ASSISTANT CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH GIMBAL

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After a crash, my H3-2D gimbal no long points forward. It moves 90 degrees, but from -30 downward to -120. I have calibrated the RC controller and tried calibrating the gimbal with Phantom Assistant, but Phantom Assistant can't connect or calibrate gimbal.

As shown in the screen shot, the gimbal parameters are grayed out. Got any ideas?
 

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After a crash, my H3-2D gimbal no long points forward. It moves 90 degrees, but from -30 downward to -120. I have calibrated the RC controller and tried calibrating the gimbal with Phantom Assistant, but Phantom Assistant can't connect or calibrate gimbal.

As shown in the screen shot, the gimbal parameters are grayed out. Got any ideas?

For one thing those gimbal settings are not for the H3-2D gimbal there for the H3-3D/H4-3D. In both the RC/P2 software you calibrate the gimbal with X1. Your problem isn't with calibration but with the motor. To realign the camera plate you would have to disassemble that motor as in this video.
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I had the same problem with mine after a crash and here's how repaired it without disassembly. I use a vise grip with a piece of cloth to clamp the motor and turned the camera base until level. Seem the the screw holding the base to the motor shaft isn't that tight.
 
Jason,

OMG ... that was a scary video. You must be a jeweler or do watch repair ... just joking.

I'm glad you said I don't have to take the gimbal apart. It is getting late here (Saturday night) and I don't want to try a repair until I am rested in the morning, I'll update you.

Regarding the "grayed out" parameters on screen shot from the DJI Phantom Assistant, I thought those parameters were only for the H3-3D Zenmuse, but wasn't sure. You confirmed, thank you.
 
Jason,

OMG ... that was a scary video. You must be a jeweler or do watch repair ... just joking.

I'm glad you said I don't have to take the gimbal apart. It is getting late here (Saturday night) and I don't want to try a repair until I am rested in the morning, I'll update you.

Regarding the "grayed out" parameters on screen shot from the DJI Phantom Assistant, I thought those parameters were only for the H3-3D Zenmuse, but wasn't sure. You confirmed, thank you.

Well if part 1 scary then watch part 2. Just think he didn't a part or screw leftover how many of us can say that.

One of my many jobs through out my life was as district manager for an assembly company working in 16 Home Depot stores. Since the type of assembly work we did was seasonal (garden shop equipment) I had to train new people each spring, Every once in a while we would come across a grill maybe a year or two old with no assembly instruction with loads of nuts, washers and screws. Well even seasoned employees that stay on throughout the year couldn't assemble that grill and that ended up to be my job.
Some of the stories I could tell of funny and stupid things employees do would be endless.
 
Thanks for the reply, I decided not to wait until Sunday morning. I got out my vice grip and cloth as you suggested. I understand what needs to be done. Essentially the gimbal tilt motor shaft slipped during a crash and I need to reset it. While holding the vice grip I tried twisting the gimbal with some force, but hesitated to really crank on it for fear of breaking something. I may have gotten a dedicated Chinese assembly worker that really tightened the shaft. I'll try again in the morning.
 
If that camera plate won't budge go back and watch the video 1:40 - 1:52 where he removes the two screws holding the cover over the ribbon cable. Then at 4:07 there is a screw holding the camera base in place loosen that philip screw and readjust and tighten. Check before putting the cover back that it is aligned correctly.

Myself I would leave the gimbal attached to the quad and remove the props and remove the cover to make the adjustments. Also before replacing the cover put the camera on then turn on the RC and P2 to make sure it is aligned.
 
Jason,

Today was Father's Day, so I didn't touch the P2. Tomorrow I will do what you suggest, but would like a clarification. When you say, "Remove the cover", are you saying remove the white top cover of the "Phantom shell" exposing the electronics and innards of the P2.

I have opened the P2 many times, but I can't see how removing the cover is relevant for my current problem. I'm guessing you are thinking of a different cover and I'm missing your point.

Thanks in advance for your help,
 
The cover I was referring to is the cover between the motor and the camera plate and it cover the ribbon cable that operates the camera tilt. There are two philip screws holding it on top and bottom of the cover. If you look at the video that the times I marked out and at the 4:07 time you see him removing the screw holding the camera plate to the motor shaft. Just loosen it and adjust the base plate until level and lock it down and reassemble the cover.
 
Jason,

Below is a frame grab from the video that shows the motor shaft mates with the screw at a specific point, you can't just adjust the base plate. The base plate must be in a specific location for the set screw to mate with the shaft.

I have removed the small black semi-circular cover and removed the set screw, but when I saw the screw hole in the shaft, I realized you can't make the adjustment you suggested in your most recent post. I think my best bet is your initial suggestion to adjust the motor with the vice grip, but I'm just not prepared to force it. My gimbal has a downward offset of 30 degrees which is not good, but it is something I can live with. Most of the time I don't need to point the camera perfectly forward.

I'm happy to listen to any other suggestions you have, but for now I'm going stop before I make matters worse.

Gimbal Shaft.jpg
 
You were correct about the screw and to get to the one on motor shaft you would disassemble to get to set hex screw. Look at 6:20 in that video to see where it is. When this happened to mine that set screw must not have been that tight which allowed me to turn it using vice grips.
 
Jason,

After looking at the 6:20 portion of the gimbal disassembly video, I think you are saying I stopped too soon and that there is another set screw in the same socket. In other words, there are two set screws. After I removed the camera base plate set screw I stopped, it never occurred to me to look down into the socket for another set screw. I'll let you know if I open it up again, but not sure I will. I think my gimbal is somewhat usable and I don't want to make matters worse.

Thank you for all of your time and suggestions, your posts have given me a better appreciation for the complexity of the gimbal, although I already had a good deal of admiration for the design.
 
Myself I probably would completely disassemble to that point but I didn't mean that you should do it. As I mentioned mine was easy to do as the set screw closest to the motor must not have been as tight and that is why I was able realign as I did. I have watched that video a couple of times but never that closely or I would have known there was a second set screw.
 

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