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DJI Phantom ESC Replacement

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Use this guide to replace an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) in your DJI Phantom Drone. The ESC receives power from the central board, and a PWM control signal from the flight controller. There is one ESC for each motor, for a total of four. Removing the ESC requires soldering.

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  1. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Open the Battery Compartment: crwdns2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Open the Battery Compartment: crwdns2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Open the Battery Compartment: crwdns2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Press down on battery door release tab to flip the battery door open.

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  2. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Battery: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Battery: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Battery: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Pull out the battery pack.

    • Avoid pulling on the battery wires, excess stress may break the wires, damage the power connectors, or crack the internal solder joints.

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  3. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect the Battery: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect the Battery: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Pull the two halves of the XT60 power connector apart.

    • It's a tight fit, so be careful not to hit your drone or yank on the cables when it releases!

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  4. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Identifying Silver and Black Collets: crwdns2935265:04crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Identifying Silver and Black Collets: crwdns2935265:04crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Silver-topped propeller collets unscrew counter-clockwise

    • Black-topped propeller collets unscrew clockwise

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  5. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrewing Silver Collets: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrewing Silver Collets: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrewing Silver Collets: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • For propellors with silver collets: Use a 12 mm wrench or socket to loosen silver collets in the counter-clockwise direction.

    • Once free, unscrew and remove the collet.

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  6. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrewing Black Collets: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrewing Black Collets: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrewing Black Collets: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • For propellors with black collets: Use a 12 mm wrench or socket to loosen black collets in the clockwise direction.

    • Once free, unscrew and remove the collet.

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  7. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Propeller: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Propeller: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Propeller: crwdns2935265:07crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Gently press down the motor shaft and lift the propeller up to remove it.

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  9. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove Case Screws: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove Case Screws: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove Case Screws: crwdns2935265:08crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • After removing all four propellors, flip the drone over.

    • Remove the following screws from the underside of the drone:

    • Twelve 2.0 mm hex screws

    • Four Phillips #0 screws

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  10. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unplug Magnetometer: crwdns2935265:09crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unplug Magnetometer: crwdns2935265:09crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unplug Magnetometer: crwdns2935265:09crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Loosen the cable from the plastic landing gear.

    • Unplug the magnetometer molex connector.

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  11. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Top Shell: crwdns2935265:010crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Top Shell: crwdns2935265:010crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the Top Shell: crwdns2935265:010crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Lift up on the top portion of the shell and set it on its side.

    • Do not attempt to fully remove the case. The GPS and Magnetometer cables connect the top shell to the rest of the Phantom, be careful not to stress or break these cables.

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  12. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect GPS Cable: crwdns2935265:011crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect GPS Cable: crwdns2935265:011crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Lift the GPS cable molex connector up out of its socket on the main board.

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  13. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Loosen Magnetometer Cable: crwdns2935265:012crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Loosen Magnetometer Cable: crwdns2935265:012crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Loosen Magnetometer Cable: crwdns2935265:012crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Gently pull the slack of the magnetometer cable through the case bottom shell.

    • The case top shell should now have enough slack to work on the interior of the Phantom.

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  14. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Motor: crwdns2935265:013crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Motor: crwdns2935265:013crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Desolder all three motors wires from the speed controller board.

    • Follow our soldering guide to learn how, or just to brush-up on your skills.

    • Be careful not to melt the plastic case bottom shell with your soldering iron or damage any electronic components.

    • When you're reassembling, solder the motor leads back in their original order. This may be different from the picture. Motors on arms across from each other have the same color order, so check the opposite arm for reference.

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  15. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unmount the Motor: crwdns2935265:014crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Unscrew the four 2 mm motor hex bolts from the case bottom shell.

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  16. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement: crwdns2935265:015crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement: crwdns2935265:015crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Remove the motor from the Phantom.

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  17. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unsolder the ESC: crwdns2935265:016crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unsolder the ESC: crwdns2935265:016crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:02crwdne2935265:0

    • Disconnect the ESC from the mainboard by desoldering the ground and voltage wires.

    • Be careful not to melt the plastic case bottom shell with your soldering iron or damage any electronic components.

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  18. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect the ESC from the Flight Controller: crwdns2935265:017crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect the ESC from the Flight Controller: crwdns2935265:017crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Disconnect the ESC from the Flight Controller: crwdns2935265:017crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Unplug the ESC signal cable from the flight controller.

    • You may need to remove other ESC signal cables next to your desired ESC's cable. Be sure to note which socket these cables go back into.

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  19. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrew the ESC: crwdns2935265:018crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrew the ESC: crwdns2935265:018crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Unscrew the ESC: crwdns2935265:018crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Remove the two Phillips #0 screws securing the ESC.

    • The clear plastic LED light cover may fall off after removing these screws. If it doesn't, remove it so you don't lose it.

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  20. DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the ESC: crwdns2935265:019crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the ESC: crwdns2935265:019crwdnd2935265:02crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0 DJI Phantom ESC Replacement, Remove the ESC: crwdns2935265:019crwdnd2935265:03crwdnd2935265:03crwdne2935265:0

    • Remove the ESC from the Phantom.

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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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David Hoyt

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Cal Poly, Team 25-89, Amido Spring 2010 crwdns2935289:0Cal Poly, Team 25-89, Amido Spring 2010crwdne2935289:0

CPSU-AMIDO-S10S25G89

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Know where I can find a Phantom 1 replacement ESC? DJI says they don’t service them anymore, and I am having a hard time finding them online.

C schultz - crwdns2934203:0crwdne2934203:0

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