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e-E-Flite Blade CP CX 400-3D > How to repair burned out Blade CX 4-in-1 controller

ncpiperpilot
Heliman
Location: NC

Yep...I noticed that too. It's not the one I have. I will try to get pics of mine up tomorrow.

...Bill

02-16-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

stickyfox,
Yes this is from my Blade CX, (not CX2) and part number is EFLH1025, listed at most places for $49.95

02-16-2007 Over year old.

ncpiperpilot
Heliman
Location: NC

Here's the one from my Blade CX, about 1 year old. It's different than your's dbacon.

If anyone has the locations identified that the traces on pins 1 (the dot), 2, 3 and 4 run to, I'd appreciate it so I can run jumpers.

02-17-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

ncpiperpilot,
I finally fixed my Blade EFLH1025 controller. It took a lot of research, but works great now.
I thought the blown IC was a 7313, and I learned from this thread that a 7907 was a better replacement, so I ordered 10, and soldered one in, but couldnt attach pins 2 & 4 because the traces were gone on the board.

So I traced what I got, first picture is the 7313/7907, and the 7413, which I ACTUALLY had, and how to replace the 7413, because it has A DIFFERENT PINOUT!

The second picture is the schematic for the motor driver, it is pretty simple. The 7413's are on the cristal side, the two resistors and microprocessor are on the other side.

The last two pictures are of the two sides, I call the bottom side as the crystal side.

Those two 100 Ohm resistors have a hole through the board on the same end that attaches to the MOS-FETS, pretty handy for replacing fried traces.

02-20-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

One more thing I forgot to mention in my repair discussion, the board will glitch like mad until you put it back in its plastic case, so don't give up until you have reassembled it.

Also, on my last post, two pictures I previously posted crept in there, I guess I need to learn how to post pictures better.

02-20-2007 Over year old.

stickyfox
Key Veteran
Location: Troy, NY, US

dbacon: Nice work on the illustrated PCB layout. I think you'll find that the chip on the top is a 324 quad op-amp. All the 4/1's I've seen use a 324 to amplify the gyro signal. The EZ2.. number on the picture above looks like a lot number. Likewise for the LM393 on the flip side.

The other chip is a TA31136 FM detector. The metal can on the left is the crystal for the EM78P. I'm not sure of the clock frequency but I think I recall it being 4 MHz.

-fox

02-21-2007 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

Thanks stickyfox

You sure know your electronics, I am impressed. I will update my information. I will re-post the pictures after updating if anyone needs them, but the updates concern area others may not want to fix.
I will wait to see if people want the new pictures.

02-21-2007 Over year old.

ncpiperpilot
Heliman
Location: NC

dbacon,

Nice work!!!! It looks like they moved to separate motor drive FETs (2 single FETS) since my version (1 double FET package, 1 FET per motor). That should be a better design and able to dissipate more heat. Now if this were the same version of the board as mine it would be perfect...but I think you have given me enough info that I can try figure it out. Might take me 'til the weekend to have time to play.

02-21-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

ncpiperpilot,

This might mean that you could install two 7907's on the board to replace the single IC. Since they are so small, I am sure you could find a place, especially since you could solder all 4 output pins (5-8) right to the negative output connector pin.

Then all you would need is battery negative to pins 1-3 on both of them, and the signal wires to the respective 100 ohm resistors.
Be sure we both thank stickyfox for the original research on the 7907's.

02-21-2007 Over year old.

stickyfox
Key Veteran
Location: Troy, NY, US

Yeah, and those parts shouldn't ever go bad. I changed out one op amp once, but the problem turned out to be something else so I didn't even need to.

But since you have already done what I've been thinking about doing for a long time now, the least I can do is share my notes.

-fox

02-21-2007 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

tboyflyer
Heliman
Location: St. Clair Shores, MI - USA

Burned Trace in Circuit Board

Just thought I would add to the potential problems list and ask for some advice. I replaced all the components mentioned in this post and still had no luck. After searching the board carefully I found a burned trace in the board. I jumped the the trace with a wire and now the 3 in 1 works. Problem is that my receiver must be broken because my CPP will still not arm.(I proved out the 3-in-1 on a friends CPP.) Any suggestions on repair of the receiver or a better receiver option? I have heard the HDS610 or maybe an Esky or Futaba replacement from helidirect?
Tboy

03-06-2007 Over year old.

stickyfox
Key Veteran
Location: Troy, NY, US

I've heard that the Berg makes a really good substitute for the stock receiver.

-fox

03-06-2007 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

jcdetroit
Senior Heliman
Location: Redford MI

I've caught this thread well after it's begining, but find myself a victim of my ten year olds eagernes/inexperience.He did'nt know to shut off the throttle when it falls to the ground.(did'nt tell me.found out next time I wanted to fly)
Anyhow,Dbacon,in the post where you had picture of the reciever board,the back of the board(lower right hand pic)in the upper right corner there is a small component listed as J8.Well I have another one of these on the lower right hand corner of the board.This part was also bouncing around in the case.
I must have the diff version of this board (only one FET)
Now for the questions.How can I test to see if this part is bad or just popped off the board?Nobody else seemed to comment about this part.
Do I have to use the same part?,or is there another that will work?Also popped the mosfet(7313).Besides the 7907, is there any other equivalent part that will work?
I have tons of old PC boards at work,but none have the J8 or the 7313.
Hey! Noticed youre from Shelby Township. I'm from Redford MI!
Hello Neighbor!
Thanks

Helis are like crack.

03-13-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

JCDetroit,
Hello my nearly-neighbor.

I would prefer the 7907, others, StickyFox and Mike Flight have had good performance from it. I haven't yet, stressed it myself. (too chicken) Not that there are anything wrong with chickens...

I posted schematics of the FET units, and wiring out to the motors, and although your layout may differ, I'll bet the circuit is the same, since it is nothing more than a power driver for the pulses coming out of the CPU.

If it melted itself off the board, it is bad, I wouldn't even bother testing it. Digi-key has them for $1.12 apiece, and they ship so fast your head will spin.

If you PM me, I'll mail you one of my extras, because I bought 10, I over-reacted in my panic to fix the controller. But like you said, you need your heli fix... I am no different.

The 7907 is a dual unit so you would control both motors with one.

J8 seems to be a transistor, I don't know what it does for sure, but it looks like it is in the antenna circuit. That is something I wouldn't be comfortable messing with - perhaps StickyFox has a comment here, he really know his electronics...

03-13-2007 Over year old.

jcdetroit
Senior Heliman
Location: Redford MI

Dbacon,thanks for the reply.I might try soldering the transistor back in place and see what happens.Will PM you for the mosfet.

Helis are like crack.

03-14-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

For those of you that need small amounts of electronic parts, there are a few electronic suppliers that cater to the experimenter.

My favorite is Mouser.com, as they have no minimum order or any "service charge" for a small order. They also have a great on-line catalog.

Another is Digi-Key.com, also no minimum, but a $5 service charge if you are under $25, which is very reasonable. Also a great on-line catalog that also leads you to spec sheets, just like Mouser.

I can't imagine a company can make any money with an order that is less than what they pay their people to put it in a box!

Don't tell them that though, we need someone crazy enough to support the small experimenter, remember Zefran Cochrane started small.

03-14-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

JCDetroit,
Did you ever get the Blade fixed, I never heard any more...

I was having trouble with blade strikes on my CX when outside and it was driving me nuts. So I made a 2" longer inner shaft and solved the problem completely. If you do this, remember to put a piece of tubing over the inner shaft to rest on top of the bearing, so the shaft won't fall downwards.
I was hot-dogging it an went in nose first (oop) So now does anyone know what the little black cube with "C28" on it is? I knocked it off the board. Now the controller just blinks red-green, same as when it can't find the transmitter. I held the broken component tight against the board and it started to work, so I replaced it with a .01 mfd capacitor of the same shape, but no deal, still doesn't see the transmitter.

I measured the voltage across the empty pads with the component out, and it was just a millivolt or two, so I don't think it was an electrolytic filter or power supply capacitor.

On this photo of my board it is in the upper right corner, but when mounted in the Blade CX it is in front, on the left side of the heli, and was the first thing to hit the pavement.

Thanks

03-25-2007 Over year old.

jcdetroit
Senior Heliman
Location: Redford MI

Dbacon
Sorry for the lste reply.Company sent me out of town for a week and could'nt get back to the heli until this weekend.
I did the repair but now as soon as the battery is plugged in,the motors spin at full throttle until unplugged.(scared the cra$p out of me)Have tried re-soldering legs to make sure they're tacked down but same results.I even tried to start it with throttle up on the TX(maybe reversed) but no good. I think something else may be bad and just cant see it or I'm a duffuss and I'm doing something wrong. May have to bite the bullet and shell out for a new 4in1.

Helis are like crack.

03-26-2007 Over year old.

dbacon
Heliman
Location: Shelby Twp, MI, US

jcdetroit,

Did you read the signal going to the output FET's? It appears to be a digital output from the micro processor, I would guess it is a series of pulses, probably pulse width modulated for motor control.

If you are not getting pulses to the FET, then the problem could be the FET or how it is connected. Its really a simple circuit, and I included a schematic a few "posts" ago...

You could make these tests with the motors unplugged.

Also, if the motors are unplugged, do the servos operate normally? This would mean you are mostly working...

Mine won't even do that after my last crash...

03-26-2007 Over year old.

jcdetroit
Senior Heliman
Location: Redford MI

Thanks Db.
I'll have to check when I get back home as I am at work now.
Yes the servos work fine just throttle is bad.I too feel that it is so close but not there yet.Should I be able to read the signals from the FET with a standard voltmeter or do I need a scope?
I'll talk at you later.

Helis are like crack.

03-27-2007 Over year old.

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e-E-Flite Blade CP CX 400-3D > How to repair burned out Blade CX 4-in-1 controller

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