450 Trex 450l Initial Setup Help

[RandyDSok]

You would look at the manual for your receiver to find out what order it's channels are mapped to what pins on it. The following are the channel assignments for a Spectrum receiver....






Next you'd wire to whatever corresponding pins your gyro state are the channels that the manual for the make/model gyro you have shows. Different brand receivers, gyros etc will each have their own wiring layout so always read everything in each manual. Do not assume that a manual for a certain device is going to know which other brands device you may have... they may show an example layout but that is all they are doing... showing an example so you get the idea.

So if your gyro is a Micro Beast.... don't look at Align's manual which would apply only to Align's own products, look at and read the manual for your make/model.

 

[Eospro]

Yep, that is exactly what I have done. I would take a photo, but wires resemble a bowl of spaghetti.
I do get some tones when I power up at full throttle (50% of the tme) but that is all I get. The manual describes how to program the esc then tells you to go to page 37 for full details. My manual only has 28 pages. WTF.
I downloaded the manual from align which has full instructions but I get a different tone to what they describe I should get. ESC has to be faulty, it is not consistent.

 

[fran11784]

Maybe the microbeast is setup for a satellite and not a standard receiver. Did you run the receiver menu? Just thinking maybe the wrong receiver set in the microbeast. If it was new, it should be right but just a thought...

 

[Eospro]

I went through the microbeast setup nice and slow, all good there. It actually will auto select what it believes is the correct receiver, but you can override it if it gets it wrong.
Will just wait for the replacement esc to arrive and see how we go.

 

[D.O.G.]

While waiting for the replacement, I would check your soldering connection but I would also check the factory soldering connection. I had bad soldering done from the factory that almost caused my Gaui X3 to crash if I didn't go through my check-up. Just an idea while waiting

 

[Eospro]

I didn't need to do any soldering, don't want to take the heat shrink off the esc in case they decide they want it back.

 

[D.O.G.]

in case they decide they want it back.

I'm surprised that they sending you a new ESC without you sending the other ESC back first

 

[fran11784]

If it were a 4-5 hundred dollar ESC I bet they wouldn’t be so easy to replace it. That’s only a forty dollar ESC. I’ve used my Hobbywing program box on those Align ESCs. Be interesting to see what the program box does when plugged in…

 

[Eospro]

I didn't know the Hobbywing programmer worked on them. I have one so will try it. I imagine you use the receiver cable as there's no other plug, so I'll need to make up a short cable to connect the two.

...My correction. It will plug straight in.
Will let you know how it goes.

 

[fran11784]

Yeah, I’ve done it with the Align ESC‘s, but I know it won’t work on the Spektrum smart ESC‘s. The Horizon guys get insulted when you call their ESC’s hobby wing. lmao

 

[D.O.G.]

The Horizon guys get insulted when you call their ESC’s hobby wing. lmao

& They need to get over it

 

[RandyDSok]

The Horizon guys get insulted when you call their ESC’s hobby wing. lmao

Then heaven forbid when I also tell them their Eflight motors are over priced and heavy for the performance they provide....


... and they can get over that one also.

 

[Eospro]

Ok, smart people, figure this out.
New esc arrived today.
Wired it all up and NOTHING. WTFFFFFFFFF.
OK, finally got it going, BUT....
Setup is without gryo or servos at this stage.
ESC is in Ch. 5 on receiver, only appears to work on this ch.
Default settings on radio (NX6)
I have:
Throttle stick does nothing
Throttle works on switch D pos 0 & 1
Hold switch does nothing
Recovery button does nothing

(Old esc not working with this method)

It appears I can reassign actions to different channels in the 'Rx Port Assignments' page in the radio. Is this ok to do to try and get everything working as they should? or will it bugger other settings in the process.

Apparently I can also assign channels in the microbeast unit aswell, I imagine doing in microbeast would be the better option?

 

[RandyDSok]

I'm not sure why you are mentioning the HOLD switch again... the hold function isn't something you mess with until AFTER you have the basic setup done. You haven't even gone through the basic setup yet and had any success. Make certain the throttle hold is so the throttle is ENABLED and functioning. So start by just setting up the basic stuff... for now, ignore throttle hold and ignore failsafe settings, ignore recovery... etc... you only need to focus on the basics at first. Once you get those setup... then tweak and change those features one at a time and retest after each change.

I'll repeat it with some of why added in... If you don't get the basic setup working... then you've just wasted your time with the other stuff anyway. So first get the basic setup done. If after you get the basic setup working... only enable an additional option one at a time. This way, if something quits working, you know the cause where if you do several at a time... you do not know which one caused the problem.

On the basic setup for the gyro... pay attention to what the lights are telling you. If there is a problem, it will be indicated by those lights.

Oh... to funny this up a little... if you don't get the basic setup working.... Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 and go directly to jail ( Monopoly game reference ).

On your gyro setup... Make sure you are reading the instructions for the version of firmware yours is using. I don't recall you mentioning it but it's possible I skimmed past the info.. either way, version info is very important because of the changes they've made between the versions. There also may be a specific revision of that firmware that is considered better or worse than others... I again didn't see this mentioned by the others that have responded but it may also be an issue. I do know there are instructions for your gyro that are made for each major revision of the firmware, don't use a different set of instructions.

Next ... get a fresh start so you know you are really starting from step one. On the radio, either start by using a new model memory setup if one is available or reset the one you have currently. Now also do a full reset on the gyro. The reason is much the same as for the radio, you want to know you are on step one when you do the final basic setup. While I think it should be obvious, I'm also trying to not skip stuff even if it's trivial so... assume you will need to rebind the radio to the receiver or satellite after a reset of the model memory or changing to a new model memory.

Now double check on the radio that the ranges for the throttle are set to 0 and 100% in its settings. Also make sure the trims are centered. Do not enable throttle hold, do not reassign any channels or switches at this point. If during the gyro setup portion, the manuals instructions say to setup a switch a certain way, do that... but do not go beyond what any manuals instructions tell you. I believe because you mentioned the throttle was only working ( after you got the new ESC ) on channel 5... was because you had changed something for the default channel previously that unknowingly disabled it or set it out of it's typical working range. Since you reset the model memory settings or are using a new model memory, that should have resolved this if that is what happened.

I'd probably suggest you rewire yet again. Ensure you are putting the wires on the proper channels on the receiver to the proper channels on the gyro and then to the servos and ESC.

This should have put you back to step one for the basic setup steps for the gyro. Only take the steps as listed for the gyro as stated ... if at any point the software or lights ( blinking or not as required ) is not operating as they state in the instructions... find out why before you proceed to the next step... read any FAQs you can find about possible causes etc.


A final note... you said for the "smart people" to figure this out for you. The help you get and how good or accurate that help is will always be based on the info you have or have not provided. None of us are sitting in front of the work and we can't see or know what you see or know unless you have told us. All we can do is point in directions based on the info you have provided. So in the end, it is you that must figure it out and hopefully it will be a little faster based on some pointers you are being given.

 

[Eospro]

RandyDSok, Thank you for all your advice, it is greatly appreciated.
When the new esc arrived, I wanted to simplify the process that I got it working properly.
I removed the motor and receiver from the helicopter, and connected them along with the esc without the gyro or any servos attached.
My receiver is labelled as the photo shows. The manual and the Spektrum website give no indication of what the channels are. My radio shows it has throttle allocated to Ch.1, so the esc went to Ch.1 on the receiver with the signal wire towards the top of the receiver as is printed on the receiver.
This did not work. The receiver came to life, binding was successful but the esc was indicating their was no signal from the receiver. I disconnected everything, hooked the receiver up to the PC, checked for any updates, which there were none and no option to reinstall current update, so I just used the reset option and did the whole process again, still no luck.

I created a new model on the radio and carefully went through every setting making sure everything was as it should be. Trims, Sub-trims all at 0. Endpoints 100%, Expo 0%, Throttle curve 0, 25,50,75,100, no Hold, no switches changed, everything was at default settings. Reconnected everything, double checked all connections and again receiver bound ok, but esc saying no signal.
I removed power, factory reset the radio and checked for and reinstalled the latest firmware.
I created a new model and went through all the settings again, disconnected and reconnected everything and still the same issue.
Than I started plugging the esc into different channels, nothing changed until I got to Ch.5. The esc found a signal. There is a God I thought, a few fist pumps, a bit of erratic behaviour and I was a happy man. It didn't last long though. Holding the motor carefully I apply a little throttle, nothing, a bit more throttle, still nothing, 75% nothing, 100% Ahhhh, WTF is going on? I try the other sticks, nothing. I randomly flick switches and the motor starts, gets faster and before I know it, it's at full throttle, so I kill the power. A bit of fiddling and I discover that switch D is activating the throttle, Hold not working and button I not responding.
I believe I went back to step 1 several times and don't know why the esc won't find a signal on Ch.1 and why switch D is controlling throttle. Monitor page on radio indicates everything is fine and throttle is allocated to Ch.1.
Instead of saying smart people, perhaps I should have said knowledgeable or experienced people, apologies if it came across the wrong way.

PS sorry for any typo's, it's 5am and I'm over tired.

 

[fran11784]

Create new model, factory reset on the microbeast. Start from scratch. it has to work. Plug all wires like in the picture you posted. Put receiver in bind mode. Bind receiver and microbeast together. Show us a video of how your doing this if you can.... Channel 5 is always the gear channel on Spektrum. Got to be something simple.

 

[RandyDSok]

I might also suggest that as a test on a clean model memory... plug in a plain old servo and not the throttle into channel 1 on the receiver. Then see when you move your throttle if the servo moves. If you don't have other servos to test with... just use one that is in the heli, leaving it in the heli but attaching the wires to the receiver. This is just another sanity check and nothing more. If the servo moves, then the ESC is likely not calibrated properly.

As myself ( mine was a pic of a 6ch receiver ) and the others mentioned... on Spectrum has the throttle on channel 1. Even if you had your radio setup in a different mode... it still wouldn't be on channel 5.

 

[Eospro]

Could have the microbeast reallocated the throttle to ch.5 on the receiver, and it has just stayed locked that way. I read if you use a remote receiver you plug the esc into ch.5 on the microbeast. Maybe that has something to do with it. But then I have reset the receiver???
As mentioned I will reset the microbeast after I put a servo into ch.1.

Also, time for some videos I think. Good for everyone to see what is happening

 

[D.O.G.]

Also, time for some videos I think. Good for everyone to see what is happening

Yeah, a video will help the members get a better idea of your situation. BTW I never had a problem with setting up my microbeast There has to be something silly going on.

 

[Eospro]

It will be something simple. A mate felt sorry for me, so he is permanently lending me a castle phoenix esc, too bad he doesn't have a spare receiver aswell. lol