Proper Trim?

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Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Noticed a tutorial on youtube it showed in order to give proper trim on auto level to do the following:

Land the quad
Disarm
Press throttle all the way up and hold
move the stick where trim is needed.

I'm using a Turnigy 9x, should I use this method or use the normal 4 trim buttons that's built on the transmitter?

Figured I would make a new thread just in case someone else came in looking.

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:56 pm

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

I'm here and I use a 9x so I might as well help here too. The first thing you need to do is center up your radio (TX.) When that is done correctly, the four trim buttons will not be used again. THIS IS IMPORTANT. This is actually the first step in successfully getting a multiwii to fly and it is stated so on the multiwii beginners wiki. Go on youtube and look up a video on how to center up the sticks on the Turnigy 9x. If you fail to do this, no amount of level trimming will help. In the video you will learn to use subtrims and endpoints to get your TX where it needs to be to work properly. Having a properly centered TX is the secret to getting to the point of needing to trim your auto level. After you get that done, then yes, you use the method you described using stick moves.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Most likely gonna have to look up how to do it in the firmware that's flashed on my 9x. I'm using er9x

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:56 pm

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

Kbev5709 wrote:I'm here and I use a 9x so I might as well help here too. The first thing you need to do is center up your radio (TX.) When that is done correctly, the four trim buttons will not be used again. THIS IS IMPORTANT. This is actually the first step in successfully getting a multiwii to fly and it is stated so on the multiwii beginners wiki. Go on youtube and look up a video on how to center up the sticks on the Turnigy 9x. If you fail to do this, no amount of level trimming will help. In the video you will learn to use subtrims and endpoints to get your TX where it needs to be to work properly. Having a properly centered TX is the secret to getting to the point of needing to trim your auto level. After you get that done, then yes, you use the method you described using stick moves.

I went and tried to find the video on this but I couldn't :shock:
I walk you through it. Center up all of your front panel trim buttons. They make a longer beep when they are centered.
Go into your subtrims menu. Adjust all of your channels with both sticks centered so they read 1500 using the subtrims. Then go into the endpoints menu. Adjust things at the low end to 1000 and the high end to 2000. Go back to the subtrims menu. Make sure that it is still centered at 1500. If it moved, re adjust to 1500. go back to the endpoints menu. See if things changed there too. If they did, fix and repeat the process until you get 1000 low, 1500 mid and 2000 high. You have to adjust these things while you are hooked up to the MW conf or Win GUI.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

I'll hook everything up to Win GUI and try. What is the endpoint menu called? I got 11 pages in my setup

Here is what I got

Page 1: Model Select
Page 2: Model Setup
Page 3: Heli Setup
Page 4: EXPO/DR
Page 5: Mixer
Page 6: Limits
Page 7: Curves
Page 8: Custom Switches
Page 9: Safety Switches
Page 10: Telemetry
Page 11: Telemetry 2

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:56 pm

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

That's how it's done on the stock 9x. The menus are different so I don't know. I do mine while I'm in a model though, not from one of the first up menus. Good luck from here in because I'm useless with the ER9x :o :roll:

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Found it

Image

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:56 pm

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

Wow. That's way different than mine. Use yours in conjunction with the conf to get everything right then you can start your level trimming.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Yea ER9X firmware has all kinds of stuff in it. Here is a quick manual of most of the menus: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... 655X33.pdf

So about the subtrims. I need to center all the sticks and open WinGUI and get them as close to 1500 as possible?

Then I move the stick all the way up and get it as close to 2000 then move the stick all the way down and get it as close to 1000?

Kbev5709
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Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

Yeah. That's it. For all the channels.

Echosyp
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Aight thanks, I'll try that in a bit. It's decent outside so might go fly the Ominus around for a bit. Then come back and mess with it.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Haven't flown the Ominus in over a week now, Forgot what fun it is.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Aight got it all setting at 1500 on mid, 1000 low and 2000 high. I guess I'm good to go now. MIGHT take it outside tomorrow and just try to hover and see what happens. Still a bit nervous tho, as holding it down on the floor with my hand and giving it full throttle those motors sound insane.

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
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Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

Now that's all you have to do is flip it into angle or horizon and use your sticks to level tune it. Lift off, see which way it drifts, land, disarm, full throttle, use right stick in opposite direction of drift. 1 bang of the stick is a 1 degree increment. Move the stick to the end of travel in the direction needed to correct. Hold there for at least a half a second. The LEDs on the FC will blink when the changes have been made. Diagonal stick moves do nothing. If it drifts in a diagonal direction use a combination of right angle stick moves in the opposite direction of the drift to correct.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Appreciate it, I got horizon and angle mode setup to switches. I'll have to check and see what my trim setting is on. With er9x flashed I have different trim levels. Ranging from 1 increment every push of the stick up to 8 increments every push of trim.

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:56 pm

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

The more I see with that er9x the more I think I'm going to end up flashing mine with it. That's a nice little extra with those adjustable trims. Sheeeesh. I can make that upgrade for as little as like $3.00 if I buy a programmer and break out my soldering iron. Then,I'll just need to learn my TX all over again.... :? :D

Echosyp
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

It's got some nice features all around. The stock 9x is what 9 channels? With er9x I got full 16 channels to use. and room for extra knobs / switches.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Didn't go as planned, is it ok to take off in angle mode? And what's easiest way to reset the trim?

It seems holding full throttle and press up or down on the right stick didn't do anything from trim. Anyways I broke an arm so out of commission for a while.

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
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Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

I take off in angle with way less difficulty than in acro. I actually suck at acro. But I have mine trimmed already so it's no big deal. If you can lift off the ground straight up in acro you have it trimmed in the TX ok. If it takes off and goes one way or the other you have more centering to do somewhere. I've never had to reset trim but I think the best way without EZ GUI is to re-flash the firmware. Easiest way? Use EZ GUI with 2.4. It has a trims button.
Are you SURE you have it in angle when you think it is? In acro, the quad will take off straight if everything is centered up right, but the minute you hit the pitch roll stick, the quad keeps going in that direction until you correct it. If it is in angle the quad will rise up straight if everything is centered or drift off if not centered. Moving the pitch roll stick in angle will make the quad fly towards where you pointed it and letting the stick center will return the quad to level, or drifting if it is doing that and needs tuned. The LEDs should blink if it is in angle and you do the trims. If it isn't really in angle it will act like nothing happens. Broke an arm on the quad? I hope?
Last edited by Kbev5709 on Tue Jan 26, 2016 12:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Yea broke a wooden arm on the prop. Gonna have to order another one. It kept wanting to lift off and do a flip, so I tried disarming it, full throttle and move the right stick but didn't seem like nothing was working. GOnna have to read up on it a bit more.

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:56 pm

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

Yeah, if it's trying to flip on lift off that's a whole other issue. When I first started, I swore up and down that I had all of my ESC wires on the right motor pins. Until I flipped twice while trying the maiden flight. All the motors were spinning in the right direction and all the props were the right ones. It really helps to sweat the details.

Echosyp
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

I did however calibrate acc and it seemed to take off just fine. I might reflash 2.4 and see what I can come up with. GOnna have to order another arm tho, they only $1.40.

So I just disarm, hold the throttle all the way up and then adjust with right stick? LEDs blink when I do that.

Kbev5709
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Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

Yep. Also, every time you re-flash you need to re-calibrate the ACC and magnetometer and reset all the level trims again. I just remember how many stick moves it took and repeat.

Echosyp
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

I shouldn't have to recalibrate the Mag if the machine was shipped to me from another state would I?

Kbev5709
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Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

You supposed to re-calibrate the mag before every flight. At the very least before every GPS flight. Yes, shipping from out of state requires a re-calibration too. ALSO, in your config.h GPS section you want to set the magnetic declination of where you will be flying. It gives a link in the config.h to find what yours is. Having the right declination is even more important than re-calibrating. When I fly right near my home, my MD is the same as my home. When I fly in a field across town I have to reset my MD to that location. So every time I reset my MD I have to re-upload my sketch, which then requires me to re-calibrate my ACC and Mag because after a sketch upload those settings go away.
Re-calibrating the mag is easy. Just hit calibrate mag and rotate the craft in 360 degree circles around all three planes (yaw, pitch and roll.) Calibrating the ACC no so easy as you must make sure the FC is absolutely level when doing that. I use a little round bubble level to do my ACC.

Echosyp
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

Even if I don't have a GPS module I need to set my MD? I'm gonna try to calibrate my mag with this short cable I got. I have now pretty much set my TX back to default and gonna try whenever I get a new arm ordered. I did notice on my TX when I was moving my right stick around it wasn't going all the way up or down. THe previous owner had some settings in the TX that would make the right stick stay at like 1700 for the high and on the low end it would only go down to 1150. I reset the TX and now I'm at like 1500 - 1503 on midpoints, and 2002 - 2003 on high and 999 - 1002 on low.

Kbev5709
Posts: 451
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Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Kbev5709 »

If you use a mag at all while flying the MD needs to be right. Not only that, but it changes over time and needs updated. Mine is -5.2 right now. It was -5.1 last year. If you never use GPS or mag I guess that (notice I said guess) you could leave it unset. The FC needs it accurate if you fly in "Headfree" mode.
If you have EZ GUI you can calibrate the mag with no cable. I can see where you might be hesitant if using a really short USB cable.
Sounds like good TX settings now.

Echosyp
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:39 am

Re: Proper Trim?

Post by Echosyp »

I do have EZ-GUI but have no way to connect it to my FC at the moment. Haven't bought any 3DR radios yet.

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