troubleshooting k110 stability mode

[SchooBaka]

Hello, recently bought a k110. I cannot get it to hover in stability mode. The swashplate tips backwards and the heli slides backwards.

I've tried both calibrations until I was blue in the face. It seemed like I had it once, then the next battery it went back to flying backwards.


I noticed that in 6g(stability) as soon as I add a little throttle, before the main motor even starts spinning, the swashplate tips backwards. In 3d mode this does not happen, the swashplate remains level throughout the entire movement of the throttle stick. If I hit throttle hold, the swashplate remains level in both 6g and 3d modes.


I tried unplugging the tail motor and the main motor with the same results.
could it be a bad board? Maybe my tx is not setup right? I'm using a taranis x9d+ with the multimodule. it binds correctly and flys great with stable hover in 3d. I don't use 6g much but would like it working for a bailout if I have to.


I've also checked swash level and am running a max of 80 percent on the pitch curve.


The servos seem good, all move correctly and the horns are as close to center as I can get them. Its very strange. When the swash tips backwards it does not do so slowly but rather jumps to that position as soon as I move the throttle off it's lowest postion.

[ridge-runner]

A telling symptom of a bad 6g setup/calibration is that the swash will move significantly when you switch back and forth between 3d and 6g modes (when the heli is on the ground with zero throttle). To fix this, I've had good luck using following procedure.

1. Perform the swash setup while in 3d mode (do NOT do this in 6g mode).
2. Perform the 6g calibration flight indoors (with no wind drift).

Note that if the 6g calibration is way off, you may need to perform an initial calibration flight with the heli restrained on the ground or in your hand (held level and still with a slight lean to the right - just like in a level hover). This will get the calibration into the ball park so that you can perform another real 6g calibration flight.

Once done correctly, the swash will move very little when you switch modes on the ground (and switching in flight is seamless as well).

Hope this helps!

p.s. All that said, I've had a unit drift randomly where it flew level one day, then drifted the next (in 6g mode). Note that I don't actually use 6g mode, but I do like to have it setup correctly.

[SchooBaka]

Ok, I wasnt sure whether or not I was in 3d mode with the gyro calibration so just tried that and did the 6g holding the helicopter. I've gotten it to where the swash now starts tilted forward in 6g and looks to level itself a little better when I start to give it throttle. gonna try some flights and see how it does.

I uploaded a video of what the swash plate is doing. Does yours do this?

xk110 6g problem (3 min 45 sec)

[ridge-runner]

Originally Posted by SchooBaka

... I uploaded a video of what the swash plate is doing. Does yours do this? ...[/URL]

No, mine does not do that. Interesting thing is, when you first switch to 6g with the throttle down, it stays level and only goes kittywhumpus when you bring up the throttle.

Never seen that behavior before. As you suggest, its probably a funky board hardware problem, but it could be a screwed up model in your Taranis - (although this possibility is probably a long shot). If you upload your Companion .otx file, I/we could take a look and see if there is some sort of weird mixing going on.

Maybe its a good time to order a spare K110! (Its always easiest to troubleshoot a faulty device if you have a know good spare to compare it to. I have 5 of these little buggers!) I see that MotionRC (US Dealer) currently has the BNF version in stock.

[SchooBaka]

Here's my otx file. Sorry I'm not sure how to separate out just the model, it's XK110. I sent a support request to banggood with the video linked. waiting on their response.
Not sure if this will work, first time trying to upload files. Helifreak would not allow me to upload an otx file to I renamed it to .eepe
Ok, completely lost now. How do I upload an otx file?


edit: I think I figured out how to print the file to pdf and attach it...

[ridge-runner]

Originally Posted by SchooBaka

Here's my otx file. ...

Ok, I just thoroughly reviewed your model and it looks A-Ok to me.

I do see that the "Freq Fine Tune" adjust parameter for your MULTI->SFHSS protocol setup is set to +65. I assume you have manually adjusted this parameter to the center of the bindable range?

BTW, to get the .OTX file, you use the FILE->SAVE (but the EDIT->PRINT->PRINT TO FILE->PDF that you figured out works for this purpose just as well.) Also, you can't really save an individual model in Companion - you have to save the whole enchilada with all models in the Tx.

[SchooBaka]

Yes I fine tuned the freq to the middle of the bindable range.

I basically copied my trex150x profile, set the freq fine tune and lowered pitch weight to 80%.

One thing that I just remembered that was strange was that when I went to bind it, all I had to do was put the receiver in bind mode and it bound instantly; did not have to put the taranis in bind mode. I just confirmed that the receiver # on the k110 is 3 and the receiver # on the 150x is 1; I wonder if I should try and re bind it anyway. Never considered it since it fly's so good in 3d and never a hint of losing signal; though I haven't taken it out too far, just practicing flips, rolls and inverted in the back yard.

[SchooBaka]

As far as the file upload. I created a new file and copied the k110 profile over to it within companion. I tried to upload it but get the message that .otx is not a valid file extension. I tried to rename it but it keeps the .otx extension.

[ridge-runner]

Originally Posted by SchooBaka

... One thing that I just remembered that was strange was that when I went to bind it, all I had to do was put the receiver in bind mode and it bound instantly; did not have to put the taranis in bind mode. ...

Although this seems to be wrong behavior, its normal and happens on all my setups as well (several Taranis, 5 K110 and 2 K123). This happens even when the "Bind on powerup" option is NOT selected.

Originally Posted by SchooBaka

... I just confirmed that the receiver # on the k110 is 3 and the receiver # on the 150x is 1; I wonder if I should try and re bind it anyway. ...

This is not an issue if the heli is bound - the number is sent during the binding process. That said, rebinding certainly couldn't hurt (and might possibly help for other reasons).

Originally Posted by SchooBaka

As far as the file upload. I created a new file and copied the k110 profile over to it within companion. I tried to upload it but get the message that .otx is not a valid file extension. I tried to rename it but it keeps the .otx extension.

Ahhh I've seen this one crop up many times over the years. There is a setting in Windows Explorer that hides all file extensions and this setting is turned ON by default. e.g. The real file: "xk110.pdf" is displayed in Explorer as just: "xk110" and when you rename it to say: "xk110.txt", it will appear to work correctly, but behind the scenes the file actually becomes: "xk110.txt.pdf" (the extension is sticky). In other words, when this "hide extensions" setting is turned on, it is rather difficult to change the extension of any file.

You can turn this setting off - its located in the "Folder Options" dialog box. Open a Windows Explorer window and select TOOLS->FOLDER OPTIONS then select the VIEW tab. This presents a host of user selectable settings. The check box you need to turn off is "Hide extensions for known file types", and APPLY. Once this is done, you can change file extensions (although Windows will give you a warning). Here is what the dialog box looks like (under Windows 7 which is what I'm running):



Hope this helps!

[SchooBaka]

Banggood offered me a $25 refund to buy a new board with. While on their site I found the k110 on sale for $62.99. So rather than buy a board I picked up a spare bird; seemed a no brainer.

[nacraracer]

How do you re-calibrate the gyro? My original bird acts stupid and I've replaced everything on it.