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elev8 - fast beep problem. — Parallax Forums

elev8 - fast beep problem.

cagcag Posts: 7
edited 2012-06-15 15:37 in Robotics
I've finished my quad - and I've been triple-checking myself as I went along. I'm pretty certain I have all the pins connected properly, etc. I've flashed the firmware and run the setup utility on the hoverfly open board. I've programmed the ESC's with a turnigy card.

Everything seems to be fine.

Until - I plug power into the wiring harness. Hoverfly powers up as it should, but all the ESC's start fast beeping.

Any ideas? I'm poking around the net to see if there is any help.

Comments

  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2012-06-14 12:07
    Fast beeping ESC's mean that it's seeing a value bigger than what it thinks that a zero throttle should be.When an ESC first turns on, it wants to see zero throttle for it's input. If it sees full throttle for more than a few seconds, then it will go into programming mode.
  • cagcag Posts: 7
    edited 2012-06-14 12:57
    Thanks - I backed the trim down, and that solved that. But, I've got no juice going to the motors when I throttle up. argh!
  • cagcag Posts: 7
    edited 2012-06-15 14:10
    Ok Gang - posting this here so hopefully somebody else will need this someday. ZOOT - you were absolutely correct, all I had to do was back the trim down and she simmered down.

    Then, I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't throttle-up/complete the arming. Radio was new to me, and I FINALLY figured out the Gear switch was in the wrong direction, with altitude hold enabled.

    Getting excited - about to get it finished up and flying!!

    Tip: I didn't want to put the props on until I new the ESCs were spinning in the right direction - so I made 4 cardboard "props" with holes in them, squeezed them onto the shafts. Highly recommend for anybody as inexperienced as I am at building one of these. Eliminates the sheer terror of how the thing arms and responds to the transmitter BEFORE you have lethal weapons installed.

    Tip2: Because my RC experience is in gas and sailplanes - I made a rookie mistake - "the bird is on the ground" - so I turned the transmitter off before disarming. While you guys are all too smart to do that, I figure my cardboard props just saved me some headaches and maybe fingers.


    Gettin' ready to ELEV8!!!! I'm pumped! Been worth the build effort and frustration along the way. Can't wait.
  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2012-06-15 15:37
    Cool! Very!
  • LaessenLaessen Posts: 1
    Alright, so I was having this same problem, and it ended sorta badly.

    My advice: IF YOU ARE USING A FUTABA TRANSMITTER, make sure you reverse the throttle channel.

    I had no idea why I was getting a bunch of beeps then flashing purple, and nothing was working. So, I tried to reprogram my esc's while I had props on. That ended badly...

    Turns out the throttle channel was reversed so I had been starting it at full throttle instead of none, and that threw the error.
  • VonSzarvasVonSzarvas Posts: 3,342
    From memory, Futaba has 2 channels which are the reverse of Spektrum. Possibly aileron.

    Which Flight Controller board are you using? If not the new Parallax one, then it might be worth considering an upgrade whilst the price has the introductory discount.

    Reason being that FC boards comes with GroundStation software that allows safe and certain configuration of all settings, including transmitter types and channel directions.

    Anyhow- hope you're OK and that you didn't get caught by the spinning propellers.

    Sure it takes more time, but I can only suggest for safety that you remove all propellers for all setup tasks.

    Have fun flying!

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