Author Topic: Icelite Castle 50A ESC with Climb and Dive - UPDATE (Read 2217 times)

Paul Taylor · « **on:** December 09, 2023, 01:31:15 PM »

So I had issues with my old dawg and testing the C&D with a Castle ESC.

The motor would start then after a few seconds it shut down. After changing to Airplane mode I get a fast startup blip spin, and now it runs.
Here are my settings. Let me know if you see anything else that might need changing.

Dennis Toth · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2023, 02:57:12 PM »

Paul,
The only thing you didn't show was the Cutoff tab. I have had a similar issue. What worked for me was to set the current cutoff to normal, voltage cutoff to soft and current cutoff to hard fast. This allows the punch to start (which was the issue I had, with a high motor start power) without going over current.

Best, DennisT

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2023, 05:22:22 PM »

Thanks I’ll get a screen shot and post/correct. 👍🏼

CircuitFlyer · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2023, 06:48:03 PM »

I’m just reading this to try and learn some things. Question about Throttle type: Auto calibrate endpoints. Is that not just for the RC guys? They have the ability to change transmitters and fiddle with travel/endpoints. I would think for control line you would want Throttle type: Fixed endpoints.

What is the throttle response setting? Using an external governor I would think the ESC needs to react as fast as possible to any throttle changes.

BTW - the timer outputs a min throttle signal pulse width of 950 microseconds and a max throttle signal of 2000 microseconds. The brief start up spin is a 1090 microsecond signal.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #4 on:** December 09, 2023, 09:50:07 PM »

Quote from: Dennis Toth on December 09, 2023, 02:57:12 PM

Paul,
The only thing you didn't show was the Cutoff tab. I have had a similar issue. What worked for me was to set the current cutoff to normal, voltage cutoff to soft and current cutoff to hard fast. This allows the punch to start (which was the issue I had, with a high motor start power) without going over current.

Best, DennisT

Cut off.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2023, 09:53:11 PM »

Quote from: CircuitFlyer on December 09, 2023, 06:48:03 PM

I’m just reading this to try and learn some things. Question about Throttle type: Auto calibrate endpoints. Is that not just for the RC guys? They have the ability to change transmitters and fiddle with travel/endpoints. I would think for control line you would want Throttle type: Fixed endpoints.

What is the throttle response setting? Using an external governor I would think the ESC needs to react as fast as possible to any throttle changes.

BTW - the timer outputs a min throttle signal pulse width of 950 microseconds and a max throttle signal of 2000 microseconds. The brief start up spin is a 1090 microsecond signal.

Hey Paul thanks for jumping in.
I will try and post some more info. I’m going out of town in the morning but if I can find the information I’ll pass it along. If not it might be a week.

Dennis Toth · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2023, 08:04:58 AM »

PaulT,
Looking at the Cutoff tab it is set for auto lipo voltage 4Volts and 3 volts per cell. I am thinking that this might be causing some conflict in the ESC, I like to set mine for a voltage cutoff of 3.2 volts.

I also like to set the current cutoff to hard fast. The settings you have should not cause a problem for normal start and flight. I had a ship get caught in wet grass on takeoff and flip over, the motor just kept trying to pull more current since the ship wasn't stuck in the ground. This caused the motor to fry, now have hard fast current cutoff.

Best, DennisT

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2023, 08:58:02 AM »

Quote from: Dennis Toth on December 10, 2023, 08:04:58 AM

PaulT,
Looking at the Cutoff tab it is set for auto lipo voltage 4Volts and 3 volts per cell. I am thinking that this might be causing some conflict in the ESC, I like to set mine for a voltage cutoff of 3.2 volts.

I also like to set the current cutoff to hard fast. The settings you have should not cause a problem for normal start and flight. I had a ship get caught in wet grass on takeoff and flip over, the motor just kept trying to pull more current since the ship wasn't stuck in the ground. This caused the motor to fry, now have hard fast current cutoff.

Best, DennisT

Noted. I too did the same thing but with a different setup.
I will make sure its a hard stop. 👍🏼

I hope this thread becomes a SOP for Castles.
I did read if you have a bad Castle to send it back and you get a trade in. Not sure the IceLite ESC is covered due to age.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2023, 02:55:27 PM »

It will be awhile before I can hook up my ESC and get detail options on my Castle but I did find a YouTube video that might help explain some of the settings.

https://youtu.be/3-GCk3N6xKA?si=ik4THbYPDAK6OvLA

pmackenzie · « **Reply #9 on:** December 10, 2023, 11:05:18 PM »

Quote from: CircuitFlyer on December 09, 2023, 06:48:03 PM

I’m just reading this to try and learn some things. Question about Throttle type: Auto calibrate endpoints. Is that not just for the RC guys? They have the ability to change transmitters and fiddle with travel/endpoints. I would think for control line you would want Throttle type: Fixed endpoints.

For C/L with a timer, for sure you want fixed end points.

Even for R/C you should really use fixed end points.
Auto calibrates makes no sense, unless perhaps you are using some very old transmitter that has no way to adjust throws.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2023, 09:38:20 AM »

Quote from: pmackenzie on December 10, 2023, 11:05:18 PM

For C/L with a timer, for sure you want fixed end points.

Even for R/C you should really use fixed end points.
Auto calibrates makes no sense, unless perhaps you are using some very old transmitter that has no way to adjust throws.

Changes are coming. 👍🏼

Keep it coming. My hope is to make a document for Castle ESC’s using the C&D timer.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2023, 01:10:50 PM »

Changes coming. Stay tuned

Ok after a few more messages here what we got for settings on a Castle ESC with the Climb and Dive timer.
Thanks for all the emails and text messages.

Let me know if anything jumps out at you.

CircuitFlyer · « **Reply #12 on:** December 21, 2023, 09:32:39 AM »

My only concern is the setting for the Initial Spool-up Rate. The timer expects a throttle response without any lag at all times. Maybe set that a little higher and let the timer control the spool-up.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #13 on:** December 21, 2023, 01:36:19 PM »

Quote from: CircuitFlyer on December 21, 2023, 09:32:39 AM

My only concern is the setting for the Initial Spool-up Rate. The timer expects a throttle response without any lag at all times. Maybe set that a little higher and let the timer control the spool-up.

Thanks Paul.
I’ll see if I can adjust it.

Update High has a value of 8. I will go with that.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #14 on:** December 23, 2023, 01:17:08 PM »

Update

I flew today with the settings above.
I was a little fast and I have set the RPM to 9000. I was at 9200 getting a 4.8 second lap time. Will see on the next outing if that slows it down. I can definitely feel the break on the way down. I did hear the pulsing sound that Dick was hearing on his plane. I also could feel a vibration in the lines. Not sure if it was the wind and dirty lines? More testing needed. Also it seemed to speed up in a head wind and slow down on the opposite side. Again not sure if this is the governor kicking in to keep the same RPM.
The one thing that we need to figure out is after the “shutdown” is the motor still has power to it and it slowly spools down making landing almost impossible.
Mine and Dicks plane is doing the same thing. Not completely killing the power to the motor.
I’m thinking hard cut off???

Dick Carville · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2024, 11:51:21 AM »

I have been flying and testing the Climb Dive timer ,along with Paul Taylor, to determine how it works with the Castle 50 ESC.

We liked the timer but had a few issues. We knew that the timer has its own governor so we could not use ( under Vehicle type) CL mode.

We tried the "External Gov." mode and found that it worked ok except , we got a slight but noticeable pulsing of the motor in level flight . It also would not stop the prop spin after flight( prop continued under low power)

We also tried the "Airplane" mode . This had some similar and other issues.

All this time we were working with Paul of Circuit Flyers (its inventor) . All we could do was trial and error and report in flight findings to Paul.

After Christmas Paul (Circuit flyer) got his hands on a Castle 50 to analyze. He found that in Airplane mode it was trying to govern and conflicting with the Timer

External governing solved the conflict but landing with the prop powered is a problem

After extensive bench tests Paul suggested we use the "Multi Rotor " mode .

Earlier this week Paul T and I flight tested in Multi Rotor-- EVERYTHING WORKED PERFECT. We did multiple flights and the Timer was rock solid

I REALLY LIKE THE WAY THIS TIMER WORKS and all the parameters I need are available via blue tooth on my phone.

I would add that Paul (Circuit Flyer) was the mot responsive and helpful supplier I ever worked with. Fast responses and excellent instructions.

More info at CircuitFlyer.com

Dick Carville

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2024, 01:01:17 PM »

That's great news!

Ken Culbertson · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2024, 02:08:09 PM »

Quote from: Crist Rigotti on January 04, 2024, 01:01:17 PM

That's great news!

When you going to try yours. My breath is baited. Open question for those working with it. Can you control two ESC's seprately like you can with the Fiorotti?

Ken

CircuitFlyer · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2024, 03:16:39 PM »

Dick & Paul T,

Thanks for being patient with me will we got it all sorted out.

One thing I'd like to add regarding Castle Phoenix ESC's: In Multi-Rotor Type the lower throttle endpoint is 1.1 milliseconds. Currently, that's the exact same as the timers throttle signal for the short start-up blip to indicate the start. So, it could be hit or miss if the prop spins over for a second or two. I'll bump that value up in the next code release to make sure it happens every time.

Christ,

No, not separately unfortunately . It's on my wish-list of features for a more advanced version of the timer.

Ken Culbertson · « **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2024, 03:52:31 PM »

Quote from: CircuitFlyer on January 04, 2024, 03:16:39 PM

No, not separately unfortunately . It's on my wish-list of features for a more advanced version of the timer.

I will keep watching. My next plane is slated to be a twin and if Crist has good things to say about the C&D timer I would like to give it a try.

Ken

Jeremy Chinn · « **Reply #20 on:** January 04, 2024, 06:08:56 PM »

Thanks all for your work on this. I had my first flights with the C&D this past weekend. It worked great and everyone who watched it fly commented positively about it.

I did notice the pulsing in level flight, but it was very slight.

Of note, I have a bunch of Castle programming links from many years ago. I connected my plane last week to update its ESC settings and none of them would connect (Phoenix 50). A call to Castle and I should have a new one in hand before the weekend.

Christian Johansson · « **Reply #21 on:** March 04, 2024, 04:20:45 AM »

Quote from: CircuitFlyer on January 04, 2024, 03:16:39 PM

Dick & Paul T,

Thanks for being patient with me will we got it all sorted out.

One thing I'd like to add regarding Castle Phoenix ESC's: In Multi-Rotor Type the lower throttle endpoint is 1.1 milliseconds. Currently, that's the exact same as the timers throttle signal for the short start-up blip to indicate the start. So, it could be hit or miss if the prop spins over for a second or two. I'll bump that value up in the next code release to make sure it happens every time.

Christ,

No, not separately unfortunately . It's on my wish-list of features for a more advanced version of the timer.

Hi,
Had the same issue with Hobby King's YGE ESC. increase start-up blip to 1.125 helped
/cjo