Help with HKPilot Mega 2.5

apurchase

Junior Member
I've spent close to 100 hours trying to get my FT Bat Bone tricopter flying. I've burnt a DF13 connector and an ESC, and broke one of the arms off and it still hasn't left the ground.

While I've been flying and scratch building rc planes a few years, this is my first 'copter', and I'm in over my head a little this control board, I originally wanted a KK but it was always out of stock...

Here's the situation...

Everything on the board seems fine when plugged into USB, the firmware loads, the GPS, compass and gyros all calibrate fine.

USB and battery, everything seems to work, motors come up, and tail servo works.

But when powered by just the battery and nothing works, no lights on the board, just one servo continuously beeps after the normal "3s" 3 beeps.

My understanding is that with the Power Module, take out the JP1 jumper and the ESC/BEC will provide power to the side of the board for the servo...

APM_2_5_RC_IN_enc.jpg
APM_2_5_MOTORS_TRI.jpg


I bought the power module from HK:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=43766

ESCs are 2 Multistar 15A LBEC 2A (I popped the third one) and a Turnigy Plush - 30A BEC 2A/5V.

I see the benfit of a BEC and I'll get one the next time I make a HK order, but for the mean time, I don't understand why this set up won't work? the HK PM doesn't have a BEC? Is it because the BEC don't provide enough power?
 

robschonk

Senior Member
Most folks power each side of the board with separate external SBECS.

This is a HUGE topic, and I'm by no means an expert. Not to take away from FliteTest, but there are extensive threads on RCGroups, or go directly to diydrones.
 

makattack

Winter is coming
Moderator
Mentor
I don't think APM will work without separate power to the servo rails, either from your ESC/BEC unit, or from a separate BEC... The http://ardupilot.com/ docs are quite explicit about it and have lots of warnings on that, along with examples on how to connect things up to different aircraft.