programming kontronik smile 40-6-12
06-14-2003, 02:32 PM
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programming kontronik smile 40-6-12
Please note that I'm not the original writer of this column . Credits to Chris True at www.logoheli.com . I could'nt do anything with the manual in the box and this guy really got me off the ground in governor mode .
The Kontronik Smile ESC's are nice inexpensive controllers for helicopters. The ESC has a governor mode which maintains headspeed independent of collective load and also has one of the best soft starts around. Once properly programmed for governor mode you can switch straight from off into an idle up and the ESC will very gradually spool up the motor.
The Kontronik Smile series has a fairly mild timing setting which makes it best for 2 pole motors, Hackers and Kontoniks. I have used it on Aveox motors and smaller Mega's with good results as well. Just to review, there are 5 modes you can program your ESC to as listed below, in the case of a helicopter we want mode 4 or governor mode.
Mode 1 is airplane mode which selects the full throttle position each time you connect the pack.
Mode 2 is glider mode, brake enabled and full throttle position set in the programming routine.
Mode 3 is airplane/boat mode, brake disabled and full throttle position set in the programming routine.
Mode 4 is heli mode, brake disabled, active RPM control (governor mode) and full throttle position set in the programming routine.
Mode 5 is competition mode, brake enabled as hard as possible with all safeties off and timing advanced for max power.
Setup Procedures:
Preliminaries - set your normal throttle curve to 0-50-100, idle 1 to 75-75-75 and idle 2 to 80-80-80. Your heli should be fully flight ready. Programming the ESC on the bench with the blades off or pinion off accomplishes nothing.
Turn on the Tx, set to the normal throttle curve.
Plug in the battery, the motor should beep to indicate it is armed.
If it doesn't beep with the throttle fully down check 2 things - throttle channel needs to be reversed if it is a Futaba Tx. Also, expand the throttle ATV value to about 110%. Either or both of those should get it to beep indicating its armed.
On the label side of the ESC there is a pictogram of a hand with a finger pointing and it says "taster". The finger is pointing to a bump / button under the heatshrink. Press that button and it will go Beep-Beep! indicating it is in programming mode.
Each of the following beep or series of beeps indicates the mode:
Now the ESC will beep 1 time (mode 1) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
It will beep 2 times (mode 2) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
It will beep 3 times (mode 3) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
It will beep 4 times (mode 4) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
This is mode 4 which is what you want, once you hear the 4 beeps move the throttle to full - don't worry, the motor will not start.
Wait a few seconds and you will hear 3 beeps, move the throttle to off.
After a bit you will hear 4 beeps indicating it is set to mode 4, if you had chosen mode3 it would beep 3 times.
Disconnect the battery.
Now, your ESC is programmed to governor mode but there is one more step, the ESC needs to learn the characteristics of the motor.
Reconnect the battery, pull the throttle all the way down until you hear the arming beeps.
Slowly raise the collective to about 40%, the motor will slowly spool up and begin going up and down in RPM for a while. You are at less than hover pitch so the heli won't takeoff. After 10 seconds or so the RPM will stabilize. Shut it down, disconnect the battery.
ESC is now fully programmed and calibrated.
To fly connect the battery, arm the ESC then either spool up in normal and turn on idle 1 or just hit the idle 1 switch, the ESC will spool up the motor very slowly until it reaches the RPM for 75% and you can fly. If 75 is to slow try idle 2 at 80. Adjust the idle 1 and 2 values to suit. If the headspeed is too low, increase the pinion count.
There are lot's of misinterpretations of the Kontronik instructions floating around on the web. There is no need to change your pitch curves for a flat zero degrees, step 2 does NOT require you to get to full throttle. Only the first step needs 100% throttle and the motor does not run in that portion of the procedure. You definitely should program the ESC with the blades on, it needs the load on the mechanics when it calibrates itself to the motor in the second step.
Original found at www.logoheli.com/smile.htm
The Kontronik Smile ESC's are nice inexpensive controllers for helicopters. The ESC has a governor mode which maintains headspeed independent of collective load and also has one of the best soft starts around. Once properly programmed for governor mode you can switch straight from off into an idle up and the ESC will very gradually spool up the motor.
The Kontronik Smile series has a fairly mild timing setting which makes it best for 2 pole motors, Hackers and Kontoniks. I have used it on Aveox motors and smaller Mega's with good results as well. Just to review, there are 5 modes you can program your ESC to as listed below, in the case of a helicopter we want mode 4 or governor mode.
Mode 1 is airplane mode which selects the full throttle position each time you connect the pack.
Mode 2 is glider mode, brake enabled and full throttle position set in the programming routine.
Mode 3 is airplane/boat mode, brake disabled and full throttle position set in the programming routine.
Mode 4 is heli mode, brake disabled, active RPM control (governor mode) and full throttle position set in the programming routine.
Mode 5 is competition mode, brake enabled as hard as possible with all safeties off and timing advanced for max power.
Setup Procedures:
Preliminaries - set your normal throttle curve to 0-50-100, idle 1 to 75-75-75 and idle 2 to 80-80-80. Your heli should be fully flight ready. Programming the ESC on the bench with the blades off or pinion off accomplishes nothing.
Turn on the Tx, set to the normal throttle curve.
Plug in the battery, the motor should beep to indicate it is armed.
If it doesn't beep with the throttle fully down check 2 things - throttle channel needs to be reversed if it is a Futaba Tx. Also, expand the throttle ATV value to about 110%. Either or both of those should get it to beep indicating its armed.
On the label side of the ESC there is a pictogram of a hand with a finger pointing and it says "taster". The finger is pointing to a bump / button under the heatshrink. Press that button and it will go Beep-Beep! indicating it is in programming mode.
Each of the following beep or series of beeps indicates the mode:
Now the ESC will beep 1 time (mode 1) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
It will beep 2 times (mode 2) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
It will beep 3 times (mode 3) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
It will beep 4 times (mode 4) then be silent for 5 seconds or so
This is mode 4 which is what you want, once you hear the 4 beeps move the throttle to full - don't worry, the motor will not start.
Wait a few seconds and you will hear 3 beeps, move the throttle to off.
After a bit you will hear 4 beeps indicating it is set to mode 4, if you had chosen mode3 it would beep 3 times.
Disconnect the battery.
Now, your ESC is programmed to governor mode but there is one more step, the ESC needs to learn the characteristics of the motor.
Reconnect the battery, pull the throttle all the way down until you hear the arming beeps.
Slowly raise the collective to about 40%, the motor will slowly spool up and begin going up and down in RPM for a while. You are at less than hover pitch so the heli won't takeoff. After 10 seconds or so the RPM will stabilize. Shut it down, disconnect the battery.
ESC is now fully programmed and calibrated.
To fly connect the battery, arm the ESC then either spool up in normal and turn on idle 1 or just hit the idle 1 switch, the ESC will spool up the motor very slowly until it reaches the RPM for 75% and you can fly. If 75 is to slow try idle 2 at 80. Adjust the idle 1 and 2 values to suit. If the headspeed is too low, increase the pinion count.
There are lot's of misinterpretations of the Kontronik instructions floating around on the web. There is no need to change your pitch curves for a flat zero degrees, step 2 does NOT require you to get to full throttle. Only the first step needs 100% throttle and the motor does not run in that portion of the procedure. You definitely should program the ESC with the blades on, it needs the load on the mechanics when it calibrates itself to the motor in the second step.
Original found at www.logoheli.com/smile.htm
