jipp's first 250 fpv racer style build thread. lets rock.

[jipp]

I don't think you have it right. The way you have mentioned the motors to spin is correct, but the nuts you have in the wrong spot. If the prop is spinning clockwise, you will want the nut to tighten spinning CCW. If the prop spins CCW you will want the nut to tighten spinning clockwise. That way if any props slip it will only tighten the nut. I have the emax 1806 motors as well and my red nuts are on the top right and back left.

duh, than makes sense.. i will change them now while its on my mind.. thanks for setting me strait. like i said i can be stupid at times. i do think i will replace them with nylon lock nuts later on.. just have to remember to take with me next time im at home deopt.

chris

 

[BanditJacksRC]

lol no worries man - I had to search a few threads to figure that one out as well.
I plan on doing the same.. I have even been to the HD a few times since i started my build and I keep forgetting to pick 'em up!

 

[jipp]

i feel a little better knowing im not the only one who messed up that thread thing. its fixed now. so i have my right front is red, and back left is red. my build is slowing making progress.
i can say i need better legs, these carbon triangle things do not look the most stable.. unless the ESC lock them into place. even then i still want at least 2 1/2" of height i think. .. get it out of the dirt. do you fly your battery on top or bottom?


chris.

 

[BanditJacksRC]

I fly with my battery strapped on the top.. and for the legs i agree. I have not even used 'em once. I just land on the belly. I am still looking for a decent replacment, but dont want to just go with zipties or anything. I wll be keeping my eyes out for a lightweight substitute.

 

[jipp]

I fly with my battery strapped on the top.. and for the legs i agree. I have not even used 'em once. I just land on the belly. I am still looking for a decent replacment, but dont want to just go with zipties or anything. I wll be keeping my eyes out for a lightweight substitute.

if you find something let me know.
i need to order a few things next month. ill probably get some LED's too, if i have to figure out how to wire this up, may as well get some LED on at the same time.

chris.

 

[airhawk]

good job on the thread im going with a night hawk but this applicable for me too

 

[jipp]

good job on the thread im going with a night hawk but this applicable for me too

well if anything i post helps you , thats great.. im stumbling my way through this.. unfortunately i did not get into RC stuff as a kid.. so its all new to me, im learning as i go. but as my body is broke from a accident, all i have is my mind so i do not mind learning most of the time.. some days tho i do get burnt out living in my head.

ill keep posting as i go, and good luck on your project.

chris.

 

[jipp]

well here are some current pictures. and her current weight. 212.4grams.

looking at the leg, since i want them longer ill probably just hot glue some plastic gift cards to each one and shape it into a leg, that is a little longer for my needs till something better comes to mind.
chris.

 

[jipp]

i have a question about the ESC. so from what i get these Emax Simon *series* are in fact not running Simon firmware which is what i thought. because simon firmware will not run on SIL330 hardware. But like you guys have mention a version of Blheli. i found this video that is programming it but im not sure whats going on. lots of beeps!

would it be wise to re flash these Emax Simon series 12am ESC with latest version of Blheli firmware? or leave it. if i leave it can i program it while its connected to motors/FC etc.. or are you supose to flash/program these things while they are out of the RC airframe..
also, im trying to find a USB flashing tool. link to one?
also im thinking a ESC programming card made me needed because them beeps are damn right confusing watching in the video.



here is the video..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6epG5E8gAQ

its all find in dandy i just do not really understand what he is programming in the video i guess, so i dunno if what he picked were the best options for us..

right he is a good example what throws a wrench in my project every time.. when i just do not understand these things.. and the logic behind it. well back to reading and learning and trying not to over think this to much. hha.
chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Don't sweat the ESCs today. Wire them up and get building.

I run eMAX 1806 and eMAX Simon Series 12A ESCs on my Polakium (Lady Bug) quad.

I think you will have no issues just the way they are.

 

[jipp]

ok, one other question..

also, do you program the ESC while they are on the air frame or off?
and you do you flash them while they are in the air frame or off?



ok, after looking at your picture of soldering the same esc. i do not think i will solder my wires onto the ESC like i planed.. i would of attempted so if the pads were on the end like others instead of in the middle.

what size bullet connectors do i need for these small emax motors. the only bullet connectors i have are 3.5.
chris,




chrs,

 

[cranialrectosis]

I didn't bother to flash these. I like them just as they are.

I synch ESCs while on the airframe and connected to the motors. Hence all the CAPS when people say KEEP THE PROPS OFF THE COPTER WHEN YOU SYNCH ESCS.

These ESCs are pretty forgiving but yes, the solder pads in the middle are a bit of a PITA. I suggest trim the pre-soldered leads to length and direct solder the ESC leads to your motor leads and skip the bullets.

 

[jipp]

I didn't bother to flash these. I like them just as they are.

I synch ESCs while on the airframe and connected to the motors. Hence all the CAPS when people say KEEP THE PROPS OFF THE COPTER WHEN YOU SYNCH ESCS.

These ESCs are pretty forgiving but yes, the solder pads in the middle are a bit of a PITA. I suggest trim the pre-soldered leads to length and direct solder the ESC leads to your motor leads and skip the bullets.

ok, ill follow your advice. the reason i was thinking of using connectors is in case i have to remove the motor to clean the desert dirt out of it. but i can always just re solder the joint if need be.. so yeah ill just solder the leads together.

i can not find a info on the CC3D PBD, just this picture.. so im gonna assume its correct and use it for my template.



but im not sure which wire will make the motor turn CW, or CCW. i wil probably hold off till i get a battery.

i will use the BEC on one of the ESC, remove that wire from the other three. i think i have this figured out mentally now.

chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

ok, ill follow your advice. the reason i was thinking of using connectors is in case i have to remove the motor to clean the desert dirt out of it. but i can always just re solder the joint if need be.. so yeah ill just solder the leads together.

Turn the copter upside down and gently rock the bell until the grit stops being gritty. If push comes to shove, you can unbolt the motor from the frame and leave it connected to the ESC to work on it. You may also have the ability to remove the (ugh) C clip or grub screws and release the bell. A toothbrush and/or silly putty takes desert sand out pretty well. I fly over high desert prairie. Even if there is grass it is simply covering up the sand...

but im not sure which wire will make the motor turn CW, or CCW. i wil probably hold off till i get a battery.

When you test motor direction and need to change direction, simply swap ANY two of the three motor leads between the ESC and motor to reverse.

i will use the BEC on one of the ESC, remove that wire from the other three. i think i have this figured out mentally now.
chris.

I remove all but the signal wire but that's me being retentive. Remember, I paint props and use paracord sleeving and replace my signal wires with color matched Arduino wires to make my colors match. Yes, I am THAT retentive.

It is RARE that leaving these wires connected causes an issue. However, hosing up the solder job when removing these wires is common. If you have ANY doubts, connect all your ESCs using all the wires and don't let it slow you down one iota.

 

[jhitesma]

Yes, the emax "simon series" are actually running blheli - but it's an older version that emax modified so it works with their programming card but not with the blheli GUI anymore. There isn't much benefit from flashing to a newer version though other than the ability to use the GUI - but on the silabs you can't connect over the servo wire so you'd have to wire up a programming connection.

So on mine I just went with stick programming. I used the motor test sliders in the configurator and did them all at once. Twitchity posted a video last year of doing it. It's not necessary, but it is a good idea to disable the LVC which is enabled by default and could cause a crash if your pack gets a bit low. I also like to raise the motor PWM because the low setting makes the motors obnoxiously loud and annoying to me. Finally I bumped the motor timing one notch higher than default but I'm not sure it really gave any benefit.

These ESC's would run one shot with newer blheli, but they can't do damped light so it's not really worth the effort to flash them just for oneshot.

What Cranial said on sand. Usually a bit of gentle back and forth and/or compressed air will get things out. If not I usually find poping off the clip and pulling the bell is my next step. Very seldom is it bad enough I actually take the motor off to clean up - but when I do I still leave the wires connected.

I also generally remove all but the signal wire like Cranial - but leaving the ground wire is probably a good idea as some ESC's and controllers can have issues with varying ground potential when those aren't left connected.

 

[jipp]

ok, well i think i may attempt to solder the power distribution board up.. but one thing just clicked.. do i need to power the CC3D from it, or do the ESC power the FC.. the picture i posted only shows power for the Battery, and the ESC>.

i see it has a spot for LED, im assuming that will be 5v or similar.. not sure what the TX is for.. also the information for the PDB says it can power LED, and a switch.. would this switch to be to turn it on and off?

also, ill go ahead and leave the ground for the ESC.. and just remove the BEC wire, and i will just do it from the CLIP, not at the board it self so i cant screw these up.. in the future once i get one of these under my belt, id like to go a little over board with cleanness, and make it neat with parachute chord etc.. but at this point, it one more step i do not need for now.. my next build ill use parachute chord etc. i plan on a tricopter..

and i had another important question and now i cant remember, grr.

chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Since these ESCs have BECs you are OK to power the CC3D from one of them.

You can run 12V LEDs which can be directly connected to a 3S or even 4S lipo. The CC3D runs off 5v and will not tolerate direct connection to a 3S lipo. You need a voltage regulator or BEC with 5v output to power the CC3D and receiver. This is why you use one of the BECs from an ESC to power the CC3D.

Unless that PDB has a voltage regulator or BEC built in, the LED pads, like the ESC pads, will be running 11.1v if you connect a 3S lipo to it.

It is not mandatory to remove any of the wires from the ESCs unless you encounter a problem with two BECs fighting each other. I have heard of the potential but never actually heard of anyone with that issue. My first three copters had all three wires connected from all the ESCs to the flight controller.

I trim wires to make pretty builds.

 

[jipp]

Since these ESCs have BECs you are OK to power the CC3D from one of them.

You can run 12V LEDs which can be directly connected to a 3S or even 4S lipo. The CC3D runs off 5v and will not tolerate direct connection to a 3S lipo. You need a voltage regulator or BEC with 5v output to power the CC3D and receiver. This is why you use one of the BECs from an ESC to power the CC3D.

Unless that PDB has a voltage regulator or BEC built in, the LED pads, like the ESC pads, will be running 11.1v if you connect a 3S lipo to it.

It is not mandatory to remove any of the wires from the ESCs unless you encounter a problem with two BECs fighting each other. I have heard of the potential but never actually heard of anyone with that issue. My first three copters had all three wires connected from all the ESCs to the flight controller.

I trim wires to make pretty builds.

thank you. i found a video that covers 4 PDB. the switching thing is built in to the PBD, doh, they are small. i did not even notice they were switches till it was pointed out in the video.. . so what im gonna do is go ahead and solder some wire for LED while im at it. also i think on my next board im gonna source the parts.. seems you can get better PDB than what came with my cheap kit.. and they are not to expensive so may as well have the bells and whistles if im gonna source the parts my self.. i have already bought a flux pen.. so i will use that, im having my afternoon tea now.. so this evening i wll give this a try at soldering. worse case i screw up and i spend another 139.00 on another kit, and ill have spare parts for a 3.00 PDB i fried.. err, that is not the right logic too have.. I think im gonna keep this frame as a LOS. the next one ill consider FPV.

next week i need to buy two strips of LED for bumpers. I need to buy some hook and loop Velcro.
battery,charger.. a radio.. and some spare props and i should be flying! err, i mean tuning. then flying.

then i will start to consider my next project. its sad im already thinking of another air frame and iv not even completed this one yet. the funny thing is once im done with ths one ill probably think how stupid i have been stumbling through it.
but as my grandma use to say. its better to try and fail, then never try in the first place. she use to say "i could complain, but who is gonna listen" heh. go grandma!
chris.

 

[jipp]

i have solder the battery connector to the PDB, along with the 4 ESC. i have cut the motor 3 wires down to about 1". well iv made some progress. not sure where to go from here.. as im not sure which way the motors will turn with the ESC so i do not want to solder them yet.

in the picture you can see the 6 channel lemon RX i plan on using.

 

[cranialrectosis]

With those motors and those ESCs, straight connections mean CCW spins.

If you solder the left motor lead to the top (closest to the cap) ESC lead, the center motor lead to the center ESC lead and the right motor lead to the closest ESC lead, the motor should spin CCW.

Swap any two and the motor will spin CW.

I don't know motor lead layouts for CC3d, but on a Naze32 I solder motor 1 straight, motor 2 crossed, motor 3 crossed and motor 4 straight.

It looks like you have a little room in those standoffs. I HIGHLY recommend you stick some M3 O rings on the standoff screw threads under the CC3D so that the FC sits on the O rings and the standoff screws very lightly compress the O rings with the FC. That will suck out a ton of motor/rotor vibration and you will have an easier time tuning the copter and learning to fly.

There is a good photo of this on an old build of mine here:
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthre...le-H-Quad-(v3)&p=108157&viewfull=1#post108157