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Triggering an On/Off Switch to turn on/off external led strips using a Pixhawk and a Spektrum DX7s

Posted by Jacques Garbi on September 5, 2014 at 11:05am

Hi,

I have an X8 from 3DR Robotics and I'd like to add some led strips that can be turned on and off through my Spektrum DX7s. I bought an on/off switch and I connected it to an Aux port on my Pixhawk (Aux out 5 or 6). But I don't know how to "conncect" that Aux port to one of the switches on my RC.

Can you please help me ?

Thanks a lot.

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Replies

  • jay letendre July 20, 2015 at 12:38pm

    I have an Iris and did this same thing using the turnigy switch. I used the gimbal field in MP and the pan function in that section to configure RC 9, 10 or 11 which corresponds to the pixhawk rail. then you just select which channel to map this RC 9, 10, or 11 to. you will see it in the Pan section as well. The "bell" finally went off using this image as well as help from another Iris owner. the reason this image worked was because the pixhawk in the Iris did not have these numbers on the ports so had no idea what was what. worked great. 

    pixhawk-plate-Copy.png

    • Richard Smith > jay letendre August 31, 2015 at 1:17pm

      But where did you take your power for the LEDS from?

      • jay letendre > Richard Smith September 1, 2015 at 5:37am

        Richard, i hard wired (soldered) to the battery connection point on my Iris for one end of switch then the other power line to the lights. use common ground so just tied all negatives together. worked great.

        • Richard Smith > jay letendre September 1, 2015 at 5:44am

          Hmmm, i was thinking of tapping in to the gimbal power using a y shaped JST harness. I know the voltage to the gimbal is protected by a regulator but not sure if it's low enough for the LEDs (4v-12v). Maybe I could fi the switch in this arrangement somehow?  

          • jay letendre > Richard Smith September 1, 2015 at 5:53am

            that should work fine but you still need to solder one end of the turnigy switch to power only. it doesnt have a negative except for the rx end. then the other end of positive from switch goes to the lights. the switch is just a power interrupt by the rx.

  • Sheldon kerr January 22, 2015 at 1:49pm

    Any help on this subject? im trying to do the same thing.

    • Jacques Garbi > Sheldon kerr January 22, 2015 at 2:18pm

      No. Nothing that worked. I didn't get back to it because of frequent travels and the fact that the weather wasn't ideal to fly, but if you do find something that could help us, please let me know.

  • Dominik September 9, 2014 at 10:39pm
    Hello,
    same problem here.
    I installed some led stripes on my copter and installed a turnigy remote controlled on/off switch too.

    The on/off switch who is installed, is connected to the AUX1 through my pixhawk.
    But i'm missing the option in missionplanner to control the switch over the AUX1, to get work the on/off switch.

    How could i get this working?
    • Jacques Garbi > Dominik September 11, 2014 at 12:08pm

      Hi Dominik,

      How did you connect it to the AUX1 on the Pixhawk ? I don't know where to find it. And I'm interested in AUX2 if you could help me out. Do you have pictures of your system ?

  • WuStangDan September 5, 2014 at 12:11pm

    I don't really understand what you are asking. What do you mean you attached an on/off switch to your AUX port? What switch did you buy? Do you mean a relay?

    Are you wanting to flip a switch on your Spektrum and have the aux port power on or power off your LEDs? I know LEDs don't draw very much current but it might be more than the AUX port will like to output.

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