Setting up electric motors

[BCooke]

I'm setting up a glider with an electric motor for launch (F5J). Naturally I use the throttle stick but I also use the same stick for flaps using a 'land' flight mode to enable landing flaps and disenable launch, and a 'launch' mode to enable motor and disenable land (all on the SG switch). That all works fine but;

In launch mode I'm not driving a servo, I'm driving an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) and I'm finding that the motor only switches on from the centre (mid point) to +100. Nothing happens from -100 (stick fully retarded) to centre.

I want the motor to switch on from off at -100 to full throttle at +100.

I've got a similar problem with the flaps but in reverse i.e. flaps fully retarded at +100, fully deployed at -100.

I've juggled varies things in the servos screen but so far found nothing that I'm happy with.

I'd be grateful for your help.

[rcgyuk]

Have a play around with this mix.

SolutionXL.eepe

(77.03 KiB) Downloaded 413 times

I haven't checked it since I copied it from my FylSky over to Taranis, but it should give you some ideas.

Basically, there are 3 main flight modes, launch, glide and land.

Launch is fully proportional throttle on throttle stick.

At top of climb, centre throttle stick, switch to glide flight mode, no throttle, but variable camber on throttle stick.

For landing, with throttle stick centered, switch to land mode.

You now have crow brakes on bottom 50% of throttle movement, and proportional throttle on top 33%.

[BCooke]

Thanks but I don't have a problem with the flight modes; they all work fine. It's the throttle which starts at 0 (the middle) rather than -100 (fully retarded)

[G550Ted]

Post your .eepe so we can look at how you have it programmed.

Ted

[BCooke]

SolutionXL.EEP
Thanks. I'm currently working on a MAC and your file won't open, I suspect because it's a MAC. I'll have a go on my Windows machine.

[BCooke]

SolutionXL.eepe - still won't open.
Either way I've just about exhausted the possibilities.
Model set up - nothing in there that I can see
Heli - not relevant
Sticks - nope!
Flight modes - set up and work fine
Mixer - Tried weight and offset but both do what's expected and neither helps.
Servos - Subtrim-no, Low/high limits-no, Center adj - I thought that this was it but no (and some really weird things happened). I couldn't see what these do.

So I'm stuck. Unless I can fix this I can't use this kit.

[Flaps 30]

Thanks. I'm currently working on a MAC and your file won't open, I suspect because it's a MAC. I'll have a go on my Windows machine.

The file opens up hers okay with Companion. I have just done it on my Linux system.

So what are you trying to use to open the file?

Can you 'talk' to your transmitter with Companion? If you can, then could you download your model file(s) and post it here, so we can see what is going on.

[BCooke]

I deleted everything deletable and started again.
Re-calibrated
Re- bound
No flight modes
And the throttle worked fine (ch1) - started at about -95% and ran up to full speed at +100%
Then I set up the flight modes - Cruise on FM0 (default), Land on FM1, Launch (throttle) on FM2, both these on switch G, Speed on FM3 and Thermal on FM4, both these on switch B
Then I edited the throttle to only run on FM2.
And the problem recurred - nothing from -100% to 0, started at 0 up to +100%
I reckon that this is a software bug but I'll keep experimenting.

[jhsa]

does the mixing work well in companion?

[MikeB]

If I read this right, you have just one mix on the throttle channel, and this is +100% Thr and just FM2 ticked.
If this is the case, then when you are not in FM2 you have no active mix on that channel. THis will result in a "MID POSITION" output. It may well be that when you switch on, the ESC is taking this as the "OFF" setting.
Two suggestions (use both):
1. Set up a switch as a safety switch that holds the throttle output at -100% regardless of the mode or sitck.
2. Put another mix on the throttle channel, active in all modes except FM2, that sets the output to -100% (-100% MAX).

Mike.

[BCooke]

Mike,
Thanks. I think that I understand what you are saying. I'll experiment later today. I did try enabling/disenabling the throttle via a switch rather then flight modes but the same thing happened. I'm going to try some different ESCs first.
On my JR kit there is a 'moto hold' function which is enabled/disenabled via the flight modes and that works fine. You can also shift the throttle start point on the JR. I was hoping to be able to do that on the Taranis but no luck yet (but I have another idea about that).

Bill

[MikeB]

Should all be possible. What does the "moto hold" function do? Keep the throttle settingwhere it is regardless of the throttle stick?

Mike.

[BCooke]

Mike,
The motohold function on the JR kit switches off the motor. i.e. the motor won't start. I don't know how it does it but it all works perfectly. I use the same stick for the landing flaps (in a 'land mode') so obviously I have to disenable the motor. This is a widely used set up.
However, I'll have to put this thread on hold for the moment - I've broken my Taranis. The three push button on the right have become displaced. I had a look inside and the switches themselves are o.k., it's just the three rather flimsy plastic operating buttons that have come off their locating pegs. I tried to put them back but they just came off again. I guess that now Ill find out what the UK support is like!

[MikeB]

You can use Companion to carry on experimenting with mixes even if your Tx isn't working.
Sounds like the "motohold" is a "SAFETY SWITCH" in openTx speak. Configure a FUNCTION as a SAFETY SWITCH for your throttle channel. This will hold the motor off as long as the switch is active regardless of throttle stick position.

Mike.

[BCooke]

Mike,
I've managed to repair my Taranis. (I 'welded' the plastic switches onto their posts with a soldering iron.)
I tried putting the throttle on a switch rather than using flight modes and that made no difference.
I also tried another ESC.
Original was a Jeti Spin 66. I tried a Hyperion Atlas and ;
The throttle response when in Launch mode was o.k. but when I clicked out of Launch mode into Cruise mode the motor went to full power and wouldn't respond to the throttle stick. Ditto Land mode.
I can fiddle around trying to find a fix but basically the flight modes don't work properly when used to enable/disenable channels.
Until that is properly fixed to my satisfaction I am not risking using this transmitter with any of my models.
I have raised a bug report - 94.
Meanwhile I'm looking at the JR kit.

[Kilrah]

There is no bug, just a little bit of work on your part to understand how it works
(See answer on the issue)

Sent via mobile

[SR71]

https://code.google.com/p/opentx/issues/detail?id=94#c4

[BCooke]

Mike
As Kilrah above says, Romolo has sent me a fix which can be seen above.
I have no clue how or why it works but it does. I would certainly never have found this fix on my own.

Either way, very many thanks for your interest and help, it's appreciated.

Rgds

Bill

[Romolo]

Bill,
A channel at rest stay at 0.
In your original eeprom when the launch mode ended there was nothing driving the channel so it was at 0.
While for a part like rudder or aileron this means: stay at rest for a ESC that normally means: RUN AT HALF SPEED.
In one model I forced the channel at -100 and then I replaced the value in the channel with the mix coming from activephase
In the other I set in the channel, as first mix line source, itself, this make the channel remember its value even if no mix is active,
and then I replaced the value in the channel with the mix coming from active phase