X20 will not arm ESC problem

[Call Me Al]

X20 ethos will not arm a known good esc & motor combination. The combination worked perfectly with a Hitech transmitter & receiver. Switching over to the X20 & X8R ACCST receiver the ESC single beeps every 4 seconds. The throttle hold is set to -100 and I can see it working. I have reset and recalibrated the ESCwitout making any change. If I power the receiver from a battery pack and put a servo on the motor channel it works perfectly. I have experimented with other ESCs and found that Castle Creations, Jeti, & Scorpion ESCs seem to work properly with the X20. I think the R8-PRO PRO acted the same way. Unfortunately my X20 seems to have locked up with the power button being blue and without the ability to turn the unit off or on. I have it on charge now, but not sure this will help. I'm hoping it's just a setting I have overlooked.

 

[Call Me Al]

Okay I disconnected the battery to turn of the X20, replugged in the battery, charging now with a green light.

 

[Wayne]

Al,

Sounds like you are doing the right things.. Try clicking the throttle trim down and see if that does the trick.

 

[Call Me Al]

Throttle Trim is all the way down, the throttle hold I can see that the throttle value is -100 I tried to increase the value to -150, but that did not work. I can see that the minimum value for throttle is 988 micro(?) sec. I see I can adjust the minimum throttle value in the throttle output menu I've changed it to -110 which indicates a timing (width?) of 937 micro sec.. I'm going to give it a shot

 

[Wayne]

Any difference if you turn off your throttle hold?

 

[Call Me Al]

My idea did not work Ill try yours

 

[Call Me Al]

Problem remains the same without Throttle cut & or throttle hold or both off. Running out of ideas here

 

[MikeB]

It may be the voltage of the servo signal is not high enough for that ESC, but the Hitech Rx sends a higher voltage, the X8R only drive the high to 3.3V.
Two things to try:
1. Try a different output channel on the Rx.
2. Try powering the Rx from a battery, while disconnecting the BEC power from the ESC.

Mike

 

[Chris]

Is the throttle channel reversed? Put the throttle all the way up and apply power to see if that is it.

 

[Call Me Al]

1. Try a different output channel on the Rx.
2. Try powering the Rx from a battery, while disconnecting the BEC power from the ESC.

1. second thing I tried
2. I don"t think 5 volts is enough to active the esc. I did move the ESC nput to another channel with the same result. I finally did as you suggested and did power up using a 4 cell pack (approx 5 volts) same result a beep every 4 sec. a servo attached to the motor channel works as normal.

Is the throttle channel reversed? Put the throttle all the way up and apply power to see if that is it.

The throttle Channel is the same as on my X12S narrow pulse width is -100' wide pulse with is +100. When I recalibrate the esc the first thing is to apply the power at full throttle to my mind that's the same as reversing the throttle, it did not initiate under those conditions.l

 

[Call Me Al]

My problem is not just one setup, but across multiple setups using ESCs from a single manufacturer. I have at least 6 ESCs of various flavors that I have used without problem for a number of years. I have 3 ESC motor combinations that arm and work well with the X12S . The others all display the 4s sec -1 beep problem. Initially I was using an X12S and was lucky enough not to run into this until I started using the X20. I was able to arm and use one of these good combinations with the x20. The X12S (OTX 2.3.11) has the latest Fr-Sky updates and the receivers updated as well. I’m going to see if I can bind & arm one of the “bad” combinations with the X12S.

As a quick stake in the ground, I have a BSEE degree with both hardware & software experience, 30 years of RC and 20+ years of electric flight experience.

 

[Call Me Al]

It appears that the problem exists for The X12S as well as the X20. I'm going to remove the receiver from one of the good (flying) X12S combinations and use the original model settings on the X12S & see if that helps

 

[Konrad]

1. second thing I tried
2. I don"t think 5 volts is enough to active the esc. I did move the ESC nput to another channel with the same result. I finally did as you suggested and did power up using a 4 cell pack (approx 5 volts) same result a beep every 4 sec. a servo attached to the motor channel works as normal.

The throttle Channel is the same as on my X12S narrow pulse width is -100' wide pulse with is +100. When I recalibrate the esc the first thing is to apply the power at full throttle to my mind that's the same as reversing the throttle, it did not initiate under those conditions.l

The issue is trying to get into the into mind set of the software programer. I'm sorry I missed what brand of ESC is giving you issues. I've found that the Power Up and YEP are brands that often suffer from unstable user interfaces (programing).

The power on with the throttle stick high is to allow the ESC to calibrate to what the TX is sending out as a high throttle signal. After the ESC has calibrated to this pulse it will tone to have you move the throttle stick to low position, it will then calibrate the low TX pulse value. ( I do all this with the trim lever in mid range).
This is not the same as reversing the throttle.

Not all radios use the same High/Low values to mean the same thing. Futaba is notorious for having reversed throttle values coming from the TX.

 

[Call Me Al]

Another failure to arm with the X12S. How I wish there as a missing setting.

 

[Call Me Al]

I'll repeat the recalibration & see what happens.

 

[Call Me Al]

Recalibrated same result

 

[Call Me Al]

Actually, this forced me to read the manual for the ESC. Full throttle -2 beeps, close throttle more beeps including cell count and I’m alive song. On a sample of 2 units it looks like the setup is now golden.
Thank you for your help

 

[HENNY]

Pays to read the documentation?

 

[Wayne]

Great - Could not think of anything on the radio that would cause the issue.

 

[Konrad]

Pays to read the documentation?

Documentation, and proper at that! Where have we all heard that?

Actually, this forced me to read the manual for the ESC. Full throttle -2 beeps, close throttle more beeps including cell count and I’m alive song. On a sample of 2 units it looks like the setup is now golden.
Thank you for your help

Thank you for getting back to us and closing the loop with the solution. Still would like to learn the brand that gave you this trouble when brands like Castle Creating, Jeti and Scorpion didn't