Read it all still won't work

[MrBrink]

Hello all. I'm to the point where I want to scrap the idea of using a microbeastx and AR8000 since the microbeast won't initialize. The problems I'm having are the same as a ton of other people and I've tried all the suggestions to no avail.

For a little background, I'm running a brand new AR8000X, one DSMX sat, and a used MicrobeastX using a first generation DX8. This is all intended to run a Gaui NX4 but haven't gotten past the part of initializing the microbeast. The MicrobeastX is running version 3.x.

For power I'm using a 2s LiFe pack which I researched and was told that it would power everything just fine.

Now, I can bind the microbeast with a satellite receiver with no problem and it will initialize and recognize the DX8 transmitter and I can enter into the setup mode just fine. However, when going back to standard receiver set up the microbeastx will no longer recognize the transmitter (LED's H-N flash back and forth).

I've also bound the AR8000 to the transmitter first with no problem but it all goes south when I connect the MicrobeastX.

I've read all the posts and have the set up correct. When looking at the LED's for the AR8000 and the DSMX satellite they do appear to be dim. This is when running the battery through the MicrobeastX. The battery has to go through the MicrobeastX though so as to provide enough power to the HV servos. FYI, the dimness on the AR8000 and the DSMX satellite are without the HV servos connected.

At this point I'm seriously considering going with another FBL controller set up as this should not be this difficult. Is there something that I'm missing that needs to be addressed? I need several pairs of fresh eyes to make sure I'm not missing anything. Could it be something as simple as needing new leads from the MicrobeastX to the AR8000X?

[sutty]

Enter the receiver set-up menu of the MB and ensure you have it set to light off for standard receiver. You do this by holding the set-up button in whilst you power it on. Once in this menu, repeatedly press and hold the set-up button in for 2 seconds at a time to cycle through each of the colours available until you are back at light off.

Next, separately, get your receiver and satellite, which will be plugged into the receiver, bound to you chosen Tx model. Do not connect it to the MB at all yet.

Once you have it successfully bound, and the receiver menu set to standard receiver, light off, you can connect them both together.

For now keep the power to the Rx, not worrying about the HV servo aspect of things, and connect only the appropriate outputs from the receiver to the MB. The satellite remains connected to the Rx just like any normal standard Rx set-up.

By appropriate output connections I mean in accordance with the following drawing:


Do this and only this, and do not connect your servos, and I guarantee it will initialise now.

The power to the MB will go through the two main leads from aileron and elevator out to the elevator and aileron in ports of the MB.

Once you have it working, plug in your servos, and go through the set-up as necessary.

Once it is all fully set-up, revisit how you wish to power it in order to take account of your HV servos. Simply switching the power feed direct to the MB will probably be all you need to do, since the back feed down the two cables just mentioned will be more than enough to power your receiver and sat.

Let us know how this goes.

[MrBrink]

Sutty,
Thanks for your reply. I've seen your replies on other posts similar to this issue and I thank you for bearing with me on this.

With that said, I double checked and cycled through to the standard receiver option where the light was off and not connected to the receiver. Then I went to the receiver with it's attached DMSX satellite receiver and bound it to the transmitter. I unplugged the battery and I then attached the Aileron and the elevator leads (as these are providing the power to the Microbeast). I then plugged the battery back into the receiver (not the microbeast) and the FBL did not come on. I unplugged both leads and checked the voltage and both were putting out 6.3 volts. I then plugged in aileron, elevator, and the signal leads for the tail and the FBL came to life.

The receiver is still bound to the transmitter but now the FBL has a solid red status light and LED's A - N now cycle through. Therefore it's not initializing the sensors. Now, I press the setup button and it changes to a fast flashing read status light and LED A is solid, press again and only LED's B, C, and H light up, press again and only LED's A and I light up, press one more time and I'm back to the beginning.

I have bound the FBL with a DSMX satellite with no problems which has me baffled. If the sensors are not initializing I would assume that no matter how I connect the FBL to the transmitter it will not initialize. At this point I'm at a loss.

Is there any usable information that you can glean from the light patterns stated above?

[sutty]

Can't imagine. You say it did not power on with just the aileron and elevator feeds. Are you sure these were signal uppermost, or even not offset by one pin, which sadly you can actually do on a MB.

If you provide power direct to the aileron in port, does it power then. If it does, how can it not power from the Rx using those leads?

[numbermonkey]

Could it be bad cables? Or bad ports on the RX? If you plug the servos directly into the RX, do they respond to inputs? (this would verify the ports on the RX are good)

[sutty]

To make it simpler still.

Power just the MB, and then connect only that triple lead to the AUX DI2 port

Now take only the pitch channel, the red one, and plug it into any live channel at your Rx. Not an Aux, that may be off, but aileron, to be sure it has a signal, for example. Sorry, they will both need to be powered, so you will need at least one of the others, aileron, etc, to take the power to it.

It is the pitch channel that it checks for, to see if there is a receiver present, if I recall correctly. Actually it will do it with red or orange from that triple, I just checked it. Pitch or rudder, just not the gain lead only.

See if it initialises then?

[MrBrink]

Well I went to double check on what was going on. Double checked the leads and apparently with the receiver the signal wire is not the top wire but rather the negative, positive and then the signal wire at the base. This is opposite of the wiring for the microbeastX where the signal wire is at the top and the negative wire at the base of the receiver.

Okay, so switched the wires on the receiver and powered on the receiver with just the elevator and Aileron leads and not the signal wires for the tail. MicrobeastX came up, LED's were much brighter than before (no surprise) but again it cycled 5 times A - N and then H - N after that signifying that it wasn't connecting to the transmitter. The receiver and the satellite were still bound. Now at this point I'm back where I was at before.

Suddenly I had the brilliant idea of checking the voltage from an empty channel and inadvertently sent power through the signal pin. Fried the FBL so if it wasn't working right before it's really not working right now. The smell of ozone is the one smell I hate to come across when dealing with electronics. Take home lesson, next time put a lead in the transmitter rather then checking it the hard way.

So, still baffled at the FBL not initializing other than it was bad and needed to be sent in.

Any ideas as to why this was still the case (before frying the FBL)?

[sutty]

As I just said check the leads for orientation, but I thought it would be right at the Rx end, since I thought you would be familiar with that.

The MB will be working. It just needs signal on either rudder or pitch to initialise.

Not sure how it fried, since the leads won't reverse polarity by putting them in upside down. Maybe if you had two separate supplies there could be a cross over issue.

Still, if you have any Rx, to test your MB, all you need is power to it and a signal on the red of the triple wire and it will initialise.

Don't forget if you thought signal was at the other side you have never yet given it signal on the red lead.

Oh, you fried it when measuring the MB, yes, well before it was never seeing pitch, because the signal lead was being plugged into -ve, not signal.

It was fine before.

[sutty]

Sorry to hear it's now fried. How exactly did you short it out?

I was doing a video to show how simple the connections need to be to get it to initialise. I'll post it anyway. Might help someone else. Will take a while to upload though with my slow connection.

Mine, under test, had the same lights as yours, until pitch or rudder were present, as you will see.

[MrBrink]

Ya it's gone now since it won't fire up with a battery straight to it. I've contacted Horizon Hobby for service to see if it can be repaired. I was assuming that the receiver wire orientation for the receiver should obviously be the same as that for the FBL but that was my folly for thinking they were similar in wiring orientation. Well, lesson learned.

I thought it might be the signal wire for the tail that might have been responsible for the unit not initializing but for some reason I had the bright idea to measure current through an open channel using the probes from my meter (I might have touched the probes but as I was measuring it I could have sworn the probe touched the signal pin). Heard a distinct sound of a short and the unit went dead as well as getting the smell of ozone. As you can tell I'm still a newb at this and again, I appreciate your patience and your help.

[sutty]

That's a shame, if that hadn't happened we could have had you up and running. The reverse connecting wouldn't have harmed either of them, because +ve is in the middle, and all you do is reverse signal and -ve, and the signal side of things is always, nearly always, DC blocked, with RC devices.

I know it's too late now, but you could have told which way things were at the Rx just by looking at the power lead orientation for when it did power up. Those two leads would have told you which two were power, and the remaining one would be signal.

I can't even read those things without a magnifying glass, so I frequently power them up the wrong way, and if it doesn't come on I turn it round, and then the remaining one is signal. If the power lead has a signal wire, then you can see from that as well as to which way they all should be.

No need to be measuring anything normally.

Such a pity, because there was nothing wrong with it. You will see mine do the same with no signal in a few minutes when the video is cooked.



Hope they can repair it quickly for you.

[in2deep]

Good news is they will most likely send you a new one at no cost. I've been flying horizon hobby products almost exclusively for 5 years. Send allot of stuff in for repair. Never paid a dime, not even for return shipping.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[MrBrink]

In2deep,
As I've purchased this unit used, if they replace it I expect they will have a charge to do so. If not that will be a pleasant surprise but if the replacement is cheaper than a new one then it's not so bad.

I've gotten into this hobby because I love learning things and have always wanted to get into RC aircraft. With that said, I don't like how expensive the lessons can be at times Especially this one as it was a boneheaded move that fried the FBL unit.

Oh well, if someone can learn from my mistake so it doesn't happen to them then I'm glad someone got some use out of this thread.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[sutty]

From what I read, and I'm not in the US so I have no personal experience of this, but there are countless tales of free repair or replacement, as reported by in2deep. It used to be common for them to send out a free receiver, along with the item they repaired or replaced as well. Not heard that for a while, but I still keep reading about free repairs, new, second hand or otherwise and regardless of whether it was self inflicted or not.

From personal experience, here in the UK, they charged me when I sent in my DX7 for repair. I left it out in the rain, and the buzzer stopped working. They did a full inspection, replaced the buzzer, and returned it, costing me around £40. Good value I think, but not free.

It seems to make good business sense to me to keep people enthusiastic about their company and products. If you get free service on this item, you're going to be far more likely to fly with their product, promote it, and generally say nice things about the company.

The alternative could be that you say 'stuff it, I'll switch to V-Control', and maybe never look back.

Anyway, I wish you luck with your service request. At the very least I hope it can be resolved quickly.

[MrBrink]

Well I just mailed it. It's really convenient and fast dealing with HH as I live in the same state as their headquarters and repair facility. It should get there Wednesday and I'll probably know something by late Wednesday or Thursday. Fingers crossed.

[MrBrink]

Day three since the unit was "checked in" and still no word. Guess they're backed up since the weather is getting nicer and people are sending their electronics in for repair. I'll post next when I hear something.