Super Solo

[cnc74]

Work in progress:

 

[cnc74]

 

[cnc74]

I have a few questions as I tred forth on the quest to super-size the Solo.

1. Can I run ESC power straight off the Solo main-board to feed my DYS 40Amp ESC's and the 3508 motors? (Or should I separate the motor power feeds thru a 3rd party distribution board?)
2. Has the situation been updated as to the use of standard batteries with power monitoring now that Solo can run 3.5?
3. <Placeholder> LoL (???)

 

[pyrate]

Drop the solo main board.
Drop the bad PH2
Snag a PH2.1 black cube and carrier board and use the IMX6 for solo smarts
then you can run any escs, motors or batteries you want

 

[XevetS]

I have a few questions as I tred forth on the quest to super-size the Solo.

1. Can I run ESC power straight off the Solo main-board to feed my DYS 40Amp ESC's and the 3508 motors? (Or should I separate the motor power feeds thru a 3rd party distribution board?)
2. Has the situation been updated as to the use of standard batteries with power monitoring now that Solo can run 3.5?
3. <Placeholder> LoL (???)

1) Yes you can run power off the main board (Just do not exceed max amp draw) prop size and battery is a factor here but really no need to separate.
2) You can but no telemetry data to monitor without 3rd party setups.
3) Ask me how I know?

 

[IrishmanPDX]

I think I officially have super solo drone envy...

 

[banjopad]

Dont care what anyone says CNC . Love your big Solo and wish I was smart enought to make a mod like that.
Bill

 

[looninho]

Work in progress:

Nice project!
I have a DIY PH1 on a HMF U580 frame with DJI Inspire motors and ESCs. Works very well but i have more vibration than my Solo.
I think the 'H' configuration like yours is better than the 'X' because you have more place on the frame.
Like to hear from your Super Solo soon!

 

[artcuda]

1) Yes you can run power off the main board (Just do not exceed max amp draw) prop size and battery is a factor here but really no need to separate.
2) You can but no telemetry data to monitor without 3rd party setups.
3) Ask me how I know?

View attachment 7204

View attachment 7203 View attachment 7205

Whoa. That is bad ass!!! Way cool. I thought I was slick sh*t until I come here and see what some of y'all do. Really neat, man....rock on.

 

[mike_kelly]

I have a few questions as I tred forth on the quest to super-size the Solo.

1. Can I run ESC power straight off the Solo main-board to feed my DYS 40Amp ESC's and the 3508 motors? (Or should I separate the motor power feeds thru a 3rd party distribution board?)
2. Has the situation been updated as to the use of standard batteries with power monitoring now that Solo can run 3.5?
3. <Placeholder> LoL (???)

1. I did not, I use a PDB. Solo had trouble with noise and it may have been in part due to running big power lines through the main brd. So I eliminated that possibility with a separate brd.
2. Yes, I use standard 4s10K lipo and eliminate the Solo smart i2c connection. Use a standard Pixhawk Power module for the battery voltage and current measurements. Use Mission Planner to change the voltage readings to normal Pixhawk sensor.

 

[cnc74]

1. I did not, I use a PDB. Solo had trouble with noise and it may have been in part due to running big power lines through the main brd. So I eliminated that possibility with a separate brd.
2. Yes, I use standard 4s10K lipo and eliminate the Solo smart i2c connection. Use a standard Pixhawk Power module for the battery voltage and current measurements. Use Mission Planner to change the voltage readings to normal Pixhawk sensor.

Mike is there any chance you can describe your wiring config? I'm still unclear on much of my power wiring configuration and where I am pulling the ESC control wires from.

 

[XevetS]

If you are going to use the Solo main board you can use the black and red power wires to power the ESC'S, for the PWM signal and ground you would use the solo power-pod wire harness or directly solder to the appropriate pins on the main-board connections only 2 wires are needed, starting from the red wire on the connector the third wire is ground and the fourth is the signal wire. Easy peasy

 

[XevetS]

Also be aware of board orientation, if you mount the solo main-board on top of bird with the Pixhawk facing up you will need to wire the Motor PWM signals accordingly or else the bird will flip on take-off and you will have to adjust the AHRS parameter in mission planner for the correct orientation. Good luck with your build any questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[cnc74]

Also be aware of board orientation, if you mount the solo main-board on top of bird with the Pixhawk facing up you will need to wire the Motor PWM signals accordingly or else the bird will flip on take-off and you will have to adjust the AHRS parameter in mission planner for the correct orientation. Good luck with your build any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Your help and great information is extremely valuable and appreciated.

 

[cnc74]

Going back to batteries I have a question or two.

1. My previous assumption was that I could wire a standard 4s battery straight to the existing power pads on the solo mainboard is that correct?
2. I am currently wired with the 40 amp ESC to a standard pixhawk power module asI was originally going to use a pixhawk 1, but now that I'm using a PH2-Solo board is there any benefit to routing the voltage to the larger motors and 40amp escs externally?
3. Is there any way to get voltage monitoring?
4. Can I go with a 6s battery?
4.1. Do I need some sort of voltage regulator if I go with a more powerful battery to protect the solo mainboard?

 

[XevetS]

1) Yes you can solder an appropriate battery connector to The solo main board in the same spot the original battery connectors are.you will lose telem data on the solo radio
2) that's fine its less stress on the solo board,but for amp draw and such, you will lose telem data on the solo radio
3) Yes By installing a power module/ some parameters changes are needed depending upon battery type.
4)Not so sure what the mainboard will handle
5) Quite possibly to definitely.
One thing you can do is run 2 solo batteries in Parallel I myself might do this and keep all the telem functions working on the radio. not sure what flight time gain you will accomplish from this though

 

[cnc74]

I'm interested in finding out more about what kind of power module and how it wires in for the battery monitoring.

 

[XevetS]

You can also use a different controller eliminate the IMX6 and plug directly into any decent PPM receiver such as a taranis, If you look closely on the mainboard there is a breakout for the PPM connections ground power and signal, talks directly to the Pixhawk. but now you loose all the smartshot capabilities and no HDMI FPV.

 

[XevetS]

I'm interested in finding out more about what kind of power module and how it wires in for the battery monitoring.

I never tried this not sure how it would work unless it plugs into the battery I2c port like the original sensor on the solo its the little green and white wire near the battery connector. Mike_Kelly might have the info on this, as it looks like he has done this.

 

[XevetS]

Im using a Solo main-board on a rover project now and I use a small 3S battery to power the pixhawk and another battery to power the rover and esc's. Its super fun to send on a mission looks pretty silly though lol.