Propeller shootout for 8,5x20mm brushed motors (Thrust Tests on Racerstar 8520) - BEST FOR LESS

Selecting the best prop for your brushed quad is not an easy task. It has to fit your frame size, your flying style and your batteries.
Nowadays there are many propellers available for 1mm shafts that give good results on 8,5x20mm. But just GOOD is not enough.
This is where this shootout steps in.
I did not want to measure only one motor and prop on their own. Something closer to a "real world" scenario was needed. I wanted an actual F/C with a receiver and 4 motors connected to it. I wanted a test rig that in total resembles the actual flying weight of a usual brushed build. I wanted air to flow easily through the test rig. I wanted the test frame to move freely before the measurement was taken at its peak thrust. I wanted to power it with actual batteries that I use on a daily basis. Because everything performs differently as a whole.
The idea is fairly simple: I modified the top plate of a 110mm H-frame and fixed a string on it. On top I mounted a smooth plastic tube, which has an external diameter almost exactly the same as the internal diameter of the hollow steel shaft of a speaker stand. This allows the frame to move vertically with minimal friction. On the other end of the string I attached a metal plate, which is placed on top of the scale.
This setup allows the test rig to move freely when the props spool up and measure the max overall thrust at a higher point, while the air flows towards, through and away from the props without any obstructions and without any flat or large surfaces close-by.
The total weight of the test rig, including frame, tube, string, attachments, electronics, motors and props are in the range of 39 grams (varies depending on the props mounted on it). The weight resembles a clean light brushed FPV build.
The batteries used were 2x 300mah Nanotechs, 2x 750mah Nanotechs and 2x 600mah generic 25C batteries. Each battery was fully charged before each test. The weight of each battery is added to the test rig weight and equals the AUW for each battery and prop combination.
The motors used are the Racerstar 8520. There are very few reports on these motors and I wanted to test various props on them, since they are my new favorites. They perform great and have a good punch. The motors were allowed to cool down after each individual test.
Each propeller was tested with each battery multiple times and only the best 3 and most consistent measurements were taken into consideration. This way random high numbers or scale update frequency delays were eliminated. The sum of the best 3 measurements is then divided by 3, to form an average max overall measurement.
This average is added to the corresponding all-up-weight of each combination and is divided by 4. The result is the max thrust per motor, for each specific battery and prop combination.
The 25C battery was included so that increased amp draw, which corresponds to drop in performance and thrust, is clearly evident. With this test I was able to practically compare and sort all these props. The best of the bunch will be tested further and in-depth.
I hope you find this interesting and that it helps you choose the best propellers for your own builds.
This is BEST FOR LESS: Propeller shootout for 8,5x20mm brushed motors. Let's go!
____________________
*If you like my content and want to support the channel, you can use the affiliate links below. I get a small kickback from the store if you decide to buy something and it costs nothing extra to you.
Thank you in advance!
Propellers tested in this video:
3-Blade Hubsan Propellers:
BAYANGTOYS X9 Propellers:
H107-A02 (Hubsan) Propellers:
Walkera QR Ladybird Propellers:
JJRC 1000A-06 Propellers:
JJPRO-T1 / T2 Propellers:
Cheerson CX-30S Propellers:
DM007 Propellers:
Gemfan Multi-Rotor 65mm Mini Propellers:
Gemfan 65mm ABS Propellers:
Kingkong 65mm Propellers:
Motors used in this video:
Racerstar 8520 in black color, as a set of 4:
You can also purchase them individually:
These motors are also available in red color, both as a set of 4..:
..and single units:
Review on the Racerstar 8520 motors:
Brushed motor comparison Chaoli 820 VS Racerstar 8520:
-------------------------------
This video features the song "Funky Element" by Bensound, available under a Creative Commons License
Song link:
Artist link:
CC-by license: /
-------------------------------
#BestForLess
#muteFPV
#FPVmotors