Help! ESC config or Motor slider issue

F

FMusso91

Member
Hi all!

I am a beginner, building my first quadcopter and I am seeking for help to resolve an issue that I am really struggling to resolve.
The drone is assembled, but I am unable to spin up the motors (both using the transmitter and in the motors tab in Betaflight) nor to read and flash the ECS set up using BLHeli 32. In this case, no ECS is found and the following window appears:

BLHeli32_suite_noValidESC_merged.thumb.PNG.55f58278debba8797e64d9b48d1ba789.PNG

Before that, I have selected the Interface “M BLHeli32 Bootloader (Betaflight/Cleanflight)”, connected it to the FC with success and added the power supply (battery) with the corresponding ECS bipping. Here more details of the quadcopter:

ECS: Chaos 30A BLHeli_32 ESC

FC: Kakute F7 AIO (v1.5 / MPU6000)

BLHeli_32 Suite version: 32719

I have tried it also via BLHeli Configurator version: win64_1.2.0 and Android app “BLHeli 32” but the result is the same one.

Before using BLHeli, I have configured the quadcopter using Betaflight (10.7.0), binded the RX and TX. And as said above, when I give throttle using the controller, none of the motors would spin, but the signals are received.
I have tried also to use different ESC protocols but with the same result. Here below other screenshots (sorry they are partially in Italian ;):

ECS_Config.PNG.ccb241dec2dbb8dd07fbe3ee3dccf316.PNG​

Motors_with_throttle.thumb.PNG.e441f9f493ff7b48fb67565aa8d7a8c6.PNG​

UPDATE:
from other checks I am doing (from similar posts, videos, etc):
1) to settle the throttle between FC and ESC doing: battery disconnected, on BetaFlight motors tab, I armed the motor and raised to high the master level (all 4 motors to 2000) then pluged in the battery and after the startup beeps, I drop throttle in motors tab to 0. Nothing happen, no confirmation beeps.
2) The AUX2 of my TX Flysky FS-i6x is "linked" with the Throttle and not with its corresponding switch (screenshot below):

TX tab with 0% throttle and AUX2 at 1251:

TX tab with 0 throttle and armed switch OFF.PNG

TX tab with 100% throttle, see the AUX2 reached 1747.. (and FYI also the arm switch ON = AUX4):
TX tab with 100 throttle and armed switch ON.PNG

For info, I attach also the Status from CLI.
Withou TX:
CLI Status without TX.PNG

With TX and armed switch ON:
CLI Status TX full throttle and armed switch ON.PNG

Thank you in advance for any advice/help and I stay available to share other information.​

have a nice evening,
Fabrizio.
 
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Hey sorry (for delayed response), love all the detail in your post but trawling through it again here since forgot about it after reading through the first time :D

Great summary and troubleshooting thanks for sharing screenshots of CLI you did and output etc. really makes it a lot less guessing. One more thing that would help a ton is a little vid clip (can make a private vid on youtube and share link here I think if don't normally share vid or use google/apple options for sharing quick clips). Want to see/hear when you plug in the battery what the startup tones sound like, there's a sequence of tones then two confirmation beeps at the end that let you know if signal is received by the ESCs from the FC. If you don't hear those two last beeps there are a few possibilities from what I've seen:

Option 1 the signal wires from FC to ESCs are just broken (seems unlikely if all 4 though)
Option 2 the ground/common/black wire from the FC to ESCs is disconnected so the signal is not being interpreted from a common gnd
Option 3 you covered with the protocols

The throttle warning about disarm seems weird usually you only get that if stick is above 0 when trying to arm.
 
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Guessing since you can't connect to ESCs using BlHeliSuite but the USB connection to FC seems good it is the common GND between FC and ESC that is missing or broken would double check that/those connection(s).
 
wafflejock said:
Hey sorry (for delayed response), love all the detail in your post but trawling through it again here since forgot about it after reading through the first time :D

Great summary and troubleshooting thanks for sharing screenshots of CLI you did and output etc. really makes it a lot less guessing. One more thing that would help a ton is a little vid clip (can make a private vid on youtube and share link here I think if don't normally share vid or use google/apple options for sharing quick clips). Want to see/hear when you plug in the battery what the startup tones sound like, there's a sequence of tones then two confirmation beeps at the end that let you know if signal is received by the ESCs from the FC. If you don't hear those two last beeps there are a few possibilities from what I've seen:

Option 1 the signal wires from FC to ESCs are just broken (seems unlikely if all 4 though)
Option 2 the ground/common/black wire from the FC to ESCs is disconnected so the signal is not being interpreted from a common gnd
Option 3 you covered with the protocols

The throttle warning about disarm seems weird usually you only get that if stick is above 0 when trying to arm.
Click to expand...
Hi Wafflejock!
First, thank you for taking the pain to read all of this and replying.. I may have insert too much information, but better than too less ;)

So, I have recorded a short video where I plug-in the battery to record the ECS bipping and here the link Plug in of the battery - does this bipping mean that it is initialising but not receiving a valid throttle signal?

In response of your options:
Option 1 and 2: I have measured the tension at the ECSes soldering points and all of them read ca. 11.7V (which is coherent with the 3S battery). Would that be sufficient to confirm the quality of the connections?
Option 3: what does "you covered with the protocols" mean and how do I check it?

Many thanks.
Fabrizio.
 
No secondary beeps means the fc and the escs aren't communicating. That's why bl heli isn't working either.

Do you have the signal wires soldered directly to the fc or is there a wire harness?
 
Yah also what I meant by option 3 is if the protocol for ESC communication is wrong in the configuration tab of betaflight configurator then it can also have the same behavior as no signal getting through (or no common gnd, in all cases the ESC just can't understand/read what is being sent by the FC). If you choose PWM as the "protocol" for communication to the ESC it will almost definitely work 99% of them support PWM as minimum but PWM is more susceptible to errors and slower than other protocols like DShot... long story short I would test with PWM first and do "calibration" where start the throttle high with battery unplugged and then plug in battery and drop throttle to 0 with PWM as protocol in betaflight and should eliminate any protocol related issues. If PWM works can try with DShot600 or multishot or whatever and if they fail can always go back to PWM.



^^ think this covers the calibration (DShot or other protocols I don't think really rely on calibration since sending some digital data not just a pulse but tbh not sure)
 
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Basically you should hear "ba da ba" then a pause then "beep boop" if you don't hear the "beep boop" you are just hearing the tones the ESC plays when it has power and is hooked up to the motor correctly (so good there). The "beep boop" happens once the ESC "sees" a 0 throttle signal come through on the control line (depends on control/signal line, as well as common/shared GND Between FC and ESC so that the signal sent by FC can be read by the ESC properly and requires protocol FC is sending, configured in betaflight, to match something the ESC understands and sees as 0 to "beep boop")
 
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Thank you guys (also to C3P0 ahahah)!
I have just tried using the PWM protocol but the result is the same. So as you suggest, it must be the signal wire, I will re-check it and try re-soldering it directly to the FC.
Talking about protocols, the ESC (Chaos) should support the Dshot1200 with speed up to 48Khz, but I don't find it in Betaflight. Whenever I resolve this issue, could I use the Dshot600 or what do you suggest?

Many thanks (again) and I will let you know if it is resolved ;)

have a nice Sunday (and Valentine day!)

Fabrizio.
 
Hi guys,
good and bad news..
The good is that, following your advices, I have fixed the ECS signal wires and I was able to calibrate the ECSes using the PWM (via Betaflight as per video above). Now, in the "Motor" tab of Betaflight, I am able to spin each motor using the corresponding levers, the signal is steady and it seems they work in the range of 1070 to approx. 1500.

Now the bad news (I have looked for topic in the forum but without finding similar cases).
Using the controller (FlySky FS-i6X), I have noticed 3 things:
1) As soon as I arm the motors via switch, they all start spinning even with throttle to min position. Checking in Betaflight, the "Motor" tab indicates that they are receiving a signal of ca. 1070, but in the Aux tab, the signal "Gas[T]" is stable at the 1000;
2) Then, when I move the throttle and leave it in a certain position, 1 or 2 motors do not maintain their speed but the signal varies (increase or decrease) slowly;
3) Finally, looking in the Betaflight Aux tab and moving the throttle, I noticed that both the "Gas[T]" and "AUX2" will change accordingly (Gas has a range of 1000-2000, AUX2 of 1250-1750).

What do you think it could be? I would exclude the signal wire now, because via Betaflight the signal is nice and steady, am I correct?
Here a short video of the "Motor" tab using the controller showing the point 1 and 2.

Many thanks for your patience and advices ;)
Fabrizio.
 
Yah that's normal under default config, if you don't want props to move at all until you also throttle up then set the "motor stop" option to true in the configuration tab of betaflight but so long as motors spinning the right way and props on the right motors can give it a little ground test (right stick only tilt a little to make sure it responds correctly and then a little hover)
 
Hi Dugdog, Wafflejock,
Dugdog47 said:
That sounds normal running without props. Sounds like you're ready to try a hover test with props on.
Click to expand...
wafflejock said:
Yah that's normal under default config, if you don't want props to move at all until you also throttle up then set the "motor stop" option to true in the configuration tab of betaflight but so long as motors spinning the right way and props on the right motors can give it a little ground test (right stick only tilt a little to make sure it responds correctly and then a little hover)
Click to expand...
Many thanks for your support, it's great to count on this great community!

In the past days, I have tried to fly... but the drone is not lifting off o_O! The motor are correctly spinning and accelerating, so maybe it is the weight/trust ratio?
Not sure if I should open another topic as it could be a different issue, but in the meanwhile, I put some info, in case you have still some patience to help me..

The drone weights 870gr and equipped with propeller 1045 (KEESIN BN) and GARTT ML2312S 960KV Brushless Motor. Do you think it could be a trust issue?

Again, thank you and have a nice evening!
 
Seems more likely all props swapped and pinning itself down, if just one swapped then usually does a death roll or some kind of flip out maneuver. Would try only right stick push pitch up down and roll left right see if it can get half its weight off the ground and is pushing in the "correct" direction based on what you would expect.

Let us know what your battery specs are or link to the battery itself and can give a better idea on if thrust could be an issue as well but rough numbers wise things seem fine to me.

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^^ is my go to for checking specs on things if I'm doing something super weird (so far only the hexacopter has been off the rails completely :D)
based on numbers I plugged in there (which might be wrong for weight etc. in terms of all up weight) it should fly

1616619192718.png
 
Hi Dugdog, Wafflejock,
Sorry for the late reply, I have tried a couple of things before writing back.

I have tried the manouvers suggested above but the drone wouldn't death roll or flip.
The battery is a Lipo 11.1v 3S 2200mAh 50C with XT60 Plug (YOWOO) and the total drone's weigth is <600gr.

My first concern was about the structure itself, I noticed that the arms (made in wood) were sligthly bending, so I have reinforced them with middle intersections, while I have used, temporary, plastic glasses as "landig gear" positioned mid-way between the frame and the motors to provide less moments between the motors and the contact point. Nothig change.

I have taken this video (please, don't laugh at it ;)),let me know if I should record other checks.

Thank you and have a good day,
Fabrizio.
 
Thanks for posting the vid. Also I think it's awesome just for the record, all for the diy builds and learning how it all works from scratch so think the wood frame is sweet looking though it is going to have a hard time dealing with crashes should be pretty easy to fix as well tape+wood glue or replace parts pretty easy. Regarding why not taking off couple of guesses, maybe motor direction is wrong it looks like props are correct but should be front left clockwise front right counter clockwise back right clockwise and back left counter clockwise if looking at it from the top with front of quad facing up. Can use a piece of paper in the prop to see which way it's pushing or take prop off and check motor with your finger on the bell.
 
If motor direction right only other thing I can think of is it just doesn't have the thrust for the weight on there, if that's the case could try lighter battery but same voltage so lower mah capacity or can try bigger props or props with more blades. Increasing prop size gets more thrust per rotation but is more weight for the motor/esc to deal with so more current and at some point will toast one of those components but can maybe push them a bit more to get more power out.
 
wafflejock said:
Thanks for posting the vid. Also I think it's awesome just for the record, all for the diy builds and learning how it all works from scratch so think the wood frame is sweet looking though it is going to have a hard time dealing with crashes should be pretty easy to fix as well tape+wood glue or replace parts pretty easy. Regarding why not taking off couple of guesses, maybe motor direction is wrong it looks like props are correct but should be front left clockwise front right counter clockwise back right clockwise and back left counter clockwise if looking at it from the top with front of quad facing up. Can use a piece of paper in the prop to see which way it's pushing or take prop off and check motor with your finger on the bell.
Click to expand...
Hi Wafflejock,
thanks for the encouragment! I need it as I am a little off recently..
I have re-checked the motors and the rotation is correct.
To check the trust-weight, I have tried to fly the drone without the battery on the frame, but instead I placed the battery on a closed elevated surface to "weight down" the drone. Also in this case, no hover at all..
Considering the change of props, aren't the current props 1045 the biggest for quadcopter? In the motor specs, the manufacturer recommends only the 9443 and 1045. Should I try the smaller one?

I lack of ideas without trying drastic change of design..

Thanks for the support :D

Fabrizio.
 
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