compass warning and right motor red LED

[blenderbender]

Suffered what I thought to be a minor crash a while back and after just some prop replacements thought everything was in order. I re-calibrated compass and gimbal but with bird on ground and connected to ST 16 the right motor is still showing a red light instead of green. All other motors properly lit. The motor operates seemingly properly and the H flies though I haven't taken it much above several feet or very far away. What do I make of the red motor LED?

Also even after successful compass re-calibration and short test flight I brought the H inside and turned everything back on so I could try and learn more about camera controls (it's still a bit chilly and too windy outside) and as soon as ST 16 connects with H I start getting intermittent Compass warnings telling me to land immediately in angle mode an do a compass re-calibration. I don't ever recall that happening before when I toyed with it indoors.

Thanks..... Gary

 

[CraigCam]

That’s weird as the motor LED are dedicated in color. It cannot change on its own that I am aware of. Color sequence starting left front and going clockwise- white/white/green/red/red/blue. Are you saying you now have a red light on the right middle motor?

 

[blenderbender]

Exactly..... white/white/ red/red/red/blue..... I never paid much attention to the order of the colors but I know there used to be a green in the mix.

 

[wings]

What significance are the led colors? Always wondered about them? What do they indicate??

 

[jscotcha]

What significance are the led colors? Always wondered about them? What do they indicate??

To help in orientation when in the air. White on front, red on rear, green on right and blue on left.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

What significance are the led colors? Always wondered about them? What do they indicate??

only to provide an orientation guide... primarily white = front of aircraft / red = rear of aircraft. Ineffective beyond about 75-100 feet for me... I rely on my painted landing gear and strobes... and the green arrow.

 

[wings]

Thank you!

 

[blenderbender]

Any thoughts on the persistent compass re-calibration warning?

 

[PatR]

Perhaps a failing compass, perhaps you’re frequently operating near metal objects or power lines.

When you calibrate the compass do you start the process with the front of the H pointing north? It matters quite a lot.

The timing of a compass warning is also a possible factor. Does it mostly happen briefly after motor arming, a flight mode change, or gear cycling? If so that’s fairly common and something I’ve found to be more of a nuisance than an issue. Next time you think about it, set your H on a table with the props removed, connect it to the GUI, and compare the referenced position of the nose with magnetic north as you rotate the H. The values shown in the GUI should be pretty close to what would be shown on a compass when the compass is working right.

The LED color may just be an electrical fault at the LED as they can illuminate in several different colors. As you mentioned a crash it would be worth obtaining a new LED and replace it to see if the condition is rectified.

 

[blenderbender]

Perhaps a failing compass, perhaps you’re frequently operating near metal objects or power lines.

When you calibrate the compass do you start the process with the front of the H pointing north? It matters quite a lot.

The timing of a compass warning is also a possible factor. Does it mostly happen briefly after motor arming, a flight mode change, or gear cycling? If so that’s fairly common and something I’ve found to be more of a nuisance than an issue. Next time you think about it, set your H on a table with the props removed, connect it to the GUI, and compare the referenced position of the nose with magnetic north as you rotate the H. The values shown in the GUI should be pretty close to what would be shown on a compass when the compass is working right.

The LED color may just be an electrical fault at the LED as they can illuminate in several different colors. As you mentioned a crash it would be worth obtaining a new LED and replace it to see if the condition is rectified.

Thanks Pat... it's going to be a nice day today so I'll get the H outside and see what's up some more regarding the compass warning. There's just so many lights, warnings, etc. that my pea brain has a difficult time putting all the information together into a cohesive array of information that I easily understand.

I did replace one rotor arm w/motor from a prior crash and I don't recall if it was green at one point. I don't even recall if that's the one that was replaced. Since I don't rely on the colors much anyway as it's generally too far from me to make orientation an issue I won't likely give it much weight. I was more concerned that perhaps it was some sort of motor fault that it was indicating.

 

[PatR]

A way to test that theory would be to remove a prop from a different motor. Place about 5lbs of weight on each landing gear, arm the motors, and watch the LED for the motor the prop was removed to observe the color.

Just to calm your nerves about the concept, that is how I test initial current loading for new systems. If you use enough weight it works for any size copter, but it has to be enough to prevent lift off and centered on the gear legs to prevent tipping. I’ve found that old pairs of socks filled up with sand or lead bird shot works pretty good.

 

[biltno]

If I power my h on with the controller very close to it, I get compass warnings. I’ve mentioned it here before and so far, if I keep the h 20 feet away from st16 I get no warnings. I just haven’t had the chance to totally prove that it causing it as I haven’t flown too much since the first warnings

 

[blenderbender]

If I power my h on with the controller very close to it, I get compass warnings. I’ve mentioned it here before and so far, if I keep the h 20 feet away from st16 I get no warnings. I just haven’t had the chance to totally prove that it causing it as I haven’t flown too much since the first warnings

Yeah.... that's what I'm thinking also as outside I get no such warnings, though I have tried this inside a few times prior and don't recall having the same issue.

 

[jscotcha]

If I power my h on with the controller very close to it, I get compass warnings. I’ve mentioned it here before and so far, if I keep the h 20 feet away from st16 I get no warnings. I just haven’t had the chance to totally prove that it causing it as I haven’t flown too much since the first warnings

Your supposed to do the calibration at least 20 feet from ST16, cell phones, metal structures,power lines or other electronics or it will affect the calibration.

 

[PatR]

There’s nothing in the instructions about distance from the ST-16, except for when operating in Smart mode. The -16 does not cause compass interference.

If it did the people that prefer to catch their H instead of landing it would be running for their lives.

 

[jscotcha]

There’s nothing in the instructions about distance from the ST-16, except for when operating in Smart mode. The -16 does bot cause compass interference.

If it did the people that prefer to catch their H instead of landing it would be running for their lives.

During calibration not while operating it. See the new manual under calibration. Says to stay away from ST16 to reduce interference.

 

[PatR]

Which new manual? One from Yuneec or one from independent developers? Yuneec hasn’t done anything new for the H since March last year.

I been flying H’s for two years and have operated and calibrated the system right next to the -16 with never a problem.

 

[jscotcha]

Which new manual? One from Yuneec or one from independent developers? Yuneec hasn’t done anything new for the H since March last year.

I been flying H’s for two years and have operated and calibrated the system right next to the -16 with never a problem.

The one from the link in the
Want to help make a better manual?

Looks like the better manual needs another update.

 

[PatR]

I helped write parts of that one. I don’t agree with all of it but it’s a heck of a lot better than Yuneec’s.

As for the -16 generating any kind of system interference, think about that for a moment. Not too many RC aircraft can remain under control when the controller interferes with them.

When the aircraft is in a calibration mode the system pretty much becomes independent of the controller as it enters a self contained programming mode. The only reason the controller is needed is because the calibration activation switches are found on the controller screen.

 

[biltno]

When I get the compass warning it wasn’t during calibration, it when I am preparing for flight. I almost always power the h on with the controller around 20 feet away. When I was powering the h with the controller right next to it, meaning less than 2 feet is the only time I got the compass warning. I was trying to make sure it’s not coincidence before I have a failure in flight.