Add an external gyro

[Viet-Lama]

UPDATE: When I created this tutorial the HoneyBee V2 did not exist. Many have been successful with the V1 but I was not sure if the V2 4in1 would work the same. Well I have recently had two forum members report to me they were completely successful in hacking the HoneyBee V2 following this tutorial.

Countless searching reveled only 2 threads on adding an external gyro by hacking the 4in1. Both instructions were hard to understand and only one thread contained a photograph (just one photo). I am very grateful of their existence because without them this thread would not be possible. I took bits of each set of instructions and pieced them together giving me the mental picture of what they were trying to explain. Then I took my chances and completed the hack. I am going to include both solder and solderless instructions for those not handy with a soldering iron. I did a "hybrid hack" using both the solder and solderless method.

Unscrew the 4 tiny Philips head screws to dismantle the 4in1


This is what the 4in1 looks like without the plastic housing


Seperate your 4in1, see those 6 pins on the right, the 3 pins on the bottom row is what you are going to use (they are labeled R4 on the circuit board) SOLDER METHOD: De-soldered these 3 pins and then re-soldered them on the opposite side of the board
SOLDERLESS: Simply bend the 3 pins 90 degrees THATS IT!


SOLDERLESS: Skip this step
This is the 4in1 before I de-soldered it. See that blob of solder the arrow is pointing to. It connects the two "solder points", very important because it supplies power.
SOLDER METHOD: Keep note of this


SOLDERLESS: Skip this step
SOLDER METHOD: Easiest way for me was to de-solder all 6 pins as they were all glued together within a plastic block. I then re-soldered the 3 top pins in their original location and soldered the other 3 pins to the opposite side of the board, here you see my finished work.



ALMOST FINISHED!
SOLDER METHOD:Here you see the 3 pins re-soldered on the opposite side of the board. Remember that solder blob, make it still exists or create one, otherwise your gyro will not receive power!
SOLDERLESS: Your 3 pins will be bent 90degrees to the right and you will have to cut a hole in the appropriate location of the plastic housing to allow the gyro plug to pass through


The TeleBee Micro Headlock Gyro is REALLY TINY!


BOTH METHODS: Snip a broken servos' wires or sacrifice a working servo. Snip the wires right at the servo, you will need every mm of wire length to reach the best location for gryo placement. Strip the ends to expose the wires.


SOLDERLESS: Skip this step
SOLDER METHOD: Your servo wires will be soldered to the 3 points just above the red wire. Obviously expose less wire when soldering so nothing touches and shorts out


SOLDER METHOD: Skip this step
SOLDERLESS: Double up your exposed wire and twist it, then stick the wires into the bottom 3 socket holes


Heres my "Hybrid Hack" using both the solder and solderless methods


SOLDERLESS: You will cut a hole in the appropriate place of the 4in1 housing allowing your gyros plug to connect to the 3 pins you bent 90 degrees
SOLDER METHOD:Snip off the plastic on the 4in1 cover allowing access to the 3 pins you soldered


Reassemble your 4in1
SOLDERLESS: Dont worry about your servo wires coming loose, the wires are tightly locked between the circuit board and 4in1 housing.


YOU DID IT!
BOTH METHODS: Connect your servo wire into the gyro, then connect the gyros plug to your newly soldered/90 degree bent pins.
Now you just have to mount your equipment


The TeleBee micro gyro looks as great as it works!
BOTH MENTHODS: Heres the perfect mounting location. Use double sided sticky foam to dampen vibration. Also mount it slightly higher then the tail frame, you dont want to touch the frame and transfer vibration to it.
Bend the gyros servo plug 90 degrees otherwise your wires will be too short to mount in this location. It also looks much better then having the wires stick way out.


Added bonus with the TeleBee, the power light is the same cool blue as the LBA.


From the side you cant even see the tiny TeleBee.


How does it work? AWESOME! Blows away the internal 4in1 gyro!
The helicopter locks onto your direction of hover. Its "head holding" and if outside in wind will continue to apply thrust until the tail either returns to its original position or you decide to change the yaw, then this becomes the new "locked on" heading.
If hovering indoors I can hold a direction the entire duration of the lipo (average 10 minutes) and only have to touch the Yaw 2 or 3 times! AMAZING!
I am very impressed with this gyro for the money spent.

SETTINGS:
Factory ATV was set at 100% and I kept it there
Factory GAIN was set at 50% and I found 85% locked on without tail wag
Factory SERVO DS (digital) STD (standard) switch was in STD mode, when I switched to DS the gyro was wondering all over. I use digital servos but remember we are not plugging into a servo. When I switched back to STD the gyro again worked perfectly.

Heres a vid showing the TeleBee in action while in HH "Head Holding" or sometimes called "Head Lock" mode.




Hope this tutorial will allow you to enjoy your Fixed Pitch HoneyBees even more then ever!

[oliverdots]

I have seen this before from VL and it's a fantastic thread. Will it work with the V2 4-1 does anyone know?
Said it before and will say it again, great work VL and thank you for taking the time to make it. Could we have another sticky in the making??

[Bugster]

I reckon that post has highly adhesive properties

Brilliant information as always VL

[Viet-Lama]

Thanks guys

I created my "mental picture" from those two descriptions which BOTH were created using a MHZ version 4in1. Thus, even though I used a GHZ version the MHZ version would work the same.
Will the V2 4in1 work? I dont know but if I end up buying one im going to find out

[dayshaddow]

great work there viet-lama this will be an exerlent sticky and a mod i will be trying in the future
i have a duff servo so im already half way there

[Stevespana]

Fantastic VL !!!

Can I do this mod with a 3 in 1? In other words, are all the pins, etc in the same place?

Steve.

[GT-R]

Originally Posted by Stevespana

Fantastic VL !!!

Can I do this mod with a 3 in 1? In other words, are all the pins, etc in the same place?

Steve.

If the Esky 3 in 1 is anything like E-Flite's 3 in 1 then you don't need to do any modding. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

VL, that's a clean install, nice job!

[oliverdots]

Come on Bugster, put it up top with your fuse mod. Don't be modest

[Bugster]

Is that a majority decision guys ??

Edit: Just took the decision - stickied

[oliverdots]

In future Bugster, I'd say, if someone doesn't say NO, then it's a yes

[Viet-Lama]

Originally Posted by Stevespana

Can I do this mod with a 3 in 1? In other words, are all the pins, etc in the same place?

You could always take your rx apart and look for similar internals. Should bee exactly the same minus the receiver part.

4in1=Gyro, mixer, speed controller, receiver
3in1=Gyro, mixer, speed controller

[davidjw]

Thats a great thread VL well done, does the telebee default to head lock.
Dave

[Viet-Lama]

On the TeleBee HH mode kicks in (if I remember correctly) at 71%. There are no numbers printed on the dial however

[davidjw]

Thanks VL, so how do you set it to HH mode without the signal lead being active via the TX.
Thanks
Dave

[Viet-Lama]

You use the GAIN dial on the gyro. The signal lead allows you to change the gain from your remote (TX) if using a programmable remote. Since your going to use the stock Esky TX you adjust with a tiny slotted screwdriver

[davidjw]

Thanks VL, yes it seems the Telebee defaults to HH when its in single mode which is great, thanks for your replys,
Dave

[Jimmyboy]

Hi VL, are there any straight swap items out there? i.e if you want a separate gyro is there a plug and play 4in1?
also whats the difference between a 3in1 and a 4in1??

[vlaporte]

Dear Viet-Lama,
I enjoyed your article on “external gyro” for 4in1 as I have a Esky 4in1 for my HoneyBee FP that has a faulty gyro.
My question is – haw do I set my built in Esky gyro – do I turn the proportional up and turn the gain down or OFF?
Also I suggest that your conversion would be easier if you left the two parts (receiver / speed control-gyro) as separate units (just wrap in foam for protection) and just connected them with appropriate wires.
Thanks,
Vince

[vlaporte]

Dear Viet-Lama,
I enjoyed your article on “external gyro” for 4in1 as I have a Esky 4in1 for my HoneyBee FP that has a faulty gyro.
My question is – haw do I set my built in Esky gyro – do I turn the proportional up and turn the gain down or OFF?
Also I suggest that your conversion would be easier if you left the two parts (receiver / speed control-gyro) as separate units (just wrap in foam for protection) and just connected them with appropriate wires.
Thanks,
Vince

[Viet-Lama]

Originally Posted by Jimmyboy

Hi VL, are there any straight swap items out there? i.e if you want a separate gyro is there a plug and play 4in1?

also whats the difference between a 3in1 and a 4in1??

No plug and play 4in1s exist in to my knowledge. The hack is very simple if doing solderless and just as easy if your handy with a soldering iron.

As stated above
4in1=Gyro, mixer, speed controller, receiver
3in1=Gyro, mixer, speed controller