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2 or 3 questions please, need some wise advice


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As ever, great help for this novice!

no prop on the motor as yet.

At one point Ihad the elevator and rudder both working, did something and the rudder stopped and stayed that way.

At another point I thought one servo was duff until the above.

The motor control has done nothing ever.

I did the binding for the new Rex to the book that came with it, and the lights did all they are supposed to.

Next step will be to remove the tx's original Rex from the STOL and try that.

all the radio worked in the STOL.

No time for the plane over the next 2 days but will try a few quick combinations to try to crack it.

the menu on the tax is a bit crude and I don't like these things!

Almost feels that at different times a channel is switched off

Edited By 911hillclimber on 09/03/2020 19:45:21

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Have your break from this, but when you get back

Don't do hit and miss efforts

A surface and it's servo can over its travel and stall and burn or break your linkage

I digress

1st thing to do when you get back is to

Reverse the throttle, and trim right down below normal

Your motor will then burst in to life

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Going to have a few hours tomorrow, but understand your suggestion.

The Tx and Rx are bound ok.

The one servo (elevator)is not linked and starts-up in the mid travel position and drives equally +/- so to speak.

The other servo also not linked to the surfaces wirres very briefly when the Tx is switched on (about 1/10 sec) and will do nothing. This is on the right hand joy stick.

The LH stick is at 'off' speed ie at 6.0'clock down and beeps when I advance the stick towards mid upwards travel but nothing happens to the motor as in nothing.

That once, both RH stick servo's worked a dream, then the one (rudder) stopped and the crank advanced 90 degs and stopped!

I think I simply have to go through each channel. I'm sticking with the new AR410 for now, but might go to the original Rx that came with the set 5 years ago that worked completely in the Stol.

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One of the things is that Spektrum have Model Match which means only the correct memory will work the Rx bound to that model ( name) . So if you try to use any memory ( = model name ) NOT bound to the Rx it wont operate. Very useful feature not on some makes of TX. So you don't really want to bind your other Rx to the memory for this model.

Just make sure you are on the correct memory for the Rx it is bound to.

The ESC needs a particular squence of throttle stick operation to calibrate itself, so read the ESC instructions and carry out. Something like Tx OFF, throttle stick to low, switch Tx ON, throttle stick to full then to low. Or something similar depending on make. Easy really

Then plug in each servo one at a time and see that it works. Then ensure it works in the correct direction and reverse in Tx memory if necessary. Possibly one servo is only loosley pushed into Rx sockets or even has the plug reversed( some have a ' tab' on one side to fit in the correct way , some makes don't ). Servos should be disconnected from linkage at first otherwise they can go to full movement and jam, possibly damaging servo.

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Thank you Kr.

No time today, actually working outside today, but hope to get some clear hours tomorrow.

So, I will bind to the original Rx and name the bind to keep track of things.

There are no 'polarisation' features in the new 410 Rx and the servo 3 way connectors, but have sorted which side the white wire has to go to work, all plugs (initially very tight) are fully home.

All servo's are free of any mechanical connection, just the crank pushed on each so I can see any movement.

No instructions with the Esc, but I'm sure George/ 4-Max can provide them.

What I need is a 4 year old IT Manager!

Will crack it tomorrow I'm sure then I HAVE to start the covering. What can go wrong with that?

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After a few frustrating hours I've concluded the one servo is US and I suspect the ESC is too!

Have emailed 4-Max for advice.

The Tx and RX are bound.

One servo works great for either rudder or elevator and obviously, the ESC is providing power to the Rx.

Tx volts are 5.6, LiPo is fully charged, motor is connected to esc.

The US servo buzzed for about 1/4 second and the crank moves about 10 degrees when plugged into the Rx for the first time. It does nothing after.

The ESC will not energise the motor to the joy stick, nothing whatsoever.

VERY tedious, but most things of this nature go wrong for me, give me a welder any day!

Edited By 911hillclimber on 11/03/2020 17:20:06

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Edited By 911hillclimber on 11/03/2020 17:24:51

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Have you tried calibrating the esc? Unplug it from the battery, switch on the transmitter and set the throttle fully up. Now plug the battery into the esc. If it's connected to the motor you should get a couple of beeps, it does this by pulsing the motor, now close the throttle and the esc/motor should give some indication of the number of cells in the battery - three cells, three beeps. If it doesn't, try trimming the throttle down more.

Of course if you get no sounds it may well be that the esc is dead - or your pack is flat!

Of course you will do this without a prop attached!

Sorry kc, just went back a page and saw you'd already suggested calibration!

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 11/03/2020 17:58:49

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No Dennis, an old picture!

the wires for both have been the same orientation. The servowires are polarised, i.e. The white to one side, but the Rox has no polarisation tab.

all the results I've given are with the servos orientated to electrical work.

just re-charged the LiPo and repeated the esc calibration given above, nothing, no beeps to signify the cell number etc.

I think the esc is kaput.

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911hillclimber

Just to be sure you can use the DX6 'monitor' feature to display exactly what signal the tx thinks it is sending for each stick and on which channel.

I presume you are using the ESC BEC to power the rx and servos.

If so the fact the rx 'powers up' means the ESC plug to the rx must be in the right way round but not necessarily in the right port for the throttle. wink 2

Does the ESC make the 'arming' beeps? If it doesn't then the motor will never turn.

If the ESC is in the right rx port then is the throttle stick at minimum when you connect the battery? As a safety feature the ESC will not arm unless the throttle is at minimum. The ESC may just repeat single beep as a warning. Some ESCs actually need the throttle trim to be set at minimum as well.

It is a good idea to un plug the servos until you have the ESC arming and the motor working (prop off). Then connect one servo and get that working before connecting the next.

It pays to go one step at a time.

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Thank you all for your continued help!

the 410 is marked throttle and I've tried the connector in both ways, never noticed a + or -

the esc power lead goes in the throttle port.

Ill have another go!

Indeed, there are polarity marks moulded into the Rx for the battery position!

They are hard to see....

the 3 wires from the esc have a dark orange in the middle and same orange for the 2 outer wires. The 410 has the positive wire in the middle.

I have just tried the connection in both ways, servos not connected.

nothing! All I get is a beep when I move the stick up from off to full throttle and it beeps again as the stick is returned to off. This beep is about 20% up from off position.

nothing happens to the motor, no rotation at all.

No instructions came with the esc so I'm in the dark.

surely this should be simple?

 

Just to add, the 3 heavy cables from the esc to the motor and the 3 wires from the motor are not identified to each other, all are black.

the diagram for the esc on the 4-max site show the wires to be coloured individually as though the colours must be correctly connected, thus The chances of the wrong colours being connected are very good!

Edited By 911hillclimber on 11/03/2020 21:40:45

Edited By 911hillclimber on 11/03/2020 21:43:30

Edited By 911hillclimber on 11/03/2020 21:53:58

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.Found it, bottom of page for a specific ESC but the link isn’t “open”, although the Ubec link works. I tried only 1 esc and it might open on another one. Only using an iThing mind, might need a big box with wires so if ambushes at work permit tomorrow, I’ll have another look. Get the programming card! It’s possible to programme most escs via the tx, but you’ve to count a cacophony of beeps.

BTC

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Just done that Dennis, repeated the binding too after the throttle reversed.

Nothing changed, beep when the stick is moved from off (down) to full throttle. Trim set to max negative.

I'll have a look too in the morning on the site. Must be missing something.

Bruce, after 32 years with my old 1973 911 hot rod (it has a 3.2 engine in it) I can't imagine my motoring interest without it.

Makes my heart skip every time I see it even after all these years!

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911- you are right it does not open- it's a fault on 4 Max website. You should contact them.

Meanwhile someone might remember the procedure for 4 Max ESC.....or you could try the calibration instructions for another make which could be similar.

By the way -  the 3 wires ESC to Motor wont matter which way they are connected unless the motor turns the wrong way ,in which case swop any 2 wires around.  However the bullet connectors need to be fully pushed together to ensure good connection - that could be the fault.

Edited By kc on 12/03/2020 10:29:54

Edited By kc on 12/03/2020 10:55:05

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Google " servo wire connections" and you will find several images of charts showing all the common servo makes - Futaba,Hitec, Airtronics etc - with their various colour of wires and how they relate to each other.. Print out and keep in the workshop. I won't post it here because it's copyright no doubt.

Edited By kc on 12/03/2020 10:55:46

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Posted by kc on 12/03/2020 10:29:16:

....or you could try the calibration instructions for another make which could be similar.

Edited By kc on 12/03/2020 10:29:54

Most ESCs seem to be calibrated to the radio as follows (motor needs to be connected to ESC with the prop removed):-

Turn on radio. Set throttle at full on. Conect battery to ESC. When ESC beeps move throttle back to off.

Job done - should work normally after that.

Might be worth trying that method with your ESC if all else fails.

Dick

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Posted by Dickw on 12/03/2020 10:41:51:

Most ESCs seem to be calibrated to the radio as follows (motor needs to be connected to ESC with the prop removed):-

Turn on radio. Set throttle at full on. Conect battery to ESC. When ESC beeps move throttle back to off.

Job done - should work normally after that.

Might be worth trying that method with your ESC if all else fails.

Dick

Dick's method is the same as i have used for 4-Max servos and should work. the ESC instruction link on the 4-Max website is broken (and has been for some time).

Spektrum transmitters don't usually need the throttle channel reversing. It's worth checking on the transmitter monitor screen that the throttle stick is actually giving full travel and that there is no throttle hold or cut switched in.

Ian

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Thanks:

I've reversed the Tx back to how all channels are.

Checked the Monitor screen and the channels all have full range inc the ESC. I note the rudder is controlled by the left/right movement on the throttle stick, elevators on the right hand stick.

Anyway, did the routine suggested above, nothing, all dead, not a beep until I move the throttle stick down to 'off'

Must be the ESC is duff? There is power via the esc to the Rx, nice steady yellow light (410 Rx).

The power lead from the ESC is in the 410's 'Batt' position.

Is all this not working because I have not done the fail-safe settings?

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