Limp gimbal

[Damien]

On occasions on power up the gimbal isn't recognised and stays limp. A restart fixes that. But on a few mapping flights recently, gimbal at 0 degrees, the gimbal goes limp half way through a flight. There was high wind and I also started having major video link issues before this started, loose cable I thought, but haven't had time to fix it. So I'm wondering if it's the same problem or something else. This solo only has about 40 hours flying on it.

 

[just_bruce]

It is likely in the gimbal itself. I've had reason recently to begin building out a list of failure modes for the gimbal, and the limp gimbal is *almost* always in the gimbal. Unless the gimbal data cable is A) Not supplying power or B) Not supplying a data link or C) supplying a constant reset packet, it is internal to the gimbal in my experience.

 

[Damien]

It is likely in the gimbal itself. I've had reason recently to begin building out a list of failure modes for the gimbal, and the limp gimbal is *almost* always in the gimbal. Unless the gimbal data cable is A) Not supplying power or B) Not supplying a data link or C) supplying a constant reset packet, it is internal to the gimbal in my experience.

Hey, great info, thanks a heap. I'll get to checking out the cable first.

But do you think flying her in extreme wind at 0 degrees might have something to do with it? I have been pushing it on this job in terms of wind due to the massive area to cover. I'm hoping she's been so bashed around that it's just something loose.

 

[just_bruce]

I don't know. I suppose it's theoretically possible to destroy the motors due to the torque in extreme wind but I'd expect the controller to prevent that. You might have thermally shocked the PCB and possibly caused traces or components to lift (the PCB material/construction leaves something to be desired IMHO) but that also seems a bit out in left field.

Hard to say exactly without being in physical presence of gimbal.

 

[Dobie Ardmore]

On occasions on power up the gimbal isn't recognised and stays limp. A restart fixes that. But on a few mapping flights recently, gimbal at 0 degrees, the gimbal goes limp half way through a flight. There was high wind and I also started having major video link issues before this started, loose cable I thought, but haven't had time to fix it. So I'm wondering if it's the same problem or something else. This solo only has about 40 hours flying on it.

My brother in law had a limp gimbal; it ruined his marriage, and his enthusiasm for flying suffered too.

 

[W5DUG]

Try crushing one of those little blue pills and spreading the resulting dust over the limp gimbal, paying careful attention to the hdmi plug and port in the GoPro. Notify your family doctor if the gimbal works for over 4 hours... Sorry, but the Devil made me post this response. Nothing worse than a "LIMP GIMBAL" Although I have heard that there is now very expensive surgery for that problem, but you have to go to Mexico for the operation!! It's not legal here in the U.S.A y'all left wingers contact your congressmen for that law to be changed!!

 

[Damien]

So I replaced the hdmi cable with a 3RDrelish ribbon one I had lying around. The first ribbon cable I installed was faulty, the second ribbon cable I had worked, but after reassembly the gimbal was dead. I then opened her up and unclipped and reclipped the data cable... nothing. Then repeated that process and the gimbal now receives power again.

So it would seem like the data cable connector has an issue. Has anyone come across that before?

I ordered some of user names data cables. Maybe a little bit of hot glue on a corner of the connector when I install it?