Completed Pixhawk 2.0 5V jumper mod....observations....

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This 5V mod is one of the stupidest things to do with your Solo. If you don’t have the soldering skills needed you rather increase risk for damages.
My Solos fly well and incident-free with the respective latest AC firmware since March 2017 on stock cubes. All I did is to limit max motor current and PWM in the settings.
To be on the safe side without mods, you may join the Beta test group on FB and try Matts AC 3.7 version with the slew rate limiter.
 
At this point, I wouldn't bother with either. ArduCopter master and 3.7 are going to be compatible with stock cubes. Beta already available in the beta test group.
 
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Gents,

I've been following along on the side in here for quite a while now.
( I had only just managed to keep my burning desires to formally register in-check, until I recently became a 'real' Solo Pilot... )

This particular thread has had me fascinated from Day One / Post #1 - as it represents clearly some of the most informed, respected and experienced people, cross coupled with just how - 'Roll up your sleeves and have a red-hot-go' - this entire community really is.

Given my short path of Solo ownership / experience myself, my recent acquisition of my first pair of Solos really has had me tempted to modify at least one of the several Cubes - which were included within this initial purchase.

I am still holding myself back, strictly running the most recent 3DR Factory Firmware - across each of the Controllers and their respective 'Ships - with an iPhone6 also running the 3DR Solo App on iOS 10, as the 'up top'.

Obviously, I'm just gagging to hop up into ArduCopter / Open Solo - but there is still that 'nagging feeling' 'bout them-there Solo Motor-Pod ESCs deciding to misbehave, during one of those 'most inopportune' of airborne moments...

This again leads me, to this still painfully obvious juncture -

Do I, or don't I - mod' a damn Cube - BEFORE stepping across to the promised land, found within ArduCopter / Open Solo?

I really do wanna run with all you Big-Dogs and move away from the stock 3DR Factory Firmware offering - but I still haven't really read anything compelling enough to risk flying with anything but the Stock Firmware, unless this Solo Motor-Pod Electronic Speed Controller issue is dealt with first...

I also thought that the whole idea of ramming home 'one of those 5v-sending' Green Cubes, was to immediately deal with that whole Pulse-Width-Modulation '3.3v-versus-5v' ESC mis-match, ( which plagues the Solo's Motor-Pods ) - thus allowing you to then run ArduCopter / Open Solo on your 'Ship, without any fears-for-tears...

Next I'm reading, 'Nah, just go for it - 'a 3.3v-sending' Stock Cube running ArduCopter / Open Solo, are all perfectly AOK together!' -

What specific work has been done / or is actually going to be done within the upcoming ArduCopter release, ( that will in fact address these well known Solo Motor-Pod ESC issues ) - when it has been counter-stated over-and-over to ad nauseam that the ArduCopter Master can never really address this issue ever, ( as it must remain 'unbiased' and fair to all other 'Copter platforms? )

Remember, I really do wanna step away from the Factory Firmware and start enjoying all that 'good stuff' found within ArduCopter / Open Solo - but I wanna be able to do so without ever needing to worry about introducing any additionally new and unnecessary risks.

I think the REAL question is ;

Which is technically better, safer and/or more realiable? - ( Strictly from the perspective of dealing with the Solo's Motor-Pod ESC issue? ) -

(1) - Running an untouched 'raw' version of ArduCopter / Open Solo, on a 'Ship with a '5v-sending' Green Cube?
(2) - Or running a Stock Cube, with some additional limits placed within ArduCopter / Open Solo?


If in fact the most honest answer is indeed 'Option 1' - then surely it stands to reason -

It's time to mod' that damn Cube...
 
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(1) - Running an untouched 'raw' version of ArduCopter / Open Solo, on a 'Ship with a '5v-sending' Green Cube?
(2) - Or running a Stock Cube, with some additional limits placed within ArduCopter / Open Solo?


If in fact the most honest answer is indeed 'Option 1' - then surely it stands to reason -

It's time to mod' that damn Cube...

Modding a stock cube is the cheapest route (if you have the skills), but a green cube is the way to go if you have the money (and don't trust your skills)....
 
Well,

I noticed that you didn't include any mention of 'Option 2' in your answer -
( Only two different versions of 'Option 1'... )

Anyone else with their twenty-cents-worth?

Are there any backers for 'Option 2' out there?

Anyone with any additional information, regarding how the issue surrounding the Solo's Motor-Pod ESCs - may well be addressed in any of these newer or soon-to-be-released versions of ArduCopter / Open Solo?

Standing-By...
 
At this point, there is really no reason to be doing this at all. Just get on the beta testing of ArduCopter 3.7 and the problem is solved.
 
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Matt,

Seen that comment of yours a little further back as well...


With regards to ArduCopter v3.7 ;

Can you simply bang ArduCopter v3.7 into a Stock Cube, ( a standard Pixhawk Rev2 'Black Cube', found inside every single factory-standard Solo on the Planet ), and gain instant Rock'n'Roll goodness - without adding any additional risk, per the Motor-Pod's ESC shortcomings?

Is slew-rate limiting for the Solo's Motor-Pod's ESC, already embedded within this release?
( In a similar fashion to what has always been present within the 3DR Factory Firmware? )

Or are additional 'tweeks' required after installation, in order to satifisy and/or minimise this specific issue?

Lemme know - ( he says, with a Hot-Air Wand already poised in his hand... )
 
Matt,

Seen that comment of yours a little further back as well...


With regards to ArduCopter v3.7 ;

Can you simply bang ArduCopter v3.7 into a Stock Cube, ( a standard Pixhawk Rev2 'Black Cube', found inside every single factory-standard Solo on the Planet ), and gain instant Rock'n'Roll goodness - without adding any additional risk, per the Motor-Pod's ESC shortcomings?

Is slew-rate limiting for the Solo's Motor-Pod's ESC, already embedded within this release?
( In a similar fashion to what has always been present within the 3DR Factory Firmware? )

Or are additional 'tweeks' required after installation, in order to satifisy and/or minimise this specific issue?

Lemme know - ( he says, with a Hot-Air Wand already poised in his hand... )
See this here as per Matt it's the link in his sig
 
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Steve,

Thanks for your reply -

MmmHmmm, It sure doesn't get any clearer than that.
( My every question surrounding 'Option 2', now fully answered... )

Damn all you boys, 'just gettin' it done' within the Firmware!

Here I was, just itching for any excuse to snap-convert a Stock Cube across to 5v PWM-Signalling.

So it's a done deal, and OK, I'm also sold - ( as he switches off his SMD Hot-Air Reflow Workstation ) - looks like I'm gonna flip one of these Solos over to ArduCopter v3.7 -

The question is 'when'...

Am I going to wait for ArduCopter v3.7 to be formally pressed into the next stable release of OpenSolo? - Or am I just gonna go for it...?

( A bit more reading me thinks, then we'll see... )

Thanks to both of you for your input - The realities surrounding both 'options' are now clear to me as a direct result.
 
I'm running it on my green cubed solo I really like the way it performs seems so stable and precise. I also noticed it shuts down the motors sightly quicker when disarming which is a good thing.... I have not tried any smart shots yet but so far very nice..
 
Are you tempted to remove some - if not all - of that now embedded slew-rate limiting?

( Given that you don't need/shouldn't need any at all - thanks to that Green Cube of yours, pumping out nothing but 5v PWM-goodness to each of those 3DR Motor-Pod ESCs... )
 
At this point, there is really no reason to be doing this at all. Just get on the beta testing of ArduCopter 3.7 and the problem is solved.

Hi Matt. I cant seem to find the details of the ArduCopter 3.7 beta test. I know there was a post that you put up about this and I would like to put this into my Solo. Any chance you would have the link handy?
 

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