Hoverfly Help with new problem on Hoverfly Pro gains

[JZSlenker]

Batteries are new. Props are correct. It flies like butter.....

I don't mean "are they spining the correct direction", I mean do you have them oriented correctly. If they are upside down, you will fly smoothly, but have poor efficiency.
Larger prop with higher pitch should go on the bottom. I think Jet2Man did exhaustive testing on this subject. Most people quote theory, not actual test data.

Don't get caught up on looking at voltage too much when comparing to others. Battery brands exhibit different discharge characteristics. What you really need to look at is how many ma you are using. The only way to do this (without onboard sensors) is to look at how much ma you put in when you charge and how much goes in when you re-charge the next flight. Voltage becomes even less reliable as a comparison factor when you start using higher quality batteries as the voltage drop occurs right before the capacity is exhausted.

 

[Webheadfred]

I don't mean "are they spining the correct direction", I mean do you have them oriented correctly. If they are upside down, you will fly smoothly, but have poor efficiency.

Good point. All the lettering should be pointed up. They will fly the other way but not efficiently.

 

[jfro]

Bart.... if you lived closer, I'd have beer and ribs waiting for you.
But, I'll just have to keep mucking my way through this.

My turnigy's 30amp plush are as follows
These settings were suggested by Hoverfly in a phone conversation.

brake off
battery type nimh/nicd
cutoff mode Reduce Power
cutoff threshold high
startup mode ...normal
timing middle

Bart suggests......
1. Brake--OFF
2. Battery Type -- Ni-xx
3. Cut Off type -- Cut Off
4. Cut Off Voltage -- Low
5. Start Mode -- Normal
6. Timing Mode -- Middle
7. Music/Li-Po -- all blank
Governor Mode -- OFF

So I will make the changes. Any shortcuts for reprogramming the ESC with all my cables soldered?
Wondering if I can take off props, discount all esc's from receiver and just plug in whatever esc I want to program into channel 6 on my receiver.

I would assume the other 7 motors will just sit there beeping if they just get power but no signal?

I'm a little hesitant on the cutoff, but I'm guessing I'll never go that low.
What is modern theory on how far I can deplete my batteries without shortening their life? I've read heat and to not go below 3v per cell.
Shall I use time or voltage alarm or both?

I don't mean "are they spining the correct direction", I mean do you have them oriented correctly. If they are upside down, you will fly smoothly, but have poor efficiency.
Larger prop with higher pitch should go on the bottom. I think Jet2Man did exhaustive testing on this subject. Most people quote theory, not actual test data.

Don't get caught up on looking at voltage too much when comparing to others. Battery brands exhibit different discharge characteristics. What you really need to look at is how many ma you are using. The only way to do this (without onboard sensors) is to look at how much ma you put in when you charge and how much goes in when you re-charge the next flight. Voltage becomes even less reliable as a comparison factor when you start using higher quality batteries as the voltage drop occurs right before the capacity is exhausted.

Webheadfred & JZSlenker.........
Thank you for spelling it out. My letters (11x4.7) on the bottom prop are facing down. Never read anything about that. Never thought twice about that. Put em on the motors just like on top.
Checked the rotation and have flown probably 60-80 batteries like that.



This reminds me of my 2+ decades of building and troubleshooting computer systems for graphics, prepress, and video. Sometimes you spend a lot of time on some little thing you overlooked or never thought of. I've spent so many hours noodling and fretting about my flying times....

I'm going to change the bottom props right now, catch some crap from the wife unit while I blow off her honeydo list, and go try it......

I'll report back....

 

[JZSlenker]

I'm a little hesitant on the cutoff, but I'm guessing I'll never go that low.

You definetly want a hard cut off. If one of your ESC's starts to go into a soft (or gradual) cutoff the X-8 will stay in the air. If more than one goes into soft cutoff you will most likely get a flip. As one arm starts to drop the FC will increase power to try to keep that arm in place, this will cause the esc to cut out even more. With only one esc doing this you will stay in the air as the HFP will increase speed to the other motors to compensate, if your voltage is that low however, this will likely cause other esc's to start cutting off. You will in a sence have several computers working against each other. This is a bad way to fly. You definitely want a hard cutoff so your FC has actual control. You want to use a timer at a minimum. I use a timer on my TX, an alarm for each lipo on the X-8, plus I have flight battery voltage telemetry to my TX which has an alarm in it.

Good luck!

 

[jfro]

Bart, JZSlenker, & WebheadFred.....

YES, props mounted wrong on the bottom..... Who would have thought!

I owe you all some beers, wine, soda, or whatever. For all the re-soldering, changing bullet plugs, trying props, etc etc. it was just a simple error of me mounting the props wrong on the bottom.

Just went from 3 3/4 to 7 minutes. without tuning... I'm a whole lot more optimistic that I might get 8-9 minutes at 11 1/4 lbs.

It's like a different MR now, not just the flight time, but the sound and it's obviously quicker and much quieter. It's also hoovering at a notch or to lower on the throttle. It's so quiet that I now think I hear what might be a bearing or something else I'd never heard before. I'm going to tighten down the props and check everything and see if I can isolate the high pitched non rhythmic sound I hear. It's not loud, but I doubt it's normal and something is loose. But it flew so nice! All the electronics we cooler to!

I have a few days before my new brushless gimbal gets in so instead of trying to tune my undersize first brushless gimbal, so I'll go reprogram the ESC's. I sure hope it doesn't rain this weekend so I can get some quality LONGER flight time in....... I'm so friggin ready to fly instead of setup, trouble shoot, and tweak.



Again. Bart, JZSlenker, & WebheadFred..... THANK YOU ALL SO VERY VERY MUCH.

 

[Stacky]

jfro I use one of these which clips nicely on to my radio and gives me a real time display of voltage. You can also get a current sensor which is even more useful http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/..._Telemetry_System_Volt_Amp_Temp_mAh_V3_0.html

 

[jfro]

7:45.....on gensace 5000mAh 4s 40c. Came down with 13.06v left.....
Back to honeydo list.

 

[Webheadfred]

Nice! Well done Jim!




Hey Stacky... thanks for that link... I now have one of them coming! Good stuff here.




..... also.....

I have programmed all the ESC's while on the HFP with the transmitter. It worked perfectly. Transmitter on and throttle all the way up... connect power. Your Turnigy Plush (well my TP's) will enter programming mode perfectly and react in unison. They all programmed at the same time. I cant speak for any other ESC but this was quite convenient for me.

CAUTION **** CAUTION *****

Please take props off before trying this.

 

[JZSlenker]

Happy to help.