WKM and reflashed ESCs

[RTRyder]

For a while now I've been thinking of trying SimonK's ESC firmware update on a set of ESCs used with a WKM controller. One of the things that's been stopping me is the fact that it's a one way conversion, there are no copies of the factory firmware available so once you reflash, that's it, you have to keep it that way. My main interest is getting the CineStar 6/WKM combo to fly as smoothly as possible but reflashing the DYS on the CS would have meant buying a complete new set of ESCs if it didn't work as well as the factory firmware, always a possibility and you never know until you do it.

While going through some spare parts containers the other night I came across a set of Turnigy Plush 18A ESCs left over from my X8 project earlier this year, the same ESCs I'm currently using on my WKM quad. Perfect opportunity to give the new firmware a try and still be able to revert back to factory if it didn't work out!

I downloaded the latest version of the firmware (https://github.com/sim-/tgy/downloads) and dug out my AVRISP MKII programmer. Cut the shrink wrap off one of the escs and check the programming pads against a pinout diagram of the Atmel processor to make sure I had the right signals and then make up a connection cable. Being too lazy to make a fixture to just clamp on the pads I soldered the wires from the cable direct and then plugged the cable onto the AVR. Using AVRstudio4 it was a matter of less than a minute to connect to the ESC, verify the fuse settings, erase the chip, and download the new firmware. Desolder the cable and on to the next ESC, repeat as necessary.

After that I had to change the motor connectors on the ESCs and then swap out the Turnigys already on the quad. The difference was immediately noticeable, the motors run smoother and quieter as well as the startup tones being different. End result after a couple of test flights is the update does make the ESCs respond better to commands from the WKM. The quad had a small but visible side to side wobble in FF as seen from the GoPro perspective, it doesn't do that anymore. Throttle response seems to be much better as well, and I've heard but not yet verified one way or the other, that the update increases efficiency resulting in increased flight time. There doesn't seem to be any adverse effects, the motors and ESCs both are only warm to the touch after flying an entire pack, although the low 40 degree F ambient temperature outside might be masking any issues there at the moment

Now that I know the update works well with the WKM I'll be giving it a go on the DYS ESCs on the CineStar 6 next.

Ken

 

[Macsgrafs]

Hi Ken,

I was going to do my ESC's, they are plush 60A...ripped off the heatshrink & they are the wrong chips, so the 60A ESC's cant be reprogrammed yet!!!!
Did you up the 400hz timing?

Ross

 

[redridinghood]

My plush 40a and 60a are silabs. No joy here as well.

 

[jffry7]

I've always wanted to try this but like others I cant seem to find 40A ESC which is easier to flash with custom firmware. I know some 30A have programming pinouts on the side. Someone mentioned about the shop that sells the pre-flashed with custom firmware which is nice. I hope some store would get 40A once and above

 

[plingboot]

just had a look at one of simonK's youtube clips and looks like this might be worth a punt - both my arducopter and new project run 18A turnigy plush

however, not familiar with programmers, so just wondered whether something like THIS might do the trick?

If so, i'll order one tomorrow and that will be something else to keep me amused over christmas.

 

[Macsgrafs]

just had a look at one of simonK's youtube clips and looks like this might be worth a punt - both my arducopter and new project run 18A turnigy plush

however, not familiar with programmers, so just wondered whether something like THIS might do the trick?

If so, i'll order one tomorrow and that will be something else to keep me amused over christmas.

So will that programe silabs ESC's?

Ross

 

[plingboot]

i was just about to edit that reply, the website is .co.uk but i then noticed the product actually comes from the ukraine and i'd rather order locally to stand a chance of having it before christmas.

looks like a genuine programmer from RS (cheapest i could find) will be the way forward.

@ken - would you be good enough to explain which pin from the programmer goes to which pin on the esc - i might be missing something obvious, but that appears to be the only bit of info which isn't clear on simonK's thread.

 

[RTRyder]

Hi Ken,

I was going to do my ESC's, they are plush 60A...ripped off the heatshrink & they are the wrong chips, so the 60A ESC's cant be reprogrammed yet!!!!
Did you up the 400hz timing?

Ross

I didn’t touch the code, used the compiled hex file as it sits on the download site. When I have a spare minute or two I’ll download the other files and see what can be changed, not that I would since it seems to work fine as-is.

just had a look at one of simonK's youtube clips and looks like this might be worth a punt - both my arducopter and new project run 18A turnigy plush

however, not familiar with programmers, so just wondered whether something like THIS might do the trick?

If so, i'll order one tomorrow and that will be something else to keep me amused over christmas.

It should but as it’s a clone there are no guarantees that it will. I used the real thing bought from DigiKey in the USA. Probably not worth the $ to get the real deal if you will only use it once, I use mine to reprogram KK boards as well so it does get some use.

So will that programe silabs ESC's?

Ross

Not yet, but since it seems that China is replacing the Atmel on most if not all speed controllers with the Silabs chip it probably won’t be too long before someone has working code for it. The more encouraging bit of news is it appears that multirotor specific ESCs are in the design phase and we’ll probably see them available sometime next year.

i was just about to edit that reply, the website is .co.uk but i then noticed the product actually comes from the ukraine and i'd rather order locally to stand a chance of having it before christmas.

looks like a genuine programmer from RS (cheapest i could find) will be the way forward.

@ken - would you be good enough to explain which pin from the programmer goes to which pin on the esc - i might be missing something obvious, but that appears to be the only bit of info which isn't clear on simonK's thread.

That one will definitely work, same one I have. Details on how to figure out the signals can be found on the first page here... http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513678

Ken

 

[Macsgrafs]

2 good bits of news for me in your reply Ken. Firstly that someone will one day break the code for silabs & the new ESC's being MR orientated...wicked mate.

Ross

 

[Crash]

Thank Ken. I've been holding off doing this until now.

I had one on my desk so I figured I'd try it. No smoke. Then I opened up my other spares and they are all the same style. Now I guess I need to build a programming adapter to do the other 20. Maybe they will tide me over until the OP-ESC goes live.

 

[plingboot]

Opened up the first 18A turnigy plush and it clearly isnt an atmel.

Opened another and things looked up, the chip has the atmel logo on it and there is a row of programming pins, just like the pics.

So, of the four spares i have, two are Atmel, two are not. i removed a couple from my arducopter and they're Atmel too so i have a set to try the flashing on.

made a clamp with a double row of pin headers and some needle nose pliers.

I also had four unbranded (30a) esc's from Here, (not listed any more). i opened one up and it too is an atmel, but a differeft layout with pads dotted all over. will post pics later.

as an aside should there be issues when using a 4 escs when some are atmel and not - you'd never know as they're branded the same and wrapped in red heat shrink?

ps: love threads like this…

 

[plingboot]

spent most of this afternoon on this.

avr programmer arrived, installed avrstudio4 and on first look it all seemed very complex, but after some clicking around and stuff i managed to work out which buttons to press and the actual flashing is extremely quick to do.

biggest faff is making a pin clamp which doesnt slip off. i got short tempered with my attempts and soldered a short ribbon on instead. i was extremely carerful when i soldered onto the programming pins, but managed to loose a few when i desoldred them so if anyone else is going to try this id suggest making a pin clamp of some kind rather than soldering.

i think using avrstudio4 and the correct programmer probably cuts out a big chunk of time wasting in this process.

i'll post up some screen grabs, pics and more detail tomorrow, but first impression (on the bench) the esc response seems super smooth and theres more 'resolution' if thats the right term. motors spin up from almost no stick movement and with obvious gradual acceleration as the stick moves up. previously a good amount of stick was required to get motors moving and then they jumped in at a higher speed and seemed to have less range.

true test will be tomorrow when i've configured the wkm.

the applications came on a dvd but my netbook hasnt got a cd/dvd drive so i ended up running avrstudio through xp and parallels on my mac - which was actually a painless procedure.

 

[plingboot]

seem to have hit a snag.

esc's all worked fine when bench tested with an rx and motor, but nothing is happening now they're built into the wkm set-up.

to be honest i've not had time to fiddle around with it today.

did a quick config of wkm and tried to spool up the motors but nothing… i get the esc chime on power up, but the led is flashing red,red,red,blue

hope to get time with it tomorrow.

 

[Bartman]

a good multi-rotor tuned ESC will likely help Timecop's I2c to PWM converter quite a bit also.

 

[RTRyder]

seem to have hit a snag.

esc's all worked fine when bench tested with an rx and motor, but nothing is happening now they're built into the wkm set-up.

to be honest i've not had time to fiddle around with it today.

did a quick config of wkm and tried to spool up the motors but nothing… i get the esc chime on power up, but the led is flashing red,red,red,blue

hope to get time with it tomorrow.

Blue means one of two things, no TX signal at the RX (TX is switched off/set to wrong model) or the WKm is in failsafe mode. As long as you have a blue light flashing you won't get the motors to start.

I flashed the DYS ESCs on the CineStar 6 today, WOW, what a differnece it made! I did a couple short test flights at the hosue with wind blowing and managed to get the smoothest video yet and on 12 x 6 APC props too! Props definitely need balancing, I can see the bottoms of the landing legs vibrating at a pretty high frequency, something they don't do with the Graupner props, but none of it gets through the isolation mounts to the AV130 or Nex 5N.

I really like the CineStar frame

Ken

 

[plingboot]

seem to be encountering problems with the flashed plush 18a esc and the wkm.

there's an obvious difference between the speed of one of the motors and the others on power-up and as the flight progresses the throttle stick has to go up to full throttle just to achieve a low hover.

motors and escs are cool to the touch on landing and liops still have lots of juice left in them.

going to swap them out for unflashed hw 25a's and try unflashed rctimer 40a on the Naza build - to see if there's any difference.

if they fly as they should with std esc's then it may well be the new code which is at fault.

 

[DennyR]

Did you check your advance settings after.

 

[RTRyder]

seem to be encountering problems with the flashed plush 18a esc and the wkm.

there's an obvious difference between the speed of one of the motors and the others on power-up and as the flight progresses the throttle stick has to go up to full throttle just to achieve a low hover.

motors and escs are cool to the touch on landing and liops still have lots of juice left in them.

going to swap them out for unflashed hw 25a's and try unflashed rctimer 40a on the Naza build - to see if there's any difference.

if they fly as they should with std esc's then it may well be the new code which is at fault.

I have a potential source for the original Plush firmware, if I get it and it works you're welcome to a copy to fix your 18A Plush ESC's. I also have some special hex files with different startup timing that is said to fix the problem as well, since I already have that I'll be trying it on the 6 dysfunctional ESCs I have first to see if it works as claimed.

Did you check your advance settings after.

No way to do that after, the stock programming no longer exists and the ability to use a programming card went with it, all settings are fixed in the fast PWM code which is optimized for multirotor use.

Ken