Yaw channel woes
« on: December 05, 2021, 07:51:10 pm »
I've been flailing for more than a week with trying to configure my 2 M electric Telemaster to utilize one of my 4 Open Pilot FCB's. Please excuse the length of this post, but I've tried more times than I can count. 
The other 3 boards operate 450 size quads and configured properly using basic settings. 
My system includes a Spektrum DX9 transmitter, Orange receiver(s), a generic ESC, uBLOXNE0-MN8 GPS/compass module, the FCB, and analog servos. 
The vehicle configuration Wizard works properly, including the ESC and servo settings, the GPS, and the OP Link downlink. 
The Transmitter Wizard consistently fails at the Yaw stick step.  Throttle, roll, and pitch are sensed, but the process hangs with the rudder stick.
I've tried different sequences and techniques of powering up the components - USB vs. ESC vs. separate 4.8 v Nicad, 3 different receivers, 3 different wiring harnesses, bench testing vs. installed in the airframe, 3 different Windows 10 computers, Upgrading and erasing the FCB several times, manual configuration (during which the Receiver Activity indicator shows inconsistent activity, but none from the Yaw channel insofar as I can determine from the flickering indicator).
All 3 receivers control the servos and ESC when bound to the transmitter and connected directly without the FCB in the circuit. 
Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.
Thanks

Re: Yaw channel woes
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2021, 09:53:37 am »
Thanks for the complete info.  All that put together says that the FC yaw channel input is not working.  The fix is simple.

You didn't mention what receiver signal type you are using.  I assume you are using PWM, where there is a separate wire for each channel.

What is probably broken, and why:
The FC yaw input is fried.  Well the input that you are trying to use for yaw is fried.  When a powered cable plugged into an unpowered device and the cable has more than just power, it can depend on which wires touch first (when plugging it in) as to whether something gets fried or not.  If the signal and + wires connect before the - wire, then the signal wire is effectively being used as a - wire to power the whole FC, and this can fry it.  Other things could fry it too...

Or this might be broken:
Unplug the 10 pin cable that has all the wires from the receiver to the FC.  Use a magnifying glass to examine the tiny pins on the FC side to make sure that none of the pins are bent.  I have the tiniest of needle nose pliers that can reach in an clamp down on a bent pin to straighten it, after using a #11 Xacto blade to start the straightening process.

How to avoid this in the future:
Everything but power should be plugged in first.  Power should be plugged in last, and should be a 2 wire cable or switch.

How to fix it:
The transmitter wizard will sort out which receiver signal comes in on which FC input, so just plug a different, unused wire coming from the FC into the receiver yaw channel.  Think of the old yaw wire coming from the FC as being broken and just use any extra unused wire.  Rerun setup or the transmitter wizard.  For a quick test just look at the Input -> RC Input page top right (activity indicator), and wiggle the tx yaw stick (tx on, 5V ESC/BEC/battery power must be used for the FC/Rx because FC USB connection doesn't power the Rx, or GPS or anything external to the FC) to see if yaw is now working.

Please let us know if this fixes it.  :)
« Last Edit: December 07, 2021, 08:14:25 am by TheOtherCliff »

Re: Yaw channel woes
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2021, 12:25:18 am »
Thanks again for the help.
I do use PWM signals from the receiver to the FC.
I checked all the pins on the FCB receptacle for the receiver connection. They're all OK.
After a few more hours of additional testing/configuration with the FCB and receiver out of the airframe on my workbench, connected to a spare ESC, 3 servos, and motor to facilitate experimenting, I finally figured out why my transmitter/receiver wasn't communicating with the FCB. It was a combination of several factors:
1. Spektrum transmitters/Orange receivers use Channel 1 for throttle.  The FCB uses Channel 1 for input, but Channel 4 for output.
2. I've been flying the Telemaster for several years without any additional add-ons, although I did have a Spektrum AS3X receiver installed for a while and programmed 3 levels of stabilization into 3 flight modes from one of the 3 position switches, which I neglected to disable before I added the Open Pilot to the system.
3. I had throttle cut programmed into another 2 position switch to avoid inadvertent motor activation.
To make a long story short, the old transmitter settings were disabling some transmitter output, which, combined with the channel discrepancy, drove me crazy trying to sort out why the FCB wasn't sensing any receiver activity.  I did A LOT of swapping connectors between the receiver and FC before I simply flipped the
throttle cut switch, after which the wizard worked, as verified by Receiver Activity on the appropriate 4 channels on the Input configuration screen.
While I had the setup on my workbench, I checked servo activity with the Output screen, and all the servos and ESC could be controlled by the sliders. 
The transmitter still wouldn't operate the servos or motor, but I installed the components back into the airframe anyway, figuring I can debug them in situ as well as on a bench.
Unfortunately, the Output sliders quit working the servos/ESC after reinstalling in the airplane, and the transmitter still has no effect, although the flap servos (which are driven directly from Channels 6 and 7 on the receiver assigned to a slider on the transmitter) still work as before.
Interestingly, when I wiggle the FCB in roll, pitch, and yaw, the servos to the respective control surfaces do move, although I haven't verified that they do in the correct direction to counteract the changes in orientation of the FCB yet.
Incidentally, the Op Link works as it should, and the GPS module can find 15-19 satellites. 
Thanks again for your help and advice.  If you have any other ideas about getting my transmitter to talk to the onboard equipment, let me know.

Re: Yaw channel woes
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2021, 01:10:10 am »
1. Spektrum transmitters/Orange receivers use Channel 1 for throttle.  The FCB uses Channel 1 for input, but Channel 4 for output.
? The default "PWM receiver" setup has all the wires in the FC 10 pin connector (they connect to the receiver) set as inputs, so I don't understand what you mean when you say "The FCB uses Channel 1 for input, but Channel 4 for output."

While I had the setup on my workbench, I checked servo activity with the Output screen, and all the servos and ESC could be controlled by the sliders. 
The transmitter still wouldn't operate the servos or motor, but I installed the components back into the airframe anyway, figuring I can debug them in situ as well as on a bench.

Unfortunately, the Output sliders quit working the servos/ESC after reinstalling in the airplane, and the transmitter still has no effect, although the flap servos (which are driven directly from Channels 6 and 7 on the receiver assigned to a slider on the transmitter) still work as before.
You generally need to click the "Test Outputs" button on the outputs page for the servos / ESCs to become active.  This is a safety feature.

Interestingly, when I wiggle the FCB in roll, pitch, and yaw, the servos to the respective control surfaces do move, although I haven't verified that they do in the correct direction to counteract the changes in orientation of the FCB yet.
If the transmitter won't control the servos, I suggest that you look at the Input page where the sliders should respond to the transmitter sticks (with battery power plugged in).  Also, be aware that in some FC flight modes, the amount of servo motion is very small.  Do initial set up for a fixed wing using Manual FC flight mode.

I assume that you have run the setup wizard or the transmitter wizard and have not modified any Input page control reversing after that.  This is VERY important to not change the reversing on the Input page after running the wizard.

For fixed wing, I suggest that you use a new model in your transmitter, rerun setup, get the FC "Manual flight mode" configured correctly, in the correct direction, using only the reversing on the Output page.  This will work no matter how the FC is mounted.

It's easiest to mount the FC upright and arrows forward (servo/ESC pins on the right side of FC).  If you do not mount it this way, you must do some extra configuration to tell it how you have rotated it.

Re: Yaw channel woes
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2021, 11:07:27 pm »
To make a long description short - I finally succeeded in the basic setup of my Telemaster. 
To clarify some confusion that I may have created with inaccurate descriptions:
1. My Spectrum/Orange transmitter receiver arranges its signals to the various functions (throttle, roll, pitch, yaw similar to the multiconnector that connects the FC to the receiver - specifically throttle (white wire), roll (blue wire), pitch (yellow wire), yaw (green wire), flight mode (orange wire), and aux (orange wire), and, of course, red for power and black for ground, so input is straightforward.
The servo connections on my FC board, however, are similar to my Futaba, with roll, pitch, yaw being controlled by channels 1-3, and channel 4 being throttle, as is shown on the connection diagram.  Having throttle cut enabled (and switched on) when I used the Wizard disturbed the sequence of control stick recognition and calibration. I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to figure this out.
2. Thanks for bringing the "Test Outputs" button to my attention. Selecting it enabled verifying output.
3. My roll was reversed, so advising which screen to use for correcting it is also appreciated, as, I'm sure, reversing it at the transmitter would cause all sorts of problems with the FC trying to stabilize the aircraft.