XStroX

Hi All,

I have 2 questions. I blew my first fuse over the weekend landing in some tall grass by accident. I noticed the fuse that blew was 10 amp while the only replacement they gave me is 15 amps. I'm going to purchace a few more today but I'm not sure whether I should get 10 or 15 amp fuses?

Second, since installing my Flight Lights (at least I think since then) I've had a few power interrupts to my DF. I never noticed this before but the DF motors sound like they completely just turn off for maybe a few tenths of a second while the lights stay on. It actually happened while I was about 7 feet above the road and caused me to crash and break a motor mount. I thought maybe it was just me but it has happened 2 or 3 more times since. I usually am above 10 feet and can recover but still very scary. I'd say it happens once every other flight. I noticed a few threads on this and will be reading those for answers.

Stro

TheHindmost

Adam from DFI said in another thread that a 15 amp fuse is appropriate. The 10 amp fuse was for the original DF with the foam blades and no serious camera or camera transmitter. If you've got a SAVS or are using the new blades or are using the heavy-duty motors, you need a 15 amp fuse. And even if you don't use the new stuff, the 15 amp fuse gives bit more headroom. Adam says he's seen 10 amp fuses blown when going from zero to full power on a "death dive" recovery (bad time to lose a fuse!).

That intermittent power loss issue has been discussed here quite a bit...A search for "power loss" ought to show most of the relevant threads...

Will

laceycopter

This was straight from Draganfly Innovations :

We've found that the high performance motors can blow a 10A fuse. We've also found that the new (black) rotors can blow a 10A fuse with the standard motors. This has only happened during extreme flight, like a death dive, but that's the worst time for the fuse to blow. So, if you are using the new rotors or the new motors, we do recommend the 15A fuse.

-Adam


_____________________________

Inc.
Inventing The Future Of Radio Controlled Flight

I've never had the power loss problem but Clement7 did and said found the problem, you can read about it here :
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5071219/tm.htm
I think Sky High had it to...maybe he can help with that if the above in not your problem
Happy Flyin,
Lacey

XStroX

Thanks all for the responses. I ordered the 15 amp fuses from rctoys even though the picture shows a 10 amp fuse. I'm going to do some reading on the power loss issue since that really bothers me that it only started since installing LEDs which shouldnt affect it at all. Especially since I had my camera plugged in the same spot for weeks without noticing anything like that even once. Here is a link of me hovering my DF indoors for anyone interested....

[link=http://video.google.com/videouploadfinished?docid=-2867305184881097895&cid=fff067134fcba104]DF V Ti Indoors[/link]

Stro

TheHindmost

Well, I think the first thing I'd try to diagnose the power loss is taking the LEDs off.

As for the fuse, it's a standard (US) automotive-type blade fuse...You can get them at Radio Shack or an auto parts store.

Will

Fesfly

I have had this same problem with a loss of power but I had nothing connected to the DF. I have flown this board about 50 times without issue and in the last 10 flights I have had that exact thing happen twice. Could it be RF interference? It is almost like hitting the kill switch for a fraction of a second. This same thing happen to my first DF board except it lasted for a couple of seconds resulting in a bad crash and a trip to spectrolutions....

TheHindmost

I've been lucky, I guess, and so far I haven't experienced that problem.

Adam from DFI, your input here would be great! A fair number of folks here have had this issue.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5071219/tm.htm]This thread[/link] may point in the right direction: A loose connection/cold solder joint somewhere in the system. DFI should be able to tell us where to look.

One specific question for Adam: Is it possible a power connector problem could cause this? Or does the fact that the DF remains armed rule that out? Are there any big capacitors or anything after the power connector which mean the DF could handle a fraction-of-a-second power hit and stay armed?

Will

Sky High

Xstrox, I have flown quite a bit with two different DFs and four different boards over the past year and every one of the boards has had this issue. Since you built your nav light kit, did you make twisted pairs at least with the strobe fixture or are they straight runs? [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=3680180]This[/link] is an important note about twisted pairs and possible glitches from the Flight Lites site before it was taken down. Although it could be possible, I don't think it's probable because it has happened to me with and without using the Flight Lites kit.

XStroX

Sky,

The wires came twisted already.... I'm guessing Jeff started twisting them once they discovered they could cause interference. I might try flying with the LED's unplugged a few times over the coming weekend and see if I experience the problem then. It is definately scary every time it happens. If it lasts more than the quarter second it has been lasting I'll definately be falling into the ground since I usually fly around 10 to 20 feet above the ground.

Stro

draganfly.com

My Feedback: (40)

Boards disarming or quitting in flight is a tricky issue to diagnose because a bunch of things can cause the circuit board to stop powering the motors. In our experience, the common ones are broken or disconnected capacitor on one of the motors, and flying near power/overhead lines. Both cause the circuit board to see a lot of noise in the incoming RF signal, and it decides to disarm instead of transferring that noise to the motor speeds (dangerous to people and itself).

The general diagnostic procedure is to check capacitors, try a different flying site (ideally in a rural area), and then send it back to us or Spectrolutions. Hopefully we can repeat the problem, and then start replacing components (frame, CB, TX, etc) until it doesn't occur. It is the most difficult issue to correct.

-Adam

TheHindmost

Thanks for the info, Adam!

As I said, I haven't experienced that issue, thankfully. Capacitors are sure the right place to start, though; should have posted that in this thread myself. I've broken a few (which I've replaced). I've also flown with one missing, with no issues. As I understand it, a single missing motor cap probably won't cause an issue (but a shorting cap sure will!).

Will

SAVS

Here is a good one for you about sudden stopping during use...

I was doing some work on my SAVS on my desk and my laptop kept rebooting! I was like S@!$ I guess the whole day is going to be a disaster. Every time I spun the DF while replacing the blades the laptop would die again and again. Then on the last blade I saw a metal screw I had on the desk snap to and attach it self to the motor. Well the rest is easy to figure. The magnets in the motors were going over the front of my laptop and crashing it. Well at least it was not broken too

Sky High

Oh, I thought when you said he only offered components the end user had to do everything. I assumed you had to assemble everything. What all did you have to do with what he sent you? He is an engineer and was aware of twisting the wires long ago. That's also done in computer network cable for the same reason. Interference from wiring could be caused by its amount of shielding and/or its placement in proximity to the receiver. A while back, standard RC helo frames were changed from metal to carbon fiber not only for a reduction in weight but because of intereference from the metal frame. Ironically though, Mike at Spectro told me that carbon fiber can actually cause interference too because of its composition. [sm=confused.gif]

I ordered my LED wiring to be cut to 12" per LED. If I hadn't, I would have had 10 extra feet of wire on board to have to put somewhere. I would highly recommend that you cut yours to only the length you need. Let us know if you experience any more power losses when the lights are taken out of the mix. Even with the lights disconnected, all that extra exposed wire you have on there could possibly be interfering with the receiver too.

Sky High

Now that is very interesting! I knew those magnets were powerful but to make your computer reboot? See what happened to me in [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4993617]this[/link] post.

SAVS

Sky, that is funny! My SAVS came with the HD motors originally but I bought an extra set just in case or when I need them. I had to go and buy one of those new burnless irons from R-Shack. Plugs would be better as I suffer from caffeine shakes by 7:AM or so. I had read the post where the guy mounted the Pentax S6 with an IR shutter. I got (2) different shutters from gentLED which should be here soon. I am going to fab up the ultimate camera mount!

I see something like the top canopy but on the bottom holding the S6 and shutter. Money is not an issue with me as you can notice that I order parts like crazy. I have a full setup for the vid with the EyeTops and miniDV camera all mounted to a stripped laptop case for easy carrying (of course it is all untested until I get proficient). I do work for a sports facility developer and he wants 1st class video and stills of finished facilities. We just finished the Cal Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach (9 baseball fields). He wants me to travel to all our completed locations across the Eastern US from NY State to Miami (we are doing some Dade County locations right now) and document them all. It should be a busy year and many parts. While I am on the road I have to be sure I have everything I need because I will not be able to wait on air-freight.

As a cool note we did the new Marshall football field (1.5) years ago and I can not wait to do that one (the movie is just coming out). I hope I can do it justice. You can see some stills here of the Ripken park that we had a gas helio do. He wanted $1000 a field so I volunteered and did some research and thats how I got started with the SAVS.

http://www.ballardsports.com/

PS - My real job is web developer, but I do anything legal for a pay check

XStroX

Thanks for the response Adam,

I will be sure to check the capacitors on my motors this weekend; I have had a few crashes after all. After that I'm going to fly a few times with FlightLights installed and make sure its still happening in a rural area. After that I'll try unplugging the FlightLights. If I still get the problem I suppose I may take the FlightLights all the way off.

I will also be checking to make sure my Ti board isn't bent as I have landed upside down once since my board was repaired.

Sky, He sent me the LED's, resistors, controller, and 2 pices of 3 ft wire all separately. The 2 pieces of 3 ft wire were actually 4 total pieces of wire with 2 twisted together on each. I don't have that much wire extra because I told him 5, 12 inch pieces like you got. I probably about a foot extra total in a mess around the battery. I simply had to do all the soldering myself....

Stro