Fast beeping as soon as I turn on transmitter...

[mmartinez85]

Posting link to video below. The motor works when plugged up to a servo tester. Only when plugged into the receiver and after I turn the transmitter on, the fast beeping starts. I can't think of anything else to try except doing a full reset of the transmitter.

All of the other channels work (aileron, rudder, elevator). Tried different fully charged batteries. I'd think ESC and motor were good since both work when plugged up to a servo tester. I made sure signal/ground pin alignment is good. Transmitter doesn't seem to show any error.

 

[quorneng]

The fast beeping is the ESC telling you it doesn't understand the signal it is receiving so it will not run the motor as a safety feature.
From you descripyion it sounds like you are connecting up the receiver and then turning on the transmitter.
The ESC needs the correct transmitter throttle signal in place before it will 'arm' ready to run the motor.
Always turn on the transmitter first before connecting the plane's battery. Make sure the throttle is set to minimum and possibly the throttle trim to low as well.

 

[mmartinez85]

Thanks. Should have clarified I tried that way in that order. Same result. Throttle is all the way down as well.

 

[mmartinez85]

Will check throttle trim in a bit. I didn't make any adjustments to that though. Don't even know how yet.

 

[mmartinez85]

Is throttle trim the same as throttle curve? If so I set the lowest and the first setting to zero. See attached. Also tried again by plugging the battery last and same result. Fast beeping.

 

[mmartinez85]

I also just did a hard reset and re-bind of the transmitter to receiver. Same thing.

 

[mmartinez85]

Any chance this is a battery issue? I think the fast beeping started with the top battery but I thought it was because it had one cell totally dead/empty that wouldn't take a charge. So I bought two new batteries (bottom one). This one has a higher C rating which I was told is fine. I tried the old battery again this morning and same beeping.

 

[skymaster]

i get this when my throttle stick is active check the setting on your throttle

 

[mmartinez85]

Hey yup, I set the throttle curve/trim to even if it's moved up some it's sill at 0. No go though.

 

[quorneng]

mmartinez85
The ESC checks the battery voltage it sees and that sets the cell count. So as long as the battery is above 8.4V (2s) and below 12.7V (4s) it will consider the battery a 3s. On this basis I would surprised if it is a battery issue. Does your charger tell you the battery voltage when it is plugged in?
Throttle trim uses the same button along side the throttle stick as you use for trim along side for other controls (elevator, aileron & rudder).
If it all works using a servo tester then the problem is the transmiitter is not sending the same throttle signal.
A servo tester from min to max sends a signal from -125% to + 125%. A transmitter normally sends -100 to +100 unless the full range of trim is set as well.
Just a thought but many ESCs "auto calibrate" the throttle range so it is possible that by using a servo tester the ESC has set the trottle range to values the transmitter is unable to achieve.
To recalibrate the ESC first remove the prop for safety, then set the throttle stick to maximum and switch on the transmitter. Then connect the plane's battery. You should directly hear a set of beeps. Immediately drop the throttle stick to the bottom. This tells the ESC the full range of the transmitter's signal. The ESC should "arm" with either a cell count (3 short beeps in your case) or a single slightly longer beep. After that the motor should run by moving the throttle stick.

Finally you have got the ESC plugged into the "throttle" channel on the receiver and the correct way round? Either of these situations means no throttle signal will get to the ESC so rapid beeps.
I have done all of these more than once when setting up a plane for the first time!

 

[mmartinez85]

Thanks for the detailed response. Answers below.

Does your charger tell you the battery voltage when it is plugged in?

My charger doesn't, but I have a battery tester/alarm and on the battery I am using to test it reports all 3 cells total over 12v and then each cell over 4v, so that seems good.

To recalibrate the ESC

Tried these steps. When I have the throttle all the way up and the battery plugged in, I get slower beeps about 1 sec apart from the ESC and transmitter. The transmitter shows the message to move all switches to down. When I turn the throttle all the way down, it switches to fast beeps from the motor. Not the ESC. Maybe that's an important distinction?

Finally you have got the ESC plugged into the "throttle" channel on the receiver and the correct way round?

I definitely do. It's on port 3 with the pins the same way I have all the other channels when they work.

Attaching pic of what the transmitter looks like during this.

 

[mmartinez85]

SOLVED IT. Saga over. I believe it was ESC recalibration. Very similar to the steps Quorneng posted above except for I turned the transmitter on with throttle down. Turned it all the way up then plugged in battery. It went through a series of different beeps over about 10 seconds. Then I turned throttle down and turned transmitter off. After that, golden.

Thanks for the tips. Didn't really know ESC calibration was a thing.

 

[quorneng]

Well done!
Just a note.
All beeps come from the motor. It is used as a 'sounder' by the ESC.
The ESC has no means of making any sound
.