LibrePilot Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: QC102 on July 20, 2016, 03:49:59 am
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I think it was in a similar thread that I read a suggestion from "theothercliff" ( I think..) that the thread starter should perhaps put up a couple of product links and let those who have bought and used them...advise or suggest. My words to the intent of suggestion - which I know cannot find from a search or my browser history!
Basically I purchased a Revo mini - did the basic LP upgrade from OP and fitted it in a 450 frame while waiting for a GPS module to arrive.
While fiddling with changing a RX... it seems the connection loom to ESC from Rx came out or loose - plugged a battery in and heard a swisshhhht and saw smoke! The black ( in the Blk white red connection) cable had burnt through. I did a patch to use the female connector and all the basic configuration seems to accept changes and all seems normal and it does turn motors...BUT the orientation as sen in "Flight Data" shows the quad on its side and the compass is slowly circling! So its fried !
So in deciding a replacement I have been checking what is on offer... came up with these -
http://www.banggood.com/OpenPilot-CC3D-Revolution-Revo-10DOF-STM32F4-Flight-Controller-Staight-Pin-p-1000068.html
or another mini
http://www.banggood.com/OpenPilot-Mini-CC3D-Revolution-Flight-Controller-For-FPV-Multicopter-5g-p-1018903.html
I have also ordered this - before I fried the mini revo - its still OK IF 0 the normal size Revo gets more Yes replies?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121772579794?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
For those who mention gates and bolted horses...I know... I know...
As a consideration - at this time using a compass for way points etc - is not a major consideration - I am learning ( slowly) how to build and fly what I have put together!
TIA
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Since I submitted this thread... I have been trying to rescue the Revo mini - which is showing just the blue LED. I appear to be able to "flash" BL, BU, FW, Bin - but whatever I try - the GREEN led - does not show and coptercontrol connect - is not available.
I have search this forum and gone through the manual online - and found nothing.
Although the Revo in described as Revo Mini - rather than Nano - LP shows it as being simple Revolution and warns not to flash revonano.
Been a bad week - fried a CC3D Atom and now this revo! Advice would be appreciated.
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...Although the Revo in described as Revo Mini - rather than Nano - LP shows it as being simple Revolution and warns not to flash revonano. ...
There are only coptercontrol, cc3d, revolution, and revo nano boards, everything else is a Chinese marketing name. Support for the Sparky2 board will be in the next release. If we're talking about your second link, the "Mini Revolution", then it is a Revolution. They made it physically smaller by removing the embedded oplink radio and offering it as an optional "oplink air" but it's a Revolution as far as the software is concerned.
Your screen capture shows that the cpu is running and that it has the correct bootloader and firmware on it. If one of the sensors like the gyro/accel or mag sensor are dead it probably won't boot. Certain config errors also stop it from booting, I'd try erasing the settings by disconnecting usb, pressing "upgrade and erase", and plugging it back in when told to. If that doesn't help it's probably beyond recovery unless you're really good at troubleshooting hardware and replacing tiny surface mount chips with a hot air rework station.
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Thanks for the info..... I have tried everything - but chip replacing is not my forte! So it looks like its dead and heading for the trash.
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You can live without a main board mag. Most people find that aux mag is a better solution anyway.
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You can live without a main board mag. Most people find that aux mag is a better solution anyway.
Me again...can I pick your brains :) I have replaced the dead Revo mini with a full sized board as seen on the forum with a link to BangGood. On their site and in the manual ( same pics/information mostly) it shows the wiring using a bec.
I have bought in Emax 30a Simonk Series - with built in bec, which I have installed on 4 of my builds - the FC as the 3 PWM pins
So can I safely use them or do I need to pull a wire and use a bec?
Apologies if the info is on the form/manual - but I cannot find anything in a search.
Hoping others will read who have used and still do - the full sized board - are there any pitfalls to avoid.
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All of mine just use the BECs that are built into the ESCs.
That usually works up to about 3 cell packs because your ESCs that have linear BECs will get hot just from the BEC power consumption at higher cell counts. Of course that depends somewhat on what extra stuff gets power from the BECs.
I have a 4 cell quad where I use the BECs built into the ESCs, but one ESC gets close to hot when sitting on the ground with no cooling airflow for a long time.
For 5 cell packs and higher I would use a separate switching BEC, but that needs testing too because switching BECs have noisier power.
You will probably find that one ESC gets a little hotter than the others. That is normal because of the slightly different voltages coming from the ESC/BECs. The one with the lowest voltage supplies most of the current as if it were the only one plugged in.
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Thanks for that info.
Its the first time I have tried to be involved in the GPS stuff.....I guess I am lacking something! I have managed to brick a Revolution mini and I replaced it with a "full sized" Revo from Bangood. That is also - now - unusable.
I have a NEO M8N module but after changing over from the stock OP Fw, its not working as it should... just the basic CC3D side like the Flight Data display - its now static as if nothing is connected ...but I can "upgrade" Halt and reboot etc.
I have been away from computers for a few days and back home now, I will have another attempt to see what it will and will not do.
UPDATE: I set up the Revo and NEO M8M module and for some reason... they seem OK - well mostly - the Mag warning come on and warns the settings are 5% ( forget the rest!)
From what I gather LP was not accepting the "set home".
Don't know if its a iMac thing or just mine...but I am plagued with LP flipping pages and going from whatever I am doing to any other page - sometimes it comes back...mostly not. I have tried restarting it and even rebooting the Mac...still happens.
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Flipping pages on a laptop is usually accidental touch of touch pad (for me anyway). :)
Always power your flight controller and receiver from 5V or 6V BEC such as the BEC built into the ESC. Don't power it with more than that. Don't power it directly from flight battery.
If you have a repeatable problem, it is good to try a different computer. If it is a connection problem, sometimes a different USB cable fixes it.
Do not touch or mount the board directly to a carbon or metal frame. Do not use metal standoffs to mount the board.
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Thanks for the info.... as it happens..I posted yesterday ( tongue in cheek style) bottom line was that a lot of my issues seem to have been caused by a cheapo 4x USB hub. I have two iMacs and got two of these hubs from the local supermarket. Like a lottery, it seems some of the four slots were loose fitting and as I was changing USB micro and the old style as on the basic CC3D board... and on two computers...it was a random glitch.
The page flipping in LP is not about accidental touch on keyboard/mouse clicks etc. I will try to get in video and post it.
The othe problem I have with LP is that I seldom get a full GPS map - just blocks going from left to right - so far I blame our wifi connection - which in Australia is at times is slower/worse than a isolated village in wildest Africa!
Thanks again...much appreciated
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Google changes their GPS web stuff frequently, and after several months, stuff that used to work can break.
You might try some different GPS map providers in the GCS options.
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Thanks..again and always..much appreciated advice.
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Starting from the top, I see your first board has what might be a common problem.
The tiny pins inside all the connectors can bend over if you plug the connector in a little sideways, after that, the more you push, the more bent the pin. Use a magnifying glass and try to look at all the pins.
If you find a bent one and it is not too bad, you can use a magnifier and modeling knife to start to straighten it and an EXTREMELY thin needle nose pliers or hemostat to clamp the bends out.
Other than that, don't mount with metal anything (screws, standoffs) or mount touching a metal or carbon surface.
Don't feed them more than 6 volts (preferably 5). Original spec was higher voltage than that.
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Good advice - never thought wbout and will check the FCs.
Waiting for a another Revo from Banggood - not sure if the current one is OK after I rescued it.
Meanwhile - I am hitting youTube and the LP online manual etc,. trouble is everybody seems to do things in a different way and the uBlox - as far as I can see.. don't have "manuals" of info sheets to download.
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...the uBlox - as far as I can see.. don't have "manuals" of info sheets to download. ...
The ublox website has hundreds of pages of info on each of their gps modules. What were you planning on modifying on the gps module?
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Guess I am looking in the wrong place :-\
Not planning mods...just trying to figure out how to install, set up and try it out.
I think my first problems were due to a defective Revolution - that may be disproved when my next order arrives.
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There is a "walk before you run" issue here. :) Adding GPS will not fix problems, other than new pilot issues. GPS assumes that the quad is set up and flying well and actually uses Attitude mode internally. Generally speaking if you want to fly GPS modes, you should consider using an aux mag.
The current release, 15.09 only supports one kind of aux mag, and that is the one on the OP GPSv9 which is not made any more and very expensive when you can find one.
The coming release will add support PixHawk GPS/mag and DJI/Naza (lite) GPS/mag. You will have to solder connectors for either. The PixHawk uses separate ports for GPS and mag, but the DJI puts both on a single port (that frees a port up for other things).
The good and bad is that any PixHawk GPS will work. That is good because there are many to choose from, but it is bad for the same reason. Which to choose? Make sure your PixHawk GPS has two cables (4 wire for GPS and 2 wire for mag).
You can get either a clone or an authentic DJI/Naza GPS. There are many brands and qualities of clones. Authentic DJI/Naza cost $43 (shipped) and up.
So to start out, you should probably get "next" and a DJI/Naza isn't a bad bet. You compile "next" yourself, or there is a thread where a forum user builds it for others to use.
DJI/Naza GPS/mag
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251862698572
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Thanks Cliff,
Having seen posts which advise as you do - that GPS is not a magic trick to stabilize a poorly set up quad. While I am not expert and do not fully understand the relationship of PIDs - I think my stuff is OK for "park flying". What I have found is that badly ( or inexperience) built quads are a bigger problem than PIDs.
I have seen youTube stuff and read on this and other forums of GPS modules being added and simply decided to see what it was about. I have purchased a Revolution FC and a NEO M8N GPS module (in the photo attached above.) This module has two sets of wires - which I gather get plugged into the the main and a flexi port.
Last night I read about the need to bag up the FC and freeze it! And I am still going through the online pages - I have also started trying to layout the info to create a PDF - which I find easier to use for quick reference. ( I am "rural" Central Coast of NSW Aussie - and broadband connections are slow, not always reliable - and more expensive than than a village in Siberia would pay)
I may be missing a lot but my impression from most threads on these M7N - M8N is that they are plugged in and then needed calibration.
I do/did not plan to add camera's or expect it to return home etc,. so maybe I should just wait and see what happens in future LP GCS version.
Thanks again
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Coming version has AutoTune too! :) It sets your PIDs for you.
When I thermal calibrate, I sometimes start with 10-15 minutes in the freezer in a plastic bag. That is only so the calibration extends to freezing, in case I want to fly in the winter. The plastic bag is to protect it from condensation when you remove it from the freezer.
M8N GPS works fine. That is one of the ones I test sometimes. You need to keep the mag wiring short, maybe even twist with a ground wire. Next release will enable some extra, programmable pullups to help the mag communications. Either way, you should test because if the wires are too long, the mag communications can hang and the FC can reboot.
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Don't suppose you will be considering moving to Australia - near me!
I was reading about the freezer thing last night ( iPad and boring TV) and I tried it today. Failed! I'll read it all again and try it.
Thanks for more advice on the M8N.. Just a thought on wire's and twisting. I am no electronics expert, but from somewhere long ago I seem to remember being told NOT to coil cables because it creates inductance. This came to mind seeing youTube vids and all they builds seeming to wrap the ESC connection wires to the FC, around posts or bundled them up and tied together.
I am fairly new to all this and learn better watching things being done... but find youTube sometimes confusing - especially when it comes to PIDs.
I know the guys dealing with the coding and building the up coming version are working as fast as they can and things need testing etc,. - but I am hoping it will come soon :)