Alternate battery telemetry port.......

Redcon1 · Mar 7, 2018

On my motherboard, the SDA/SCL port (data wires from the battery) were electronically connected to each other due to a damaged trace. I was able to isolate the two from each other but I still don't have battery data on telemetry. I've never repaired a trace and don't really want to learn on a functional aircraft.

If I were to solder an I2C splitter into the ~~antenna~~ compass port on the Solo motherboard, could the SDA and SCL plugs from it be used instead?

Bonus question. Is there a way to wire a V1 power module (see pic) into solo to give the option of using a standard lipo?

Redcon1 · Mar 8, 2018

Is the question too stupid to warrant an answer or is everyone so stupefied by its complexity that they can't even muster the brain power to speculate?

XevetS · Mar 8, 2018

Redcon1 said:
If I were to solder an I2C splitter into the antenna port on the Solo motherboard,

I'm pretty sure you mean the Compass port not antenna..Anyway you should be able to add an I2c splitter I think @mike_kelly Did just that on a custom build, he's a smart dude and would have that answer..
About the V1 power module yes it should work but you are going to have to set certain battery params in mission planner to reflect utilizing it...

Similar stuff>> 3DR Solo with LiIon 9000mAh battery | up to 30min flight time

Redcon1 · Mar 8, 2018

XevetS said:
I'm pretty sure you mean the Compass port not antenna..Anyway you should be able to add an I2c splitter I think @mike_kelly Did just that on a custom build, he's a smart dude and would have that answer..
About the V1 power module yes it should work but you are going to have to set certain battery params in mission planner to reflect utilizing it...

You act like a compass and an antenna aren't the same thing, quit messing with me....

Seriously though, thank you XevetS for coming through yet again. You are good people, I don't care what they say.

mike_kelly · Mar 19, 2018

Redcon1 said:
You act like a compass and an antenna aren't the same thing, quit messing with me....

Seriously though, thank you XevetS for coming through yet again. You are good people, I don't care what they say.

XevetS is confused because indeed the compass has nothing to do with an antenna. You may be confused by the fact that often the compass is housed in the same case as the GPS but they share nothing but power. The GPS has an antenna but the compass does not and they actually use two different cables. The compass is I2C and the GPS is serial.

I read back to your original question and unfortunately there are two different I2C buses on the Solo. The one for the battery and the one for the compass. The I2C for the battery is connected to circuits that interpret the battery information, the I2C the compass is connected to goes right to the Pixhawk.

XevetS · Mar 19, 2018

mike_kelly said:
XevetS is confused because indeed the compass has nothing to do with an antenna.

@mike_kelly You may want to reread that post I am far from confused He said "antenna port" I said you mean compass port or I2C port....

Redcon1 said: ↑
If I were to solder an I2C splitter into the antenna port on the Solo motherboard,

And I replied:
I'm pretty sure you mean the Compass port not antenna..Anyway you should be able to add an I2c splitter I think?

XevetS · Mar 19, 2018

You really think I don't know a compass from antenna? And exactly how they function?

mike_kelly · Mar 19, 2018

The reference was to you being confused by his comment. The explanation of the GPS and Compass was for him not you.

Chill, I am perfectly aware you know the difference

XevetS · Mar 19, 2018

mike_kelly said:
The reference was to you being confused by his comment. The explanation of the GPS and Compass was for him not you.

Chill, I am perfectly aware you know the difference

Oh my bad sorry man Im chillaxin now, yeah I've been called a lot of names lately i'm getting older and when you said I was confused well lol...

XevetS · Mar 19, 2018

Been on edge lately lol...hey wheres paddles?

mike_kelly · Mar 19, 2018

Hey no problem, it is easy to get confused as to who is responding to what on these forums (and I don't mean just 3Dr Pilots

) Plus I probably did not help not making it clear enough who I was talking to.

Cheers buddy.

Redcon1 · Mar 20, 2018

mike_kelly said:
XevetS is confused because indeed the compass has nothing to do with an antenna. You may be confused by the fact that often the compass is housed in the same case as the GPS but they share nothing but power. The GPS has an antenna but the compass does not and they actually use two different cables. The compass is I2C and the GPS is serial.

I read back to your original question and unfortunately there are two different I2C buses on the Solo. The one for the battery and the one for the compass. The I2C for the battery is connected to circuits that interpret the battery information, the I2C the compass is connected to goes right to the Pixhawk.

Thank you, I guess I'll learn to repair a trace then.

Redcon1 · Mar 20, 2018

Redcon1 said:
You act like a compass and an antenna aren't the same thing, quit messing with me....

Seriously though, thank you XevetS for coming through yet again. You are good people, I don't care what they say.

Is there an official 3DRPilots S.O.P. for a font that will denote sarcasm? There should be. Two actually...
Type A for just joking sarcasm
Type B for being an a-hole sarcasm.

The above quoted post was type A, so was comment number 2 on this thread.

Redcon1 · Mar 20, 2018

mike_kelly said:
The reference was to you being confused by his comment. The explanation of the GPS and Compass was for him not you.

Chill, I am perfectly aware you know the difference

Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions but I feel the need to clear some stuff up.

I am so sorry that I misspoke and caused all of this confusion and whatnot. My bad. I'd like to assure you that I do know the difference between a compass and an antenna. That's why, when XevetS pointed out the error, I went back, and made it look like this:

Redcon1 said:
~~antenna~~ compass

I also get the difference between a compass and a gps. Not just where they are and what holes they plug into either, I mean intimately.
I've used and taught others how to use all sorts of different navigation gear. I've done it for two decades and in 7 countries. Starting with a compass, map & protractor, moved up to PLGRs & DAGRs and I'm even certified as a instructor on the FBCB2 system. Not to mention various Garmins and the like.
I never learned Celestial Navigation though, maybe one day. I can terrain associate with the best of them though.

You didn't know all that though. You (probably) didn't need, want, or care to know it either, but now you do. I told you because I hope it helps remove at least a little bit of your doubt when I say that I simply misspoke.

All type A, I promise.

XevetS · Mar 20, 2018

Redcon1 said:
Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions but I feel the need to clear some stuff up.

I am so sorry that I misspoke and caused all of this confusion and whatnot. My bad. I'd like to assure you that I do know the difference between a compass and an antenna. That's why, when XevetS pointed out the error, I went back, and made it look like this:

I also get the difference between a compass and a gps. Not just where they are and what holes they plug into either, I mean intimately.
I've used and taught others how to use all sorts of different navigation gear. I've done it for two decades and in 7 countries. Starting with a compass, map & protractor, moved up to PLGRs & DAGRs and I'm even certified as a instructor on the FBCB2 system. Not to mention various Garmins and the like.
I never learned Celestial Navigation though, maybe one day. I can terrain associate with the best of them though.

You didn't know all that though. You (probably) didn't need, want, or care to know it either, but now you do. I told you because I hope it helps remove at least a little bit of your doubt when I say that I simply misspoke.

All type A, I promise.

Its all good we are all here to help one another, even though at times some folks have better and more accurate hands on experience with certain mods wiring components and so on so fourth, I never took that as you being an asshat I knew you were Joking "hence the Like".
I'm not one of those Snowflakes I've been around too long for that and seen a lot of stuff in different countries around the world myself. I only chimed in when Mike said I was confused, but we cleared that up instantly, all a misunderstanding I actually Jumped to conclusions.
But quickly realized Mike was referring to me being confused about what I misread,, something like that?

Redcon1 · Mar 20, 2018

I knew you were squared away, just didn't want Mike to think I could mistake a RC antenna for a magnetic compass. With my signature, I'd hate for people to get the mental picture of me lost in somewhereistan with an FM antenna trying to find north and falling into wadi. .

mike_kelly · Mar 20, 2018

Hey no problem at all. When you answer questions you have no idea what level people are at. It is a constant risk of offending them or leaving them lost because you assumed they knew something.

The alternative to trying to repair the motherbrd is to just get a new one. They have been available on Ebay for $35. I have not checked recently but if they are still available it would be easiest for you.

Redcon1 · Mar 20, 2018

No offense taken, just want to clarify that it really was just a typo.

I've actually got another motherboard and would have already done that but I'm in the middle of a frame up build and wasn't sure if I was going to use that whole motherboard, PH2 and IMX6, or just put the IMX6 on a carrier and use a PH1 that was laying around.
That decision got made for me last night. The PH1, Carrier and IMX6 were already connected from a quick functions check I did last week when the carrier board arrived. I plugged in a 4S lipo and was going to load OpenSolo, which had just finished downloading. I was trying to figure out why Solex was telling me OpenSolo wasn't compatible with my vehicle, (yes it was connected to Sololink), when I started smelling something burning, I looked down and saw that the Pixhawk had gone dark, the IMX6 had solid green and orange lights and when I put my hand near it, I realized it was hot enough to ~~cook~~ sear a steak.
The polarity was correct, I triple checked that before plugging it in and again during the autopsy. No clue what caused all that.
Now it looks like I may transfer the whole Solo shebang that's currently on the Tarot frame to the one I'm building, assuming the frame build is successful. I'll swap out the motherboards while I'm at it.

mike_kelly · Mar 20, 2018

Sorry to hear that. I had one motherbrd cook itself too. Never figured out why either.

Redcon1 · Mar 20, 2018

I've only been building these things for about a year or so but I learned very quickly that electronics can commit suicide and when they do, it's often sudden and seemingly without reason.
Once again, thanks for your time and advice.