Hello, working on a new set up. Firmware would not load over 3.1 for my board. The issue I’m having is I can’t get the motors to run. I had a couple start up errors but went and turned off all checks prior to arming just to see if I could run the motors.
I have #2, 3, and 4 motors plugged plugged into the output with the red wires not plugged in, the number 1 motor has all 3 wires into the board
Any help would be great!
does your ESC has a built in BEC to provide +5V to Pixhawk Mainout ports?
You can check using a volt meter and see if you have +5V on the rail first when powered up.
Yes, I checked the rail with a volt meter and I have just over 5 volts on the output rail.
Very seldom I can get the board to arm, I can tell from the blue and red lights and the motors still will not run. Usually when the board does arm it gives me the No Rc Receiver error.
I’ve set up several other boards and have never run into this problem. The ESC’s are playing their correct tune when powered up as well.
Thank you for the reply, I really appreciate your help trying to figure this out…
Can post pictures of your setup. Also upload your parameter file.
It keeps telling me my file is too large to post a picture.
This is really cracking my brain not being able to figure this out. Maybe someone could send me a pic of their 4 armed quad copter and the hookups on APM? I don’t know if that would help or not…
Open windows program paint and open your pic in it. Use photo resize reduction feature shrink it by 50% and upload the pics.
Ok let me see what I can do with the pic. As an update I’ve found there was a jumper installed in the jp1 slot. I did not know it was there. So, I pulled the jumper out and installed a power module I had into the PM port. I measured slightly over 5 volts on the output rail. Anyway I still have the same problem and the motors will not run with the red ESC wire removed or plugged in…still no motor spin
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0F0tFCxqQKM-pUxQ8CaCFIAqw#Home
Here is the picture
Good day, after you perform radio and esc calibration… did you check the min value of the failsafe.?
I was never able to do an ESC calibration because the motors will not run.
FS_THR_VALUE 1000 PWM options are 925 and 1100
I dont get motors dont run…can you post a short video pls
https://share.icloud.com/photos/09pUIsa0RSurCPzH_p-5JyE-g#Home
Here is a short video showing the ESC’s arm properly, wait for blue light, then arm with throttle down and to left, then showing armed. Then no motor activity
I really appreciate the help!
Post your parameter file.And you should be able to flash AC 3.2.1 on that FC. I would do that before doing anything else.
Yes, I do have 3.2.1 as you mentioned. Here are my parameters.
Parameters 430.param (4.9 KB)
Where did you come up with those crazy THR values?
Max 5000
Mid 2500
Min 500
Load someone else’s parameter file? I would Reset to Default from the Full Parameter screen in Mission Planner and start over.
Thats how it came apparently. I havent changed or uploaded anything different. Thats weird. Ill see if I can figure out how to reset as you mentioned.
Thanks for all the help!
I would guess someone else loaded a parameter file they found somewhere. This is never a good idea. After resetting to default you will have to configure everything and re-do all calibrations. But it’s necessary because there were other parameter settings that don’t make sense. The THR’s were only the most obvious.
BTW-Your best bet would be to throw that obsolete Flight Controller in the trash and replace it with one that runs current Arducopter.
OK, now we are getting somewhere. I have motors that actually work off the throttle stick. Things are looking good so far. Ill most likely be back with more questions however.
Heres one already, the motors spool up really quickly, how can I adjust that? I would also like the motors to turn on when I arm the copter. I saw that somewhere, how can I adjust that?
Thank you all so very much for your help, I really learned a lesson today!
What the motors do without props and flying is meaningless. They are not under direct control of the throttle they are in loop control and w/o sensor feedback, which is the case sitting on the bench, it’s unpredictable what the motors do.
MOT_SPIN_ARMED
If using Copter-3.3 (or earlier):
Thank you for the information, I will check these values and make changes for my starting point.