M4 with ext ESC

[valintinr]

Hello,
Im new in autoquad world but I decided to try it.
I bought M4 but forgot N4 exp board.

Installed on frame, desoldered EXP pads and soldered wires directly to pads #J2.7, J2.6, J2.10, J1.10 and wired signal wire from ESC (emax nano 12A flashed with BLHeli) to them and GND wire from ESC's to VUSB GND.
I also wired 5V from PDB to M4 VUSB. ESC's wired to PDB too. They was working fine with another flight controller.
Images - IMG_*
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2p6w3xrj8zn0l ... 1.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0upsnzf4y1yo ... 2.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t637jmpl7a13w ... 8.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lhyx82ahrpg0s ... 5.jpg?dl=0
Quad and wires looks a bit ugly but I will buy N4 and fix them.

Some settings on 1-3.png.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v28qnfg0gtdl4yp/1.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/azsg7ssm2m53qzw/2.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/93cu9kf8hng5n8g/3.png?dl=0
After installing M4 I flashed It with latest firmware with ext_esc. Now I have some issues:
1. Flight mode not changed via 3pos switch (5.png - https://www.dropbox.com/s/1zex5auhxg25na1/5.png?dl=0)
2. Can't ARM (4.png - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ceomxnzhp5tazjj/4.png?dl=0)
3. Seems ESC's not initializing properly. When I used them with another FC after power ON I heared 2 grouped beeps - first one after power ON and second few beeps after few second. Ther first and the second rings are different. Now when I powering them I hear start beeps and after few second same beeps.

[Max]

Welcome to AQ and the forums!

You should use a non-Quatos firmware, or set it up properly for Quatos (which is a bit more involved than PID controller). The old Quatos firmware version requires using ESC32s, hence the ESC init errors you're seeing at startup.

The ESCs won't arm until AQ itself is armed. Until that time, some ESCs will beep an "error" condition to indicate that they're not armed. This is normal.

You cannot switch flight modes until after AQ is armed. From your radio telemetry screenshot, this looks OK.

You can get newer (latest) firmware directly from the FTP site: ftp://ftp.autoquad.org/3/334693_22529/a ... tegration/ and see the for details. This version allows switching between Quatos/PID controller and external/internal ESCs via settings, so just use the version which matches your AQ board (eg. board-8.6-quatos folder). This Quatos version can also be used with any decent ESC.

HTH,
-Max

[valintinr]

Thank you for your advices.
I decided to try m4 with quatos and brushed motors fitst like ladybird frame or similar. After that i return to ext ESC.

[valintinr]

Also please advice about ext headers:
http://www.newark.com/samtec/ftsh-105-0 ... pd-mi-alte
http://www.newark.com/samtec/clp-105-02 ... pd-mi-acce
They would be suitable for M4 board and for DIY exp board? Seems they should but asking to ensure that I'm right.

[JussiH]

[valintinr]

Thanks

[valintinr]

Hi again,
I bought small frame similar to ladybird, 8520 brushed motors and 450mah 1S battery.
After soldering + and - to Battery Port (according to wiki) and tried to turn on via button nothing happened, nothing. Baterry fully charged, via USB (and VUSB pads) board powering on. Now I tried to desolder power buttond and soldered jumper from UTP cable and same behavior - nothing changed after connecting battery. No short circut on battery port - I chacked and button pads shorted.
Some photos:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sj6ibc9vyxj2g ... 1.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9fqlfagtbisdc ... 7.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v28qnfg0gtdl4yp/1.png?dl=0

[bluuu]

power button is a "tact" button so you can't make there a short

[valintinr]

You right, i forgot that button is tact (how? )
I removed short and after pluggin battery and shorting once board become work. So seems something wrong was with button, I will buy new one then.