Derek's New 290mm Quad Custom Build

[Stambo]

Sorry I have not been on much lately to see your problems Derek.
The main things I set in the CLI is
set looptime = 2500
and
set acc_lpf_factor = 100
Everything else can now be done in the GUI.
I don't know whether these will resolve your issues but it's worth a shot.
The problems you are having sound more like a motor timing issue or a motor/ESC incompatibility.
Are you using the same gear you had on the mini or new stuff?

[Derek]

I will double check that those CLI settings are the same...they should be.

The problems that are going on do sound like a motor timing issue but I've done nothing to change the timing. As for the motors and esc's, I set everything up with the original equipment, at first...tested it and started having troubles. I ordered 4 brand new motors...tested and still have troubles. But, like I said before, I could test all 4 motors, one by one, on a working esc and the motors behave normally. Once I try to run them all together, issues happen.

I'm going to continue trying to sort this out, for now, but I did order new Afro 20amp esc's and the Afro programming USB.

[Derek]

While I'm waiting for the new Afro esc's to come in, I did order another Acro Naze32 and breakout cable. I'm slightly worried that my first Naze board may be damaged and not working right. If my original Naze board is in good working condition, then I will have a second Naze board and I'd like to test it's functionality on a plane (that's an all new thread, lol). I ordered a bunch more HQ6045 props, too, lol

[Derek]

I have some good news. I've been looking over the quad again today and I suddenly thought about the screws that hold the motor to the motor mounts. Could they possibly be too long? The arms for the Dart 250 quad were much thicker than these mounts on my new quad. I just wonder if the screws were so long that they were getting into the inner windings of the motors and causing me all this grief. So, I found 16 3mm x 6mm screws and removed the 3mm x 10mm screws. Powered everything up, turn on Cleanflight, went to the "Motors" tab and just like magic...all 4 motors spin up evenly and equally and they sound great! Whew! Very happy!

So...let the reassembly begin, lol....

[Lee]

Sweet!!! Great news Derek

[Tony]

Excellent Derek..

[cml001]

SCORE!

[danhampson]

Cool. soon be fpving it mate.

[Stambo]

Sometimes it's the simple things that catch us.
Good find Derek.

[Derek]

Thanks a lot guys! In fact...after finding that the screws is what was causing the problems and replacing the screws, I have the new quad 95% done (that percentage is an estimate, of course, lol). I have the esc's installed, motors running the correct direction, naze board configured, fpv systems installed and working (tested that in my living room), and new HQ6045 props installed. I'm still not feeling well enough to go outside much so (and I hope you don't frown on me for this part, lol) I had a bit of a test hover in my kitchen with a 4S pack. The quad rose off the ground with no effort and it sounds so good. I sure hope I'm feeling well enough to go outside tomorrow and give the new quad a run around the yard. I do still have a bit of carbon fiber to add and I still have to mount the Mobius sleeve but other than that, the new quad is done and I'm super stoked.

Now the question is....just what to do with this extra Naze32 board, the new Afro 20amp esc's that just showed up, the second set of Sunny Sky 2207-2100kv motors, and all these props??? ha ha ha

[danhampson]

You had better be feeling up to it we want to see it in the air.

Maiden, maiden, maiden, maiden..........

[Derek]

As the sun was going down, I couldn't help myself, lol. I took the new quad outside for a bit of a hover and everything went really well. It's a bit more sensitive than my Dart 250 was but it hovered and moved around really well and the punch out is amazing with the new props and 4S. I'll get the Mobius mounted and I'll get video tomorrow.

I do have to ask....in Angle mode....what would cause the quad to want to drift to the right but in Horizon and Acro modes it doesn't drift as much. I did make some left side adjustments but in Angle mode it wants to drift to the right. My Dart 250 did that, too.

[Derek]

Video update

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TulKujDzi0

[Graham Lawrie]

Nice one Derek and good +1 on Tony:)

[Tony]

You need another frame now D for all those spare parts you have...

[Derek]

You need another frame now D for all those spare parts you have...

Lol, the wheels in my head are already turning ha ha ha

[Derek]

I had some leftover carbon fiber from the build. I just spent the last hour or so making up a set of landing skids for the quad.

quad skids.jpg (77.46 KiB) Viewed 3253 times

I have some 3/4" x 3/4" x1/16" aluminum angle stock. I cut off one side of the angle, leaving me with some 3/4" x 1/16" flat stock. I measured the width of the underside of the frame. That was 2". I cut the flat aluminum stock down to 3 3/8" lengths....needed two of them. Then I measured in, from each edge, 3/4" and bent that 3/4" tab to about 70 degrees. I drilled a hole into each of the 3/4" tabs and two holes into both of the 1 7/8" parts of the aluminum stock. I was looking at the underside of the quad and I determined that I actually didn't have to remove the bottom plate. There was plenty of places that I could simply make some marks on the carbon fiber (to attach the bent aluminum pieces) and I would miss any and all electronics with the drill bit once the bit pierced through to the inside. No worries! Once I got the holes drilled into the belly of the quad, I got some screws and nuts and attached the aluminum to the quad (using a bit of locktite of course, lol)

Then, I placed some 2" masking tape onto the 2" wide by 1mm thick piece of carbon fiber that I have. I'm gonna speed the story up a bit, lol. I made some marks on the masking tape. Used my scroll saw to cut the carbon fiber down to 9" long and then I cut it in half. This left me with two 9" long by 1" wide pieces of carbon fiber. I made some more marks and then used the scroll saw to cut out the skids from the pieces. Then drilled a hole into each of the tabs to be mounted to the aluminum. I used my belt sander to round the edges a bit and make them look pretty-ish, lol. Now, I have some SAB Goblin-ish landing skids on my ECHO 290 FPV quad, lol.

There are some minor imperfections but lets face it....I'm not perfect. As for the functionality...I think these skids are gonna be perfect!!!

[KevG]

Very neat Derek, my likes.

[Derek]

Thanks Kev! Despite the fact that this quad is seemingly already quite heavy, I added a bit more weight with the landing skids. However, I really truly felt that this quad needs some kind of landing gear or legs or something. I've been scratching my head on how and where to add some landing legs but I didn't like any of the ideas that I had came up with. Then I got thinking about just adding a set of 450 helicopter skids. Then I got thinking that I wanted something with a bit more "flare". I was going to order a set of carbon fiber Lynx Trex 600 landing skids....then I saw how much those skids were. At more than $40 for the set, I passed, lol. I found the aluminum and carbon fiber, that I mentioned above, and I just started marking "here" and cutting "there" and I'm quite happy with the new skids.

[danhampson]

I like the skids derek, they look a bit goblin inspired.

I wouldn't worry to much about the weight mate she seemed to fly fine, Im actually liking flying a heavier quad i make for really fast descents lol