HZ Super Cub and LED lights - help needed.

[bcmedic16]

Hey all,

new to rc planes and have a very limited knowledge of electronics, so I'm looking for some help with a light set up, or maybe tips from someone who's used them.

I've got a HobbyZone Super Cub, stock with the 11.1v 1300 mAh Lipo setup,
and I've got the G.T. Power RC navigation light 8 led kit.

The LED kit specifies an input voltage of 4-6v and current input of 30mA. It has a board to plug all the lights into, and a lead from that board with a connector that appears to fit right into the extra port (where the Auto flight inputs go) on the ESC of the HZ Cub.

What I'm wondering, in short, is how to mae this work.

Part of my brain says if it plugs in, go with it, but part of me is put off the differences in numbers between the battery and the LED specs. I think part of the problem is I can't find any info on what the output of the esc is to the top ports.

Any help you can offer would be appreciated

[cbatters]

Please post link to more into on GT POwer Navigation 8 light set.


Clint

[Trammellc2001]

I would think that the out put of the x-port is between 4 and 6 volts. You can check it with a volt meter.

If the plugs are the same and the voltage is correct, then go for it.

Can you post a link to where you got your lights?

[bcmedic16]

to clarify,

the plug is the same as the ACT (anti crash) sensor plugs, so it would plug into the extra 2 pin plug on top of the ESC (hopefully)

[bcmedic16]

I got the lights through an ebay seller, trying to find the link...

[bcmedic16]

GT RC lights

best info I could find, the official site (gt-rc.com - in Chinese) doesn't want to work for me.

[cbatters]

Pinout and details of XPORT signals below.

Pin 4 is battery plus so it is a function of what battery using you are ruing and current star of charge. In the case of 3s lipo it could vary from12.6 to 9.9 V

Ok here is the deal so far.


The Pins coming from the aircraft's electronics are as follows

1. Ground
2. Demodulated controller output
3. Throttle signal
4. Battery V+


Pin 2 and 3 are what we are all interested in.

Pin 3 is easy:
Pin 3 is about a 1kHz square wave from 0 to 4Volts. The duty cycle of this square wave is proportional to the throttle position.
At max throttle its 100% high, or a steady 4V.
At no throttle it is 0% high, or 0 Volts.
At 50% throttle its 50% high, etc...

Now this must also be the pin that the Sonic Combat module uses to kill the engine. I'm guessing that the Sonic Combat simply shorts this pin to ground and so the speed controller sees 0% throttle. If someone could confirm this for me I'd appreciate it. I'm wary about shorting it to ground myself even through a resistor.



Pin 2 is the real bugbear....
It is clear that it is sending out the signal received by the aircraft after it has been demodulated. It is a 0 to 3Volt square wave.

With the ACT switch on, the wave signal repeats every 25ms.
With the X Port unactivated There are 4 positive pulses that last about .35ms long. The distance between the start of these pulses represents the output of the controller.
All times are from the start of the previous pulse, to the start of the following pulse.

Throttle:
The time between pulse 1 and 2 represents the throttle.
0 throttle = 1ms
100% throttle = 2ms

Pitch:
The time between pulse 2 and 3 represents the pitch control
Down Stick / Up Elevator = `1ms
Up Stick / Down Elevator = 2ms

Roll:
The time between pulse 3 and 4 represents the roll control
Left Stick/Roll = 1ms
Right Stick/Roll = 2ms


Next I'm gonna try my best to figure out what its spitting out when the X-Port button gets pressed. Also, ACT off timings coming up.


Clint

[cbatters]

Originally Posted by bcmedic16

GT RC lights

best info I could find, the official site (gt-rc.com - in Chinese) doesn't want to work for me.

This is designed to plug into stock ESC / receiver port that has regulated 5 volts available. Xport does not have regulated 5 volts.


Clint

[bcmedic16]

Sorry, should clarify,

I'm not wanting to run this through the X-Port as I have the sonic combat module there already,

it looks as if it should plug into the ACT port on TOP of the ESC.

Anyone know the power associated with these ACT ports.

Thanks again for all the help.

[cbatters]

Originally Posted by bcmedic16

Sorry, should clarify,

I'm not wanting to run this through the X-Port as I have the sonic combat module there already,

it looks as if it should plug into the ACT port on TOP of the ESC.

Anyone know the power associated with these ACT ports.

Thanks again for all the help.

Pinout starting in center of PCB .

1 ground
2 sense lead (goes to CPU input)
3 tied to pin 2
4 regulated +4.4 volts for CPU

Unclear how much if any extra current is available from the regulator. A MUCH safer route is to add a small +5 volt three lead regulator and tie into the unregulated battery power going to the receiver. (you should probably use a servo connector that would line up with the LED lighting system you found)


Clint