Mike Blandford
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Everything posted by Mike Blandford
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Help! Can't charge my Lipo
Mike Blandford replied to David Ramsden's topic in Batteries and Chargers
You haven't mentioned what radio gear you are using. Many modern radios include telemetry back from the model. With suitable sensors you can get the flight pack voltage and the motor current displayed (and even spoken). This may well avoid the need for a wattmeter. I have one, but haven't used it for a long time as I use the telemetry. Recently I've started using FrSky Neuron speed controllers with FrSky radio gear. The Neuron has built in sensors and sends voltage, current, RPM, capacity used and temperature back. Mike -
Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 11/07/2020 06:49:38: Posted by john stones 1 on 10/07/2020 18:14:03: What's your thoughts on reducing servo speeds when deploying flaps ? I don't bother. Nobody ever does, me included, on a real plane. So if it's 'manual' it is near instant, if it is powered it depends on the speed of the hydraulics. Well the Cessna I learnt on had electric operated flaps and they were quit slow to deploy. I have my flaps set up on both a 3-position switch and a slider, with slow on the switch. So I may use the switch to set "up", "take off" and "landing" positions, but have the option of anything in between by using the slider. When deploying flaps in the air, always reduce the aircraft speed first, otherwise you will likely get a significant pitch change that then reduces as the aircraft airspeed drops. Mike
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Help! Can't charge my Lipo
Mike Blandford replied to David Ramsden's topic in Batteries and Chargers
Posted by David Ramsden on 10/07/2020 19:34:05: I might be wrong but I don't think my charger displays the individual voltages of each cell during and at the end of charge Manual pages 16/17, press the INC button while charging to show the individual cell voltages. Mike -
There are two versions of the firmware, one with "_vtail" in the name and one without (in both FCC and LBT, and for the S6R and S8R so 8 firmware files altogether!). My understanding is if you have an existing model WITHOUT vtail, then you use the firmware without the _vtail and all works as before after the update. If you are using vtail already, then the firmware without _vtail doesn't handle the vtail correctly. You need to use the firmware with _vtail, however, the existing settings are not compatible with this, some servo outputs generate stabilisation correction in the opposite direction to before, so you need to check carefully all works OK. They do warn then updating to the _vtail version my change/remove existing settings. If you have an existing model WITHOUT vtail, then you may use the _vtail version, but you will need to check all the stabilisation settings to be sure they all work. You will probably need to reverse some servo outputs on the Rx to get the stabilisation operating in the correct direction, then reverse output channels on the Tx to get the controls correct. I'm not sure why they couldn't just release a vtail version that is compatible with existing settings. With the ACCESS protocol (on other receivers) at least it auto-detects between FCC and LBT, FrSky should be able to do this on ACCST. With the firmware I've written to be able to use a D8 receiver in D16 mode, I auto-detect between FCC and LBT, and between V1 and V2.1, so it "just binds" to your Tx. My suspicion is FrSky (probably like other manufacturers) use software libraries provided by the processor chip maker, and end up including code that is not actually needed resulting in the firmware being much larger than necessary. This results in a lack of space to add such features. My code for the D8 receivers is only 18K, the V2.1 firmware for a X8R is 62K. Mike
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Well I'm running the Freelink app on my PC under Windows 10. If you go here: **LINK** Select the Tool-FrSky Freelink and download the .zip file, open the .zip file and navigate to the 32-bit or 64-bit version you need then just run the setup.exe. I currently have an older version installed, but that version should be OK. Mike
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Which "app" are you using. FrSky now use the Freelink app, which handles the SxR using the STK as well as a number of other devices and connections. Mike
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Some settings to check, I had some interesting results with a 600 kV motor and 3S/4S cells: What is the current limit? Increase the "ramp up power", I had to do this to get 3 cells to give full power.. Turn rpm power protection off. This is significant more for low kV motors. The Neuron can decide the motor is too slow (e.g. stalled) so limit the current. BTW, I reckon the full size pup flew on 40 to 50 watts per pound! Mike Edited By Mike Blandford on 14/06/2020 23:38:13
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FrSky Neuron rpm readings
Mike Blandford replied to Peter Christy's topic in ESCs (Speed Controllers)
My understanding is the Neuron provides the number of flux reverse cycles per second (not flux reversals which is twice as many). On the Neuron I'm using I have to divide the raw value from the ESC by 7 to get the correct RPM. Mike -
The value should be fine. It is read (and stored I believe) at power on, so just after it comes off load. Even if it was measured later, it would be the voltage off load, so not very useful. Mike
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The RTC battery only supplies the real time clock, nothing else. The spec. for the RTC battery supply is 1.65V to 3.6V, so the battery is OK down to around 1.7V, but will drop from there very quickly. The capacity of a typical CR1220 is 37mAH. The typical current consumption of the RTC (at 25 C) is 0.75uA, so it should last for 5.5 years. On the Horus, it could also be used to supply 4K of RAM, which about doubles the current it has to supply. At present, neither erskyTx not openTx do this, I don't know about FrOS. As the circuit that is used to measure the battery voltage adds an extra load on the battery, the battery voltage is only measured at power on, then the measuring circuit is disabled. Mike
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I don't know why openTx doesn't assign a receiver number for the external module, perhaps raise an issue on Github. Until recently, the multi-protocol module only supported 16 receiver numbers, so with more than 16 model memories available, maybe it was considered it couldn't be done. The multi-protocol module now supports 64 receiver numbers, and these apply to ALL protocols. For a protocol that doesn't support receiver numbers natively, the receiver number is used to modify the module unique ID to provide the function. If you haven't seen this, I have D16 firmware for D8 receivers available, see here: **LINK**. This fully supports receiver numbers, as well as a number of other features (optional SBUS output with optional polarity, auto-detection of bind mode FCC/EU, V1/V2, dual bind, 'D' or SPort telemetry etc.). Mike
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For information, if using the older 'D' FrSky receivers these don't support the receiver number (model match), so if you have two models that both use 'D' receivers, you cannot make the Tx tell them apart, both will respond to either model memory in the Tx. Mike
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Since adding this warning to erskyTx was little more than adding a single line of code to call the receiver checking routine, I've added it anyway (code in and tested!). If you do Rx off then Tx off you won't even see it, but it will catch the situation. Mike
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So when selecting another model, without powering the Tx off, we could do with a similar alert to say the Rx is still powered. Mike
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Dave - you might want to go and turn the hose off Mike
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Also for some time the NiCd batteries were centre tapped (4 wires to the servo), and only 2 cells were used to move a servo, the "other" 2 moved it in the opposite direction. Many servos also used a 5 ohm motor, so with only 2 cells driving it you could not draw more than 0.5Amp (from half the battery) in any one servo. Mike
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Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 20/05/2020 07:49:24: The Horus is a copy of a Jeti, the Taranis is a copy of an old JR. They both support lots of anagrams which are meaningless to 'normal' human beings, be they model flyer or not.. The operating system was basically copied from Multiplex radios but has lots of randomly added supposedly 'useful' additions created by any nerd who fancies himself as an 'expert'. What in I'm not sure. Certainly not user interfaces. It was installed in the Taranis for one reason only. It was free, so the Taranis manufacturer did not have to pay any development costs of his own. To keep development costs down, FrSky were able to purchase the case moulds for use by the Taranis from another company (that was not JR). They didn't therefore copy the JR. The operating system was not copied from Multiplex. It is an open source development, started by someone in Germany and written for the "9X" radios (initially called TH9X firmware). This was further developed for the 9X radios as er9x firmware. er9x was also forked as open9x somewhat later. An arm processor based board was then developed for the 9X radios (SKY board) and I ported er9x to this (ersky9x firmware), open9x was also ported to this. Then FrSky started the development of the Taranis, and provided the small number of developers with prototype transmitters and we ported both to the Taranis (I wrote most of the low level drivers for both). The Taranis doesn't just have a single "operating system", it has TWO. Some of the recent transmitters (XLite for example) are supplied with a choice of operating system, openTx or erskyTx (as it is now called). You might try erskyTx as many users have reported the user interface is better than openTx. Mike
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The first RCV engines were made in the UK, I saw parts being made when I visited the factory. When they were developing a larger engine with spark ignition, I designed and programmed an electronic ignition controller for them. I also taught maths to the inventor! Mike
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The X10S also has a 6-position switch and two extra trim switches as standard. Mike
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Have a look at my post in this thread: **LINK** Quite possible to use a motorbike and go flying! Mike Edited By Mike Blandford on 13/05/2020 10:23:43
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I had these on our drive today while having a street party at a distance. Several passers by stopped then grabbed their 'phone and took a picture. Mike
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It will be electric, I haven't chosen the motor yet. Mike
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I started this many (tens of) years ago, an own design Sopwith Camel. This was before I had enough money to do it properly. This is a rebuild, about 70% is new. Some time ago I was helping at a local school young engineers club and managed to get a set of ribs and riblets laser cut for it. The cowling is from fibreglass, rather more resin than glass, and is heavy, but I doubt that will matter as it will just be part of the needed nose weight. Mike
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