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Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:36 am
by Derek
Since crashing, and destroying, my ECHO 290 FPV quad, I've taken the simple scraps from the ECHO build and I've built a new and lighter mini quad for FPV. I don't have any pictures of the actual build but I have plans of taking it all apart and making some final touches. Then there will be a reassembly. I'll try to remember to take pics when I get to that point. Right now, I'm just getting the wires run, Naze32 set up, and all that. Here are two pics of the quad right now.
Quad Pic 1.jpg
Quad Pic 1.jpg (39.61 KiB) Viewed 3550 times
Quad Pic 2.jpg
Quad Pic 2.jpg (89.38 KiB) Viewed 3550 times
As you can see, it needs a lot of cleaning up but this quad is going to be MUCH lighter than my ECHO 290 due to the facts of less materials used, less metal used, smaller "motor to motor" centers, smaller capacity batteries will be used.

I did damage my 2nd Mobius, rendering it useless, so I'm using the Mobius cam anymore. It's a real shame because I liked the compactness, lightweight, and 1080p video but cost is becoming an issue right now. For the time being, I'm going to be using the 720p action cam that I bought here:

http://www.hobbypartz.com/70p-403-83-gp ... am-20.html

For $30, it works really well.

Now, on to another issue that I had. After getting the FPV video system installed, I got no video in my Fatsharks. That's odd! I knew that I damaged the vtx beyond repair so I discarded it and bought a new one. It showed up and I installed it. Hmmm, still no video. The only other thing I could think of, at the time, was perhaps the camera was damaged. So, I was going to order another camera. This put the finishing touches on hold, once again. Still no FPVing. UGH! Well, I got thinking...I took the camera off my FPV plane and connected it on the quad. Still no video in my Fatsharks. Ok...this is odd! I got out my multimeter and began tracing the power from the battery, through the wires to the JST plug for FPV power, to the vtx, to the camera. It turned out that the male JST plug was faulty (somehow). I was getting power all the way up to that plug. I decided to cut off the JST plug from the Immersion supplied cable and solder on a new JST plug. Reconnected everything and POOF....ladies and gentlemen...we have video in the Fatsharks!!! I am ecstatic!!! YES!!!

Now, it's just a matter of cleaning up the wires with zipties and setting up the Naze32. I'm going to begin checking proper motor rotation (with props off, of course) and esc calibration after I finish this post. I have four 20amp AFRO esc's flashed with blheli and I'll be enabling OneShot.

So...this all being said, Dan, Graham, Lee, and Stambo (our resident quad pro's), I hope you guys keep an eye on this thread to help me along again with the setup.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:38 am
by Derek
OH....one more thing....this poor quad doesn't have a name yet, other than "new 250 quad". This poor thing has no name.

Help me name this new bugger!!!

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:43 am
by danhampson
Looks good Derek. Always here to help.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:47 am
by Derek
I appreciate that, Dan! Stambo helped me set up my ECHO 290 but I've not messed with the "set up" enough to actually remember it all. Once I've done something enough times, I remember how to do it. I'll try to do what I can but I'm sure I'll be here harassing you guys, soon enough, lol

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:49 am
by Derek
I guess I could have mentioned that the arms are 10mmx10mm square carbon fiber tubes. The bottom plate is 2.0mm carbon plate. The top plate and motor mount plates are 1.0mm carbon fiber plate. Actually, it would probably be easier to explain and show off the quad a bit in a video. I'll see if I can get a bit of video real quick......brb.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 9:34 am
by DOG
Derek wrote:OH....one more thing....this poor quad doesn't have a name yet, other than "new 250 quad". This poor thing has no name.

Help me name this new bugger!!!
How about Bandit. :lol:

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:18 am
by cml001
Awesome!

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 7:01 pm
by Graham Lawrie
The "Quaich" pronounced Kwaach:)

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 7:04 pm
by Derek
Graham Lawrie wrote:The "Quaich" pronounced Kwaach:)
What does that mean?

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 8:13 pm
by Graham Lawrie

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 1:49 am
by Derek
I was just looking up the CLI Commands again because I had forgotten how to enter them. I found that info. I also just found that Oscar Liang has been using OneShot enabled and he changed his looptime from 2500 to 1200. Since I am set up for OneShot enabled, should I change the looptime also or should I just leave it at 2500?

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 1:31 pm
by KevG
Bring it down Derek, but try at 1600 first and you may be OK to Lower it more say 100 increments

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 3:15 pm
by Graham Lawrie
I run mine at 1500 Derek:)

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 8:46 pm
by Derek
ok, thanks guys! I'm hoping to mess with the quad this week....if I'm not working overtime.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:45 pm
by Derek
Well, I've had enough for today. I've spent the last 4 hours trying to follow some YouTube videos to get the Naze32 set up...unsuccessfully because whenever I click on "Save and Reboot", all I see in the progress window is "Rebooting"....and it just stays at "Rebooting". I can't get the configurator to do anything past that. So...piss on it. I'm done for now. I've got other things to get done today.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 4:10 pm
by danhampson
Don't worries about that Derek it's a chrome issue they are having at the moment. Do what your doing and then when it won't reboot click the disconnect button on clean flight and the reconnect and all should be good, even though it's not rebooting it still saves the setting that you have altered.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:21 pm
by Stambo
I had the same issue Derek, I spent ages checking around the net to find out what Dan just said.
I have even had to shut down and restart the configurator and pull the usb cable but it worked in the end and everything still saved.

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:38 pm
by Graham Lawrie
Derek have you fitted a Bluetooth device for programming from your Android phone? If you have then when on Cleanflight you need to disconnect it if you plug the Naze into a computer or laptop :)

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 4:08 am
by Derek
Ok, thanks guys! I'll give it another go.

Yes, Graham, the Bluetooth module is connected. I'll remove it, until later, and I'll see what happens.

I appreciate it!

Re: Derek's New 250 Quad Thread

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 4:22 am
by Derek
Here is an after thought, too...I have the 20amp Afro ESC's, flashed with BLheli. Do I "need" to disconnect 3 of the 4 red wires on the ESC's? I think someone here is gonna say "Yes" and I'll have to admit a "rookie oversight", lol.