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Eflite Throttle Calibration

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  • Eflite Throttle Calibration

    I'm trying to calibrate the throttle on an Eflite 70mm F-16 but it won't go into programing mode for some reason. Have throttle all the way up, throttle trim -100, throttle cut off. When I plug the batter in I get a quick squeal (normal) and then it goes right into the 6 beeps for the battery type. Any ideas why I can't calibrate this or what I can do. The plane has no get up and go. It pokes along at what I would guess is half throttle.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated.

  • #2
    Turn throttle cut off, armed the esc is not getting a signal.
    AMA 424553

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by RRHandy View Post
      Turn throttle cut off, armed the esc is not getting a signal.
      He describes the throttle cut as being off already. The ESC is clearly getting a signal as it recognizes change in his throttle position and goes through normal startup process once the throttle is at it's minimum setting.

      Bellke ​​​​
      My guess is this is the E-Flite 100amp ESC which has no programing modes and auto calculates throttle calibration. Why it seems to be slow could most likely represent an ESC issue. Do you have any other ESC in which you could test things with?

      Comment


      • #4
        I have this F-4 and I don't recall needing to do a throttle calibration or anything else to do with ESC programming. It just worked. I do see in the manual that your throttle trim should be as the lowest point before binding.
        Not necessarily related but the last few days, I've been helping a friend try to get a Radian XL ESC throttle calibrated. I gave him this ESC for use in his Eflite Cub. Since it came out of a Radian, the brake was set. For some reason, the stock RX in his Cub would not allow the ESC to go into program mode. We tried everything - lowest throttle trim, all rates to 100% as suggested by some Eflite manuals. Nothing worked. When the throtte stick was put to the top and the battery plugged in, it would not go into program mode. Then we thought it was because when bound to the stock AS3X RX, it would not go into program mode. Eflite ESCs seem to have an odd relationship with these RXs. They can be programmed but not in the traditional way. Anyway, we decided to use a non-AS3X Spektrum RX and follow the protocols set down in the ESC manual. (BTW, programming Eflite ESCs does NOT follow the typical throttle stick movements. It involves some mid-stick procedures.) Guess what? When using a different RX, it went into program mode and he was able to do the throttle calibration and take the brake off. Put it all back to the stock RX and it all worked as it should.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by xviper View Post
          I have this F-4 and I don't recall needing to do a throttle calibration or anything else to do with ESC programming. It just worked. I do see in the manual that your throttle trim should be as the lowest point before binding.
          Not necessarily related but the last few days, I've been helping a friend try to get a Radian XL ESC throttle calibrated. I gave him this ESC for use in his Eflite Cub. Since it came out of a Radian, the brake was set. For some reason, the stock RX in his Cub would not allow the ESC to go into program mode. We tried everything - lowest throttle trim, all rates to 100% as suggested by some Eflite manuals. Nothing worked. When the throtte stick was put to the top and the battery plugged in, it would not go into program mode. Then we thought it was because when bound to the stock AS3X RX, it would not go into program mode. Eflite ESCs seem to have an odd relationship with these RXs. They can be programmed but not in the traditional way. Anyway, we decided to use a non-AS3X Spektrum RX and follow the protocols set down in the ESC manual. (BTW, programming Eflite ESCs does NOT follow the typical throttle stick movements. It involves some mid-stick procedures.) Guess what? When using a different RX, it went into program mode and he was able to do the throttle calibration and take the brake off. Put it all back to the stock RX and it all worked as it should.

          xviper Where did you find the manual for this ESC? Is it something you can link? I'd love to actually see one. Even Horizon doesn't have one available from everything i've seen.

          Comment


          • #6
            I found it with a Google search. Here is one for a 60A ESC. https://www.horizonhobby.com/on/dema...CInstSheet.pdf
            However, I also had a hard copy that accompanied one of my planes. It’s the same as the PDF file above.
            There seems to be two types of Eflite ESCs in terms of programming procedures. Most newer ones are very similar to any modern day ESCs from Freewing or FMS. However, the older ones and even some of the newer ones are quite involved. You start the usual way by moving the throttle stick to max, then at a certain desired beep tone, you move it to the mid position and wait for more beeps (NOT all the way down as we’re more accustomed to). From there, depending on what you want to change, the stick either goes back up or all the way down. It’s weird and complicated.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by xviper View Post
              I found it with a Google search. Here is one for a 60A ESC. https://www.horizonhobby.com/on/dema...CInstSheet.pdf
              However, I also had a hard copy that accompanied one of my planes. It’s the same as the PDF file above.
              There seems to be two types of Eflite ESCs in terms of programming procedures. Most newer ones are very similar to any modern day ESCs from Freewing or FMS. However, the older ones and even some of the newer ones are quite involved. You start the usual way by moving the throttle stick to max, then at a certain desired beep tone, you move it to the mid position and wait for more beeps (NOT all the way down as we’re more accustomed to). From there, depending on what you want to change, the stick either goes back up or all the way down. It’s weird and complicated.
              I've seen the 60amp it's easy to find. Is it the same as the 100amp as far as programing? I haven't been able to find the 100amp. This is why I was asking about the 100amp manual specifically. I'm pretty good at the google but haven't found the 100amp manual. I know that some of these change programing from version to version based on amperage.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by 406PIlot View Post

                I've seen the 60amp it's easy to find. Is it the same as the 100amp as far as programing? I haven't been able to find the 100amp. This is why I was asking about the 100amp manual specifically. I'm pretty good at the google but haven't found the 100amp manual. I know that some of these change programing from version to version based on amperage.
                It depends on the type of ESC they decided to use. If they used the old style ESC where programming involved mid-stick steps, then that manual will apply to all of them, regardless of amps. I think we can't find one for the 100A is because it's not of that type. I believe it gets programmed the usual way as per today's FW and FMS ESCs but Horizon makes it hard to find those instructions. I suspect that it's difficult to get into the programming menu because ........................ 1. Eflite doesn't want the end user to do it and ................... 2. The supplied RX (with AS3X and SAFE) doesn't allow it. As in the example of my friend who was trying to program the ESC out of my Radian XL, that I gave him, he was only able to succeed once he used a non-AS3X RX. Throttle calibration procedure was the same as any other "typical" ESC but turning the brake OFF involved the mid-stick process.
                In the case of this F-4, if throttle calibration is desired, I would use a different RX to do that and then hook it back up to the stock RX. There may be another method to do throttle calibration on the F-4 (though the manual says it "shouldn't" be necessary). I've found this out in older Eflite ESCs and that's to make sure throttle trim is at the bottom and all rates are set to max before binding. A further aid is to set the throttle travel in the servo travel menu to max out at 115% to 125%. In fact, for Bellke, increasing the throttle travel might do what he wants it to do and then adjust the throttle trim so that the motor starts within the first couple of "clicks" of the throttle stick. I've done this on occasion in the past and it does seem to work to give the motor that extra bit of range.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by xviper View Post
                  It depends on the type of ESC they decided to use. If they used the old style ESC where programming involved mid-stick steps, then that manual will apply to all of them, regardless of amps. I think we can't find one for the 100A is because it's not of that type. I believe it gets programmed the usual way as per today's FW and FMS ESCs but Horizon makes it hard to find those instructions. I suspect that it's difficult to get into the programming menu because ........................ 1. Eflite doesn't want the end user to do it and ................... 2. The supplied RX (with AS3X and SAFE) doesn't allow it. As in the example of my friend who was trying to program the ESC out of my Radian XL, that I gave him, he was only able to succeed once he used a non-AS3X RX. Throttle calibration procedure was the same as any other "typical" ESC but turning the brake OFF involved the mid-stick process.
                  In the case of this F-4, if throttle calibration is desired, I would use a different RX to do that and then hook it back up to the stock RX. There may be another method to do throttle calibration on the F-4 (though the manual says it "shouldn't" be necessary). I've found this out in older Eflite ESCs and that's to make sure throttle trim is at the bottom and all rates are set to max before binding. A further aid is to set the throttle travel in the servo travel menu to max out at 115% to 125%. In fact, for Bellke, increasing the throttle travel might do what he wants it to do and then adjust the throttle trim so that the motor starts within the first couple of "clicks" of the throttle stick. I've done this on occasion in the past and it does seem to work to give the motor that extra bit of range.
                  Without the manual you'd just be guessing at menu's and menu options though. Like you said you it's probably a safe / decent assumption that things are the same as FMS etc.... but you don't know for sure. as an example without the manual it's possible you could try to adjust timing and turn on the braking feature.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by 406PIlot View Post

                    Without the manual you'd just be guessing at menu's and menu options though. Like you said you it's probably a safe / decent assumption that things are the same as FMS etc.... but you don't know for sure. as an example without the manual it's possible you could try to adjust timing and turn on the braking feature.
                    Without a manual, all you can really do reliably is throttle calibration and brake set when using a different RX. Those seems to be the same as any other ESC. Anything else is a crap shoot.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      What transmitter are you using?

                      Does the throttle go all the way to 100% as shown on the monitor screen?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        It's not critical what TX you are using but it's what RX you are using to program the Eflite ESC. The ones with AS3X and SAFE can be problematic and certain other parameters must be met, such as max rates, throttle travel to 100%. No, it's not just what the monitor says, it's the throttle stick all the way to the top, plus, you must read the manual to see where they want the throttle trim to be. Some want it left in the middle, while other Elfite planes want it lowered to the bottom.

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