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Carl.Vegas 220 Bumble Bee build
#1
Alright, so most of the parts have arrived from china. I can get started this weekend. Holy crap am I scared! I don't mind admitting it because I think it's something that might be good to share. but.... on top of the nervousness is a "oh HELL YEAH! I CAN DO THIS ISH!"...  but I need to get the frame together first. 

Here is the parts list again:
So I am going to update the OP along the way with the primary highlights, but i'll post the sub-details along the way in the rest of the posts. 

Here are my categories:

Parts inventory:
[Image: Inventory.png]

Pre-solder pre-view (FPV Cam not actually mounted, neither is VTx)
[Image: Pre-solder-pre-view.png]

Build pre-test/pre-config:
[Image: bumblebeepreconfig.png]

Build final (w/battery and HD cam mounted):
[Image: bumblebeefinished.png]

Maiden flight video
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#2
Haha don't be scared!
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#3
I am feeling much more confident now... I have to get creative about where I put the VTX and my worry is how difficult it might be to change channels.

Going back to the frame... I wish I bought a better frame for sure. This one isn't a true-x (it's wider than it is long) and you can tell that there isn't quite the quality assurance going on that one would expect of a more expensive product (holes don't always line up perfect across multiple parts)...

The other item that I was nervous about: the ESCs, I kinda think I should have went with individual ESCs afterall... but I am still building this sucker as is! it turns out there is a lead that goes from the FC to the ESC board that is almost right, I just have to switch motors 3 and 4 and it'll work with less soldering which is nice (even if the wire does sit behind my camera)

I love that there is a perfect little spot under the frame for the RX. That's probably not why they built it that way but it'll work very well and I already have a feel for how I'll route the antennas...

Anyway... having a blast learning as always... even when I bang my head against the wall from time to time... soldering tomorrow... this means I'll likely have to wait until next weekend for a maiden flight... but... who knows if I get desperate maybe I'll go out before work one of the days of this upcoming week.

Picture for Pre-solder pre-view updated in OP

Oh yeah, and I decided to go with the stock PDB afterall... mainly because I was worried about fighting screw length... On my first build the last thing I need is to have to figure out how to cut screws or deal with ones that are 1-2mm too long.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#4
(07-May-2017, 12:18 AM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: Oh yeah, and I decided to go with the stock PDB afterall... mainly because I was worried about fighting screw length... On my first build the last thing I need is to have to figure out how to cut screws or deal with ones that are 1-2mm too long.

Its easy to just cut or grind them down to size. Then round off any sharp edges left behind from the cut with a file, until it starts threading easily into a nut/standoff and doesn't cross-thread.

Wishing you the best of luck in your building adventure bro! Popcorn
The Obsession IS Real!
My Youtube and Instagram links
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#5
(07-May-2017, 05:15 AM)Drone0fPrey Wrote: Its easy to just cut or grind them down to size. Then round off any sharp edges left behind from the cut with a file, until it starts threading easily into a nut/standoff and doesn't cross-thread.

Wishing you the best of luck in your building adventure bro! Popcorn

I am not really worried about cutting or grinding scews. It's more about avoiding a feeling of "oh crap, why didn't I just keep to the plan". 

I'd rather get the basic learning done on this build... I've already learned several things that I would do different on the next one but I'll be waiting a while before I build the 4th. By June I'll have 3 working quads and I'll be able to compare flying each with what I've learned so that by fall I can build the perfect one. Or that's the plan anyway. 

Thanks for the luck-wishes... I am feeling relatively comfortable at this point as long as I don't end up with any big issues when it comes time to plug in, flash FC if needed (not sure what version of BF is on it) etc. Soldering is next and I am feeling relatively ready for it due to having practiced.  Cool
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#6
update:

I've got pretty much all of the soldering done, most of it is put back together (minus some loctite)... and as I was putting the top plate back on with the VTx... it became very obvious that I have an excessively large video transmitter x.x it just plain doesn't fit.

[Image: fatvtx.png]

So I'll be going with a smaller eachine vtx, ordered on amazon.

Also... the quad has an emerging theme and name now... as some of you may have noticed or seen me mention in other threads I have an affinity for the color yellow... It's my favorite color to be specific... well with the use of some yellow electrical tape to keep motor wires down it started to look like a bumble bee theme... so that's what it is... the bumble bee.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#7
(07-May-2017, 11:16 PM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: it became very obvious that I have an excessively large video transmitter x.x it just plain doesn't fit.

I hate to say "I told you so".



























Wait,



















What am I saying?



















I don't hate it at all!



















TOLD YOU SO!

Big Grin

Love the colour scheme and the name. Thumbs Up
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#8
These are the critical lessons one must learn when one develops skills as a quad hobiest...

time after time... always... always... always... listen to Uncle Unseen!

now if everything powers up OK I'll be grateful to only have this one issue! I am worried about a couple of uncertainties and less than perfect solder joints... but it's a first build... if I have to redo something later I should be fine and I'll get to learn even more.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#9
Big Grin

Your soldering looks good from what I can see in the photo. Shame the motor wires weren't long enough to reach all the way to your 4-in-1 ESC. It seems to be a trend now. Instead of motor wires that were always far too long because they only had to reach about 10mm to the arm mounted ESC, now they are always too short to reach to the centrally mounted 4-in-1 ESC. You just can't win!

Before you power up:

1. Check that there is no continuity between positive and negative on your XT60.
2. Remember to use the smoke stopper that you of course have already made. Wink

Hope it all goes well!
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#10
I brought the multimeter down earlier knowing it was getting close to time. I l hadn't thought of that specific test.

As for smoke stopper, I am going to admit because I think it's important to share the noobness... before I looked it up just now I thought a smoke stopper was a way to keep the smoke from the flux from getting in your face. So glad I learned about it! Thanks ?
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#11
The smoke stopper is a really cheap way of saving a lot of expensive electronics from going up in smoke if you've messed something up. It also has the added benefit of preventing you from accidentally spinning up the motors at anything more than a slow crawl.

I have a bench power supply that I use instead. It has an adjustable current limit, so I set that to about 300mA when I first power up and if anything is really wrong, it will simply drop the voltage down to virtually nothing before any serious damage happens.

Neither of these things will completely save you though. If you've connected the 5V supply to your flight controller the wrong way round and it doesn't have any kind of protection, then it might still fail.

When you test for continuity at the battery plug, don't be surprised if you get an initial beep. This is just the capacitors on the power rails charging up. After a second, the resistance will rise again.
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#12
So there are 2 areas where I am the most paranoid at this point...

1: something in the soldering of the ESCs having gone wrong and there being a short there.. I've done a ton of due diligence to avoid any problems there... so hopefully it'll be ok

2: I've read multiple times that my FC has a voltage regulator in it and it can handle direct power from the lipo... this is important because I opted not to go for the alternative PDB... If for any reason this is wrong then I could kill the FC...

Otherwise, I am feeling OK and the rest of it is just a matter of being careful.

I will stop by the automotive shop tomorrow to pick up some fuses (even though I already have a few, but I have them planned for something else) and I'll make myself a smoke stopper just in case...

With the multi-meter, I planned to have a look to find if there were certain points without any resistance... if I saw that there were spots where I expected at least a little resistance and yet they have none then I know I have a short. This should help me calm my ESC short paranoia I figure.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
[-] The following 1 user Likes Carl.Vegas's post:
  • unseen
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#13
You'll be fine.

And when the Bumble Bee takes to the air for the first time it will all be worth it!
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#14
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I have read it is better to use a light bulb instead of a fuse, as the fuse can still let enough current through to burn more sensitive parts before it pops, while a light bulb is using the current, as it pops. 
It was also suggested to use 2, 3157/4157  automotive bulbs. One, using only the small filament of the bulb for initial power up's and the second with both filaments for motor testing and flashing ESCs.

Edit: Snapped a pic of my smoke-stopper setup with alligator clips for you. I happend to have several automotive bulbs from my days working for Autozone. Most retail auto parts store serve commercial Auto repair shops and offer substantial discounts. Ask them for a pack of their commercial 3157/4157 bulbs (usually kept behind the counter), and you'll get 10 bulbs for the same price as the normal 2pack on the shelves. (At least in the US Wink )
[Image: FmUZLq7l.jpg]
The Obsession IS Real!
My Youtube and Instagram links
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#15
Here are some detailed instructions on making a smoke stopper (found on a great forum I frequent) Big Grin

http://intofpv.com/t-how-to-make-a-smoke...lectronics
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