Connecting a CG03 camera to a Q500+ drone

[lenmoni123]

I have a Q500+ drone. After its CG02+ camera broke in a crash, I searched online for a replacement and eventually purchased a CG03 instead (due to its higher video resolution). However, upon receiving the new camera, I immediately noticed that the wire the CG02+ gimbal uses to connect to the drone is not present. The only possible connectors on the CG03 seem to be three copper contacts on the surface of the "black board" holding the gimbal.

Is there something I am missing? Do I need to purchase some sort of adaptor?

 

[WTFDproject]

..Do I need to purchase some sort of adaptor?...

The easiest way would be to use the CGo3 connection cable (Pig Tail), part #YUNCGO3104.
The small end plugs into one of the two connectors on the back edge of the gimbal board in the camera mount area of the CGo3. The larger end plugs into the drone the same way as the cable from the CGo2.

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[lenmoni123]

The Pig Tail cable from the CG02+ is still intact. Would this cable also serve the purpose?

 

[WTFDproject]

The Pig Tail cable from the CG02+ is still intact. Would this cable also serve the purpose?

No. Not as is.
It might work if you had the right connector for the camera end or if you are willing to solder directly to the board, or maybe splice the 3 black wires, or maybe slip the pins out of the existing connectors and attach them directly, etc. Or it might not work at all. Never tried it.
It would not be a good idea to try it unless you are willing to buy a new camera if you don't get it right. This stuff doesn't tolerate mistakes well. At all. A mistake will also fry the mainboard on the drone.
Not sure if the pin sizes even match on the camera end. It's been a while. Pretty sure it will cause a fire if they touch.
The drone end is the same except the wire marked "not used" on CGo2 is not even there on CGo3.

Are you sure don't want to just buy one?

 

[WTFDproject]

The Pig Tail cable from the CG02+ is still intact. Would this cable also serve the purpose?

No. Not as is.
It might work if ........

Yes, it works.
The power side connector will work as-is as long as you are careful to plug it into the correct two pins of the three-pin connector on the back of the CGo3. Refer to the drawings above and the image below.
That leaves the PWM wire. Lots of options available. I chose to desolder the black PWM wire from the original mount plate on the CGo3, run it out the back of the camera, and splice it to the PWM wire of the connector harness. The extra wire was removed. It could be left in place if you plan to restore the harness later for use on a CGo2.

 

[lenmoni123]

This is great, thanks.

 

[lenmoni123]

How could I proceed without desoldering or splicing wires? I plan to throw away the CG02+ or sell it for parts.

 

[WTFDproject]

You could clip the wire off the contact board with fingernail clippers. Clip the harness wire at the right length to match up, with a little extra for a twist. Use your fingernails to strip off some insulation on both wires. Twist the bare wires together. Use a piece of electric tape to insulate.
It will not be as permanent as solder, but it should work.

 

[lenmoni123]

How do I disassemble the CG03 as to expose the board? Is there a guide on how to do this on this forum?

I just want to confirm: the 'power side connector' has two pins and is plugged into L in the CG02+ while the PWM has three pins and is plugged into D in the CG02+?

 

[WTFDproject]

How do I disassemble the CG03 as to expose the board? Is there a guide on how to do this on this forum?

I just want to confirm: the 'power side connector' has two pins and is plugged into L in the CG02+ while the PWM has three pins and is plugged into D in the CG02+?

This guide will show how to remove the dampers, remove the three screws from the contact plate cover. The contacts are labeled on the contact board. Clip only the PWM wire from the contact board at Step 5. Do not continue in the guideline beyond Step 5. You do not have to reinstall the contact plate and three screws, but it will not hurt anything if you do. Most especially, do not remove the other end of the PWM wire from the gimbal board.
CGo3 Removing the Three Black Wires

Yes.
The power side has two wires, a two-pin connector, and is plugged into L.
The PWM side has two wires, a three-pin connector, and is plugged into D. Only one of the two wires on the PWM side does anything on CGo3. The other is the one you may want to get rid of.

 

[lenmoni123]

Will everything work correctly if I leave everything intact, tie-wrap the pigtail connector's PWM side to another wire (keeping it unplugged but out of the way), and only plug in the power side into the CG03? I ask this because Yuncgo3104 for sale | eBay only has one connector (opposite the side that plugs into the drone), not two.

EDIT: I tried it and the camera connects to my ST10+ but commands to move the camera up and down have no effect. If this issue has nothing to do with the cables, then I'll try the steps you described on thread CGO3 Camera Won't Tilt On Q500, But Works Fine With The SteadyGrip.

 

[WTFDproject]

Will everything work correctly if I leave everything intact, tie-wrap the pigtail connector's PWM side to another wire (keeping it unplugged but out of the way), and only plug in the power side into the CG03? I ask this because Yuncgo3104 for sale | eBay only has one connector (opposite the side that plugs into the drone), not two.

EDIT: I tried it and the camera connects to my ST10+ but commands to move the camera up and down have no effect. If this issue has nothing to do with the cables, then I'll try the steps you described on thread CGO3 Camera Won't Tilt On Q500, But Works Fine With The SteadyGrip.

"only has one connector (opposite the side that plugs into the drone), not two."
It only has one connector, but that connector has all three wires needed to fully supply the CG03 via the one socket on the back of the camera.

"If this issue has nothing to do with the cables, then I'll try the steps you described on thread CGO3 Camera Won't Tilt On Q500, But Works Fine With The SteadyGrip."
The issue has nothing to do with the cables.

 

[lenmoni123]

Then, the tilting issue is likely due to the drone and not the camera?

 

[WTFDproject]

Will everything work correctly if I leave everything intact, tie-wrap the pigtail connector's PWM side to another wire (keeping it unplugged but out of the way), and only plug in the power side into the CG03? I ask this because Yuncgo3104 for sale | eBay only has one connector (opposite the side that plugs into the drone), not two.

I just realized this doesn't seem to make sense. You are asking about leaving the PWM disconnected. The PWM is the camera Pitch (tilt) control.

You also mentioned the "Power side" in a way that makes me think you are still using the modified CGo2 pigtail. If that is true and you are only connecting the power, all the gimbal can do is stabilize and point forward.
Again, the PWM wire is the pitch (tilt) control.

 

[lenmoni123]

Now I understand. Thank you!

 

[lenmoni123]

I just tested the setup with the PWM disconnected. I've noticed that, immediately after receiving power and rotating into a "stabilized" configuration, the camera tilts upward very slowly without stopping. Is this due to the disconnected PWM?

 

[WTFDproject]

It's more likely something else, most likely the IMU calibration is off. It might do better with a signal, or at least be controllable once you get the PWM connected.

 

[lenmoni123]

It continues to do this, even with the newly arrived YUNCGO3104 pigtail. How do I fix the IMU calibration?

Should I try the steps at Horizon problem?

 

[WTFDproject]

If you move the pitch slider on the left side of the controller down, does it stop the slow pitch up?
The actual IMU calibration is a shop item. Yuneec did not release the firmware to let us do it at home.

 

[lenmoni123]

The camera rotates downward, but it continues to drift upwards from the new position.