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Pixhawk: can't calibrate external 3dr compass

Posted by Patrick on June 30, 2015 at 11:21am

Hi, I have problems to calibrate the external 3dr compass with my pixhawk.

Using Mission planner l select Pixhawk/PX4 and try live calibration.

I see for compass 1 and 2 error 99 and never more then 3 samples are collected.

The behavior is very similar to this one

http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/pixhawk-compass-calibration-does-not-work

A little bit more story.

First I bought a pixhawk together with an external 3dr GPS/Compass.

With this compass I could calibrate with no problem and GPS was also working.

But the compass seems to have an issue. When the pixhawk was running a while (e.g. > 10 minutes) the heading began to turn around faster and faster over time.

I calibrated the compass many times but this behavior always came back.

So I send it back and got a replacement.

Here I want to notice that the shipped 6 pin cable for this new GPS/compass for gps was a 6 to 5 pin cable.

I was a  little bit wondering and used instead a 6 to 6 pin cable.

With this new module live calibration isn't working.

I couldn't believe that this new module is not working and bough an additional module (which was shipped also with 6 to 5 pin cable).

Unfortunately this 3rd module is now also not able to be calibrated.

So what going on here???

I tried many things including flashing new firmware to the pixhawk, replace the I2C cable, replace the GPS cable but with no success. (calibrating the pixhawk internal compass works).

I also checked the pixhawk I2C supplied power and measure there around 4,7 V. Is that normal?

Could it have to do with a bad batch of these 3dr modules?

I bought them in Germany and because my both last modules were shipped with this wrong 6 to 5 this could be the case? Or it's me causing the problem? :)

Any hint what I can try to get it to work?

I'm really disappointed!

Cheers

Pat

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Replies

  • Mattias Nyström September 16, 2015 at 10:07am

    Have you solved this yet? I have the same problem with my Pixhawk and 3DR GPS/compass module.

    • Sky Racer > Mattias Nyström December 26, 2015 at 9:53pm

      same problem here

  • 3D Robotics
    Chris Anderson June 30, 2015 at 3:14pm

    I assume you've checked that you're selecting the right compass type in MP (Pixhawk/PX4).  If so, have you checked to see that the GPS/mag is not placed next to something magnetic on your vehicle, such as a magnetic hatch clasp?

    The compass uses the second cable, which is I2C and four wires. You have to connect both that and the the GPS cable (6 wire).  Have you checked your I2C cable and tried a different one?

    We've sold many tens of thousand of these and as far as I know there's never been a problem with the hardware. If you bought it directly from 3DR, you can contact the help desk there at help@3drobotics.com. If you bought it from a third-party, are you sure it's actually a 3DR product and not a clone?

    • Bernardo > Chris Anderson December 12, 2015 at 11:30am

      Same thing with the PixHawk and GPS of a friend of mine.

      Even with the GPS/compass module plugged in, only the internal compass works. So there is no auto detection of the external compass module.

      Unfortunately I have a 3DR APM 2.5, so we could not try with a swap.

      Question: Does it matter how the compass is wired? Does it make sense swapping the two wires of the compass plug? Just wondering if its perhaps wrong?

    • Patrick > Chris Anderson July 1, 2015 at 12:16am

      Chris, yes I used compass type Pixhawk/PX4 with MP and there is and was on my side miles around no magnetic source near by the the compass.

      I also tried different cables and connected always both when trying to calibrate (compass and GPS). The GPS itself is working.

      AFAIK there are only two official 3DR sellers in germany and I assume that they are not selling clones (hopefully).

      I will check again the cables although I did that many times. But I fear that there isn't the problem.

      What I can't believe is that both brand new modules are not working.

      Couldn't it be another cause,e.g.  wrong parameter settings or whatever?

      Meanwhile I had 3 modules and every one with an issue. This is really strange. :(

      • 3D Robotics
        Chris Anderson > Patrick July 1, 2015 at 12:41am

        Which version of MP are you using and which version of flight code?  It's best to update the latest of each, if you haven't already. 

        Can you also check the pins in the connector on Pixhawk? One of them might be bent.

        • Patrick > Chris Anderson July 1, 2015 at 12:49am

          I'm using V3.2.1 for quad and MP 1.3.30.

          The i2c pins are not bent.

          I just tried again to calibrate and can observe that compass 2 error is changing but still no sample are collected and the frame isn't rotating if I rotate the compass.

          Please see the attachment.

          px_calibrate.jpg

          • 3D Robotics
            Chris Anderson > Patrick July 1, 2015 at 12:57am

            Are you connected via wireless or USB?  

            This is a weird one -- never seen it before with our gear. 

            Did you change any parameters? I wonder if somehow the second compass got set to the wrong type.

            Do you have another Pixhawk to try? Just going through the process of elimination. 

            I'd like to send you to customer support, who are trained to solve these issues.  Perhaps if you have an order number from an authorized reseller, they'll be able to accept your help request. 

            • Patrick > Chris Anderson July 1, 2015 at 2:24am

              I did the screenshot during connecion with USB. If using the radio it's the same behavior.

              Can't remember if I changed any parameter. I have the problem already a long time.

              This morning I flashed V3.2.1 hoping that all parameters are resetted but not sure if thats the case, (I assume that they are not resetted?).

              Unfortunately I have no other pixhawk for testing.

              I've attached the compass parameter setting, maybe this helps to investigate.

              If not I may have to contact the support.

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