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Author Topic: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution  (Read 675 times)

Offline WhittleN

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Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« on: March 07, 2012, 05:56:45 PM »
I had the airplane mounted on the test stand and was doing some motor measurements.  As a last test since I had everything set up I decided to test the latest firmware update by Castle v4.0.  I used an extra ESC connected it into the circuit using Firmware 3.4 all was well and it tested much like the ICE Lite 75 during the previous test.  I then updated the Firmware to v4.0 checked that the settings where the same as previously.  Waited 30 seconds and the throttle went INSTANTLY to full power 77amps and 1526 watts.  If that didn’t get my attention!  I don’t know if that would have been safe at the field?  Could someone do the same test to make sure this wasn’t just a glitch?  Until someone confirms this or not - I recommend not changing to v4.0.  I will send this to Castle with the data in the morning.
Norm

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Online Crist Rigotti

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Re: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2012, 08:57:19 PM »
Norm,
There are some bugs with 4.0.  I'm getting this from RCGroups in the Vendors forum under Castle Creations.
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Offline WhittleN

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Re: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2012, 01:41:58 PM »
The mystery is solved - NOT a Software or Firmware issue.
Below, Steve’s answer explains it completely.  It was my fault.  The substitute ESC was a spare that I had put aside because of a bad signal wire. I wiggled it to work and that would explain the zero throttle. Then the C/L timer gave a
start pulse at 5 sec and hence the explosive start.

“Hi Norman,
The only way this can happen is the esc MUST see a zero throttle before it
can arm & run the motor. Looking at your graph there is zero throttle for 37
seconds before the motor actually started. At five seconds there was a
little "bleep" in the throttle in line.
Is it possible the Tx has sent a failsafe position to the Rx / esc at some
point??? Tx or Rx turned off causing a failsafe setting?? The logger
recorder the zero throttle which only comes from the radio gear for that
long before the motor started so it had to come from the Tx / Rx somehow???
Maybe a timer if this is control line???


Thank You,
Steve Rogers
Castle Creations

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Online Dennis Toth

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Re: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2012, 04:54:34 PM »
Norm,
This sounds similar to an event that happened to me. I was doing some prop tests and had the ship set for 20 sec flight time to allow quick tests. I did one flight on a new prop and when I landed was trying to do another flight before some rain came in. I walked up to the ship and shut off the power switch and snapped back on to start the next flight. This was very quick off/on and it rest the ESC to defalt settings (direction forward, full power), when the motor timer started the motor it ramped to full but was cut off on high amps (lucky). Sounds like the wiggle wire acted like my quick off/on and rest to full power. Let us know how the flight tests go.

Best,             DennisT
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Offline WhittleN

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Re: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2012, 06:17:10 PM »
Dennis
Wire wiggling was exactly like an on off switch.  I flew today but didn't have the guts to change to v4.0 so I flew v3.27.
Norm
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Offline fernando torres

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Re: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2012, 04:15:45 PM »
Where are you simpler life... Fox 35 and smelly oil.
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Offline WhittleN

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Re: Castle Firmware 4.0 Caution
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2012, 08:43:55 AM »
A little note from the Castle Creations web page.  Maybe it wasn’t me just simply screwing up.

"NOTE: It is HIGHLY recommended that all users discontinue use of firmware V4.00 due to a known bug that can cause unusual ESC behavior. Users may either upgrade to V4.01 or downgrade to a previous version."

Norm
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