Can I eliminate the need for the jumper wire on the Power Bus?

[johnahamelv]

I am starting my 3rd Skookum wiring setup. I would like to know if my envisioned configuration is sound without using the jumper wire on the Power Bus.

I just checked with a multimeter, and there is electrical continuity between the BEC black output wires and between the red output wires. This leads me to conclude that the BEC output wires are connected in parallel. Assuming this to be the case, can I eliminate the need for the Power Bus jumper wire, and just connect one of the BEC output wires to the PWR-LV slot, and the other BEC output wire to the PWR-HV slot? This are the lots that the jumper wire normally connects.

In other words, go from this setup with the jumper wire.



to this setup without the jumper wire.

[BladeFartz]

YUP!

[Groucho_]

Of course you can... That's the only way I'd do it if I used a powerbus...

[thefrog]

I do something similar with my powerbus setup - each BEC output plugs into a different side of the bus. The only difference is I have bent the two + jumper pins together and soldered them so the setup is like your first picture, just without the jumper. I've done it this way for two reasons:

1) As a failover - in case one BEC lead comes loose or stops working. I don't want to lose power to half the bus.
2) To share load - the cyclics all plug into one half of the bus so 1 BEC cable may not be able to supply the required current.

[SimStream]

Originally Posted by thefrog

I do something similar with my powerbus setup - each BEC output plugs into a different side of the bus. The only difference is I have bent the two + jumper pins together and soldered them so the setup is like your first picture, just without the jumper. I've done it this way for two reasons:

1) As a failover - in case one BEC lead comes loose or stops working. I don't want to lose power to half the bus.
2) To share load - the cyclics all plug into one half of the bus so 1 BEC cable may not be able to supply the required current.

+1 bend and solder

[johnahamelv]

I have been reading that the BEC output servo type connectors can only supply up to 5A per connector. Considering that the electrical current limiting factors are the BEC output servo connectors, not the BEC output wires themselves, would it be more prudent to just cut off the BEC output servo connectors, and just solder the BEC output wires directly to the SK-Power Bus red and black wires? Would this give the advantage of higher electrical current supply to the SK-Power Bus?

[georgi UK]

=] 3 amp sometimes! yes this is what I would do, bec supply direct to bus wires....

[johnahamelv]

Originally Posted by gmcallister

=] 3 amp sometimes! yes this is what I would do, bec supply direct to bus wires....

That's good enough for me. Thanks Georgi.

[thefrog]

I think you'll still have to jumper the HV and LV portions of the bus as the incoming wires only power the HV side as far as I know.

[johnahamelv]

Originally Posted by thefrog

I think you'll still have to jumper the HV and LV portions of the bus as the incoming wires only power the HV side as far as I know.

Yes, you are correct. Still, I think I am going to go with Georgi's recommendation of connecting the BEC wires to the SK Power Bus red/black wires to have more current go to the Power Bus.

As far as the jumper wire, it seems less physically intrusive if one pulls the wire off the plastic case. This makes the other servo connectors line up more properly with less cramming.

[georgi UK]

=] depending on what tail servo you are using John, this can plug into the HV rail also, so all connections are on the HV side. with a step down if needed.

you running a gov phase sensor?

[johnahamelv]

Originally Posted by gmcallister

=] depending on what tail servo you are using John, this can plug into the HV rail also, so all connections are on the HV side. with a step down if needed.

you running a gov phase sensor?

Yes. I have all the servos connected to the HV side. I need the LV slots to connect the Hyperion sensor and telemetry unit. I have the T600Pro setup as yo suggested above with the BEC wires connected to the Power Bus wires. However, "cheated" with the T550, and just connected the BEC servo connectors to empty slots in the Power Bus, but I am using the jumper connector. Still, I'll eventually solder connectors and set it up the correct way.

BTW, the SK-720 on the 600Pro was acting up, twitching for not apparent reason, and the heli eventually sustained a crash. Art had previously asked me to send it in to him, as he did not like my logs, claiming that "the accelerometer is acting a bit weird". It was just such a nice day out yesterday, and I wanted to get a few flights before grounding the heli. Well, now it's really grounded.

[georgi UK]

=] that's sad to hear John, I know how meticulously you work to get things right, similar approach here.

got a log or anything for me?

[johnahamelv]

After the first flight, the SK-720 LED was blinking red. Of course, I should have stopped flying then.

The crash happened on the second flight. The heli was twitching. I tried to hover it, but it was difficult. I should have flipped the TH, but instead I flipped to SL (centre stick, 200%). This is an after crash screen shot of the the SL cyclic bank.



I included the logs of the 2 flights below. Thanks for offering to review them.

[johnahamelv]

This is the SK-LCD reading after the first flight, when the LED was blinking red.

[georgi UK]

=] John, yes the logs do show abnormal accelerometer values. do you think the reset was caused by the crash or was the cause of the crash?



I can find two "breaks" in the flight at these time intervals, can you recollect when things went pear shaped on the crash flight? I notice the "SL if signal is lost" is missing now from the 3.11 v software features, this may have helped you? possibly the gyro was not in good enough shape for this, dunno?

can I also suggest you lock the gyro gains to the SK software, this way they are handled internally by the SK and not dependant on a radio transmitted gain value. this is just a georgi thought, it possibly makes no real difference whatsoever as the SK will hold last position commands, gyro gains included!

[johnahamelv]

Georgi. Thanks for looking things over. The reset happened on the first flight. The LED light was blinking red. When I connected the LCD, it read "Err State: AUTO RST". The crash happened on the second flight.

I am still waiting to hear from Art so that I can send him the unit.