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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / October 2005



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how to calculate thrust from motor-prop combo?

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iCantBelieveImDoingThis2@hotmail.com - 27 Oct 2005 18:04 GMT
Hi all,

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.

Thanks!
Abel Pranger - 27 Oct 2005 21:12 GMT
>Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>Thanks!

www.motocalc.com

Download and use 30 days  free, nominal (~35 bucks) cost to keep it.

Abel
iCantBelieveImDoingThis2@hotmail.com - 27 Oct 2005 23:12 GMT
I would like to know how to do the calculations myself...and not have a
computer program do them for me.

Thanks
Brian Morris - 28 Oct 2005 20:04 GMT
> I would like to know how to do the calculations myself...and not have a
> computer program do them for me.
>
> Thanks

----------------------------------------------------------
My web page:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Geyser/2126/flyinggadgets.html
has the equation and offers a spreadsheet that performs the calculation.

Brian
Doug McLaren - 28 Oct 2005 22:15 GMT


| | 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.

| > I would like to know how to do the calculations myself...and not have a
| > computer program do them for me.
...

| My web page:
| http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Geyser/2126/flyinggadgets.html
| has the equation and offers a spreadsheet that performs the calculation.

Not exactly.

Unless your web site has more formulas than I see here, it doesn't
answer the question.  Your formula takes RPM as an input -- but RPM is
not one of the known variables.

I don't know if the actual formulas are documented anywhere, but
Motocalc does do a good job at coming close to the actual results.
There's also a few calculators out there on the web.  If any of them
are done in pure javascript, you should be able to pull the formulas
used out of those.

Also, note that when you say `thrust', I'm assuming that it's `static
thrust' that you're interested in.  The thrust can and does change
with differences in speed.

Signature

Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzy.com
The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric
fan set on medium.

Brian Morris - 28 Oct 2005 23:35 GMT
> | | 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?
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> thrust' that you're interested in.  The thrust can and does change
> with differences in speed.

------------------------------------------------------
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.

Brian
Doug McLaren - 29 Oct 2005 00:23 GMT
| > | | 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.

Abel Pranger - 29 Oct 2005 01:24 GMT
>I would like to know how to do the calculations myself...and not have a
>computer program do them for me.
>
>Thanks

That being the case, go to the Maxx Products web page and find the
appropriate table entry for your HG20254266 motor/gearbox.  How hard
do you want to make it?

Abel
Ted Campanelli - 28 Oct 2005 15:27 GMT
Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Thanks!

The program MAY be a better bet.  You can play "What If" with it for
various props/pitches, gearbox ratios, and batteries, etc.
Brian Morris - 28 Oct 2005 20:00 GMT
> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Thanks!

----------------------------------------------
If you measure the rpm while using a zinger or APC prop I can tell you what
your thrust is.

Brian
 
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