Gimbal issue post-crash P3P

dec · Sep 8, 2016

(yes another one)

For those willing to help. Moderate crash which required yaw arm of gimbal replacement. (I also replaced the flex cable). Craft flies fine, no IMU or other errors --- except gimbal overload. I've checked the gimbal arms for tightness and alignment (screw on flat part), IMU calibration, Gimbal calibration, downgraded controller firmware (and upgraded again) compass calibration worked fine. All camera functions seem normal (adjust EV, change from CAM to VID) so I believe the flex cable install went ok.

The camera points up and left (right as you look at it) to what appears to be physical limits and throws the gimbal overload error immediately.

Are there any tricks/tips that you can point me to? or extra items that I can inspect?

Can there be IMU issue without other errors?

Droneted · Sep 8, 2016

You either need a new yaw motor or the gimbal main board is bad. My money is on the gimbal board as I have several like that. Here is what u can do to sort of fix it. This is not easy and takes some experimenting. loosen the set screw on the yaw shaft. Move to a different position on the shaft (off the flat spot) At first go about 30 degrees to the left. If that does nothing go 30 degrees to the right. When you get it so that it sort of point straight ahead, tweak it until u get it centered. Mark it and use some locktite to hold it. One other method is to move the magnet. If you try that u will break it. I have been experiment with this issue for weeks. I repair cameras and this is an issue that comes up a lot after a crash. If someone has a better cure lets hear it....

dec · Sep 8, 2016

good counsel Ted ! So if I try the 30deg (L/R) and see no response can I assume its the board? Confirm there's not firmware that we (or local RC shop) can plug the craft into to get overall data? [in 2016 you would think that would be available???but Im sure proprietary clause comes into effect]

Droneted · Sep 8, 2016

tell me what u find when you try different locations. Try more than just the 30 degrees. take your time and experiment.

Great_Lakes · Sep 8, 2016

Ted4797 said:
You either need a new yaw motor or the gimbal main board is bad. My money is on the gimbal board as I have several like that. Here is what u can do to sort of fix it. This is not easy and takes some experimenting. loosen the set screw on the yaw shaft. Move to a different position on the shaft (off the flat spot) At first go about 30 degrees to the left. If that does nothing go 30 degrees to the right. When you get it so that it sort of point straight ahead, tweak it until u get it centered. Mark it and use some locktite to hold it. One other method is to move the magnet. If you try that u will break it. I have been experiment with this issue for weeks. I repair cameras and this is an issue that comes up a lot after a crash. If someone has a better cure lets hear it....

Let me ask this. referencing what you've described, is it possible to loosen the screw on the shaft, then with the yaw arm pulled off the shaft, start the phantom up, let it go through it's dance and then when the shaft finds its new "home" position put the yaw arm back on the shaft with the camera pointing straight? Theoretically the shaft would be in the position it now calls "home", even if it isn't right. Just curious.

Droneted · Sep 8, 2016

Worth a try. I will try that. I might try it with the set screw loose making sure it will slide on the shaft. My way takes a lot of time.

dec · Sep 9, 2016

ALAS ! Turns out my issue was the gimbal motor board (tilt) . . . the potentiometer was no longer connected as you can see. (I didnt diagnose, I took it to local hobby store and the found that concern within a couple minutes . . . if you look close one of the connector areas is different colored. $25 to have a computer store with micro solder capability to fix it. Works as good as new. Kewl thing was seeing the dudes lab . . . I literally got to view the entire board and see some of his micro test equipment being used just to show me how they can test micro parts. Before we placed it back on the gimbal he said the entire board seemed in good shape and his words " if thats all the was wrong it will work as good as new ". It did --- I will keep you posted if there any hiccups later on. (BTW the dudes builds about anything RC and/or Robotic . . . used to be on the robot fight show (ABC) he's way past pocket protector status --- and my new hero ! ) Less on learned --- IF you have gimbal issues and have these UBER TECHs nearby, might be worth getting their two cents on fixing it if you can explain the issue, they can probably decipher the answer.