ElectroHub and RTFQ electronics HELP

[Headbison]

A newbie to the quad building have 5 RTF's 350QX down to the micros. Problem is I ordered this electronics package because it was suppose to be plug and play, and later found out it's that easy... After watching Crash's video Flip 1.5 for dummies and trying to get my computer(iMac) and the FCB to talk, and still not sure if it is working fully, since it crashes (MultiWiiConf) every time I close the comm port. Let me backup I went ahead and hooked everything up, without running the MultiWiiConf program test everything and it seemed to be working, took it out and all it would do was try and flip over (all motors were running the proper direction, but as it started to lift off it would tilt towards the front left and the flip over. Thinking i needed to run the program and sync everything, I went back to try and get the computer side of things going. Hate to say it but weeks later finally got things to talk and work like the video. So with renewed hope I took it out to try and fly again, to only have the same thing happen again......holding the quad and throttling up the quad seems to want to buck, and after about 10-15 sec of doing that I noticed that the front left motor was warm and all the rest were cool......could all my problems be a bad motor out of the box? Help please, live in a rural area with the closest hobby shop being 70 miles away, and can't find any other fliers around either.
Thanks Headbison

 

[PlaneAddicted]

A couple things to look at. The motors may be spinning the correct direction but are the ccw and cw props on the correct motors. Second, did you set your reverse: for spectrum THR=NORMAL ;AIL=REVERSE ;ELE=NORMAL;RUD=REVERSE. One last thing, did you set your end points and mid points?

Set the Tx stick ranges (done on transmitter) - "End points/travel" Setup mainly involves the accurate checking or adjusting of your RC Tx - called Transmitter calibration ! DO NOT SKIP THIS first STEP - the very first thing you must do for your first board is Calibrate your Transmitter to give accurate PWM output range - every transmitter is slightly different - Create a new model memory on the Tx and Call it MWC. you will see that changes made on the Tx menu are sent to the FC via your Rx - and actual critical uSEC readings - 1015/1500mid/1985 can be set. If you cannot get it exact then use 1000/1500/2000. Flight controller is a digital interface and the software running invisibly inside requires very specific digital PWM uSEC numbers to hover 100% auto-level, arm, disarm etc. So this may seem a bit weird but you will be using/pressing buttons on your Tx whilst your eyes are looking at your PC or Mac. So move all sticks to the center - set all Tx trims to neutral - Now use SUB TRIM MENU on your Tx to set all mid points to 1500 on these blue bars. Then move, one at a time,move each stick to the low position and set 1015; then move each stick/switch to the high position and set 1985. Then go back and check all your midpoints are still 1500 Do this for all sticks and switches.

 

[jhitesma]

Motors may be spinning the right way, and have the right props...but are they connected to the right pins? Insta-flip like that is almost always due to the motors being connected to the wrong pins. (Seems like about 98% of the time people post with that problem it's two motors swapped. Even happens to experienced builders since it's easy to get two wires mixed up.)

Next question would be is did you calibrate the ESC's. With MW it's best to do it by using the arduino app to edit the config.h to enable the controller to do it (TAKE THE PROPS OFF FIRST!!!) then re-comment that line and flash it back to normal again.

The config program crashing when you close it is unfortunately normal. It has to do with the way Java is dealing with the serial ports. Closing the port in the program before it can usually avoid that but I forget to do it all the time.

Also you may get more responses if you post in the "Electric Aircraft -> Electric Multirotors" forum on here where you'll catch the eye of more multirotor people.

 

[Headbison]

Thanks

The ESC's were calibrated Indavidually with the radio, and the settings have all been set to 1000 Low 2000 High with all radio trims centered except the throttle which is set to its lowest position (via crashes video). Will check the props again, but I have the high side rotating to the center and printed numbers up. The reverses were set to what Paul (RTFQ) had on the control board info for Spectrum radio, will recheck, and finally will check the wire configuration to make sure it is right ( multi times plugging and unplugging who knows)
Thanks guy's will recheck everything and see what happens!
If it still doesn't work I'll repost in the proper forum, Thanks Again
Headbison

 

[jhitesma]

Calibrating the ESC's through the radio is ok, but for best results it really is best to do it through the FC since in flight it's the FC sending signals to the ESC's and not your TX. So letting the FC do the calibration on all of them simultaneously makes sure that they're synced to the FC's endpoints.

I'm still betting it's a swapped wire though, done it myself even after building several quads and looking over the setup several times and still missed it

 

[joshuabardwell]

Second what others have said. Insta-flip on takeoff is almost always that you have the motors plugged in wrong.