- Here I have additional, quite important remark: BLHeli Suite works inside virtual machines (tested on VirtualBox with Windows 7 32bit). So, Mac and Linux users: virtualization software can be used to program your ESC. If you have Windows license, start your virtual Windows machine, connect Afro / Turnigy USB Linker and create a filter to pass.
- Could not read my ESC setup in BLHeli Suite without using 1-wire method. Working perfectly now! If I read my setup on Mac, only see ESC 3 and 4.
27-Mar-2016, 01:05 PM (This post was last modified: 13-Aug-2016, 01:33 PM by sloscotty. Edit Reason: Clarified commands to enter in Terminal )
Open the BlHeli Suite. Ensure you have selected the correct Atmel or SILABS “Cleanflight” option under the “Select ATMEL / SILABS Interface” menu option. Ensure you have port for your external USB/UART adapter selected, if you’re using one, otherwise pick the same COM port that you normally use for Cleanflight.
Oscar has a great tutorial on this on his blog: http://blog.oscarliang.net/flash-esc-via..flight-fc/
However, I have a Mac and although I followed a tutorial (youtube.com/watch?v=17b1gNLL2uc) that uses wine to run BLHeli, I didn't think it was possible to also use the pass-through feature of CleanFlight to program with BLHeli. Well, it is!
If you haven't already set up wine to run BLHeli on your Mac, you will need to do that first. Then briefly, it's as simple as adding a couple of com ports in your wine configuration.
You will need to know the serial ports that CleanFlight uses on your Mac (in my case cu.SLAB_USBtoUART and tty.SLAB_USBtoUART). Then open terminal and go to dosdevices in your wine folder. In the screen shot below, you can see that com1 and com2 are already linked to my USB esc programmer devices, so I just added com3 and com4 as shown.
EDIT: I've boxed the necessary commands in Terminal: the 'cd' command puts you in the correct subdirectory. the 'ln -s' commands create the actual com3 and com4 links to the appropriate serial devices. Then in BLHeli, you will choose COM3 from the dropdown. [The other commands (ls -l) just show a list of the current devices in that subdirectory.]
Now, with your FC plugged into the cable you use for CleanFlight, start BLHeli and select the proper interface type and com port (COM 3 in my case).
Next, click Connect and you should see that four ESCs are detected - the little white boxes at the bottom. (Four for me anyway.)
Then - VERY IMPORTANT: Plug in your flight battery (you will remove the propellers!). [I really scratched my head before I realized I needed to power the ESCs.] Now, you are ready to click Read Setup. You should be rewarded with the beautiful screen shot below.
Click OK and program away! Good luck!
Scotty
However, I have a Mac and although I followed a tutorial (youtube.com/watch?v=17b1gNLL2uc) that uses wine to run BLHeli, I didn't think it was possible to also use the pass-through feature of CleanFlight to program with BLHeli. Well, it is!
If you haven't already set up wine to run BLHeli on your Mac, you will need to do that first. Then briefly, it's as simple as adding a couple of com ports in your wine configuration.
You will need to know the serial ports that CleanFlight uses on your Mac (in my case cu.SLAB_USBtoUART and tty.SLAB_USBtoUART). Then open terminal and go to dosdevices in your wine folder. In the screen shot below, you can see that com1 and com2 are already linked to my USB esc programmer devices, so I just added com3 and com4 as shown.
EDIT: I've boxed the necessary commands in Terminal: the 'cd' command puts you in the correct subdirectory. the 'ln -s' commands create the actual com3 and com4 links to the appropriate serial devices. Then in BLHeli, you will choose COM3 from the dropdown. [The other commands (ls -l) just show a list of the current devices in that subdirectory.]
Now, with your FC plugged into the cable you use for CleanFlight, start BLHeli and select the proper interface type and com port (COM 3 in my case).
Next, click Connect and you should see that four ESCs are detected - the little white boxes at the bottom. (Four for me anyway.)
Then - VERY IMPORTANT: Plug in your flight battery (you will remove the propellers!). [I really scratched my head before I realized I needed to power the ESCs.] Now, you are ready to click Read Setup. You should be rewarded with the beautiful screen shot below.
Click OK and program away! Good luck!
Scotty
This guide describes how to flash the BlHeli and the BlHeli Bootloader to XRotor 20a ESCs so that they can be updated via CleanFlight and BetaFlight after installing them in your multi-rotor, without unplugging them from the flight controller!
There are two types microprocessors used on ESCS, one is made by Atmel and the other by SiLabs. Since the XRotor 20a uses a SiLabs processor, these instructions are generally applicable to other SiLabs based ESCs. You'll just need to identify the C2 interface pads on the circuit board. These pads are described in the documentation here: Supported SiLabs ESCs.
Hardware
At 15g weight, with wires, these things aren't super light.
Slime rancher mac free for mac. Take off the heatsink to save 2g, no idea how this will effect performance and reliability so do this at your own risk.
Tools
Arduino
- You'll need a $3.60 Chinese Arduino Nano Clone:
- If you use this specific Nano clone, it uses a ch340g usb chip, the driver for which is here: http://www.wch.cn/downfile/65
- I also tried this process with a bunch of different Arduino including the Pro Mini and Uno. I couldn't get it to work. My guess is that there might be an issue with the hex files for other Arduino versions. Your best bet is to use a nano.
Windows
Since we'll be using BlHeliSuite, which is Windows only, we'll need a VM for Linux or Mac, skip this if you already have a Windows computer. I used Vmware Fusion and this free Windows XP VM, straight from Microsoft:
BlHeli Suite
Download the latest BlHeli Suite: blhelisuite.wordpress.com.
Wiring
The xrotor 20a escs come with these solder pads exposed to access the C2 interface we'll be using to flash them:
They connect to your Arduino Nano like this:
If you're unsure where to solder the leads onto your ESC, you can verify the solder pad connections to the pins on the F330 microcontroller with a multi-meter in continuity mode.
First, I made a programming cable that matches these pads, but there appears to be a thin layer of epoxy or something covering the board. I tried cleaning the pads with alcohol, but it didn't help.
Since I couldn't get good contact just holding the pins against the ESC, I ended up soldering leads onto each ESC. Soldering worked fine. It doesn't take too long, so consider just soldering temporary leads before building a cable.
Flash
Install the driver
Boot your VM (if you're on a Mac), unzip BlHeliSuite, install the Arduino USB Driver and plug in the Arduino.
Find the COM port
Find the COM port in use by your adapter by looking in the Computer Management (Right-Click 'My Computer' -> 'Manage') under Device Manager, COM ports. Mine is
COM6
.Make the 4 way interface
Open the
Make Interfaces
tab, pick the Arduino Board: Nano W/ ATmega328
choose your COM port and click 'Arduino 4way-interface'Pick the
4wArduino_Nano__16_MULTIv[lates version number].hex
Hit
open
and it will start flashing your Arduino, making it into a SiLabs C2 programming stick.See full list on fallout.fandom.com. Fallout 4 eliza map of home.
It will say 'Thank you' when done -- you're welcome!
Blheli Suite For Mac Catalina
Connect your programmer
Connect your programmer to the ESC as described in the wiring section.
Plug the ESC into a battery, preferably with a current limiting device like a light bulb or voltage regulator. So if something goes terribly wrong, your ESC isn't damaged.
Blheli Suite For Mac Desktop
Flashing
Once your ESC is plugged in, hit 'Connect' then 'Read Setup,' you should get a prompt like this, to flash BlHeli.
Pick the version of BlHeli that corresponds to your ESC, in this example we're using the
XROTOR 20A MULTI
code. There are 3 versions of BlHeli. You'll always want multi, unless you're doing something weird like flying a helicopter (not a multi-copter).- Main: Intended for helicopter main motor
- Tail: Intended for helicopter tail motor
- Multi: Intended for multirotor motors
Confirm that you want to flash BlHeli, erasing the original firmware.
You'll see a confirmation box like this, click OK
That's it. You're ready to configure your ESCs.
Configuration
You can do it here, while connected with the 4w programmer or use CleanFlight/BetaFlight pass-through programming and configuration once you've installed the ESCs in your copter.
Check out the configuration guide for more.
Calibration
After configuring your ESCs, before you fly, make sure you calibrate your ESCs so the throttle range of each ESC matches the others.
Read the guide on throttle calibration here.
Reading
Programming Adapters guide.
The manual to learn more.
Hope this was helpful. If so, feel free to checkout my YouTube channel, get updates when a new article is posted by following on Feedly and read the the other guides atnathan.vertile.com/blog