450 quad motors won't go full throttle

[Derek]

ok, Graham...you were right about the Min Throttle....it was set to 1100. Not sure how that happened. Changed it to 1000.

Motor bolts are very clear

Setting the Min Throttle to 1153 and removing Angle Mode made no difference.

However, I did get a reply from someone on Youtube. They have instructed me to calibrate the esc's, one esc at a time, just like I do my plane esc's by turning on the tx, raising throttle stick to max, plugging in battery, wait for beeps, drop throttle to min, and he says I should hear more beeps. This is the same method that I use for my planes and I can honestly say that this is one thing that I've NOT done with this 450 quad. I never even though to do it this way because I've never had to calibrate my quad esc's with this method before. So...here's to hoping!!!

I'll report back after I've done esc, one esc at a time.

[Derek]

well, that was anti-climatic.

I was encouraged to watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjTtdvCJMX4

After watching this video, I thought I knew what I was doing....perhaps I do, perhaps I don't....at this point, I just don't know, lol

The big difference is that I have OPTO esc's, so there is no red "power" wire. That being said, I grabbed my 6.6v LiFe battery and thought that I could use it to power everything. The rx light comes on but the motors don't beep. I turned on the tx, raised the throttle to max, plugged the OPTO esc into the throttle port, plugged in the rx pack and......nothing happened except for the rx light coming on. Not a single beep.

So...i'm back to clueless with a non flyable quad.

Any ideas?

[Graham Lawrie]

Have you got different ESC, sto try on one motor like in the video Derek to rule out the ESC. I would also re-flash everything to a previous stable software and start all over again just using Clean flight. This could rule out ant set up issue with BLHeli.

[Derek]

Yes, i have a spare esc, with internal bec. I can try it.

I just have no idea how i can calibrate the throttle range, using the tx, with OPTO esc's. I can plug my 6.6v rx pack into the rx and get power to the rx but what gives power to the esc? I dont think the esc is getting power.

[Graham Lawrie]

I connected my Fossil and updated software and now i to am in a world of poop:) Motors spooling up and down on their own??

[Derek]

I hope you get it sorted, man! That's just odd.

[Stambo]

Hey Derek, haven't been around for a while, let's see if we can sort this out.
I believe it is probably a communication or protocol issue between the FC and the ESCs.
Are you sure those ESCs are Oneshot 125 compatible?
Is there a setting in BLHeli to enable or disable Oneshot 125.
Do you have a link to the ESCs.

[Derek]

Hi Stambo! Glad to see that you're still around.

These are brand new Little Bee 30amp BLheli ONESHOT125 esc's.

Yes, I can enable or disable Oneshot 125

Here's a link: http://www.readytoflyquads.com/30a-littlebee-esc

One guy, On Facebook, has said that the DX6i PPM/PWM output is only 1100-1900. He told me how to set that range in the CLI. I've done that....but, I don't see how the problem is the DX6i because I've tried this with my DX8 and got the same result. On top of that, even with the tx off, in the Motors Tab of (recently flashed Betaflight), I check that lil green box...go through the calibration, and the motors still only run at low throttle

[Stambo]

Don't think it is a TX or RX issue as you can see the throttle channel has full movement in the configurator.
I believe the issue is the communication between the FC and the ESCs
Been a while since I hooked my quad up to the PC, I am at work at the moment.
I will hook it up after work and see if anything springs to mind.
You could try an earlier version of BLHeli, start fresh, don't save any settings.
Doesn't matter if the motors spin the wrong way for now as long as they get the speed.
Leave everything default.
Can adjust things later if it works properly.

[Derek]

Finally some positive progress!

I've been talking with a guy on Facebook, via chat. He had me change the esc protocol from Dampened Light to LOW and, after recalibration (again, lol), two motors will spin up from min to max smoothly and evenly. The other two motors are spinning up from min to 1600 something and 1700 something. Although the entire problem isn't solved, we definitely have progress and I'm happy about that. He has given me a short list of things to do and check.

I need to go play with my daughter before she goes to bed, so I'll get back to this tomorrow. Thankfully I am off tomorrow and I can sit down and mess with it again.

I'm just stoked that we are finally taking forward steps again, lol

[Derek]

When I calibrate my esc's on my planes, I use the transmitter....power up tx, throttle to max, power up plane, wait for a couple of beeps, throttle to min, beep beep beep....throttle range calibrated.

How can I do this with my Dad's 450 quad with Little Bee OPTO esc's? I'm using a Spektrum Satellite rx and Omnibus F4 v1 fc. I have a PDB board with a 5v lead from the PDB to power the fc.

[Stambo]

I imagine Inav will be the same as this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Mg-9M0l24

[Derek]

Yeah....been through that several times. Its not any better.

I spoke with a guy on Facebook and he had me turn off Damened Light and that dramatically improved the throttle but it still wont fo full throttle and the motors dont spin up evenly

I'll keep searching

[Stambo]

This is the same ESCs that you had on the Naze board right?
Do you have the ESCs soldered or have you still got the servo plugs on them?
What BLHeli firmware are you running on them?

EDIT
Derek, try something for me, in the configuration tab, set the ESC protocol to PWM and let us know the results.

[Derek]

Yep...same esc's that were on the Naze32. 30amp Little Bee's flashed with the latest firmware. I think its v14.9.

I have tried the PWM esc protocol before. No help.

[Stambo]

Ok Derek, how about flashing the FC with Betaflight, similar to Cleanflight so you will recognise everything.
Set ESC protocol to Oneshot 125 and just get the basics set up.
Then use BLHeli to flash and calibrate, test in the BLHeli motors tab.
Once calibration is finished, unplug everything, then get back in to Betaflight config and test in the motors tab there.

Video the process if you can, no need for commentary, just want to see it happen in case we see something that you have missed.
Have you seen a program called camstudio?
It can record your screen so you don't have to set up camera, and it's free.
http://camstudio.org/

You can always go back to cleanflight later if you want.

I updated my mini quads Naze32 to latest Betaflight yesterday and used oneshot 125 on my 20a Littlebees.
The version I had running before would not run them on oneshot for some reason, that's why I suggested trying PWM.

[Derek]

On this quad, I'm currently setting up Inav. I can flash Betaflight and try to go through all the setup. I'll even start with a brand new model in my TX....that way we are starting totally from the beginning.

No, I've not heard of CamStudio but that sounds like something that could be helpful. I'm working the next two nights and then I'll be off for 3 days. I'll make time to go through this process and get it recorded for you. Stambo, I appreciate the continuous efforts that I get from you. Graham lends a helping hand, too, when he has time and I surely appreciate that help, too.

It's just mind boggling that I have set up my 4 quads, including my 770, and now I'm struggling SEVERELY with this build for Dad.

Anyway...I'll get some kind of video posted this week. Thanks!

[Derek]

On Sun Sep 24, 2017, this thread was started. That means that I started this project just before that time. This thing has just been a giant hassle that has perplexed me for a long long long time. From time to time, I would get the quad down from the shelf and I'd check and change different settings and components. I've changed receivers, flight controllers, esc's, motors, and even tried different transmitters. Then I'd be rewarded with no forward progress....

Until today.....

Today, February 25, 2019, I finally figured out what was wrong. In the BLHeli Configurator, I found a box that was ticked. It's for "Low RPM Power Protection." I don't know if I ever really noticed that this box was ticked and even if I did notice it, it's not something that I ever messed with before, so I probably paid it no attention. Today, I noticed it and figured that I'd go ahead and uncheck that box so that I could see what happens. I figured it couldn't make things any worse, lol.

blheli image.png (107.43 KiB) Viewed 7365 times

So, I unchecked that box AND IT WORKS!!! THE MOTORS SPIN TO FULL THROTTLE WHEN I MOVE THE THROTTLE STICK!!! I could just about explode!!! Damn I'm excited!!! I just can't believe that one little box is what has been messing me up for near 18 months, lol.

This 450 quad project has been built for my Dad so that he can lift and drop little paratroopers....FINALLY, he'll be able to do that, lol.

[west0618]

To clarify...these "little paratroopers" have a six foot hand-made parachute. LOL As I am the worst pilot I know with planes, I really should not be at the controls of the bomber we made several years ago for dropping them. I don't do too bad at line of sight quad flying.

[DOG]

That awesome that you finally got that quad going for your dad. It's been a long time. In this hobby, there always something new to learn all the time. Good going and I hope your dad enjoys the quad