XAircraft SuperX

Motopreserve

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
I only accessed the site from the phone. I don't think it would let me upload - or rather I wouldn't know how to get log on my phone :)

The program is web based - so either platform/OS should work. Something must be going on if it's not uploading.
 


SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Yeah, giving up for now. Tried a few more times on both platforms with no luck. Usually takes a few minutes for mine to load, last Friday it took a few minutes before it loaded and those files are easily accessed.

@fltundra, thanks! Guess that is PC based from a quick look at the download.
 



SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Couldn't figure out how to use the app link in Google Drive, finally uploaded in regular mode. If anyone has time please take a look and see if you can tell me what may have caused my loss of control today. Very strange behavior in GPS mode. Looking at the report things started going wacko just before the 80S point in the motor output chart. Even at the start is seems like 3 motors went to the high side and three went to the lower side of the baseline, nothing drastic but not sure why.

Thanks, John

http://log.xaircraft.cn/#2015_06_08_011745.338_91.1.03.36
http://log.xaircraft.cn/report.htm#2015_06_08_011745.338_91.1.03.36
 
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SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
When I first built this rig I had KDE 2814 515kv motors with KDE 35 amp esc's which I had from a 800 sized UAP1 hexacopter used with a Hd3-3D and NAZA. I wanted something transportable and capable of lifting a DSLR or mirrorless camera, thus the Tarot X6. I added the KDE 4012 400kv motors and KDE 55 amp esc to allow me to do that.

After looking at some of my older logs and reports, I noticed a significant difference in the Motor Output chart for the two setups. The old setup seemed "tighter" as all motors seem to start around the same output but with the new setup it seems like 3 motors are running faster than the other three motors so I started to think what I did different on these two setups. The only thing that I didn't do to the new motors and esc's was to do a throttle calibration, not that I forgot, just after reading the KDE paperwork for the esc's and a conversation with Patrick at KDE is sounded like there was no need to do that because they were factory calibrated. On the 35 amp setup I did do the throttle calibration but it didn't seem to work like normal esc's do. Turn on the radio, move throttle all the way up plug in the motor, wait for the calibration beeps then throttle down and wait for the confirmation beeps. Well the KDE don't give the same tones we're used to with other brand esc's.

I did the mid-stick and full range throttle setup on the radio and SuperX for the new motors and esc's but I wondering if that is the reason things went haywire this morning almost causing me to have a flyaway.

Who ever is using KDE motors and or esc's with SuperX please give me your procedure for setting this up.

The first chart is from my original setup, the second chart is from this mornings troubled flight, you can see the difference from the start of the graph and on the latest one at around the 80 second mark.

Thanks all for looking,
 

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Motopreserve

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
I have KDE with superx and I didn't do a throttle calibration. I have always had a slight variation (like your old graph) between CCW and CW on every craft that ran the superx. Vibes were always low, so I never worried about it.

I think the 80 second mark shows the motors trying to compensate for the shift in the hex. Why thy shift happened is still a mystery.
 

SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Thanks Scott, still reading some things from KDE and other threads to see if there is something I missed. Makes me leery of my next flight. Do you keep the red power lead from the esc in the rx/fc connector? The Tarot provides a two wire lead that runs from the esc through the arm to the PDB. They also have a two wire lead that runs from the signal and ground wires of the ecs three wire rx/fc lead so you pull the power lead, the two wire connector plugs into a socket integrated into the centerplate which goes to a distribution box for the esc leads to connect to the SuperX IO unit. Wondering if I need to keep the power lead in play. I didn't have it connected when I first put the SuperX on this frame with the KDE 2814 and 35 amp esc's.

I'll have at it again tomorrow, looking at some of @kloner 's old logs my gains are way low and motor outputs are all over the lot. First logs are mine, second are kloner's.
 

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Motopreserve

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
What are your gains set at in the program? The gain knob shows at -40% also, so you could have been running on a low gain and it was getting bashed by the wind up high like that?

I believe I left my red servo wire intact - that side is supposed to be decoupled on these ESCs. I've got it hanging up from the ceiling - I will pull it down later today and confirm.

Give Patrick at KDE a call. He will answer any questions you have about your power system. One of the great things about that company!
 

SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Thanks Scott. Just ran through the complete setup again, watched Drew's setup video, again, double checked everything then changed the yaw and height gains to .9 instead of the stock 1.0. Going to give another try shortly, downloaded the log viewer at fltundra sent yesterday so I can look at the logs in the field. Read some of kloner's old posts for some insight to gain control, we'll see later this morning and I'll post some results (fingers crossed)
 


Dylan M

Dylan M

Which Switch...
I know if you have a PC and copy (not move) the log file from the superx you can then later upload it from a mac. I have done that before. I don't know if you could upload the file from a cell.

IMHO, one of the really nice things about SX is the ability to 'share' the log across multiple platforms after it is uploaded.

Also agreed with Moto, stay low...
 

SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Well, I'm getting pretty spooked by my SuperX.

Went out for a little tuning of the g knob after running through the complete radio setup to be sure I didn't miss something. Between rain drops and gusts was able to get two short flights in, neither really good benchmarks for improvement. First flight lasted about 2 minutes, enough time to make a few adjustments and then plug into my PC to see where the g knob was percentage wise, was looking to get to around 50-60% as many have specified to be a good point of reference. Log shows I started at 52%, went as low as 0 then back up to 52. I was trying to see the difference in stability over a wide spectrum gains on the + side since most of my other tunings have been on the - side.

After landing and looking at the logs I took off again, this time I deployed the retracts to get them up underneath. No real issuses until about the one minute mark. I was just messing with the g knob went all of a sudden the hex shot up like I hit the throttle. I lowered to throttle and got it back down then landed it without incident. Looking at the logs I noticed there is a power surge around that time. First time I ever experienced anything like that, I was afraid the thing was going to take off to a much greater height but it responded to the throttle input and I was able to land. The machine seemed to be pretty stable when I got it back down but I have had enough for one day.

Strange how the logs show the 1,3,5 motors all have about the same output % and are about 5-10 points below the 2,4,6 motors. Right now I have No-Confidence in my setup and frustrated to the point I'm going to bench it until I can figure out what is going on.

Here's the latest log, with the power surge in the report.

http://log.xaircraft.cn/#2015_06_09_014054.100_93.2.01.15
 

fltundra

fltundra

Member
jwoike said:
Well, I'm getting pretty spooked by my SuperX.

Went out for a little tuning of the g knob after running through the complete radio setup to be sure I didn't miss something. Between rain drops and gusts was able to get two short flights in, neither really good benchmarks for improvement. First flight lasted about 2 minutes, enough time to make a few adjustments and then plug into my PC to see where the g knob was percentage wise, was looking to get to around 50-60% as many have specified to be a good point of reference. Log shows I started at 52%, went as low as 0 then back up to 52. I was trying to see the difference in stability over a wide spectrum gains on the + side since most of my other tunings have been on the - side.

After landing and looking at the logs I took off again, this time I deployed the retracts to get them up underneath. No real issuses until about the one minute mark. I was just messing with the g knob went all of a sudden the hex shot up like I hit the throttle. I lowered to throttle and got it back down then landed it without incident. Looking at the logs I noticed there is a power surge around that time. First time I ever experienced anything like that, I was afraid the thing was going to take off to a much greater height but it responded to the throttle input and I was able to land. The machine seemed to be pretty stable when I got it back down but I have had enough for one day.

Strange how the logs show the 1,3,5 motors all have about the same output % and are about 5-10 points below the 2,4,6 motors. Right now I have No-Confidence in my setup and frustrated to the point I'm going to bench it until I can figure out what is going on.

Here's the latest log, with the power surge in the report.

http://log.xaircraft.cn/#2015_06_09_014054.100_93.2.01.15
Click to expand...
You need to get your motor outputs within 5%, and also try smaller props. I found the SuperX doesn't like it below 45% in hover.
Kloner posted awhile back to set the gain channel throws at +30 and -30 with an offset that gets you at 20% when the gain knob is centered.
That's how I have mine, and my offset is at +4 to achieve 23% center detent. Then go back and set your gains with GUI and then fine tune with knob. If you get your GUI gains to high and she starts to oscillate, just back off with the gain knob. And lower in GUI.
 

SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Thanks, fltundra.

I can try some 14" props that I was using with the 2814's, running DJI 15x5.2 on KDE triple props now. That should give me a better hover around 50% I would guess. I have the gain channel set to +/-20% as Drew spec'ed out in the tutorial so I can change that but now my head is spinning with "offset at 20% when gain knob is centered." How do I achieve that? Do I compensate for it in the endpoint settings?

Any thoughts as to why the power surged?
 


SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Ok, thanks! What's your UAW? Mine's at about 14.5 lbs. You running a quad or hex?

Thanks on the app too! I can get the report part like you pasted in but it gives me an error when I go to the main page for the field location.
 


SamaraMedia

SamaraMedia

Active Member
Your using the Taranis, I'm on Futaba so I guess I'll fiddle around with it to see what I can come up with, or I'll see if I can dig up something kloner posted about this since, last I knew he was still using Futaba.

You running a quad or hex with these motors?

Never mind, I see from the charts you've got a quad. That's what I remember.
 
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