Stuck in ESC Calibration

Tried to connect to APM 2.5 via terminal mode and I get the following message:

Init ArduCopter 2.8.1

    Free RAM: 1577
    FW ESCs.
    -----------------------------------

load_all took 12520us
ESC Calibration Active: passing throttle through to ESCs.

I did tried to calibrate my ESCs but that failed. I did notice before I lost communication with APM 2.5 that I was still having problems with my throttle spiking. I calibrated my radio and I notice that the throttle would spike at random moments. I had just finished repairing my Hexcopter and I had just finished balancing my props. I was hoping to fly today, but those plans didn't work out. I tried to arm and spin up my motors, but that failed, which made me try to calibrate my ESCs, which brings me to my problem now. Prior to all this I was able to communicate with my APM 2.5 and I was able to setup my motors and check their spin direction. I've been able to download current firmware for the Hex successfully a couple of times now. I'm currently running firmware 2.8.1.

I wonder if my APM 2.5 is messed up. I wonder if the spiking throttle is keeping me from calibrating my ESC's.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I should try? I was hoping to maybe reset and reload everything, but now I can't communicate with the APM and I'm stuck.

Thanks,
Richard

I hooked up a Spektrum AR-600X receiver, with only the power and throttle and tried to access the Terminal Mode and I'm still stuck on ESC Calibration. I upgraded my Mission Planner to version 1.2.20, but that did not help. I disconnected the output pins on the APM and I was able to access the Terminal Mode.

I pulled out the Power Distribution Board (PDB) and found the positive lead was not solder. The wire was stuck in the hole, just not solder. Instead of just solder it, I thought it would be better to remove both leads and clean them up and make them neat. Unfortunately I was not able to get the wires back into the tiny little holes. I toyed with the idea of getting a 1/32 drill bit and opening the hole a little bigger. But luck would have it, sometime back I had problem with one of my ESC heating up and at that time I had purchased a ParkBEC 6V. Back them I couldn't figure out how to wire the ParkBEC 6V into everything. So today I just solder PakrBEC directly to the back of my battery leads on the PDB. Since I was not plugging the ParkBEC in line with one of my ESC, I just taped over the pins and plugged the ParkBEC directly into the APM.

Now I can calibrate and access everything fine.

I thought this might also fix my throttle twitching or pulsating problem too, but no. I believe the problem is actually AR8000 receiver. While trouble shooting all this the last couple of days I noticed in the Mission Planner on the Radio Calibration screen, that my throttle would just spike for no reason. I noticed that APM while plugged into my USB logged a Telemetry log. I also found out that I can graph just the RC channel 3 which is the throttle channel and it shows my AR600 channel 3 steady as a rock and then AR8000 pulsating twice within a minute. (I also pushed the throttle up manual in the test)

I'm going to call Spektrum support on Monday and discuss it with them.

Chris and Jason, thank you for support and help. It is greatly appreciated. Chris I'm so appreciated, I purchased another Quad this weekend, just couldn't pass up the Black Friday sale. Having 2 ships to fly will be twice the fun, just don't tell my wife. LOL. Plus, I always seem to need a another APM for testing, just to rule it out when troubleshooting.

Thanks again,
Richard

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T3

Richard Boyhan November 24, 2012 at 7:16pm

I hooked up a Spektrum AR-600X receiver, with only the power and throttle and tried to access the Terminal Mode and I'm still stuck on ESC Calibration. I upgraded my Mission Planner to version 1.2.20, but that did not help. I disconnected the output pins on the APM and I was able to access the Terminal Mode.

I pulled out the Power Distribution Board (PDB) and found the positive lead was not solder. The wire was stuck in the hole, just not solder. Instead of just solder it, I thought it would be better to remove both leads and clean them up and make them neat. Unfortunately I was not able to get the wires back into the tiny little holes. I toyed with the idea of getting a 1/32 drill bit and opening the hole a little bigger. But luck would have it, sometime back I had problem with one of my ESC heating up and at that time I had purchased a ParkBEC 6V. Back them I couldn't figure out how to wire the ParkBEC 6V into everything. So today I just solder PakrBEC directly to the back of my battery leads on the PDB. Since I was not plugging the ParkBEC in line with one of my ESC, I just taped over the pins and plugged the ParkBEC directly into the APM.

Now I can calibrate and access everything fine.

I thought this might also fix my throttle twitching or pulsating problem too, but no. I believe the problem is actually AR8000 receiver. While trouble shooting all this the last couple of days I noticed in the Mission Planner on the Radio Calibration screen, that my throttle would just spike for no reason. I noticed that APM while plugged into my USB logged a Telemetry log. I also found out that I can graph just the RC channel 3 which is the throttle channel and it shows my AR600 channel 3 steady as a rock and then AR8000 pulsating twice within a minute. (I also pushed the throttle up manual in the test)

I'm going to call Spektrum support on Monday and discuss it with them.

Chris and Jason, thank you for support and help. It is greatly appreciated. Chris I'm so appreciated, I purchased another Quad this weekend, just couldn't pass up the Black Friday sale. Having 2 ships to fly will be twice the fun, just don't tell my wife. LOL. Plus, I always seem to need a another APM for testing, just to rule it out when troubleshooting.

Thanks again,
Richard
T3

Richard Boyhan November 23, 2012 at 7:59pm

I've gone ahead and disconnected Lipo, GPS, Sonar & 3DR Telemetry. I've turned on my radio with the throttle down all the way. I plugged in the USB cable, launched Mission Planner and click the terminal and I'm still stuck in ESC Calibration. I've disconnected the USB and relaunched the Mission Planner and click the terminal 3 times and still stuck in ESC Calibration. Should I use the reset button on the APM? If so, what's the correct proceed in pressing the button? By the way the version of Mission Planner I'm using is 1.2.17.

Thanks,
Richard
T3

Richard Boyhan November 23, 2012 at 4:52pm

Here is what I get:

1. Disconnect everything and power off

2. Power on radio

3. Put throttle at full

4. Plug in Lipo (tones for battery cells, then 1 tone)

5. Wait for APM to power on

6. Disconnect Lipo and connect again

I only get the tones for battery cells and then 1 tone again.

Should I disconnect the 3DR Radio telemetry and GPS?
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson November 23, 2012 at 4:18pm

Can you go through the rest of the ESC calibration process described in the manual here? (Drop the throttle, then power cycle again)

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Stuck in ESC Calibration

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