Weird problem with new ESC's

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the NAZA opto ESC's do not need the red wire cutting, BUT other ESC's do, such as my new Hobbywing Pentium 40's ?
Can anyone say definitely if I should cut them ?
Any responses would be very welcome. my Quad is dead right now.
 

BorisS

Drone Enthusiast
If they are Opto it means that they don't have a built in BEC. If they don't have a BEC there is no need to cut the red wire.

Why is your Quad dead ?
 

kloner

Aerial DP
hobbywing pentium 40 need programing first including throttle calibration then most folks that want to keep them somewhat in tact just unclip the red wire from the servo plug, fold it back and heat shrink it. Then you can get back into program them again,,,, to just cut it and turn a blind eye is to leave a hot wire in the open to short. if it shorts that will shut off that esc and quads fly like crap on 3 motors.
 

hobbywing pentium 40 need programing first including throttle calibration then most folks that want to keep them somewhat in tact just unclip the red wire from the servo plug, fold it back and heat shrink it. Then you can get back into program them again,,,, to just cut it and turn a blind eye is to leave a hot wire in the open to short. if it shorts that will shut off that esc and quads fly like crap on 3 motors.

Hi Kloner
Can I clarify this precisely ? Using the NAZA controller and power supply unit, should I (or indeeed, MUST I) cut the red wire to be able to use the Pentium 40s' with with it. ?

I understand about insulating them away once cut
 

Yes you must. The Naza unit is getting power from it's own PMU and does not need power from the esc's. First program your esc's then remove and secure the red wire's pin.
 

kloner

Aerial DP
you have to remove it, but you need it to program them first..... shut off LVC by changing it to nimh, set the hard or fast start, no gov, i know i'm ofrgetting something, oh, run the throttle calibration on each first... might still be something i'm forgetting
 

you have to remove it, but you need it to program them first..... shut off LVC by changing it to nimh, set the hard or fast start, no gov, i know i'm ofrgetting something, oh, run the throttle calibration on each first... might still be something i'm forgetting

OK, set them up using my programming card, THEN pulled the red pin on the first one and attached it to naza controller. It is not picking up the throttle setting ?

I just get the std single tune, then drop the throttle, but no confirmation. I tried it with red wire back in, same result ?

They are set to NIMH, not LIxx now

Confused
 

kloner

Aerial DP
throttle calibrate each one on the throttle channels of the receiver, then try again...... thats where you boot the receiver full throttle, wait for tone, reduce throttle till tone. do all 4,6,8 whatever
 

rwilabee

Member
Make sure you have a battery connected to your receiver and you receiver is powering up and talking to your transmitter. At this point you have have the ESC connected directly to the throttle channel of your receiver and do the calibration.
After that remove the red wire and heat shrink it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Bowley

Member
I could not get a calibration through the Naza, had to do it indiidually from ch3 of the Rx.

Kloner is it essential to program the pentium 40's first. All the ESC's I have used till now,,,well basically just Plush 18A seem to work fine on stock settings.
 

kloner

Aerial DP
if you ever get a marginal pack or fly too long and the voltage sags, it usually shuts one motor off first.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Bowley

Member
Due to the LVC enabled? Thanks Kloner, will get a programming card. I think I have this happen, strange behaviour on one particular pack, not total loss of control though, rapid descent like a falling leaf.
 

kloner

Aerial DP
the throttle calibration helps a ton too. sometimes people fly forever and never do it, but it does this that or the other..... that nimh setting makes the esc look for the lvc voltage to be past where your pack will hold the craft in the sky.
 

Hi Kloner

I guess I am having a really "blonde" moment here, but despite setting up a great many ESC's for helicopters over the last xx years, I am still not getting much success here.

Can I ask for a step by step confirmation of the process I need to do on this NAZA system.

MY take on it is as follows, please correct me where I am going wrong.

1 - Connect each ESC to the programming card (off the quad entirely)
2 - Connect each Pentium 4 ESC to quads power board as usual to provide the necessary power.
3 - Set power source to NIMH
4 - Set all other parameters as needed.
5 - Remove from programming board
6 - Plug each radio lead in turn from the ESC's to the RADIO CHANNEL of the Spektrum receiver.
7 - Do the normal full/min throttle stuff for each ESC.
5 - Disconnect radio wire from the Spektreum receiver throttle channel, remove the red wire and connect them to the motor ports on the NAZA
6 - Motors should initialise ?????

Does that make sense ?
 

kloner

Aerial DP
try this, when you get done programing an esc and while it's powered up with a motor on does the throttle stick turn on the motor? like not through naza, just through the throttle channel of the rx. is it beeping like normal when you boot it up?
 

If you are unable to arm the esc while it is connected to the throttle channel of your rx, set your Spectrum tx throttle channel to -110% and +110 range and try again.
 

try this, when you get done programing an esc and while it's powered up with a motor on does the throttle stick turn on the motor? like not through naza, just through the throttle channel of the rx. is it beeping like normal when you boot it up?

Hi Kloner
Done that completely, all motors spun up when attached to the Rx throttle channel itself (red wire connected).

Removed red wire, plugged all into the NAZA controller, set it all up on the Assistant - latest version.

Motors now initialize on CRC, BUT even with totally full 2200 11.1v lipo, it cannot get enough power to lift off the ground at all.

This was the progblem I had originally that made me change frames. I have 10 x 4.5 props on board, and the lipo indicator shows that it goes down to no LEDs at full throttle, and returns to full capacity when throttled down.

So progress at least, many thanks for that, but I still have no lift on it at all.
 

kloner

Aerial DP
tell me about your battery? can you put it on the charger, hit balance charge and tell me what it says if you push the right arrow? should be individual cell voltage.
 



Top