V120D02S V2 - Unlevel Swashplate On Start Up

[Merilee]

Hi! So, I just received my pretty green V120D02s V2. My hubby, the much more experienced heli pilot, set up my Devo 7 for me and test flew it. He found out that a lot of the time when we first plug in the battery that the swashplate is unlevel and it takes us several attempts of plugging/unplugging the battery before the swashplate levels itself out. Has anybody else had this issue? Does anyone know why this would happen? I'm just glad my hubby noticed this before I tried to fly it! At least I now know to look out for this issue and be prepared to plug/unplug the battery before flying. Other than this issue, I really like my V120D02s V2.
Thank You.

[Benvk]

Try plugging the heli battery in first and then turn on the TX. Make sure you don't touch the heli whilst it's binding.

If that doesn't help, it might be a vibration issue effecting the gyro. Solution is to take off the RX and replace the Walkera sticky pad thing with something else like foam tape. Re-mount it and make sure it's not touching anything like the servos.

Good luck.

[hjns]

I am not sure this is really a big issue, due to the FBL system. However, did you try the following?

• Turn on transmitter, then powerup heli and put it down quickly on a horizontal surface. Wait until gyro has initialized (beeps: short-short-long). Now, move the cyclic and let go again. What happened to the swashplate?
• Turn everything off. Disconnect the motor from the ESC. Turn on transmitter, then powerup heli and put it down quickly on a horizontal surface. Wait until gyro has initialized and then take the heli in your hand. Move the collective to 50%. Is the swashplate horizontal at halfway the main shaft?

Share with us the results, preferably on video.

[indiggio]

You really should go through the process of leveling the swash mechanically from the servo arms on up to make sure the heli is set up properly.

Once that is done, bind and verify the heli with the radio.

You should always turn the radio on first, put it in throttle hold, and then plug the heli.
This prevent any accidental spin up of the heli.

[hjns]

Originally Posted by indiggio

You really should go through the process of leveling the swash mechanically from the servo arms on up to make sure the heli is set up properly.

Once that is done, bind and verify the heli with the radio.

You should always turn the radio on first, put it in throttle hold, and then plug the radio.
This prevent any accidental spin up of the heli.

Although I agree that leveling the swash is good practice, it does not have anything to do with the possibility that the gyro can throw off the swash without major issues.

I do not use throttle hold when binding Rx to Tx. Never had an accidental spin up of any heli in >4 years of daily flying. In fact, throttle hold did not work in previous version of the Walkera Rx's, and would be contraproductive.

[Benvk]

Throttle hold when binding? never heard of that before..

I suggested plugging the heli battery in first and then turning on the TX because some D02S RX's have problems with the gyro which effects the swashplate before spooling up. I had this problem myself so I know what works and what doesn't.

[indiggio]

Even the Walkera heli instructions have the order in them.

1. Install battery in heli
2. Power on Tx
3. Pull down throttle, etc (in essence throttle hold)
4. Connect heli battery to heli to receive signal from transmitter.

They even have disclaimer:
Please strictly follow the sequence of "power on thr transmitter first, then connect the battery".

[Benvk]

If everything worked just as the manuals say it should, we wouldn't have forums like this or people like Merilee asking for help would we?

The cyclic servos should not be moving the swashplate around to an un-level position after you bind the heli. That's just going to lead to a crash on take off.

[indiggio]

Especially when it comes to Walkera manuals!

[Merilee]

Thank you for the suggestions. I was just wondering whether this was a common issue and I guess...it is not. It doesn't always happen and I just look at the swashplate after it binds to make sure it's level...so, it's not that big of a deal. I flew my v120 3 times today and didn't see the unlevel swashplate at all today.

In any case, I don't want to manually adjust the swashplate because the problem only occurs occassionally and more often than not the swashplate is level after binding.

On a side note, I sure think it's interesting regarding the side comments regarding binding the heli to the tx and that the tx is supposed to be on before plugging in the battery BECAUSE, for me, I have not been able to get the v120 to bind with my DEVO 7 unless/until I turn the tx off and on again...every single time so far I have had to turn the tx off and on again. I absolutely have been unable to get the binding process to work right off the bat (and yes, I flip the heli over immediately after plugging in the battery and set it on a level surface and wait and wait and wait....). My hubby has found the same thing occurs when he tries to bind it as well (that he has to turn the tx off and then turn it back on again) so I don't think it's something that I'm doing wrong.

Well, thank you again for all the suggestions. I certainly won't fly it with an unlevel swashplate so I'll just keep looking after it binds and confirm that the swashplate is level.

[yakky]

I'm digging up an old thread because I've just had the same thing happen with similar circumstances. I'm using a 7E with Deviation and I jump back and forth between Spektrum and Devo protocols. I've noticed when I switch back and forth I have to re-bind with the V120. If my swash isn't level before binding, it stays un-level afterwards. It is as if the servos never re-center.

The fix for me was to just re-level the swash (just moving it, not adjusting the arms) prior to binding. Key point is look at your swash after you bind. If its not mostly level, you are in for a fun flight!

[Sam19600]

When binding,
1. Your Control Board must be on horizontal
2. Servo arms must be on horizontal
If swashplate is not on horizonta, adjust the links between servos to swashplate.
Thanks.