(08-May-2017, 06:20 AM)Drone0fPrey Wrote: 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. 

The reason I was going to go with a fuse for the first run was because of the opposite. The article that I read pointed out that a bulb wont actually stop the flow of electricity but instead limit it. Of course a bulb that was rated to burn out at a specific amperage would be great. 

Another problem I just realized as I read over the thread from that really awesome forum that sloscotty quoted is I don't have any 3s batteries so I'll have to be working 15-16.8v. Maybe a circuit breaker like the one I found on the propwashed blog wouldn't be too bad of an idea: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MMDLQQ

(08-May-2017, 10:43 AM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: The reason I was going to go with a fuse for the first run was because of the opposite. The article that I read pointed out that a bulb wont actually stop the flow of electricity but instead limit it. Of course a bulb that was rated to burn out at a specific amperage would be great. 

Another problem I just realized as I read over the thread from that really awesome forum that sloscotty quoted is I don't have any 3s batteries so I'll have to be working 15-16.8v. Maybe a circuit breaker like the one I found on the propwashed blog wouldn't be too bad of an idea: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MMDLQQ

That's what the small filament or "low" bulb is for. Only allows enough current to power FC and Rx and maybe VTx. It limits the current and stops the flow when it blows/pops immidiately because the current is being used. Where a fuse lets that current pass through shortly until the fuse element melts/pops.

I have read that a circuit breaker is the best option as well.

(08-May-2017, 05:41 PM)Drone0fPrey Wrote: That's what the small filament or "low" bulb is for. Only allows enough current to power FC and Rx and maybe VTx. It limits the current and stops the flow when it blows/pops immidiately because the current is being used. Where a fuse lets that current pass through shortly until the fuse element melts/pops.

I have read that a circuit breaker is the best option as well.

I actually placed an order for the circuit breaker... I'll be doing some tests with the multimeter tonight and the new vtx and parts for the smoke stopper come in tomorrow. If all goes well I should be able to get her in the air this weekend.

I'm unsure about the idea of a circuit breaker. There don't seem to be any detailed specifications in the listing, but a trip current of 3A is quite high. It's a lot more than the approximately 450 mA that the smaller bulb in the classic design will limit the current to.

Three Amps is more than enough to cause damage to fine PCB tracks if you have a little solder ball shorting something on the flight controller.

If you go for a lower trip current, you'll just get annoyed when the beep from the ESCs keeps on tripping the breaker. The fact that you can't adjust a breaker's trip current is actually the biggest drawback for this application.

A small bench power supply that can deliver a voltage between 0 - 30V at a maximum current of 3A and which has an adjustable current limiter is far from expensive. A good bench supply is really useful. You can power up a receiver with it for binding. You can use it as a smoke stopper where you decide the maximum current according to your need. As you can also set the voltage to a tenth of a volt, it's perfect for calibrating your flight controller's voltage sensor, etc, etc, etc.

I'd be lost without mine!

As much as I'd love to get more equipment right now I'm kind of at a point with this hobby where I need to have some self control. The fact that I am even ordering a new receiver rather than making the bulky immersionRC one work is already a betrayal of my self-control. I've found some decent power supplies for 50 bucks but I need to spend at least 3 or 4 months without buying anything but props in order to tech myself how to be responsible again.

At this point, here is what I'll do. I'll grab a bulb and include it in the circuit. If I ruin something I ruin something. I'll spend extra time checking on the front end to minimize risk.

I happen to have a great job and make decent money, but not rock star money. I have a decent chunk of cash on hand at any given time due to my combination emergency/vacation fund. The problem is, this hobby has started to eat into that fund! lol... I need to be more careful. or to get a raise... one or the other :p alright... time to go talk to the boss.

Did some basic continuity testing and found significant resistance in circuits that I expected resistance in. For example, ground and ESC outputs, xt60 leads, etc. While I don't know enough about the electronics to be certain that I am safe I do feel as though I probably dont have any significant issues with the soldering (with the exception of one joint that was weak and came loose.)

tomorrow the VTx, XT60 connectors, circuit breaker, and bulbs come... I'll likely just stick with the bulbs for this build and cross my fingers.

If all goes well tomorrow night and I don't run into any big problems with configuration then I should get a chance to fly 3-4 batteries on Wednesday morning before a doctor's appointment that I have.

Good luck Carl! Expecting final photos and videos very soon...
(And did anybody ever tell you that you worry too much?)

(08-May-2017, 06:57 PM)unseen Wrote: I'm unsure about the idea of a circuit breaker. There don't seem to be any detailed specifications in the listing, but a trip current of 3A is quite high. It's a lot more than the approximately 450 mA that the smaller bulb in the classic design will limit the current to.

Three Amps is more than enough to cause damage to fine PCB tracks if you have a little solder ball shorting something on the flight controller.

If you go for a lower trip current, you'll just get annoyed when the beep from the ESCs keeps on tripping the breaker. The fact that you can't adjust a breaker's trip current is actually the biggest drawback for this application.

A small bench power supply that can deliver a voltage between 0 - 30V at a maximum current of 3A and which has an adjustable current limiter is far from expensive. A good bench supply is really useful. You can power up a receiver with it for binding. You can use it as a smoke stopper where you decide the maximum current according to your need. As you can also set the voltage to a tenth of a volt, it's perfect for calibrating your flight controller's voltage sensor, etc, etc, etc.

I'd be lost without mine!

I have been wanting one here lately, this just makes it worse

....can someone explain it to my wife?

(09-May-2017, 03:58 AM)Drone0fPrey Wrote: ....can someone explain it to my wife?

Hm, you could try... err... uhm... nevermind.

(09-May-2017, 02:05 AM)sloscotty Wrote: Good luck Carl! Expecting final photos and videos very soon...
(And did anybody ever tell you that you worry too much?)

Thanks.

It's literally my job to worry about defects all day long and with very high stakes (I manage quality for a big company). So it's force of habit, especially for something as important as my first quad build... which is arguably almost as important as all those customers I am responsible for if you ask me :p 

(09-May-2017, 03:58 AM)Drone0fPrey Wrote: I have been wanting one here lately, this just makes it worse

....can someone explain it to my wife?

I'll explain it to her for you if you get 2 and send me one. 

(09-May-2017, 04:16 AM)fftunes Wrote: Hm, you could try... err... uhm... nevermind.

  that guy has been watching way to much movies! That gif is already funny, but with the slap it's even better!

Alright... so everything is together with the exception of mounting the VTx in there a little more solid... I'll come up with a solution to that in the next day or so... for now it can sit loose as I solve other problems. 

I've assembled the quad and tried to power it up with a complicated smoke stopper that I created (I took one of the practice PDBs and wired the smoke stopper to go through the 12v... when I tried to power up nothing happened and I wasn't quite willing to power directly yet.

I did plug the FC in and it was able to connect... I have to track down some info on betaflight... there are configurations I've never had to do before that I'll need to now do. 

Anyway, updating the OP with the latest photo. It's an hour or so past my typical bedtime and I've racked my brain plenty enough for one day so I am off to bed now. 

Maybe since I charged batteries I'll take the vortex out in the morning to make myself feel better.

Quick update:

She powered up just fine! w00t! the BumbleBee lives... however, it occurs to me since I bought a pre-built and pre-configured quad for my first I don't know the half of betaflight yet and I have already tripped up on some stuff that'll require some reading. So no maiden flight this morning... gotta drain my batteries somehow so I am going to take the vortex out this morning and work on the BumbleBee tonight. I may get the chance for a maiden flight tomorrow but if not then maybe I can leave work early on Friday or something.

(oh, and the problem wasn't the quad... everything is fine there (expect maybe some wiring messes)) it was the way I put together the smoke stopper. I didn't have a complete circuit. It's corrected now and worked just eine.

Don't overthink Betaflight too much, it should fly quite nicely to start with the default settings. Good luck on your maiden flight!

(10-May-2017, 01:28 PM)RENOV8R Wrote: Don't overthink Betaflight too much, it should fly quite nicely to start with the default settings. Good luck on your maiden flight!

Actually it's not the tune, I reconfigured the direction of the flight controller (it was backwords intentionally for wire management reasons), I set the ESCs to DShot600, and now just need to get the receiver going as it's not connecting to SBus. These are basic things I know but it's the first time I've had to do any of them.

I also have to check that all motors are assigned correctly and spinning the right way. This is because my 4-in-1 ESCs had awkward assignments.

Thanks for the good luck! Hopefully I won't need it.

It lives!!

I knew you wouldn't have any trouble.