Question about ESC

[swipis]

Hello
I have a question about ESC. I know that first I need to turn on transmitter before powering ESC other wise motor start running, the same thing will happens when transmitter batteries dies (or out of range)? Is there a way change that? (I do not want to that my plane one day flies away )
I using Blheli 20A ESC.

Thank you

 

[FDS]

Set the failsafe in your transmitter so it cuts everything if the signal is lost and always check your TX batteries before you go to fly.
The ESC won’t start on its own without a signal but you should never power a model up without a TX on and bound to it because you then have no control if something is wrong. I test everything on the bench before it goes in the plane with the props OFF.

 

[swipis]

Set the failsafe in your transmitter so it cuts everything if the signal is lost and always check your TX batteries before you go to fly.
The ESC won’t start on its own without a signal but you should never power a model up without a TX on and bound to it because you then have no control if something is wrong. I test everything on the bench before it goes in the plane with the props OFF.

Hello, Thank you for your answer. Do get it right, binding is the failsafe? (sorry if this question is stupid )

 

[Morgajus]

Hello, Thank you for your answer. Do get it right, binding is the failsafe? (sorry if this question is stupid )

Failsafe is a setting in your transmitter that tells the receiver what to do if it loses control signal. Generally, you can set this inside of the menu of the transmitter.

The only reason I can think for having a powered failsafe would be for a drone or for some kind of return to home feature that did not control the throttle. That being said, I'm no expert and could be completely wrong.

What kind of radio are you using? I'm sure someone on here will know how to set the failsafe (or a handy youtube video explaining it.)

Is it possible the ESCs are not programmed correctly?

 

[swipis]

Failsafe is a setting in your transmitter that tells the receiver what to do if it loses control signal. Generally, you can set this inside of the menu of the transmitter.

The only reason I can think for having a powered failsafe would be for a drone or for some kind of return to home feature that did not control the throttle. That being said, I'm no expert and could be completely wrong.

What kind of radio are you using? I'm sure someone on here will know how to set the failsafe (or a handy youtube video explaining it.)

Is it possible the ESCs are not programmed correctly?

My transmitter is spectrum DXe so I guess I cannot to do that. I found few videos on yt but all with better transmitters.

 

[quorneng]

swipis
Most ESCs will by design turn off the motor on loss of signal. Easy enough to check.
With the prop off power everything up as normal, start the motor running and then switch of the transmitter. You should find the motor stops within a second or two.
Provided the transmitter throttle has been returned to zero the ESC should re-arm normally when you turn the transmitter back on.

 

[swipis]

swipis
Most ESCs will by design turn off the motor on loss of signal. Easy enough to check.
With the prop off power everything up as normal, start the motor running and then switch of the transmitter. You should find the motor stops within a second or two.
Provided the transmitter throttle has been returned to zero the ESC should re-arm normally when you turn the transmitter back on.

NIce, will check tomorrow. Thank you

 

[FDS]

@swipis You need the cable and app to set that stuff on the DXe.

 

[swipis]

swipis
Most ESCs will by design turn off the motor on loss of signal. Easy enough to check.
With the prop off power everything up as normal, start the motor running and then switch of the transmitter. You should find the motor stops within a second or two.
Provided the transmitter throttle has been returned to zero the ESC should re-arm normally when you turn the transmitter back on.

I just checked and when I turn off transmitter motor starts spinning at full throttle (waited 5 sec).

 

[swipis]

@swipis You need the cable and app to set that stuff on the DXe.

Yea I see 'port assignment & failsafe' in the app but need to buy cable first.
Thank you

 

[FDS]

What ESC is it? It shouldn’t do that.

 

[swipis]

Blheli 20A. I tested 2 hours ago and it did run motor when I turned off transmitter

 

[FDS]

What make?
It might be worth finding out how to program it so it doesn’t do that but wait until you have set the radio failsafe.
If you use decent dual antennae receivers with the antenna wires positioned carefully you should never have loss of signal but you don’t want an esc that goes off like that.
You should certainly never have a good TX switch off in the middle of flying.
I have a small flight box I take to the field, spare TX batteries are always in it. I switch them out when I get below 40% charge.
That’s one of the reasons I dislike the DXe, it has no screen so you can’t make adjustments quickly and there’s no clear battery meter or battery voltage display. The lights are pretty basic.

 

[swipis]

What make?
It might be worth finding out how to program it so it doesn’t do that but wait until you have set the radio failsafe.
If you use decent dual antennae receivers with the antenna wires positioned carefully you should never have loss of signal but you don’t want an esc that goes off like that.
You should certainly never have a good TX switch off in the middle of flying.
I have a small flight box I take to the field, spare TX batteries are always in it. I switch them out when I get below 40% charge.
That’s one of the reasons I dislike the DXe, it has no screen so you can’t make adjustments quickly and there’s no clear battery meter or battery voltage display. The lights are pretty basic.

Not sure what do you mean by asking what make, but I buy this esc from FT store. Anyway I will wait till I get cable and set failsafe with app then we will see. And good point to have spare batteries on the field
Thank you

 

[quorneng]

swipis
Something is very wrong with your set up.
I have just tested a plane that uses a cheap 30A ESC and as expected:
1. The ESC will not arm if the battery is connected with the transmitter off. It emits a repeated single beep as a warning.
2. Connected normally the motor stops in less than 2 seconds if the transmitter is turned off.
3. If the throttle stick is not moved the motor restarts at the same power within 1 second after the transmitter is turned back on. My receiver shows a repeated single red LED flash to indicate it had lost the signal. If the transmitter is switched off and on again the receiver shows a repeated double red flash to show it had two signal losses.

I am wary of Blheli ESCs as they are specifically designed for drones. They are indeed fully programmable which is possible but not easy to do using the transmitter. To make matters worse the manual does not appear to state what the default factory settings actually are.

 

[Andrew]

You don't need the app to set the failsafe, you can set it when you bind it, just make sure the throttle is lowered before and
during binding and that will be your failsafe setting.

 

[swipis]

quorneng, Andrew, FDS - yes my setup was wrong, I made noobie mistake when I bind receiver and transmitter (did not read all instructions). Now I rebind receiver as user guide told to do and now when I turn off transmitter motor stops!
omg I feel so stupid... lesson learned

thank you very much!

P.S. READ ALL INSTRUCTION!

 

[FDS]

It’s OK, we all make those mistakes when we learn.
Making mistakes is normal, ignoring the learning from them is stupid.
Glad you got it fixed, now your plane can fly safely and you can use the app and lead to correctly set your dual rates and expo up so it will fly nicely.