Just built a Hexa - motors won't start... What am I not doing right?

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dma251

Member
So I just finished up assembling my XA hexa frame with DJI WKM, and the motors and esc's recommended by Jeff at CNCHELI. They are the same as in his XA HEXA package - AKE Quad Dancer motors and AKE 12amp escs). I have the XA gopro camera gimbal, and am using a new Spektrum DX8 and AR8000 rx.

After spending the last couple days working through the DJI instructions and configuring the system through Wookong Assistant. I programmed all the ESC's according to the AKE directions - brake off, cutoff mode set to cut-off, start mode to normal. I left timing set at default, as I could find no info on appropriate settings. I clipped the red wire power wire from the ESC to the MC, and in the various flight modes (atti, GPS, normal) the status LED seems to be indicating normal.

I successfully performed the compass calibration, and when I attempt to test fly, I get no response from the motors at all. When I first power up the system, I get a slight twitching from the motors for a second, but aside from that, i am not able to get any output from the motors at all.

My suspicion is my problem lies with the ESC's programming. I attempted to test this by powering a seperate Spektrum RX I have with a batterypack through the batt port and connecting one of the ESC signal leads to the the throttle output of the second RX. I am getting no response from the motor, but I still am unsure about this....

Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?
 

Droider

Droider

Drone Enthusiast
Hi dma251.. When you look in the TX is the atti gps and manual turning blue in the corresponding switch positions?
 

Gunter

Gunter

Draganflyer X4
You need to arm the motors. After powering up, try pushing both transmitter sticks down and to the left for a second or two. Motors should spin up and idle.


Regards,

Gunter.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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dma251

Member
Yes to both. I set the TX 3 position switch to turn blue each of the three (plus failsafe) ranges when switched. I have also tried every possible combination of start-combination positions listed in the instructions.

I appreciate the suggestions though. I know it can't be too bad, I am just overlooking something....
 

BorisS

BorisS

Drone Enthusiast
dma251 are you getting a clear init sound from your ESCs or only a short mechanical twitching ? Did you calibrate your ESCs?

boris
 


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dma251

Member
Yes, the motors are all making clear beeping sounds when I power up the MC. I just don't understand what else to check...

What is the usual response from the wkm when the battery is connected and the TX is already on?
 

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dma251

Member
Okay, I just tested one of the ESC's with my second RX again, and it works fine. So I think I can forget about the prob being with the ESC's unless it is an issue with the timing parameter, which had options for low, medium, or high. Not sure what those are. I left them in their default settings.

FYI - I am using the latest updates of the DJI software/firmware

Now I am wondering if it is an issue where the MC is not seeing the stick combination command to start.... It would be nice if I knew exactly what it SHOULD do, so I knew what it looked like.
 

R

RTRyder

Merlin of Multirotors
dma251 said:
Okay, I just tested one of the ESC's with my second RX again, and it works fine. So I think I can forget about the prob being with the ESC's unless it is an issue with the timing parameter, which had options for low, medium, or high. Not sure what those are. I left them in their default settings.

FYI - I am using the latest updates of the DJI software/firmware

Now I am wondering if it is an issue where the MC is not seeing the stick combination command to start.... It would be nice if I knew exactly what it SHOULD do, so I knew what it looked like.
Click to expand...

Do you have a cyclic ring installed on the TX or anything that would prevent either of the sticks from moving through the full range of travel, especially to the corners? The problem is that the WKM is not seeing full travel on one or both sticks and consequently not arming the motors.

Ken
 

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Dudez

Member
Double check the cables from RX --> MC --> ESC for polarity.

D
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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dma251

Member
Ken was dead on! I had overlooked the direction of the aileron channel slider direction in the tx setup page of wookong assistant. It was reversed, so the combination stick command was incorrect. Fixing that solved the prob, so tomorrow I will do a maiden flight. By then I will probably have more questions!

Thanks for all the great advise and diagnostic methodology!
 

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