SnapQuad/KK build thread.

[Cabe]

This is by no means the only way to configure a quad, or even the SnapQuad, so consider these guidelines. Aiming for this to be a bit of a step-by-step guide of how I am doing it, and this will hopefully give people new to MRC's a place to start.

The Great Shopping List of Doom!

Frame

SnapQuad Frame $57.99 (free worldwide shipping!)

Controller

KKMulticopter DIY Kit v6 £25.00 (Currently Out of Stock, check the resellers and classifieds)
Hobby King 401B Gyro $11.99 (QTY 3 - Not required if you purchase a complete KKcontroller board)

Props APC are on the whole better balanced, break less often and are more efficient. EPPs are cheap, pick up a set of both initially to see if you can run with them.

CW+CCW Pair 10x47 APC Props $8.50 (QTY 2 - Minimum, buy spares!)
CW+CCW 10x45 EPP Props $4.50 (QTY 2 - Minimum, buy spares!)

Motor + Speed Controllers

Hobbyking SS Series 25-30A ESC $9.23 (QTY 4)
Turnigy 2217 20turn 860kv 22A Outrunner $14.04 (QTY 4)
TURNIGY BESC Programming Card $6.95 (QTY 1 - Stops you having to program the ESC's with your sticks, almost as necessary as the ESCs themselves )

Power and Radio Gear

Turnigy 9X 9Ch Transmitter w/ Module & 8ch Receiver (Mode1) (Mode2) $53.79 (QTY 1 - Mode Differences buy the one that seems logical/you already know/in stock you can change the T9X between modes easily, and TBH this is all the TX a beginner will ever need)
ZIPPY Flightmax 5000mAh 3S1P 25C $33.16 (QTY 1 - Buy more! - Rule of thumb Capacity(mAh)*Discharge rate(C)=Amps you can draw. This should be greater than the combined max amps if your motors)
Turnigy 2S 3S Balance Charger. Direct 110/240v Input $11.44 (QTY 1 - You can get fancy as you like, but I found the value and not needing a separate DC "wall wart" a bonus)

Misc Items As I think of things you may need I will update this list. Saves any gotchas. Mostly from eBay.

XT60 Connectors for battery and ESC connections
14AWG Silicon coated wire - get red and black for + and - connections.
Battery Strap, or DIY it with some velcro/rubber bands/elastic bungies/etc
Lipo Battery Low Voltage Alarm

Pics and build diary will hopefully start soon, once everything starts arriving. I hope the more experienced quad flyers out there will also contribute to this thread, I would love this to be something of a "n00bs guide" which will give people an "RTF" that doesn't break the bank.

 

[Bartman]

nice first post Cabe. good luck with the build. i didn't know turnigy makes a 9 channel radio for $54.00!
Bart

 

[Cabe]

Thanks!

Sadly it's only 9 channels in PCM mode (in the tiny small print....), 99.9% of people will use it as it comes in 2.4ghz 8 channel guise. Even that is more than enough for most, and for the price an easy decision for people who don't have radio gear already.

Alternatively it is also marketed under the FlySky, iMax and Eurgle names, which might be more common in your neck of the woods.

 

[matwelli]

Welcome to the forum, and a great thread to start with, saw the snapquad on rcgroups, and looks quite cool.

 

[matwelli]

I run that transmitter, works a treat, just watch the build quality, it pays to open up the case and run your screwdriver over the screws and check the solder connections. Over here we swap in a FrSky 2.4 ghz module, much better range of recievers

 

[Cabe]

Good call Matwelli.

At some point I was gonna get the FrSky module with telemetry but this is a first timers guide

 

[Cabe]

Snapquad frame arrived today! I was going to post a long labourious how to on building it, but TBH its about a 2 minute job to put this frame together. I took five and that's because I was messing around taking photos



Click to access the rest of the set.

I have put the unpopulated KKController board for sizing, (50mm*50mm), as you can see the frame is tiny. Just enough room for 10" props, this thing is going to rocket.

 

[Cabe]

Because, apparently I *DO* need instructions....

General consensus is that the hub piece with a hole goes at the top of the of the quad rotor. This gives you more surface area at the bottom to velcro in the battery and somewhere to stuff the wires from your controller down.



KK Controller completed, just waiting for the Gyros (I am keeping the AVR IC in its antistatic packet until I am ready to loft it)

 

[Cabe]

I know its been a while, but I finally received all the bits from Hobby King, eBay, etc this week and have completed the build. Its been gingerly hopped on the bed, sadly something isn't right and it constantly wants to front flip. Due to work commitments I haven't had any time to start troubleshooting it, fingers crossed I will this weekend.

Ahh well, that is all part of the fun is it not

 

[Crash]

I know its been a while, but I finally received all the bits from Hobby King, eBay, etc this week and have completed the build. Its been gingerly hopped on the bed, sadly something isn't right and it constantly wants to front flip. Due to work commitments I haven't had any time to start troubleshooting it, fingers crossed I will this weekend.

Ahh well, that is all part of the fun is it not

Thinks to check:
Is the board's arrow pointing towards the front?
Is the board programmed for X or + mode?
Do you have the motors numbered correctly? I recall that some of the KK boards number their motors in a circular fashion and others use a criss-cross method.

I had a similar problem with mine at first. IIRC, I had to do the gyro pot reversing procedure. Then the first flight it had a severe wobble and I remembered that I had just uploaded the X code and the board was aligned for plus. Then I took off and it spun faster than a top and I remembered that I didn't set the yaw gain pot.

I'm sure you have seen this page, but here it is anyway:http://www.kkmulticopter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=57


I'm interested to see if that frame can take all the abuse that the KK board can dish out.

 

[Cabe]

Yes (direction of travel, so between 1 and 2)
X
Pretty sure, but, hell, this wouldn't be the first time I was wrong

When I was doing final tests, there was some oscillation front to back whilst I had it in my hand, I tuned the pitch pot till it stopped. After doing all the ESC calibration, and getting them all started at the same time. (and the motors going in the right direction, you have to have really bad luck to get all 4 wrong....) With it on the deck and just "light on its feet" moving the ale/ele stick (mode 2, right stick) raises the correct sides of the quad.

Hopefully some more stick time at the weekend will yield more results, or at least more kindling.

 

[Bartman]

cabe,
the quad i've been working on flies great but tries to flip over if i don't just throttle up and fly away. going through all the settings is a good idea but if you want to let it just almost lift off, try putting some weight on it somehow to mellow it out a bit.
just an idea.
bart

 

[Cabe]

I have been thinking it might be ground effect, I guess I just need to grow a pair and give it some

 

[Droider]

Cabe, even my ADX3 MK set up looks like it may flip when it first starts getting light, and my Gaui is even worse, it just takes a bit of courage with the left thumb and their up and hover lovely. The first time my mate got his Gaui up (so to speak! ) he waited till his missus had gone out shopping then spread his doubly thick winter duvet out in the yard and used that as a crash mat! Not for long though as he found once up he was away, a couple of weeks on and his FPV goggles have just arrived!

Good luck

dave

 

[Cabe]

I can see it now "Darling.....yeeaaaaasss.....why are there twigs in the bed?"

 

[Cabe]

Liftoff!

So because I am on night shift, and couldn't wait to play with it in daylight...in the garden...where I have space. I tried it in the office.

First launch from the floor....too much throttle and cracked a ceiling tile

Second launch was much better but I got cocky and tried to move it around....towards a monitor so I cut the throttle and it bounced off a desk taking with it my last spare EPP pusher, why is it always the pushers?

So its on its back on the floor and I forget to disarm it, pick it up and turn it over and it spins the props and bites me. I guess that's payback

Moral of the story......down and to the left boys, down and to the left

 

[Cabe]

So a couple more flights in and what have I learned.

10x4.5 propellers are WAY too powerful with this motor/frame combo, too much correction and its off like a rocket. I have some 9x5 and 8x4's coming from our friends at HK so I will test it again once they get here (might be a while, they are as usual on back order).

There is no such thing as buying too many props.

 

[Bartman]

buy lots of props!!!
good advice!!

 

[Gary Mortimer]

How heavy is that wooden frame, I rather like the idea of using vibration reducing radio friendly wood. Its a very clever design. I really like the idea of being able to fix something with wood glue. Rather tempted to order one of my own...

 

[matwelli]

about 185 grams http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17055972&postcount=1