Did I blow my outputs?

Hello,

 

I got to the point in my first quad arducopter build where  it came time to load the code, exciting!

With everything connected, (including ESCs) I proceeded to power up the board via USB.

The dim LED struck me as kind of odd, but at this point I don't know that what i've just done is a no. So I make 1 attempt to load the code whith no success obviously. That's when I unplugged it.

Upon closer inspection the manual I found it rather casually mentioned here:

 

 

"3. Upload the ArduCopter firmware to the APM.

  • Plug the board into the USB. If you have ESCs connected to the board, you must also be powering the board via a battery (though the power distribution board if you're using the standard ArduCopter frame). If you do have the ESCs connected to the APM board and you don't power the independently of the USB cable, the code will not load and you may blow your outputs. (You can tell you're overloading your board if your APM LEDs are dim). "

I connected the battery, made a minor correction to my sketch folder name/location and the code loaded fine. 

 

now when I power on the quad the motors beep really fast and nudge just a little....

I calibrated the esc's according to the manual and tested each motor idividually for proper spin direction

 

Thanks,

Toby

 

 

Post script,

 

in kinderkram's build log, at the bottom (after you fry your outputs)

there is this warning



IMPORTANT WARNING!!!
When you plug in the USB make sure you don't have your ESCs and motors connected.
Otherwise you will blow your outputs!

you guys know the next question.

 

Why is this warning not in the ArduCopter manual?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sebastian Gralla on November 18, 2010 at 12:01pm
you know, it's a wiki
there are mistakes, but think about it.
why didn't you just disconnect the battery like jani told you? do you think he wants you to break your hardware?
Permalink Reply by Aaron on November 18, 2010 at 12:04pm
I DID do it like he said! THAT IS HOW IT HAPPENED!!
FYI, this is what the Wiki says VERBATUM!!
IMPORTANT WARNING!!! When you plug in the USB either disconnect your ESCs and motors or make sure your LiPo power battery is also connected. Otherwise you will blow your outputs.
Permalink Reply by DODY on November 18, 2010 at 3:29pm
Hello, in 1 to 2 weeks of the Arducopter kits will arrive a little everywhere in the world.
In order to avoid burn electronics, I ask Jani, Chris or José to make us a video tutoriel in the 2 ways of charging the code.
Thank you
DODY
Permalink Reply by Gunnar Forsgren mobimation.com on December 4, 2010 at 5:48pm
Can somebody explain (in an electronic sense) how the control outputs of the APM would blow as a result of the ESC not having power applied from the LiPo battery ? I did this "mistake" several times during my ignorant tests and never saw any dimmed LEDs. All is working ok so far.

3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on December 4, 2010 at 5:55pm
It can't. People were confused. The worst you can do is temporarily brown out the board. Plugging in the LiPo will return it to regular operation.
Permalink Reply by Mark on February 23, 2011 at 6:25am

I have just returned to DIY drones after a break and I am starting a new project basically adding Arducopter to a gaui330x.  My hardware arrived today and I just wanted to check on this issue before trying to hook everything up later on.

 

With the APM in its default factory state with the 4 ESC's connected should I make sure I power the ESC's from my lipo before hooking up the USB for the configurator? and in reverse when disconnecting I should unhook the USB before unhooking the lipo that powers the ESC's?

 

However if the ESC's aren't connected I obviously dont have to bother with the lipo?

 

The Gaui ESC's currently plug into the Gaui control unit with all 3 pins on all 4 ESC's signal, neg and Vcc is this ok when hooking the ESC's up to the APM or do I have to cut the Vcc (and neg?) on all but 1 of the esc's?

 

Just to confirm it is ok to power the APM from both usb and RC input at the same time?

 

Thanks,

Mark

Permalink Reply by Sebastian Gralla on February 23, 2011 at 8:52am
you need to cut the 3 positive cables, leave all negative connected
Permalink Reply by Mickele on February 20, 2011 at 2:43pm

Hmm, I did not read the 3 pages, so excuse me and ignore if I am saying something wrong.

I had the same problem several times, disconnecting the battery and forgetting the USB, though I never fried anything because my PC cuts off the power on the USB and I receive a message saying something like : "the USB port is drawing too much power that it can handle. USB port has been cut off, please disconnect blablabla..." maybe because it is a Mac or something, but I guess most PCs have some kind of overdraw protection...

So logically this issue should not be a problem, but there is surely a way to upgrad the APM.

Anyway just my 2 cent


3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on February 20, 2011 at 2:51pm
If it says "The USB port is drawing too much power" that means that you created a short in your soldering. This is VERY BAD. Go back and check all connections before plugging it in again.
Permalink Reply by Mickele on February 21, 2011 at 12:28am
Done, everything is well connected and working as supposed
Permalink Reply by Marianne Antonio on October 28, 2011 at 4:45am

Hi! When this is done, would that also affect the inputs of the RC?

 

When the APM does not have an output, what steps do we need to do to revive it?

Permalink Reply by Ellison Chan on October 28, 2011 at 8:14am

The problem is a myth.  As Chris said above, the worse that happens is you cause a brown out on the APM board.  This is because the USB is not able to power the board and the ESCs at the same time.

 

What may happen with the fast beeping is that the ESC get partial power and go haywire, requiring you to re-calibrate them individually, using the calibration process for your particular ESC.

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