Immersion EzOSD, how to...

[Colombus]

I am considering buying EzOSD but I have few questions

I have currently just a single battery that is powering the Phantom and my Vtx (Immersion 600 MW), which of course I would like to monitor the status on EzOSD. I believe this is the most important parameter to monitor, all the rest is fancy staff.

I am using the power output lead coming out from the ESC of the Phantom that I am planing to use as well to power EzOSD and check the status of the battery. Would this work or I really need to plug the battery directly to the EzOSD through the balance plug of the battery ?

Any body with experience on EzOSD that could give some directions will be much appreciated, any picture on how to mount it wold be great.

 

[The Don]

If voltage is all that you're after there are much cheaper and perhaps simpler OSDs that would serve your purpose. Dewey designed some cool equipment for the Phantom that will let you see your status light on your FPV display. See here: http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?t=2082

With that said, I don't think the auxiliary power connection will work to power the ezOSD or get a valid reading from the battery. It certainly isn't capable of handling much amperage.

 

[MrMediaGuy]

Part of the reason it's called "ez" is that the current sensor does double duty -- it monitors current and voltage, but it also powers the OSD itself. Not many others work this way, the Skylark Trace IV being another that I can think of offhand. In any case, the "EZ-est" way to hook it up is to run the main battery lead through the current sensor. If you have the Deans-connector model, you'll need an adapter to XT-60; otherwise just make an XT-60-to-XT-60 cable a few inches long and plug one end into the ezOSD on the "Battery" side and run it into the battery compartment; this becomes your new main battery connector. Then plug the Phantom's original battery connector into the "ESC" side to power the main board.

 

[Colombus]

Thank you for your explanation. Would it work if I just double the lead coming from the ESC, and plug the EzOSD to both, battery and ESC. My reasoning is that if the OSD is measuring current and current consumption it should be equivalent since the ESC is at the end powered by the battery.

This will avoid me to do a big cable output outside of the battery compartment to plug the OSD.

 

[The Don]

The ezOSD comes in two parts. You could mount the part that reads the battery inside the Phantom without too much hassle.

 

[MrMediaGuy]

Thank you for your explanation. Would it work if I just double the lead coming from the ESC, and plug the EzOSD to both, battery and ESC. My reasoning is that if the OSD is measuring current and current consumption it should be equivalent since the ESC is at the end powered by the battery.

This will avoid me to do a big cable output outside of the battery compartment to plug the OSD.

If you tie onto a single ESC you will get the right voltage, but the current sensor (mAh) will only show the current consumed by a single ESC, so you'd have to multiply by four in your head. You also won't get the current consumed by anything else (gimbal, VTX, etc., if you have those). That's why I recommend just running the main battery lead through the current sensor.

It's a very tight squeeze, but people do report being able to get both parts of the ezOSD inside the shell. You might be able to Google a few pics of locations, or just search some of the forum threads. Rcgroups.com is bound to have some info, I'd bet.

 

[The Don]

I wouldn't try to put the GPS module inside the Phantom. I don't know that it would be able to get a good GPS lock, not to mention you'd have to open the case every time you wanted to change a setting.

 

[MrMediaGuy]

That's a fair point about having to change settings -- would be a pain with the module inside. You can certainly get the current sensor inside, though. FWIW, I do have the GPS on my Skylark Trace IV OSD inside the shell, and it doesn't interfere with the NAZA GPS. It does get a much better/faster lock than the NAZA ever did, though.