Flight Controllers Hey Ivan, Check It Out!!!

[Tony]

Got it working

 

[D.O.G.]

Too cool. What did you do to get it going? Need to put that in your quad with the FC F4 one that is very sensitive. I think you will like the quad a lot better .

 

[Tony]

It had a bad S4 Diode. The other one has the exact same bad diode, but I only had one extra that I could use, and that was on the other FC you sent me lol. So the 'other' FC has two bad diodes. Might order some.

 

[Tony]

Here are the two bad diodes on a quarter... just kidding, they are on a dime lmao.

 

[D.O.G.]

Well I'm glad you found out what the problem was. Good job! Is it possible that I bought them that way? Those two FC came from the same place. They didn't work so I went ahaead an ordered a few more but I think I ordered them from somewhere else. CRS going on LMAO anyway, that's why I sent them to you. If anyone can find out what was ailing them... it would be you. I wouldn't pick up on that.

 

[Tony]

I just started at one end and was working my across the board. I saw that the very first diode I checked was open one way (that's normal for these) but was direct shorted the other way. So I tested the diode that was right next to it and it was open one way and had a small forward voltage the other way. So I checked the other board and it was exactly the same so I took the good one off the other board and put it on the board that was working and it lit up and you could see it move in betaflight.

FYI, the board I fixed was the one that didn't have the beeper on it.

I'm going to order 100 of those little diodes. Sounds like a lot, but it's only $1.50 shipped to my door lmao. I WILL have extra hahahahaha.

 

[D.O.G.]

Now you have me worried. I need to check the 3 FC that I have, to make sure that they work. I don't want to find out that they don't work when I need them too.

 

[Tony]

The thing about this fault is, you can still power them by the battery, you just can't power them USB. So they will fly just fine.

 

[D.O.G.]

That's good information to know. I still went ahead and check my other FC, just for the hell of it. They had no problem going into DFU and uploading newest version release of betaflight. That works for me.

 

[Tony]

Cool deal. Could have been a USB issue putting out slightly high voltage, or they could have been bad from the factory. They may not test them with power from USB. I'm 99% sure you can power these by the battery and still see them in betaflight, but if you disconnect your battery, you will not be able to power it from USB. I will test this tomorrow. i have already moved out of the office since we have severe weather here right now.

 

[RandyDSok]

There are several possible causes with USB issues...

Probably the most common is the issue caused by the USB cables themselves ( besides a possible bad cable that is )... There are two types, one is for power only ( ie a charging cable ) and the other is a data cable ( power and data ). With the number of devices that charge through a USB cable, many people get their power and data cables confused and when they connect using just a power only cable, they forget ( or don't know ) to try their other cables.


The next issue actually shouldn't happen but it does... Many newer systems have a mix of different USB ports... USB 1.1, USB 2 and USB 3.x. The USB 3.x ports aren't alway very backward compatible with the various devices we have. So if you have the option, make sure to try the USB 2 ports ( when available ).

 

[Tony]

Those friggin charge only cables lol. I have grabbed one of those quite a few times! I usually plug in a known working device to that cable (if it doesn't have the battery symbol on the cable which some do) and see if I can get a connection. If I don't, then I just swap out the cable.

But I have a feeling they were bad (the diode's) from the factory and they tested with the battery voltage connectors and never once checked the USB port.

 

[Tony]

Verified. If you connect a USB cable to the FC and can't get a connection, connect a battery to it (after taking off the props of course) and it will connect. Well, it will connect if only the S4 diodes are bad lol. And in my testing, I managed to burn yet another S4 diode in a completely different spot lmao. So this board will need 3 of them when I receive my $1.50 package of 100 of them lmao.

 

[RandyDSok]

Those friggin charge only cables lol.

I was pretty sure you already knew that info... so my post was to cover it for everyone else that may not have...

 

[Tony]

Oh yea. It's just like plugging in a standard USB cable. You have a 50/50 shot of getting it right, and it still takes you 3 tries lmao. Well, it does me most of the time...