P3P Motor Grinding

Wrecked · Dec 11, 2017

Yeah, its quite simple, just be carefull.
There are tons of videos on youtube how to fix gimbals. Watch them before you jump into it

msinger · Dec 11, 2017

Wrecked said:
There are tons of videos on youtube how to fix gimbals. Watch them before you jump into it

Got a favorite one to help out the OP?

Wrecked · Dec 11, 2017

Nope, but this one will show how to remove and install the flexcable https://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&sour...EQo7QBCCMwAA&usg=AOvVaw0fWR50c5i_EUau8X4oUVIC

When the flex cable is removed, its easy to open up into the pitch motor and secure it.

Pegasus Robin · Dec 11, 2017

Wrecked said:
Yeah, its quite simple, just be carefull.
There are tons of videos on youtube how to fix gimbals. Watch them before you jump into it

Cool. I’ll go and have a look see what I can find. Thanks man

Pegasus Robin · Dec 14, 2017

Well, I've nailed down the problem and it seems that the bearing is done in. Very strange how this has happened so quickly, I've had it since January this year DJI Reconditioned. I can only guess that either it was a bad bearing, my filters (Neewer) are too heavy, too much grit has got into the motors or a combination of all 3.

Completely grounded now and had to give up a job this weekend as after reassembly, the movement is worse! Gutted!

Pegasus Robin · Dec 15, 2017

Ok, so the good news is, I fixed the gimbal! Wooo! 3 loose screws on the pitch arm.
The BAD news is, I’m now getting ‘Gimbal Disconnected’ in the DJI go app. I can move the gimbal up and down with the remote, but it doesn’t recognise any SD cards and there is no image on screen.
I also get a green flashing light on the gimbal, which sometimes stays black and then starts again. Anyone have any ideas why this maybe happening and if there’s a fix?
I’m using the original ribbon cable that came with the P3P as it was not that which was broken

Wrecked · Dec 16, 2017

Try to bind the remote and drone. If that doesnt help Im afraid the ribbon cable could be damaged, or not properly seated in the connectors.

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

Wrecked said:
Try to bind the remote and drone. If that doesnt help Im afraid the ribbon cable could be damaged, or not properly seated in the connectors.

I hope it is just the ribbon cable. I really hope I haven’t bricked it

Wrecked · Dec 16, 2017

Nahh, I never heard about anyone bricking one because of a ribbon exchange unless they destroy the small clips that holds the ribbon in the connectors.

Just to make sure. Did you install any firmware update on the remote/drone or update dji go in the meantime?

Wrecked · Dec 16, 2017

Ah, just saw your other post. It seems your drone and remote are properly linked.

Check the 2 cables to the gimbal from the drone. Especially the one that goes to the ofdm.

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

Wrecked said:
Nahh, I never heard about anyone bricking one because of a ribbon exchange unless they destroy the small clips that holds the ribbon in the connectors.

Just to make sure. Did you install any firmware update on the remote/drone or update dji go in the meantime?

Yeh I tried to reinstall the dji go app, that didn’t work. Then I downgraded the firmware on the controller, that didn’t work. Went back to latest firmware on controller, that didn’t work. Tried to reinstall the latest firmware on the drone and it won’t take it. It now continuously beeps, tries to take the firmware, fails and tries again in a loop

Wrecked · Dec 16, 2017

Yikes. That complicates the problem..

Try post the update logs from the sdcard. The one in the hidden folder

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

Wrecked said:
Yikes. That complicates the problem..

Try post the update logs from the sdcard. The one in the hidden folder

I had a look in there and it’s empty. Do I need something like Air Data to read it? Am I doing something wrong?

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

I found this log on the first SD card i used

Wrecked · Dec 16, 2017

Hmm doesnt tell much, maybe someone else knows about this error? I think its strange you cant see any log files in misc/log...

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

Wrecked said:
Hmm doesnt tell much, maybe someone else knows about this error? I think its strange you cant see any log files in misc/log...

Yeh it’s strange. I’ll give it another go when I’m back home with a fresh card and see if it generates one

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

@quaddamage

quaddamage · Dec 16, 2017

I don't have much more to say, @Wrecked explained the situation quite good.

If the gimbal flashes green for like a minute, then stops for a while, flashes three long reds and starts over - this usually means Ambarella cannot communicate to OFDM. Normally the reason is in ribbon cable, but if it was caused by software update, then programming of either Ambarella or OFDM may be corrupted.

What you need to do now is to try force Ambarella to write the log on SD-card. You can do this by placing VERY old firmware on the sd-card - the drone will refuse to do any change to its software, but will write the log which informs which modules were talking to Ambarella correctly.

Here you can find more general info about the OFDM Board and Gimbal Top board:
DJI Hardware · mefistotelis/phantom-firmware-tools Wiki · GitHub

Uncle Stumpy · Dec 16, 2017

Pegasus Robin said:
Hi all. I’m slightly concerned. My P3P gimbal is making a grinding noise. Any ideas what this might be? Broken or dirty motors? I’m very careful with it, I have a guard and I always clean it with air after flying near dust.

Cheers

Robin

Mine does the same thing but everything works properly - te gimbal and video etc.

Pegasus Robin · Dec 16, 2017

quaddamage said:
I don't have much more to say, @Wrecked explained the situation quite good.

If the gimbal flashes green for like a minute, then stops for a while, flashes three long reds and starts over - this usually means Ambarella cannot communicate to OFDM. Normally the reason is in ribbon cable, but if it was caused by software update, then programming of either Ambarella or OFDM may be corrupted.

What you need to do now is to try force Ambarella to write the log on SD-card. You can do this by placing VERY old firmware on the sd-card - the drone will refuse to do any change to its software, but will write the log which informs which modules were talking to Ambarella correctly.

Here you can find more general info about the OFDM Board and Gimbal Top board:
DJI Hardware · mefistotelis/phantom-firmware-tools Wiki · GitHub

Cool, thanks very much. I really hope it's just the ribbon cable, cheaper than a new gimbal. How would I go about finding and uploading an old firmware? Is there information on the link you provided?