Piccoboard plus bust

[Luap]

It had to happen [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

26 minute flights on Kokams (2 cells) downgraded for no apparent reason to 12. So tried different blades and pinions to no avail, decided to put back the G295 (instead of the Orion) and oh surprise - my piccobard will not initialise any more (tried with 7 cell NiMh packs too). The red light blinks 3 times and then nothing. Blinks once without the HH and then nothing.
The servos are dead, motors are dead and I guess I'm close to it too!
Could the reduced flight times be to the PB+ failing?
Anyway I have no other RX or TX to test what's wrong, I'm absolutely stuck. And worst of all is no crash, just added a new motor and PB never initialised. Measured the battery input on the PB, shows 8.2V.

Is it time to call it quits?

[reflex]

See if the RX has a supply or could be a duff xtal.

[pgoelz]

Check the gyro.... see the gyro section of my web site. You can do it with a voltmeter. A failed gyro will prevent initialization.

[reflex]

Will a failed gyro stop the servo's working Paul ?

[jerrysimon]

Luap,

My failed gyro stopped everything working [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Again see Pauls web site for full details.

I managed to get some spare gyros and the guys at our elctronics lab at work fitted it for me. It works great which means I could sell my brand new PB+ to fund another Pic [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Regards

Jerry

[pgoelz]

No, a failed gyro by itself will not stop the servos from working since the servos are run from the receiver directly. As long as the Piccoboard BEC regulator is functioning, the receiver should work. But a gyro failure can prevent initialization if the failure causes the Vref and Vsig to be at widely different voltages.

I must have missed it when I read your post the first time, but I see that your servos are dead too. That would indicate a receiver or transmitter problem and NOT a Piccoboard problem. Since the LED blinks, that would tend to indicate that the BEC regulator on the Piccoboard is OK. That leaves the receiver itself or the transmitter. Older Piccoboards will initialize even if the radio signal is missing but the Plus will not. You need to find some way to determine where the problem is.... receiver or transmitter. The first thing to look at is the crystal. See if you can borrow another one?

Do the servos do anything when you power up.... like jump a bit?

Do you have a voltmeter?

[jerrysimon]

Paul's right.

Forgot my servos did work. My piccoboard flashed once but never intialised i.e red light di not then stay on.

Using a voltmeter and paul's instructions I was able to confirm that the gyro was gone.

You have to seperate the RX and Piccoboard to get to the pins to test the board.

I had to cutaway the surrounding plastic cover. Now it is all fixed it is no longer wrapped in it's plastic cover. Paul is it ok to leave it uncovered or should I cover it with something ?

Regards

Jerry

[Luap]

A miracle happened.
After checking what the replacement of a PB+ would cost, I decided to try it once again - and it worked! Go figure. Just hope this will not happen in flight.

[Luap]

Someone must have cast a spell against me [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]
Yesterday PB+ worked again and today it won't initialise.
Same symptoms as described above.
When I plug the battery to the PB+ the servos do jump, PB+ blinks but doesn't turn on later and nothing works.
I have a voltmeter.
How can I find out what's bust by buying the least components possible?
Thanks for any help.

my piccoboard gyro ate it the first time i used my 2 cell koham pack ... any possibility...