RC POWERPLANT TEST STAND

PARTS LINKS BELOW.
This is the setup that I will use to test the thrust, wattage, amp draw, temperature, and other parameters for an assortment of HobbyKing electric powerplants that I like to use for my EA foamboard fleet. The testing will be part of a broader review of some of the motor, ESC, and propeller components I recommend.
Static thrust measurement is not without its limitations but it is the best objective comparison between different motor, ESC, and propeller combinations in an economical and accessible way for hobbyists. Please note that actual flight characteristics, dynamic thrust, and efficiency will vary, depending a lot on the propeller pitch and the pitch speed of a powerplant combination, among other things. But in any case we can still get a rough idea how these perform.
Stay tuned for testing of the Turnigy 2826 2200KV, 2836 1100KV, and NTM 3536 1400KV motors with a variety of different propellers and ESCs.
HK-010 wattmeter and voltage analyzer:
Turnigy servo tester:
Turnigy TY-P1 "HEXFET" ESC 25 amp:
Turnigy XP D2826-6 2200KV motor:
Harbor Freight IR thermometer:
Turnigy NanoTech 2200mAh 3s packs (many other variations available, I use these):
Turnigy 1 meter white LED strips: