So I bite the bullet to upgrade my 2 axis gimbal to the 3 axis gimbal. I started the install and have a bunch of questions if anyone can help I would appreciate it. I am using a MX12 for the camera operator and a GR12 receiver. 1. I assume that I use output 6 going into the radian input 1? 2. I assume that I can use the output of the castle BEC connector directly to the the GR12 input 1? If so do I use all 3 cables on the BEC? I would imagine that I only need positive and negative? Do you need orange? 3. I also assume I should do sumo6 for the GR12? 4. How are you guys wiring the FPV camera on boom 1 and chasing it down to the gimbal? You would need to leave a lot of slack in the cable for panning? Anyone have pics? 5. I'm using a 1200 3C quadropower battery for the accessories I take it this will be enough power to power the BEC, and both downlink transmitters? How are you guys splitting the power? 6. I noticed that when bolting the gimbal plate on to the cinestar hub that if you align the plate up perfectly the bolt heads will go straight through the mounting holes. I just assume you are using washers to prevent this?
Hi Dave: One of the big changes in the mental model you have is that the gimbal rotates continuously in either direction, so when you go to the 3-Axis gimbal you have two completely independent systems. There can be no wires between the frame set (the booms/motors/hub) and the gimbal because regardless of how long you make them, ultimately you'd "wrap them around the axle." So you need: 1. Two LiPo power supplies: frameset and gimbal. 2. Two BEC: frameset and gimbal. 3. Two FPV systems: FPV on boom 1 for pilot, video downlink on gimbal for payload camera. 4. Two separate Receivers (search the forum and the web for issues relating to using two Graupner receivers). The bigger human interface issue is that when you're flying the copter with FPV on boom #1, that is completely independent of the direction that the payload camera on the gimbal is flying. This will be a great source of confusion if you try to fly the 3-Axis gimbal with you doing both the camera operation and flying. Even if you have a pilot and a camera operator there can be considerable confusion as, apart from altitude, the pilot and the camera op have now common coordinate system (pilot left is not camera op left, etc.) Let me address your questions: I am using a MX12 for the camera operator and a GR12 receiver. 1. I assume that I use output 6 going into the radian input 1? By output 6, are you talking about Channel 6 on a receiver? If so, the choice of which channel you connect to Port 1 on the first of the three Radians is at your discretion. The answer is: Whichever channel you want to be the Slew control for that Radian. 2. I assume that I can use the output of the castle BEC connector directly to the the GR12 input 1? If so do I use all 3 cables on the BEC? I would imagine that I only need positive and negative? Do you need orange? See http://www.castlecreations.com/products/ccbec_diagrams/ccbec_wiring.html You only need +v and "ground." 3. I also assume I should do sumo6 for the GR12? That depends on what you are connecting the GR12 to. EDIT: Aieee. As Gary pointed out to me what I wrote originally is wrong (or at best misleading): SUMO just means "use PPM on channel 6 of the receiver" so it all depends on what you plug into channel 6. SUMO6 means output on the SUMO channel the PPM equivalent of the signals going out on channels 1 - 6. For the GR24 and GR32 the SUMO of the first six channels will appear on Rx channel 8. GR-16 and GR-12 SUMO PPM output happens to be on channel 6. 4. How are you guys wiring the FPV camera on boom 1 and chasing it down to the gimbal? You would need to leave a lot of slack in the cable for panning? Anyone have pics? Errr....this cannot be done. The gimbal spins indefinitely in either direction. For all rational lengths of wire, sooner or later it will not be enough and you'd stall out the pan servo. 5. I'm using a 1200 3C quadropower battery for the accessories I take it this will be enough power to power the BEC, and both downlink transmitters? How are you guys splitting the power? For reasons stated above, the 1200 3S Lipo should only power the Radians, servos, and the payload video downlink. It runs for about 50 minutes for me using a Mondo Stinger 5.8Ghz video downlink on a 3-Axis gimbal. 6. I noticed that when bolting the gimbal plate on to the cinestar hub that if you align the plate up perfectly the bolt heads will go straight through the mounting holes. I just assume you are using washers to prevent this? Really? That shouldn't happen. The M3 x 6 BHCS (I think that's what they are) should not go through the holes in the "star" shaped mounting plate. Can you post an image. Andy.
Andy Thanks for all the help!!! Now I think I'm not doing it right. I assume that I was removing the boom bolts in the back? That's the only thing that aligns up on the plate and the hub. I also think it needs to be spaced out so it doesn't hit the dampners? I'm starting to feel I'm doing something stupid?
Dave, The gimbal mounts to the copter at the vibration isolators via the smaller holes in the plate you drew the arrows on. The holes you point at with the arrows are provided to gain access to those boom attach bolts. Brad
Andy I found a quadrocopter video that explains a lot of the questions I asked. Just one thing, you mention 2 BEC's, one for the copeter, one for the gimbal. What would you use the BEC for on the copter?
The BEC on the copter may be required depending upon the input voltages for the FPV downlink camera. You may not need it. Andy.