Error Flashing ESC

[tommy_mental]

Hello guys,

Need some help from the more experienced flyers here. I'm trying to flash my 15A Multistar ESCs, and got my USBasp with the atmel socket cable. I downloaded the respective flashing tool and I'm running the 64 bit version as is my system. I checked in the ESC database that I need the kda firmware.

So, I choose all the settings from the kk tool as required (programmer - usbasp; port - usb; controller atmega 8-based esc + enable boot loader (8kb flash);

I put the socket on (the right way with the dots matching etc), it starts working its magic and at the end I get an error. here's the log:

Flash the firmware from repository.

H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.exe -C H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.conf -p m8 -P usb -c usbasp -e -U lfuse:r:H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\tmp\/lfuse.hex:r -U hfuse:r:H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\tmp\/hfuse.hex:r

avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: Device signature = 0x1e9307
avrdude.exe: erasing chip
avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: reading lfuse memory:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: writing output file "H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\tmp\/lfuse.hex"
avrdude.exe: reading hfuse memory:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: writing output file "H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\tmp\/hfuse.hex"

avrdude.exe done. Thank you.


H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.exe -C H:\Chrome Downloads\kkmulticopterflashtool_0.80beta2\lib\avrdude\windows\avrdude.conf -p m8 -P usb -c usbasp -e -U lfuse:w:159:m -U hfuse:w:202:m

avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: Device signature = 0x1e9307
avrdude.exe: erasing chip
avrdude.exe: warning: cannot set sck period. please check for usbasp firmware update.
avrdude.exe: reading input file "159"
avrdude.exe: writing lfuse (1 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of lfuse written
avrdude.exe: verifying lfuse memory against 159:
avrdude.exe: load data lfuse data from input file 159:
avrdude.exe: input file 159 contains 1 bytes
avrdude.exe: reading on-chip lfuse data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: verifying ...
avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of lfuse verified
avrdude.exe: reading input file "202"
avrdude.exe: writing hfuse (1 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of hfuse written
avrdude.exe: verifying hfuse memory against 202:
avrdude.exe: load data hfuse data from input file 202:
avrdude.exe: input file 202 contains 1 bytes
avrdude.exe: reading on-chip hfuse data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude.exe: verifying ...
avrdude.exe: 1 bytes of hfuse verified

avrdude.exe done. Thank you.

Error during writing flash.

------------

I can't seem to figure this out and I couldn't find anything relevant on the net. Anyone has any ideas? Please help. Thanks!

 

[mmeyer]

I have never used one of those atmel flashing tools but when i flash esc's i have to re-run the flash over and over because it fails so many times. Its so incredibly frustrating. I dont know if this is the issue but i would try again. Also those multistars do not have a good wrap, might consider changing them.

 

[Craftydan]

Tommy,

The socket tool can be a little wobbly and needs good constant downward pressure and position to work . . . and changing the angle ever-so-slightly will break the connections. If you have some, an anti-static foam pad (like they use to box PC motherboards and parts) is a good thing to place underneath the ESC to press against. Usually I have to set the software and hover the mouse over the go button, allign the socket and hold everything down . . . and click the mouse . . . and try to hold as still as I possibly can. If I careful I'll get it 3 out of 4 times, if I'm not it's 3-4 times before everything will work. Take your time laying everything out flat and it'll go a lot smoother.

One word of warning: TEST YOUR ESCs FIRST WITH A CURRENT LIMITER IN LINE -- go and pick up a 12v automotive light bulb (cheapest you can find) and jumper it inline with your battery/ESC's + wire. If the flash went wrong, the ESC could burn out your motor instantly as you plug in your battery.

With the bulb inline, If all goes well, when you plug-in the ESC will boot normally and a slow throttle up and the bulb lights as the motor begins to spin, and the ESC will reboot. If the flash is bad, the bulb lights immediately, and saves your motor -- put that ESC back on the programmer!

 

[tommy_mental]

Hello again.

Thanks both for the inputs! Dan - mostly to you for taking the time!

I have to say I tried this probably about 40 times. I can see that if the socket is askew it will return an error very fast, but in my case, the error comes up after almost the whole thing is done, at the end. Whatever I try it didn't work. This is when I use the latest SimonK kda file in the drop down menu - the one dated June 18th. In my desperation I tried an older version - March 6th - it worked on both ESCs from the first try.

I guess that even with a slightly outdated version I'm still way ahead from the stock firmware. I'll get the third ESC done and see if I can hook this light bulb up and power the whole thing (thanks for that tip btw!).

Talk soon!

 

[cranialrectosis]

Be careful flashing new Multistars with Simon K. There are some threads on RCGroups suggesting the new Multistars run hot or smoke on powerup after flashing to Simon K.

 

[Craftydan]

no sweat

I wish someone had told me that trick before I'd smoked a motor . . . fortunately it was a crappy motor. I've only had one bad flash after that, but the bulb caught it, reflashed and it's happy in service.

 

[Craftydan]

Be careful flashing new Multistars with Simon K. There are some threads on RCGroups suggesting the new Multistars run hot or smoke on powerup after flashing to Simon K.

Multistars are not the only ESC susceptible to this. ALWAYS check with a current limit in the supply line before you put a flashed ESC in service. If it fails, reflash until it goes away.

 

[cranialrectosis]

My understanding was that HK changed the hardware and that they are incompatible to all but a special ROM.

I found the thread last week including a post by Simon Kirby but am grilling some ribs and running right now.

 

[Craftydan]

Good to know. Would explain why the latest ROM won't work if Tommy's ESCs came from an older batch.

In the meantime, enjoy the ribs

 

[cranialrectosis]

I found these with a quick Google search in between bastings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1arB5ij7CNc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM9MHXDf4g8

They aren't what I was looking for but they demonstrate the issue. I would love to hear a definitive answer. As often as the Multistar question comes up, it is important for a bunch of folks here.

Now double basting with Serious Bone Suckin' Sauce.

 

[xuzme720]

~but am grilling some ribs and running right now.

I'm confused...are the ribs chasing you?

 

[cranialrectosis]

I'm confused...are the ribs chasing you?

Based on my experience with Serious Bone Suckin' Sauce, they will be later.

 

[xuzme720]

Hahaha! :applause:

 

[cranialrectosis]

Additional posts:
http://fritzw.com/2014/07/02/turnigy-multistar-30amp-simonk-overheating-like-on-fire/

This one seems to have the most detail and a solution but I don't understand much of it:
https://github.com/sim-/tgy/issues/52

Maybe a heavy can come in an explain some of this?

 

[Craftydan]

subscribed -- if someone doesn't I'll take a look at it and comment in a while.

. . . too high on CA fumes ATM . . . Darn that balsa stuff . . .

 

[tommy_mental]

Hello again,

Some feedback post-flashing.

Honestly, I got a bit puzzled by that light bulb concept so I skipped it all together All 3 ESCs worked perfectly fine though. Dan - you'll have to explain it to me once again for future reference some time

In a hover, I find that the ESCs do run slightly warmer than before. I haven't measured the temp but it does seem like it. Definitely nothing out of the ordinary though - I mean the temp is far from getting your fingers burned or something.

In a flight, I didn't find any difference in warmth than before. I do find them a bit more responsive, but honestly, with my limited experience in Multi-rotors it is difficult for me to see the huge difference between firmwares everybody notes. All in all - success on this one.

P.S. had a good laugh on the predator ribs topic

 

[jhitesma]

The multistar issue with SimonK is with the 30A version. I haven't been following it super closely but I think they're up to 3 different variations of that ESC in the wild now each of which need a different firmware to run without burning up. I only see two variants listed in the simonk spreadsheet...but the new one is listed as having programming pads but I don't see them in the photo so the spreadsheet may not be fully up to date yet. It does appear that the new version has all N fet's which is nice, but still has the inverted input that keeps them from being bootloader flashable.

I don't recall having heard anything about unusual issues with the smaller multistars - other than them just being rather goofy ESC's in general.

 

[Craftydan]

Hey Jhitesma, thanks for the comment . . . I'd forgotten this . . . I blame the kicker fumes. I wasn't aware this was a 30A only -- hadn't been tracking MS ESC issues myself. Good to know.

CR,

I did take a look, and from the linked discussions . . . yup, what he said.

General theory-confirmed-by-fix (may still not be the problem, but proabbly is) is the FETs (power transistors) used in a few runs of the 30A ESCs are slow . . . not too slow for normal operation, but much slower than your typical ESC's FETs.

Voltage on an ESC is regulated by turning the transistor on-full than off-full very rapidly with vearying "on" times, and how frequently it goes through an on/off cycle is called the refresh rate (bigger the number, the quicker the switching).

as long as a transistor can switch on/off quickly enough, increasing the refresh rate to a rediculously high levels means the ESC can change it's motor speed with far greater resloution, menaing slightly smoother transitions in RPM, and better centering on a given RPM -- all good things . . . Assuming the FETs can swithc on/off fast enough.

There was a batch of MS30's that couldn't. so instead of turning on and off, it would never quite turn off . . . complicated stuff made simple . . . the ESC would run very inefficently with the FETs fighting each other . . . and the heat . . .then the smoke . . .

Fix was simple -- revert to a lower rate, which has a habit of audibly buzzing apparently, but functions fine.


Tommy,

about the lightbulb . . .

when there's no current (or almost 0) flowing through the lightbulb, the voltage it drops is almost nothing and the ESC is happy to boot-up and consider what it wants to do in it's brief life: Accept commands from that RX wire? Turn the FET's on full blast becasue we like our music cranked to 11? Be stupid and flips switches becaue it can? Do nothing?

The lighbulb limits the damage and speed with which a confused ESC can do on a bad flash by cranking it to 11 or flipping FETs on -- instead of smoking the motor, it lights the bulb leaving very little voltage left to burn out the motor. A working ESC can still go though it's bootup, chime across the motor and maybe even run *VERY* slowly before the bulb drops the voltage below where the ESC resets.

So long story short . . . the bulb alows plenty of current to boot up properly, not enough current to smoke the motor.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Thank you, Dan and jhitesma.

Do we have a 'good' tutorial on how to flash these ESCs, one that includes light bulbs so you don't fry a motor?

The topic seems to come up frequently.