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This is short instructional video on how to do one of the things that will greatly improve your crafts performance - flashing ESCs with BLHeli firmware.
Nearly everyone heard about SimonK firmware. This is specially designed firmware for ESCs that greatly improves performance for multi-copter use. However, SimonK firmware is designed for ATMEGA based ESCs and it can't be flashed on other chips.
However, more and more ESCs these days come with SiLabs chips, including very popular Turnigy Plush line. Luckily, there is an alternative - BLHeli firmware. This is very advanced and customisable firmware and latest versions are as good if not better than SimonK in multi-rotor department. And yes, it works with SiLabs based chips.
You will need some kind of programmer for this and Arduino Uno is the best and cheapest way to go.
LINKS:
WARNINGS:
1. This process involves soldering, flashing and programming your ESC. Each one of these things can destroy your ESC. I''M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY USING THIS METHOD. YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE RISK!
2. This process is not reversible. So, if you don't like BLHeli firmware there is no coming back to stock one.
3. You can experiment with different firmware settings, but every time you change something you have to do exactly the same thing on every ESC! Everything must be the same otherwise weird behaviour could be expected.
You need:
Arduino Uno - search eBay for "Arduino Uno" and buy the cheapest one :)
Arduino jumper cables - search eBay for "Arduino jumper cables"
Soldering Iron (30W):
Any 30W (or similar) soldering iron.
Enjoy RC as much as I do! :)
Additional information:
Video: iPhone 4
Editing: FinalCut Pro X
Music: GarageBand
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I used from the video:
Govener P Gain: 0.13
Govener I Gain: 0.13
Govener Mode: off (default, not on your screen)
Low Voltage Limit: off
Motor Direction: normal
Input PWM Polarity: positive
Startup Power: 1.00
Startup PWM: 0.67
Startup Acceleration: 2.3
Motor timing: High
Motor pwm freq: High
Damping Force: very low
Startup method: direct (default, not on your screen)
Demag Compentstions: 15/0 (default, not on your screen)
Gain: 1 (default, not on your screen)
BEV Voltage High: low (default, not on your screen)
Programing my TX: on (default, not on your screen)
Trottle Rate: 255 (default, not on your screen)
Trottle Min 1148 (default, not on your screen)
Trottle Max 1832 (default, not on your screen)
Becon Strength 80 (default, not on your screen)
Beacon Delay: 3 min (default, not on your screen)
Beep Strength: 40 (default, not on your screen)
Everything with (default, not on your screen) is the default value, can you confirm these?
I guess that the Trottle settings are set when you calibrate with the KK 2.0 board when holding button 1 and 4.
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I flashed my skywalker 20A ESC with some BLheli 10.x FW (I think :) ) and I stumbled upon some obstacles I want to present here, perhaps it will save others some time. I used the arduino method (abusing temporarily my multiwii board for it - so no extra hardware.. some use their arducopterboards.. just reflash the flightcontrolsoft when done with blheli).
1st problem:
The first obstacle was my soldering skill and the tiny bad placed pads on skywalker esc. So I took two needles and attached cables to them and arduino, the third cable is GND and can be taken from the battery/mainpowerlead. Now put some normal transparent scotchtape over the contacts of the dismantled ESC. This allows your needles to peek throug and touch the pads, while holding them into place (laterally, you will have to press a little from above).
2nd problem:
I used the olliw gui (like in your video) and its' supplied arduino sketch/hex to program the esc the first time and failed many times. It worked with the blheli suite and its' arduino program! The sil chips on skywalker seem to be somehow locked and need to be unlocked - and that couldn't be done by the olliw sketch (maybe now, I flashed some months ago). Once unlocked you can flash them with both utils. So if you get a constant flashing error and your cabeling is correct, try the other tool!
After solving these probs I figured out the best settings for my esc/motorcombo and flashed all esc with it. I am very happy with blheli for months now. My method does not allow to quickly change the FW but thankfully I don't need to.
Cheers
Rob
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Thanks again and great video!
Ed
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- BLHeli flashing howto for all programmer hw out there: http://oddcopter.com/2012/07/18/flashing-silabs-escs-with-blheli-firmware/
- HK has this tool that allows for flashing as well if you don't want to mess with the Arduino: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idproduct=25433
Probably the biggest thing I'd recommend is that BLHeli and/or SimonK are also GREAT on 3D planes for wicked throttle linearity!! No more (or much less) throttle punching to hover, etc. Bottom line is - do it! You'll love it for 3D!!
Note: BLHeli/SimonK for a glider app where you want to use the brake on the motor requires an ESC that supports the braking / damping function.
Cheers, and thanks for bringing this up on the site.
J
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And yes, BLHeli is great firmware not only for multi-rotor use.
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Cheers,
J
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The problem is the blheli tool doesn't seem to support firmware versions newer than 10.4
It can flash them, but it can't read them or make configuration changes.
The link to blhelisuite on github points to mediafire.com, but chrome prevents downloading the zip archive claiming it's a malicious file.
Suggestions anyone?
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I tried it with "Turnigy Multistar USB BLHeli Programmer For V2 Multistar ESC" ( http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__65150__Turnigy_Multistar_USB_BLHeli_Programmer_For_V2_Multistar_ESC.html ) through servo lead and also tried through arduino uno as arduino usb linker but its not connecting.
The newer version of hex file which is 14.3 is not supported to configure through bl heli tool v122 so to configure that i need to connect it with the blheli suite. please let me know if there is a way to connect it with blheli suite after flashing it through blheli tool.
Thanks for the support
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