Binding to orange Rx

[Foxfan]

Hi all, My Spektrum DX5e has been bound to an Orange Rx previously by the kind gent who found the bind switch was unconnected due to a fault in manufacture. He fixed the wire and bingo. I used a Storm RX in a Flite Test model so I managed to bind to that instead so I could fly the wee Pietenpol (which it did, beautifully, despite the wind). But now I feel I should have a go with the 4 foot foam glider to which I have added control surfaces and a motor pod. But on attempting to bind to the Orange Rx. all I get is a constant beeping from the motor and constantly flashing light in the RX. I tried disconnecting the motor and the beeping obviously stopped but still no bind.

Does it matter which manufacturer's bind plug you use, since it's only a loop?

 

Thanks,

Martin

 

Edited By Foxfan on 04/08/2019 17:07:13

[Don Fry]

Have you tried moving the transmitter away from the receiver when trying to bind. Say 3 meters. If it too close it swamps and distorts signals or some similar technical reason. I don't think the make of plug matters.

[Foxfan]

I'll try it in the garden tomorrow.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Martin

[Peter Christy]

I know that some Orange Tx modules will not operate the throttle on some Bind'N'Fly models due to an incompatibility between Orange's reverse-engineered implementation of the DSM-X protocol and genuine Spektrum receivers.

If moving away (as suggested by Don) doesn't work, try forcing your Tx into DSM-2 mode, if it is capable of it. This works with Orange transmitters and Spektrum receivers.

--

Pete

[Foxfan]

Peter, all the talk of protocols and acronyms starts to leave me behind, I'm afraid. All I know is it worked a couple of weeks ago and the guy up the club who knows electrics did it standing on his metaphorical head, but we face a week of crappy weather, so I shan't see him till at least next Sunday IF the weather stays kind to the access track, the bete noir of our field. I was hoping to get it all ready for next time we're able to fly.

I ave no ideas what system a DX5e works on, I'm afraid and if you told me it would mean nothing. I understand 27 meg!<G>

Martin

[Denis Watkins]

Martin,

Constant beeping from Rx means 1 of 2 things

1. Is Low voltage or

2. Is throttle High at switch on

There to protect you from full throttle at switch on

So either on the new set up the throttle reversed, and is full while you think it is down off

And wants reversing

Or the trim is high/on and wants trimming down

[Phil Green]

[Foxfan]

Thanks, chaps. I think what I was doing wrong was that I didn't have the bind switch held on BEFORE switching the Tx. on.

I'll try again in the garden tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Martin

[Peter Christy]

Martin: Sorry, didn't intend to blind you with science!

The world has moved on a bit since the good old days of 27 MHz, although it has to be said that that band is now so empty in many areas that it is a practical proposition again!

I've never had a problem binding an Orange receiver to a Spektrum (OK, MacGregor/JR) transmitter, but I have had problems binding Spektrum receivers to Orange transmitters.

The original Spektrum system was called DSM-2 (OK, for the pedants, there was one before that, but I don't think it ever reached these shores!). However, DSM-2 was "outlawed" for new equipment in 2015 (though you can still use such equipment purchased before that date). It was replaced by DSM-X. Orange reverse engineered DSM-X to make "compatible" equipment, but it isn't perfect, and there are compatibility issues between Orange DSM-X transmitters and some Spektrum receivers (mostly Bind'N'Fly stuff, where the throttle doesn't work).

Some Orange transmitters are "dual-mode", and will do both DSM-2 and DSM-X, and forcing them in to DSM-2 mode provides a work-around for the problem.

All the cases I've come across involve Orange transmitters and Spektrum receivers, but its not beyond the bounds of possibility that it might also work - or not work - in the other direction as well.

But try the alternatives suggested above first. If they don't work, consult your local expert, and see if your Tx can be forced to DSM-2.

Best of luck!

--

Pete

[Foxfan]

Thanks for that explanation, Pete. I've heard of all the above, but wouldn't pretend to know what it all is. Originally nothing would bind and everybody thought I was an idiot. Turned out a wire from the buddy/bind switch had been cut through by the case at manufacture. My chum spotted it, fixed it and apologised for thinking me stupid! He sent the TX back, bound to the Orange Rx. The Storm Rx. was more suited to the Pietenpol, so I managed to bind the TX. to that all on my own. Very pleased with myself, I was! But the wind in sunny Norfolk rarely drops enough to allow a beginner like me to fly something as light and small as the Flite Test foamie kit, so I have a 4 foot glider that The Range were flogging for 8 quid a while back, so I had to give it a go. I've given it moving tail feathers and a 3D printed (thanks, son) motor pod. The Orange Rx. fits the pod nicely, so I wanted to rebind to that so I could centre the servoes. That's where the problem started. I find it very odd that a motor can beep so loudly! It also judders when it's beeping.

I did forget to pull the bind switch before turning on, so will try that tomorrow and report back.

Fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Martin

[Outrunner]

Pete. Sorry to be a pedant but the original DSM sets did reach these shores I had one of the DX6 sets that Al's flogged off cheap with the arrival of DSM-2. It worked OK but it was difficult to bind (sounds familiar) and took an age to reconnect if the signal was lost, even longer than the earlier DSM-2 receivers, eek!

I sold the TX quite quickly for the same as what I paid for it and replaced with a DX6i. I still have the DSM receiver but I only used it in boats but given up with that as it only connected to the transmitter when it felt like it.

Phil.

[Peter Christy]

Cheers, Phil! I've never come across one and assumed that they'd been dropped before 2.4 GHz was legal over here!

--

Pete

[Nigel R]

" a motor can beep so loudly! It also judders when it's beeping."

Quite normal. I'd second the suggestion to move a good few feet from the RX whilst binding. I have a few Orange DSMX RXs and they all bind fine when the TX is 10 feet away, but have all been a bit reluctant about doing it when closer.

"constant beeping from the motor"

The constant beeping from the motor indicates that the speed controller is not receiving a control signal from the RX, because...

"and constantly flashing light in the RX"

...the RX is not yet bound and is not putting any control signals out through the servo plugs.

[Foxfan]

Thanks, Nigel. I'm shortly going to take it all outside and try at a distance. Then I'll report back.

Martin

[Foxfan]

Well, I took it all outside to get some space and it bound as the elevator and rudder waggle, but it wouldn't stop the beeping and I got nothing from the throttle. To start with, the motor beeped at me loudly, but didn't judder, then I moved it a bit and it started juddering when it beeped. I removed one of the three wires and the beep seemed to come from the Rx. which was otherwise operating the elevator and rudder. Still no throttle, no motor turning.

All I can do is try the ESC from the Pietenpol. I know that works having recently had the plane in the air.

Martin

[Foxfan]

OK, tried the Pietenpol's ESC and all worked. Although the Pietenpol's ESC has always been a bit odd in that it grumbles for a while and then if you waggle the stick a couple of times it starts to work, albeit in steps as it goes up and down.

So, does that mean I should write off the new ESC or maybe would there be a chance it'll work with the storm Rx. in the Pietenpol?

Bit of a faff, ain't it?

I would send of for a couple of new ones but HK charges so much for delivery. And clearly buying off ebay is risky.

Martin

[Shaun Walsh]

I ordered a couple of 6 channel orange receivers they were rated as suitable for direct connection to a 2s lipo receiver battery but when I plugged them in the receiver light came on briefly then went off and after that all the receiver would do was get warm

Give hobbyking their due, there was no quibble about a refund, didn't even want them back.

Replaced them with lemon receivers which have worked well.

[Foxfan]

Yes, HK were very good about a battery they sent. It had clearly been a puffed return wrongly packaged, but they replaced it immediately.

I forgot to mention that the servos were jumping about all over the place after it had bound. Now the rudder is fine and the the elevator is a bit iffy. I'll try recentering the arms so I can get a better idea of movement, but I think we can say the Rx. has now bound, but the ESC wouldn't do anything, but make the motor beep.

What would chaps here recommend for a budget ESAC of around 18-20Amps? And where from?

Martin

[Tim Mackey]

Well before you try a new esc can I just suggest that you try to bind using a simple battery rather than the BEC on the ESC. If that does prove to work correctly, then it would suggest, or confirm that the voltage output from the ESC BEC is duff. Try this link to a “tutorial” that I did years ago 😉

**LINK**

Edited By Tim Mackey on 05/08/2019 18:00:12

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Tim Mackey on 05/08/2019 17:58:38:

Well before you try a new esc can I just suggest that you try to bind using a simple battery rather than the BEC on the ESC. If that does prove to work correctly, then it would suggest, or confirm that the voltage output from the ESC BEC is duff. Try this link to a U Tube tutorial” that I did years ago 😉

**LINK**

[Tim Mackey]

Incidentally most receivers are happy on high voltages 6v + but it’s the SERVOS that in many cases will not be happy - unless specified otherwise your common or garden servo is only rated at 6v and fully charged LiPo is 7v+

[Foxfan]

Thanks, Tim. I don't have a 4 pack of AAs to hook up to the Rx., so I suppose I'll have to make one up, but I can't use a separate battery pack in the glider, there just isn't the weight or space capability, so if the BEC has gone napoo, I'll still need a new one. I suppose I could use it in a boat, where there's space and no weight problems for an Rx. pack.

I'm sure the servo motors are tolerant of the odd volt. I'm thinking of the tiny motors we use in slot racing, many of which are allegedly 5 volt. We run them ad infinitum on 12 volts at least.

Martin

[Foxfan]

Just thinking about it. The BEC was obviously working as the servos worked, one a bit erratically, but they worked. Doesn't the BEC supply just 5Volts?

Martin

[Tim Mackey]

I’m not proposing that you use a nimh pack in your glider - just use it to prove / disprove the the functionality of the BEC.

A servo has a voltage critical circuit within it - it’s not comparable to a simple dc brushed motor in a slot car

Yes the BEC usually is a regulated 5v

[Foxfan]

I wasn't aware that there was any sensitive circuitry in a servo.

What about the fact that the servos worked? Does that mean the BEC is OK? In which case as the older ESC operates the motor AND the servos, but the new one only works the servos can we assume the ESC bit is kaput even if the BEC bit isn't?