Decided to start my third build.  This one will be 4s.  May take a while to get it completed, but gotta start sometime, right? Parts list follows.

Frame:  Tweaker 5 by Shendrones
FC: X-Racer F303 V3.1
PDB: QuadRevo PowerOSD PRO2
Motors: Emax 2205/2300kv "red bottoms"
ESC's:  Little Bee 30A Opto
Camara: Runcam Swift
VTX: fx796t 600mw
RX: Frsky XSR
Props: T5040 V2 (don't think I'm going to like them, too flexable)


There you have it.....nothing is cast in stone and I encourage comments/suggestions.  Will update as I make progress...or a blivit (10 pounds of in a 5 pound bucket).

Nice - a 5" Tweaker!  Can't wait

Started to set up my PDB last night and I noticed that as soon as I hooked power to it, it got hot....really hot.  After about 4 seconds the chip in the center would burn you.  Direct short in the board or a component?  Have email Quadrevo but have not heard back yet.  Has anyone had a similar experience with the POWER OSD PRO2 version of this board?

I have been in touch with Mohamed from Quadrevo. He thinks the board is defective and I am putting it in the mail back to him tomorrow. I am disappointed in the board of course, but overall happy with Quadrevo's response in terms of time and completeness. We'll see how long it takes to get the replacement. I went ahead and ordered another one which will be a lot quicker then waiting on this one to be replaced/returned.

Ok...I'm back.  I sent my PowerOSD Pro2 back to QuadRevo and waited.....and waited.  While I was waiting I decided to order one form getFPV...they're usually pretty quick and sure enough, they got it in the mail the next day, so I waited...and waited...and waited.  Checked tracking and a week after it was mailed, it showed it in Sarasota FL.  It STILL shows it there.     Several conversations with USPS and all they could tell me is what I already know......yet they won't admit to losing it.    Ok...all that is another story, Quad Revo finally came through and I received the replacement.   And this one works!

In the past I have just blundered ahead and put all the components together in the quad usually to find out something didn't work and I would have to take it all apart again. This time  decided to hook everything together on the bench and it all worked...well sort of.



I have always used the same channel for video, so I left the VRX on the same channel it's always been on (b1) and I set the VTX to the same channel....nothing but static.  well experimenting I find that the VTX and the VTR have to be on different channels for it to work.  Now, all that said, I am testing this thing in my  basement and there is a lot of steel around and the VTX is 600 mw, so I don't know if that is causing it or not.  Guess I'll find out when I get everything outside.

I am using an XSR RX.  I fly (crash) primarily through on the other sides of dense woods and underbrush so I like to have RSSI. The PDB requires an RSSI input if that is to be displayed on the screen.  I am of course receiving it on my Taranis, but I want it to display on the screen as well. The XSR has a direct RSSI out put, all one has to do is tap into it. There is a small solder pad on one corner of the board that gives you RSSI. 

XSR prior to mod showing location of pad.




XSR after adding wire for RSSI and replacing heat shrink.





I could get it by looping back through FC, but this way feeds it directly to the OSD so one doesn't have to depend on the strength of the radio signal to get RSSI.  It is sent from the RX through a physical connection to the OSD (in this case part of the PDB) and then to your VTX.   Is this better then looping back through the FC?  I am not sure I really know, but this way I am recieveing two different ways. 

I would be interested in hearing any thoughts anyone may have......for all I know I could be headed to hell in a hand basket!!!   I will update when/if more progress is made.

(27-Nov-2016, 08:25 PM)sirdude Wrote: I could get it by looping back through FC, but this way feeds it directly to the OSD so one doesn't have to depend on the strength of the radio signal to get RSSI.  It is sent from the RX through a physical connection to the OSD (in this case part of the PDB) and then to your VTX.   Is this better then looping back through the FC?  I am not sure I really know, but this way I am recieveing two different ways. 

I would be interested in hearing any thoughts anyone may have......for all I know I could be headed to hell in a hand basket!!!   I will update when/if more progress is made.

Yea both ways work, but I am not sure if you need an ADC for RSSI signal directly from XSR receiver? Most of the time we do the "TX loopback" RSSI is we don't need any extra hardware and mod...
Anyway I found RSSI not that useful with mini quad's, mostly because I don't fly out of range or lost signal (before i lose FPV signal) normally, if I do I get vocal warning on my Taranis anyway...

(28-Nov-2016, 04:43 PM)Oscar Wrote: Yea both ways work, but I am not sure if you need an ADC for RSSI signal directly from XSR receiver? Most of the time we do the "TX loopback" RSSI is we don't need any extra hardware and mod...
Anyway I found RSSI not that useful with mini quad's, mostly because I don't fly out of range or lost signal (before i lose FPV signal) normally, if I do I get vocal warning on my Taranis anyway...

I am feeding the RSSI signal directly from the XSR to the PDB and that value shows up on the OSD.  Doing it two different ways provides a little QA over the result.  However, it's really that I want to have it in two different places just because I can    Given the areas I fly in, it does give me an idea when it's about to fall out of the sky.....although I can't think of a time that has really made a difference.  

(28-Nov-2016, 07:15 PM)sirdude Wrote: I am feeding the RSSI signal directly from the XSR to the PDB and that value shows up on the OSD.  Doing it two different ways provides a little QA over the result.  However, it's really that I want to have it in two different places just because I can    Given the areas I fly in, it does give me an idea when it's about to fall out of the sky.....although I can't think of a time that has really made a difference.  

I'd be willing to bet good money that you've fallen out of the sky without any warning at all.....

(28-Nov-2016, 07:32 PM)sloscotty Wrote: I'd be willing to bet good money that you've fallen out of the sky without any warning at all.....

That sir, would be a safe bet!

(28-Nov-2016, 07:39 PM)sirdude Wrote: That sir, would be a safe bet!

Well, I just know that for me, even with a warning shouting "go back, go back!", I'm still gonna crash ....   

(28-Nov-2016, 07:58 PM)sloscotty Wrote: Well, I just know that for me, even with a warning shouting "go back, go back!", I'm still gonna crash ....   

Agreed.  For me it's those damn ninja bushes.  Steve warned me about 'em, but they still get me!

I have had a chance to do a little more work on this build.  I have gotten some more detailed pics and some of this may be a little repetitive, so my apologies for that.
Following photo shows the quadrevo Power OSD Pro2 with the wiring harness attached.  Camera in and out and power for the VTX (which powers the camera).  Also shows RSSI in (green wire) for the OSD display and 5v out for the FC (red wire)


Next is the FC, X-racer v3.1.  Wiring shows 5v incoming from the PDB (single red wire). wiring for the RX (power out, s-bus and smart port)  Red and black with the jst  connector will bring battery voltage in for vbat.  Buzzer is soldered directly to the board.


I will be picking RSSI up directly from the RX and sending it to the PDB for display in the OSD.  The PDB gets the battery voltage the Mah, time and sends them to the OSD internally.  By having smart port hooked into the FC, I will also be able to get all that information through telemetry to the transmitter.  I fly a lot of LOS and FPV so it is important to me to have it in both places.

I have chosen to mount the RX and VTX back to back on the same stack with the PDB and FC.  That keep them off the top plate.  All I will have to disconnect to remove the top plate will be a short video ant. lead.  The RX antennas will slide up in a very narrow straw that is heat shrinked to wire ties in the conventional manner.  When removing the top plate they will just slide out of the straws.


I apologize to those of you who already knew all this anyway, but maybe it will helps some out there that done.  More to follow!

Further progress.....mounted the ESC's (Flycolor Raptor 30A) and motors (Emax 2205 2300kv).  Full disclosure...the ESC's and motors were provided to me by GEARBEST for review, which will be done in separate threads. 





Comments/questions/suggestions encouraged.

Side whining... Power plug xt60 is not having any stress relief, if this is its final place, a zipyie or hg would be nice. If not hard crash that catapults the battery can rip the power leads from pdb.

(15-Dec-2016, 08:47 PM)Grisha0 Wrote: Side whining... Power plug xt60 is not having any stress relief, if this is its final place, a zipyie or hg would be nice. If not hard crash that catapults the battery can rip the power leads from pdb.

Appreciate your input.  This is not the final resting place for the plug.  It will go though the top plate where it will have some support laterally.  However, your point is taken, if the battery were ejected at the right angle I could still have a problem.  I'll give that a little more thought, thank you for pointing it out!