| > | | If I am using a 4200 KV motor with a 6.6:1 gearing ratio and a 12x6
| > | | prop, how can I calculate the thrust generated by this system?
| > | | Also, I am using a 25A ESC and a 11.1V 3-cell LiPo battery.
...
| > | My web page:
| > | http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Geyser/2126/flyinggadgets.html
| > | has the equation and offers a spreadsheet that performs the calculation.
...
| My equation requires rpm. If you can measure rpm you can solve for static
| thrust. If you can't, it is of no use to you.
If you actually have the setup in front of you where you can actually
measure the RPM, you might as well just measure the thrust directly.
All it takes is a reasonably accurate scale and perhaps a little
cleverness.
The Kv isn't the only variable involved in a motor. Ultimately
there's three variables -- RPM/V, Idle current and resistance, often
shortened to Kv, Io and Ri. If you know these three variables, you
know all the electrical characteristics of a motor.
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/eflight/calcs_motortest.htm includes a
calculator that's in javascript, so you've got all the formulas right
there. (So, look at that page, view the source, and there's your
formulas, along with some constants for certain motors and batteries.)
Ultimately, we almost have enough information to calculate the static
thrust of such a setup, without actually having to set anything up.
(I'd assumed that that was the original point, right?) We can guess
at the internal resistances of the battery, motor and ESC (or we could
look them up if we knew the exact models, or could just ignore them,
knowing that our results would be too high) and so that just leaves
the Io value that we need. Io isn't hard to measure, but if you know
the exact motor involved, you can just look it up.

Signature
Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzy.com
If you receive email saying "Send this to everyone you know,"
PLEASE pretend you don't know me.