I started building the MTP II this week, but based on my experience and your feedback on hot glue’s weaknesses, I decided to wait to put the pieces together until my CA foam safe glue arrives in the mail.
In the meantime, I wanted to do some some testing on my motor as many of you said it appeared too weak for the airplane. As I got started thinking of ways to test the motor, I realized how many different elements go into a motor/prop efficiency/power/thrust/etc.
So I built the Motor Testing Tower, a tower that allows the motor to mounted on top and while its running the tower simultaneously measures the force generated, the watts/volts/amps consumed, the speed of the air flowing from the propeller, and the temperature of the motor (or ESC, battery, etc.).
I was VERY surprised with the results, as it showed that my old brushed set up generated more thrust (9 oz) than my brushless set up (6 oz). After reviewing the data and the motor specs I am not surprised, the brushless motor is much smaller than the brushed motor, and was not designed for that prop size or the amount of watts that I was putting through it, no wonder it got so hot after a few moments of running that I couldn’t touch it without being burned.
I ordered a larger motor yesterday that should be a much more appropriate fit for this airplane, and hopefully it will get here in time for next week’s episode.
What do you guys think of the tower? Anything else I could add? I was thinking a RPM measuring device could also be added to complete the set up.