Hope this is the right section to post this.
Ok so I know this is basic stuff. I've looked here for a clearer answer but am still unsure.
Yes, I've read the arducopter and pixhawk documentation, but I'll be honest I'm still a little confused and don't want to fry my nice shiny pixhawk (PX4), so I just want to confirm that I have things right before connecting them and powering up.
So, I have my ESCs wired into a PDB. Then the three thick wires from the ESCs connect to my motors.
Then there's the little wires, S + and -, with the little black connectors that go to the pixhawk.
Now, my question is, do I need to disconnect the red power wire before plugging them into the pixhawk, plugging only the signal and ground wire in, or should I just plug them in with all three wires intact?
I also read somewhere (can't remember where) that only the white signal wires go into the pixhawk and the + and - wires should be removed.
So, like I say I'm a little unsure and don't just want to power ahead because I can't afford another pixhawk lol
Everything else is plugged in, connected to the ground station and working fine.
For information - I'm using the 3DR power module running from the PDB to power the pixhawk.
Help please.
Replies
Ok thanks for the help guys. I left one +5v connected, removed the rest, plugged them in and....bingo.....they all work flawlessly!!! Can't fly today sadly, am waiting on a replacement ESC tomorrow that I fried last week :( but, soon as it comes and I get it wired in am looking forward to seeing how this thing compares to the mini KK I've been using up to now.
How did you fry it? :)
My intro to quads was an RTF model, then quickly built a couple 250s. I used Naze32 + Baseflight and loved it. When it went to Cleanflight I successfully added GPS, but all I got was coordinates.
Then I found an Iris+ w/ gimbal for $400 on CL.
I love it. Besides the 4-in-1 ESC, everything else is what you have. I love it. Soon I will move everything over to a new frame. I hate how many screws the Iris+has.
One thing very different: rates. It will not be as responsive out of the box. The default values are set for doing what these things do best: flying around shooting/mapping stuff.
You can adjust a thousand different things to make it fly like you want it to. I set my throttle rates much higher so I could get more punch. Make sure to back up last config before changing anything.
In my mind I'm practicing for 450 size quad racing, like racing the Millenium Falcon instead of X-Wings.
Then, of course, I flip a switch and now I'm shooting video and doing all the neato stuff that can be done with the Pixhawk.
I had the craft completely stripped down ready for the pixhawk re-build. I needed the landing gear down, so I connected an ESC to the receiver (channel 2 or 3 I think) and plugged the battery in and the ESC started smoking right away and was dead very quickly lol I think it's because I still had the rx set into PPM mode....I'm not really sure why it fried.
I used to build rc aicraft. Like push prop f-15 built with 5mm foam board and stuff. Then I got into rc helicopters for a while, but that turned out to be really hard and really expensive lol
Then for a birthday a few years back, my wife bought me a little UDI/RC off the shell drone with a cam. I was fascniated with being able to take 'sky' pics, although the quality of the cam was poor.
I stopped playing with it after a week or so and it sat collecting dust. Then a buddy of mine got a simmilar off the shelf cheap little drone and started posting vids of him flying and my competitive self kicked in and I started playing with mine again and really got bitten with just how cool and how much fun this was.
Then looking around at other people's vids on youtube and stuff my eyes were opened to the world of the big expensive drones and I thought about buying one, but decided building one would be more fun!!! And the rest is history :)
Here's a link to a quick vid of the initial build of my 450. It's come a long way since then.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UsaoB6zO90
Ok. So, if the power module drops, the ESC can provide enough back up power to the pixhawk to allow it to continue operating and land? Nice.
Can you take a few pics of what you have currently and post it? It can be difficult to know exactly what you're talking about (I have an idea, but without seeing what you are actually using I could easily suggest something that could ruin it). BTW, are these 3DR products, or from HobbyKing?
Ok, not sure how clear these came out, but I have the PDB powered from the 3DR power module.
Then the ESCs and you can see the 2 thick wires that go from the PDB, the three thick ones connected to the motor and then the little black, red and white ones that will go to the pixhawk.
And, yep, pixhawk and module are genuine 3DR.
IMG_0775.JPG
IMG_0774.JPG
Have you seen this?
https://pixhawk.org/platforms/multicopters/dji_flamewheel_450
Worth reading through that build.
Do the ESCs have BECs?
Ya, the ESCs have 5v-3A Linear BECs.
And ya, that build looks like I do need to remove the red power cables from the connectors and just connect with the signal and ground cable. Makes sense as I'm taking the power from the PDB and the receiver is powered from the pixhawk and not the ESCs.