Micro Update on my mCPx no hover uncontrollable to fly

[Morelight]

I put on my kbdd blades today, followed Lee's advice on pitch adjustment, because I have never been able to hover or fly this 1 week old heli, rebound the heli, and had the same behaviour as shot in my video several days ago. Posted in the member video section.

As confused and angry as I was, I calmed down and took a careful look at the heli for over an hour, and made this video of what I discovered.

Again, my dx6i is programmed with the standard settings in the mCPx manual. Do I phone my hobby supplier tomorrow and ask for an RMA for repair or replacement, or am I pooched and stuck with another doa bird?

Thanks

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[Lee]

Very strange Vince. I would first check the teeth on the servo wheels. I had one get stuck due to one tiny grain of sand in between two teeth of the small cog. Other than that i'm not sure. A mixing issue was one thought, but as you showed in the video sometimes it worked and sometimes not. Are the Swash setting right? No CCPM mixing required. It should be set to 1 servo 90º swashplate.
HERE is the manual if you don't have it handy.

 

[Morelight]

correct Lee. all the settings are by the book, 90° swash no mixing. I'm not a public speaker, so was stressed as you can hear in my voice, when describing the front left servo travel/sticking problem. When I turned the gear wheel that the servo pinion connects to by hand off power yesterday it was gritty in one spot. I took off the gear wheel, turned it a bit, put it back on and there was no "bump" in the smoothness of engagement then. So, combined with grease in the anti-rotation area above and the gear adjustment, it, as seen in the video now moves with the other servos, with throttle hold engaged, nicely up and down and level. I am correct in assuming that the swash is supposed to stay level, unless cyclic is added?

The other problem with the swash tilting backward under throttle up only, with no cyclic added, has been since the maiden flight attempt, the default behaviour of this mcpx, and from all the flying fun everyone else seems to be having with these micro's, not the norm at all.

 

[Lee]

I'm stumped then, without having it my hands to check. Sorry dude.

 

[coolgabsi]

ok .. my 2 cents..

initializing the bird, its upright on the table / ground without any.. ANY.. vibration or movement?? it needs that to initialize perfectly..

second.. if possible, could you tape down the bird straight up on the table, somehow secure it, and then use your tx to throttle up and makea video..
reason :

I am not a horizon Hobby rep, but if you are sending a video to them which you can, you will see that they will tell you its the 3axis gyro trying to correct the position the heli is in, in your hands.. (even if its not).. just if you can, make a video of the mcpx tied down, and throttle up with cam showing servos..

this is wierd I agree.. but might very wel be intializing error... Just check before you send it in, and they take a month to return it back..

 

[Lee]

I was going to say about the heli fighting against you holding it, as Gaba said. But it does the same on the ground on normal take off?

 

[Morelight]

Pretty sure I initialized it on the level first. I will remake a vid asap guys. Thanks for helping yet again.

 

[Tony]

My first thoughts was it's the gyro as well. One thing to remember is this is a CCPM heli, it's not stable by nature and you have to fight it once it's in the air. There is always something you have to do to make it go where you want it to go. My thoughts is with it in your hand and tilted forward as it was in that video, the gyro has a setting of level, and you are holding it nose down. so it's trying to compensate for that by putting the swash back to tail the heli back. When you initialize this heli, do it on it's side, plug in the battery, adn leave it alone until you hear the servos move. Then, set it upright. Every heli like this will take off to the left because of the force of the tail blades, it's natural. But, if it tries to go back, give forward cyclic to compensate. If that doesn't work, then I would create an RMA ticket and send it in. Something may be wrong with the 3-1, or the servos. Hope this helps.

 

[Morelight]

I just shot the new video Tony, and initialized your way. Sadly, you will see in the video, quite clearly today, there must be a board problem I guess. Darn it. Well I emailed Great Hobbies this morning with a link to this thread on this problem. They emailed back several hours ago, and said a technician has been given direction to look into this. No reply so far.

I hope to have the video up in an hour or less. I have my re-code program, shrinking the vid down a bit, then I will up to Utube.

 

[coolgabsi]

One thing. Call horizon hobby straight up. Leg great hobbies or whoever I through their rma.. But you call horizon, fell then that happened... I am 90perc sure they'll say they are sending you a new board.. They deliver fast. And are great at customer service..

Great hobbies will have to call them, get a new board, and ship to you.. They'll waste time.

At the best you'll see what great hobbies can do for you.. May be a discount or something. May be another board from them lol., ;P

But I would definately call hh. They make it.

 

[Morelight]

I'm doing a lot of purchases with Great Hobby in Canada though Gaba. Less choices up here than you lucky guys have for hobby stores. I know that you are one smart shopper Gaba, and find great places to buy stuff at very good prices. Hell, you could probably make a living doing that.

 

[Morelight]

Just tried to queue up for support at HH Gaba. Was told it's an hour wait at least. So.......I just submitted a ticket for the problem by internet, and linked them to the thread here at the forum. You the man. Video should be up in 20 min.

 

[Morelight]

Movie time.
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[Lee]

Thats a real mystery. Its not even a vibration issue as it does it before the blades start to move??? The only thing i can think of is something is different in your settings for normal flight compared to Throttle hold. But i'm just guessing now. Have you tried to flick it into Idle up while taped down?
Sorry i'm not much help with this one .

 

[Morelight]

I've checked the settings over many times, but I can video tape them as well? Seeing is believing.
Never considered putting it into idle up Lee. Figured if it won't fly right on normal, why check that. The heli is still taped down on the stand, just in case more video is needed. Its not a big deal to shoot more video and put it up. Just let me know.

 

[coolgabsi]

I would just disconnect tail and main motor and then test swash on normal or idle up mode.

One thing I can remember, this probably is the mcpx v2... I know you bound it with your tx.... Rebound it too.. What binding procedure were you using? We're you holding rudder stick all the way down and to the left (I think) to bind the v2 board? That's a newer important thing in v2. Not for v1.. Check and see after you remove the motor connections, if swash would do the same.

Honestly it's bizarre! Just wanting you to check some things hoping to get you in the air..

 

[Morelight]

morning Gaba. I bound her using the instructions from the V2 manual it came with. for computerized radios (which I have=dx6i), the book instructs to move rudder full right after turning on the Tx with the trainer switch, and hold the rudder full right until the blued led goes solid. Then release the rudder stick, unplug the battery and turn off the Tx.

for non-computerized radio's, the rudder has to be moved left in the process.

I'm willing to work on the bird in my birthday suit, if it will get her flying, but voodoo or such aside, dunno man. I will rebind, practice is good, then disconnect tail and motor and check swash movements in normal and idle up, to cover more territory.

I really am having a hard time accepting I'm having this much trouble with the helicopters I buy.

 

[coolgabsi]

Gooooooodmorning!!

Lol I totally understand the feeling man!! don't worry... This bird comes with warranty and it'll be fixed by he manufacturer or the seller. Once you get in air, you'll love it.

If you used the procedures in the manual to hold rudder right (or left whichever applied) , then you are good. No need to go through all that again..

This does suck. I have gone through two boards on my bird. One I thought my tail gyro was bad. Turns out the motor out of the box was bad. Lol I got the main board replaced but had to buy another tail motor.

Second time, I thought my board was bad when my bird would spool up and cutoff. Believe me I thought the same!! Why ??? Why me!!! Lol but then it was my main motor.

Both those times, I got a board replaced and also a servo replaced.

Third time, I got a board replaced was when it really was bad. It wouldn't take any power. I am sure anything else want bad cause, the new board picked up everything just fine.


Even if all this was frustrating to go through and I was feeling like any bird I touch is turning into stone lol (because I was also dealing with THE STUPID 250 (NIGHTMARE) which wouldn't fly at any cost, and also my 450 was grounded after a stupid crash doing my first circuits. Lol ) I had hh thy sent me a new board everytime. Believe me, I buy their product becaus of their service. They sent me a board after 6months of me buying it the mcpx lol heehee

But hey! It's all a part of this hobby!

This is a bad board not a bad servo or anything. You have a local hobby shop around you?

 

[Morelight]

lol no hobby shops up here. the economy is so bad, right now I can't even find a minimum wage job that will take me, because of my education and experience, they know I will bail soon as something comes along. blah.

As you say though Gaba, the support from HH is very good, and I have a ticket in with Great Hobbies, and Horizon Hobby on the issue, and it will be handled soon enough I hope. Right now the weather has changed from decent which is 10°C, back to the freezing mark with rain/snow, so flying is out anyways for now. Tony had it right when he said I need to move a lot more south, but its out of the question unless I win lottery money

Thanks for cheering me up

Edit: the link here is where I live lol. zoom out and look for Ok and Tx from here Anybody want to come flying? lol http://maps.google.ca/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&channel=np&q=map+cobalt+on&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x4d2671fa1002e325:0x7080b99c2d7a2f40,Cobalt,+ON&gl=ca&ei=XyqET7bbCIak8QSG8KSiCA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCEQ8gEwAA

 

[Lee]

Well Vince, I hope you get it fixed soon. Once its done you will love it. I look forward to seeing the 2nd maiden