Hi All
I connected up 2 leds for arm and Gps, as well as a buzzer, A5, A6, and A7, after connecting to the pc via USB, the 2 leds and the buzzer began to flash/buzz even before connecting to MP, after double checking all my connections, I disconnected from MP and connected to my main lipo, Once again a few seconds after connecting, the buzzer and leds started flashing and buzzing,.
I did all the adjustments as per the web sites, I changed led_mode from 9, to 11, write param. but all that did was make the buzzer continuous , leds still flashed.
Cant seem to sort this out.
The reason you were getting an LED and beeps before even connecting to MP is the default value is 9 (which you noticed). This means the Arming LED and beeper were already enabled. By changing the LED parameter to 11, you also included enabling the GPS. You are doing it right. I assume you are NOT using the middle pin of each of the three slots, just the inside and outside pins (the middle pin is +5 volts)
When you enable the LEDs and power the APM via the USB port while connecting to MP, the LEDs reflect the current state of the APM. Whether you have a GPS lock and if the motors are armed. The beeper shouldn’t be running continuously, just some beeps at arm or disarm. Check that it’s not hooked up to the center pin on A5. Also make sure that the beeper is of a design that it will only sound off if 5 volts is present. It sounds like your LEDs are OK, there’s just something up with your beeper.
Thanks for your reply, and Merry Christmas ,
Since my first post, I have tried another buzzer, Only to find the same,
+5v center pin is not used, I set the param to 11, but all this did is make the buzzer, go continuous, the leds still just flashed.
I also have another problem, which I was going to mention after this current prob is solved, but they might be related, I don’t know.
The other prob is that When I connect the lipo to get ready for a test flight, the APM wont arm till there is a gps lock…Not sure why but there it is…
If you’re using AC3.0.1 then it’s possible the buzzing is being caused by the battery failsafe going off. In AC3.1 it won’t go off if you’re connected to the computer using the USB cable.
Let’s clear up what you mean when you say the “LEDs just flashed”, as that’s what they are supposed to do. The Arm LED (A7) flashes which the motors are disarmed and solid when they are armed. Is this what it’s doing? The GPS LED (A6) flashes when it’s first powered up and looking for GPS satellites and goes solid when it gets a GPS lock. Is this what it’s doing?
If your LEDs are working right you could swap out either of them with your buzzer and see if the buzzer beeps when the LED should flash. And with an LED plugged into A5 it should flash when normally the buzzer would beep. Personally, I just use the two LED outputs with ultrabright LEDS and no buzzer. I use a blue LED for A6 and a red LED for A7 to mimic the LED colors on the APM.
OK, The 2 leds and the buzzer they beep and flash a couple of times a second, whether I plug them into the USB on my pc or connect a lipo…they flash and beep regardless if there is a lock or armed…
I have followed the info on this site but there seems to be different settings from one version of MP to another, I am using latest MP 1.2.91 and the latest firmeware for the APM 3.1 stable…
So your LEDS (I’m ignoring your buzzer) only flash rapidly after you power up your APM whether from USB or LiPo? And even if your Flight Data display in Mission shows either a GPS lock or Armed the LEDs never go solid? If that’s the case, I totally don’t know what’s going on. Each LED should go solid when armed or GPS lock, respectively.
[quote=“OtherHand”]So your LEDS (I’m ignoring your buzzer) only flash rapidly after you power up your APM whether from USB or LiPo? And even if your Flight Data display in Mission shows either a GPS lock or Armed the LEDs never go solid? If that’s the case, I totally don’t know what’s going on. Each LED should go solid when armed or GPS lock, respectively.
Perhaps someone much more expert could chime in?[/quote]
Unfortunately that is the case…its almost as if I have missed a setting or something…BTW I also cleared and re-installed the firmware, just in case…same result though.
Hello, no solution I’m afraid, I have the same problem, but the LED_MODE parameter here http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/nav-leds/ is not present in the standard parameters section, it is left as an empty shell in the full parameter list, but has no options or instructions, it is set as default to 1 but I have no idea what that means, perhaps someone accidently disabled something on 3.1? I am on Mission planner 1.2.91 and Arducopter 3.1.
Ron, if you want to enable your LEDs you have to go into the “Full Parameter List” and change the LED_MODE value, as you’ve noticed. A value of 1 will enable the motor LEDs. If you put a value of 3 in there it will enable the ports for both the motors (Arming condition) and the GPS. A value of 11 adds a beeper if you have one. I only use two very bright LEDs, one red and blue (no beeper), to let me know the APM’s status from a distance. Thus my LED_MODE value is 3. Note that after you change the LED_MODE value, you still have to click on “Write Params” to load it into the APM. Oh, and of course you need an appropriate resistor in line with the LED otherwise you’ll just blow out the LED.
Full info on all this stuff is here:
(Sorry for the ugly URL but for some reason the forum won’t let me neatly embed the link)
[quote=“OtherHand”]Ron, if you want to enable your LEDs you have to go into the “Full Parameter List” and change the LED_MODE value, as you’ve noticed. A value of 1 will enable the motor LEDs. If you put a value of 3 in there it will enable the ports for both the motors (Arming condition) and the GPS. A value of 11 adds a beeper if you have one. I only use two very bright LEDs, one red and blue (no beeper), to let me know the APM’s status from a distance. Thus my LED_MODE value is 3. Note that after you change the LED_MODE value, you still have to click on “Write Params” to load it into the APM. Oh, and of course you need an appropriate resistor in line with the LED otherwise you’ll just blow out the LED.
(Sorry for the ugly URL but for some reason the forum won’t let me neatly embed the link)[/quote]
Thanks so much, that works perfectly, this I feel is now solved, but the ardupilot page here: http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/nav-leds/ needs to be updated or changed, I’ll flag it up separately.
I read in the wiki page the LED_MODE parameter is no longer there, and sure enough I don’t see it in my list. Why was this removed?
I have a quad set up with nav lights for armed and GPS and it works fine as it is, however Sometimes I like removing GPS, telemetry radios and such for free acro flight to get rid of weight and minimize damage when I crash. and you know I will…
I would like to be able to have all my nav lights stay on steady in that case as it helps immensly determining the orientation from the ground. Any way to do that in software?
