Faulty Openpilot Platinum GPS
« on: March 24, 2016, 09:01:39 pm »
Hi all, I think I have a faulty Platinum GPS, it has never worked.
Is it possible to re-flash the firmware ?

f5soh

  • *****
  • 4572
    • LibrePilot
Re: Faulty Openpilot Platinum GPS
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2016, 09:19:19 pm »
No led blinking, nothing ?

Re: Faulty Openpilot Platinum GPS
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2016, 09:33:04 pm »
Power led comes on. Orange led blinks endlessly. Never get fix. Never see any satellites on GCS. GPS box is white with Red Cross thru it

f5soh

  • *****
  • 4572
    • LibrePilot
Re: Faulty Openpilot Platinum GPS
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2016, 09:38:41 pm »
Looks like the cpu is running...
Maybe inspect pcb between cpu and MCU+GPS connector.

You can try the following, but not sure about the stm32flash.exe binary. Never tried under windows.

Short the two pads inside the black rectangle on gps board near the MCU+GPS port.



Connect a serial adapter or CC/CC3D/REVO configured with ComUsbBridge at 57600 to the usb port, then attach the serial wire to the gps (MCU+GPS port) and quickly run the following command :

Code: [Select]
stm32flash.exe -w ef_gpsplatinum.bin -v -g 0x0 <portname>
Where <portname> is COM1 or something

If it fails, disconnect the gps from the serial wire and try again... need timing.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2016, 09:43:41 pm by f5soh »

hwh

  • *
  • 1018
Re: Faulty Openpilot Platinum GPS
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2016, 11:04:15 pm »
Power led comes on. Orange led blinks endlessly. Never get fix. Never see any satellites on GCS. GPS box is white with Red Cross thru it

You can try hooking it up using the "gps only" connector, that bypasses the cpu and firmware.  Same cable just move it to the other connector.  Set the revo port to GPS/57600/UBX, save, unplug or reset the revo, and see if it sees a good gps then.  If not then the firmware won't make any difference. 

Make sure the cable has the two pins crossed as shown on https://librepilot.atlassian.net/wiki/display/LPDOC/GPS+setup

If none of that works inspect the gps with a magnifying glass.  Look for tiny cracks in the ceramic antenna.  The little notches ground into the edges are normal but any crack across the antenna would make it not work.  Flip it over and inspect from the pin in the center.  One of the components on the attached picture are the most likely to be bad.