3GX-APS Lite has Quit Working- Need Help Please

[JCLs]

I am looking for help with an Align 3GX V3.1 and Align APS Lite (purchased June 2013)system. The setup has been working very well since installed around of August last year. I have not upgraded to version 4.0 because of how good the current system was and because I have no idea what would happen with the APS Lite. The system is installed on a Trex-550e that is 3 years old and came with a 2GX I upgraded about a year and a half ago. This setup has 0 significant crashes on it. I am flying a Castle Pro BEC and a Castle Ice Lite 100. Spektrum AR8000 receiver and satellite and TM1000 telemetry. As stated this system up to yesterday was working perfectly. No recent changes of any type.

On 3 consecutive flights yesterday after initializing the APS indicated all was ok and the green light on the 3GX was flashing as it should. While spooling up the Heli did a quick rotational jerk (20-30 degrees). When I tried to put Heli into APS mode and set home position the Heli started rotating ccw. When switched back to 3GX mode Heli ok. Landed and lights on APS green but light on 3GX was steady green saying unit not communicating with APS. Restarted and it worked fine. It did this at least 3 times yesterday. I did recalibrate after first issue. I did not do another vibration test yesterday.

Went to field today and could not get APS to link at all for several tries. Either 2 lights flashing red while 3GX initializing and then nothing and 3GX steady green or 2 green and 2 red flashing on APV and then nothing. Several tries and finally it linked but dropped out again when starting up motor as it did yesterday. I did a rebinding of the whole system . No change. When I got it to work again (kept trying and trying) I did a vibration test and then recalibrated again but I never got the Heli to fly in APS mode all day. I disconnected the APS from the 3GX and when I started Heli I got the proper indication 3GX initialized but had no tail control when I tried to fly. Reinitialized and all worked ok this time. I had three batteries charged I flew in 3GX mode very carefully.

Carefully checked all wiring and no issues.

What has gone bad? The 3GX or the APS? How to determine without as hell of a lot of work? Can the APS work with 3GX Version 4? Does Align have anyone to go to for help? How does one contact them? I really could use some support.


On the iPad again,
JCL

[JCLs]

Well it appears that nobody uses an Align APS unit or knows much about them. I am flying again and all is well but not because of any help here. My first time ZERO input from HeliFreak. I guess I could just forget it but think right thing to do is document what was wrong.

The folks at http://www.aligntrexstore.com/ told me where to go to send back 3GX and APS to Align to be checked in meantime I got 2 brand new 3 GX units from a friend and could not get tail to work on first one so thought something wrong with it. So 2 3GX units and the APS went back to Align.

Still could not get tail to work on 2nd 3GX. Every time throttle touched (take out of hold) the tail slider locked in whatever position it was in. Changed from RJX servo back to Align DS650 I had and problem solved! Used scope to look at signal to servo and the RJX signal very noisy. Did not appear so bad on the 650 servo.

ALIGN could find nothing wrong with APS or 3 GX units. I figured servo was causing some noise issue resulting in APS not binding. Got APS back and installed with 3GX already in place. Still no binding.

Finally caught on that it would bind if motor disconnected. Checked resistance on motor leads to motor case and found 2 with essentially shorts. Knowing this is really bad for ESC and causes lots of noise issues got a new 600MX to replace Viper motor about a year and a half old. All electrical issues cleared up and Heli flying fine.

I suspect RJX servo fine and was affected while other servos were not because of the narrow control pulse bandwidth it uses. Many thanks to HeliDirect for their service and for replacing what I suspect was a good servo.

My thanks also to a Align for checking out the units. Their effort is another reason I feel I need to relate the root cause of my problems. Well hope this helps somebody someday

On the iPad again,
JCL

[pizmo]

Just ordered a APS system, not the lite one though. I'll start buildind a 800pro next week with the aps on it. APS is new for me, 3gx i'm pretty familiar with. I'm looking forward to see how everything works!!


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[JCLs]

Mine is very solid in conditions I would not expect like 25 mph winds.

On the iPad again,
JCL

[pizmo]

Good to hear that! I hope everything will work fine here also.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9505 met Tapatalk

[JCLs]

Take time with 3GX setup. Mine is very good. (Too much practice !! LOL) The only tricky thing about APS is setting up a 3 position switch to manage the modes. Is not explained well when using a Spektrum DX8. Rest is straightforward.


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[pizmo]

Got the APS working on the 800. Everything works fine. I can even turn off the tx and it returns to home.
The only thing I dont understand is how to set the failsafe according the manual. It must have al 4 light on or something like that. I used the failsafe of my futaba 14sg and it works fine. Even when it flies in 3gx mode. But align says that that is not possible???

[JCLs]

I am flying FPV with mine and screwed up after rebinding and did not check and crashed when I lost radio control. Checked after crash.

If you can turn off radio and it returns home fail safe is working. Can test on bench and that is when all the light in the APS will be flashing green. Mine do. Have to bind it with the return home function active is all. (Fully active at 100 setting no matter what you use when flying)

[ame]http://youtu.be/5PMx89DdyCg[/ame]

On the iPad again,
JCL

[pizmo]

Ok I'll have a look at that. My failsafe works also when flying 3gx mode. Guess that is gone with the align setup.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9505 met Tapatalk

[JCLs]

Originally Posted by pizmo

Ok I'll have a look at that. My failsafe works also when flying 3gx mode. Guess that is gone with the align setup.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9505 met Tapatalk

If you mean standard setup for the heli you are right. Do not follow that. Follow the directions given in the APS setup manual. Some critical differences on both throttle and pitch curves in normal and Mode 1


AMA 954079 KG5BBF

[Buka1]

I mounted APS LITE GYRO helicopter 450L DOMINATOR (3S). In the 3GX helicopter flies perfectly. After installing the APS LITE have a problem.
3GX and APS LITE installed according to instructions. Swashplate works correctly with 3GX.
Reaction to the deviation knobs normal mode APS, but when bending model left / right swashplate deflected synchronously with the model. How to solve this problem? How can I upgrade the software APS LITE GYRO? 3GX cable connected according to the instructions. 3GX_V4.0 program works fine with this cable. Why is the program APS V1.3 update reports "APS not ready"?

[Buka1]

Here is a video of my problem.[ame]http://youtu.be/K0O0M4-w3Zw[/ame]

[JCLs]

First I have never messed with APS mode on ground. Am not sure it is indicative of actual performance. Remember APS is a hold position mode that you can override (with a little extra effort).

You cannot get APS to work at all until vibration test done. Manual says how. Push button once and LEDs 1 & 2 flash green. In 3Gx mode carefully lift off and hover 30 sec and land. If still flashing green push set button. Must be done in same headspeed as APS and GPS flight modes. Has to be done and passed. Strongly recommend reading manual on all this if you haven 't

Heli will not link to APS if RPM is changed. You need flat rpm curve. I check vibration every so often as recommended.

Before flying also do calibration. I do every time I fly at a new field. I bought cheap plastic "lazy susan" to help me with this.

GPS light on APS needs to be locked green and the 3Gx should be flashing green indicating proper link to the APS. Hard to see in video especially on iPhone.

OH, you cannot update APS Lite. I run mine on last version of 3 on the 3Gx as that was how I set it up and had no issues so saw no need to update 3 GX to 4





AMA 954079 KG5BBF

[cchaavarria]

Hello JCLs.
I have read your post and understand that anybody helped. Similarly happens to me because I have installed APS Lite and 3GXS in my Heli 550E DFC and has failed me. I have written post but nobody is helping me.

My radio is a DX8 and have configured as APS manual suggests, I used switch GOV and AUX2 channel. But when I activate the APS Mode heli tilt to the right.

I could be useful in indicating how bind failsafe protection?.
What are the gains you have in the 3GX, APS and GPS? Anyway?.

I have gain the switch position:

3GX = 38%
APS = 0%
GPS = -38%

Thank you very much for your kindness.

[JCLs]

First confirm you have setup and flown the heli with just the 3 GX, disconnect lead to the APS from the 3 GX. Do any and all setup on 3GX with APS disconnected. Swash tilting is normal indication of 3GX not setup right.

These are my settings :

Using gyro switch

3 GX 86%
APS. 0%
GPS. -30%

Setting up RTH when out of radio range or fail safe is a bit of a trick. After you have a setup rebind the radio with the switch in GPS mode. Should work. If not set that mode to -100% and rebind and test. Test on bench per manual and make sure to reset the GOS value.

If you PM me your email I will send you my DX 8 file for my 550.

I have been flying this thing FPV since last December and crashed once due to forgetting to reset failsafe after rebinding trying to fix another problem. Many hours good flying with no serious issues. I got really strong RF interference one time and still got heli back.

[ame]http://youtu.be/QDnTOrV6FFw[/ame]

AMA 954079 KG5BBF

[cchaavarria]

Hello.
Yes I flow the Heli in 3GX and all OK.
I send You my email.
Thank You.

[cchaavarria]

I have the same problem Buka1. The swashplate moves in the same direction as the heli, both right and left. The forward and backward compensation is ok.

What should I do?

[cchaavarria]

Hello JCLs.

I have programmed the system as you recommended me and as explained by ALIGN. Everything is OK, but I have a problem: When I'm flying in 3GX mode and active APS mode heli goes sideways and lose control. I have written to Tim Terrones of ALIGN and says nothing. I will touch sending APS to ALIGN for test.

Can you help me on something? I do?. I have something wrong?

[JCLs]

Without going through radio and heli is hard to say. If Align will test go that route first. Then 3GX and APS unit test ok we can look at radio settings file.


AMA 954079 KG5BBF

[Skb.Matt]

GUYS!!!

PIZMO you said you have the APS setup with the 14SG and it works!

Im brand new to helifreak. I know the thread is old regarding the Align APS Failsafe return to home with the Futaba 14SG but i need help and it almost answers my question!
Im running a Trex800 fitted with APS using 14SG and everything works fine...perfect in fact. However i cannot figure out how to get the failsafe function to work! I have tried absolutely everything i can think of including following the instructions word for word. Ive spent many hours trying to figure it out. Im obviously doing something wrong or not doing. Could you please tell me if possible how you guys have configured your system step by step to get it to work,
Im almost pulling out my hair!