threads would work.
I took a scrap prop with GOOD threaded hub ... good P3S motors on my 450 quad to test if it was possible. The video shows it was not hard at all. In fact its frightening that the prop went on so easily.

I posted the video to WARN others to not have an absent minded moment - to be careful to ensure props go on correctly. To show how easy it was to make the mistake.

So - Please expand what you mean by the post ?

Nigel

Now,  This one takes the cake.  What's next?,  maybe catch a drone with your teeth?

solentlife Posted at 2018-1-10 07:52
Me ??
I made the video to show that props CAN be mounted on wrong shafts. I did not believe the guy on Facebook who said he broke his P3A by fitting props wrong. Like most people I did not think the threads would work.
I took a scrap prop with GOOD threaded hub ... good P3S motors on my 450 quad to test if it was possible. The video shows it was not hard at all. In fact its frightening that the prop went on so easily.

Simply that there a big difference in doing something "by mistake" and doing it on purpose. Of course it can be done, I don't deny that, but one would be very absent-minded not to perceive the different amount of resistance encountered by screwing something against the thread direction...  Did you monitor the effort required? How much pressure did you apply to the top of the propeller hub to force it down, and how much torque to screw it in order to cut a new, opposite thread ?

solentlife Posted at 2018-1-10 03:32
RHP ... you fail to understand why I posted this. It was because of a Facebook post by a person who flipped his P3 on the ground having fitted props wrong. Like many - I thought it was a BS report and never thought it easy to swap props.

But in fact - it was easy ... far easier than I expected.

Nigel,
I thought that was not going to be that easy. Yes, we all know about colors, directions, etc., but that looked like it didn't take much effort. I can see if you weren't paying attention that it wouldn't be too hard. I think this was worth sharing myself. Goes to prove also that one could easily do it. I agree 100% that it is because of the plastic threads. I have always questioned why these didn't have a metal insert in them. Maybe an issue with the injection process, but it can't be cost I wouldn't think.

I give up .....

It really is unbelievable the posts that come back ...

I show clearly in the video - I fitted that prop with ONE HAND ...

It is not something I will do knowingly before flying. It was to show it is not hard to do.

I considered the facebook post and what the guy reported. I could not believe it. So I decided to test to see if it was true. Because of the shock result found - I thought it would be fair and reasonable to share with other owners.

Well Alabama .... Antonio76 .... RHP - if thats what you think of it ... then I pity you.

Hope you never make a mistake in your lives.

Nigel

RicardoGray Posted at 2018-1-10 09:10
Nigel,
I thought that was not going to be that easy. Yes, we all know about colors, directions, etc., but that looked like it didn't take much effort. I can see if you weren't paying attention that it wouldn't be too hard. I think this was worth sharing myself. Goes to prove also that one could easily do it. I agree 100% that it is because of the plastic threads. I have always questioned why these didn't have a metal insert in them. Maybe an issue with the injection process, but it can't be cost I wouldn't think.

It really was easy ... one handed as you see.

I know in past when not careful - AND I bet nearly everyone has done this - you don't look properly for a second ... prop on top of wrong shaft .. you turn it but it doesn't bite .. you realise mistake and put to correct shaft. If people deny every doing that - then I will call them a liar... simple.

My prop may have been easier than most - I hope so. But it does not change the fact it could be done.

For significant time and risk to my models - I have been willing to test and confirm whether items are or not. Most of the time and majority have thanked me or taken note ... on various forums I have to keep emptying my PM box as it fills up so often with appreciative PM's. But for some strange reason yet to be understood - this forum has a character all of its own ...

Nigel

With all due respect I can't speak for my esteemed  fellow members here, or you either Nigel, but sharing this is a bad practice.

We never fly anything, without doing a preflight check list, and that includes taking my props off the Phantom 3 Pro', and individually checking them.

I use a Nanuk 945 case now, and my props are left on the drone, while in storage.

It's refreshing to have a civil conversation. Eh? Haha


Pay close attention when screwing your props... ;-)
Notice the opposing corners match.


RedHotPoker

RicardoGray Posted at 2018-1-10 09:10
Nigel,
I thought that was not going to be that easy. Yes, we all know about colors, directions, etc., but that looked like it didn't take much effort. I can see if you weren't paying attention that it wouldn't be too hard. I think this was worth sharing myself. Goes to prove also that one could easily do it. I agree 100% that it is because of the plastic threads. I have always questioned why these didn't have a metal insert in them. Maybe an issue with the injection process, but it can't be cost I wouldn't think.

Metal threads in the insert, can and have caused props to become loose and disengaged.

The plastic threads, are self tightening... Supposed to be safer.
Unless you screw them on the wrong motor posts, deliberately... Chuckles


RedHotPoker

RedHotPoker Posted at 2018-1-10 11:32
Metal threads in the insert, can and have caused props to become loose and disengaged.

The plastic threads, are self tightening... Supposed to be safer.

Ah, good point RHP. I never really thought of it like that, but I do understand the self-tightening part now. Yeah a metal thread would not offer any help with that aspect. It appears DJI has put a lot more thought into these machines than a lot of us give them credit. I'm including myself here for sure. It is always easier to criticize the other party when stuff goes wrong.
We must all make sure we do our pre-flight checks too. In the end, we are responsible for our own and everyone else safety by doing so. That includes you take time to ensure your props are on correctly!

RicardoGray Posted at 2018-1-10 12:13
Ah, good point RHP. I never really thought of it like that, but I do understand the self-tightening part now. Yeah a metal thread would not offer any help with that aspect. It appears DJI has put a lot more thought into these machines than a lot of us give them credit. I'm including myself here for sure. It is always easier to criticize the other party when stuff goes wrong.
We must all make sure we do our pre-flight checks too. In the end, we are responsible for our own and everyone else safety by doing so. That includes you take time to ensure your props are on correctly!

In Canada, being a MAAC member, allows us $8.5M in accident liability insurance funds.


Yes, any model aircraft, hobby class or larger, can and will do damage. If improperly operated.
Accidental errors obviously can happen when working with any technical products.


RedHotPoker

It's already risky enough flying drones.  Even when we do everything right, some things are totally out of our control.  We see them almost everyday here falling out of the sky.  Some pilot error, some mechanical.
That's why we should never take anything for granted.

The whole point was to show that the guy although he reckons he has flown his P3A many times - absentmindedly fitted props wrong and paid the price.

Like most people I did not accept his story - decided to  check if possible, becauser I have gash gear I can 'waste' doing it. The shocking truth is - yes it is possible and far easier than I imagined.

Posting it was an attempt to inform and warn others to be aware of this.

Having seen how easy they it went on - I am now sure that he was not only one to do it ...

What is that old saying ? Picture is worth a thousand words ?

And : We learn by example ?

Nigel