*UPDATE* If you're coming here for the first time... this issue has now been resolved. Click here for the recommended fix. If you're ordering a new one, the fix will already be applied for you.

Let's discuss this problem here fellahs. Let's see if we can't come to the bottom of it quickly! I'm sure its something simple.

- Steven

Originally Posted by wheelspinner20

Um, hate to be the one that brings the bad news, but there is an issue.. I will be posting on er9x google issue forum, but just a heads up. I flashed the newest version r284 from today. Installed the S_Mack board and el backlight. The TX randomly reboots when light is either turned on or switches off by either time entered or by manual switch..... It has done this at least 20 times in the last .5 hour, and it will not reboot if light is not activated.

Just keeping people up to date.

Steven has been awesome with me concerning customer service issues. And I am certain this issue will be resolved.

P.

Originally Posted by reacher10

I just installed the stand alone El Driver and panel. I'm getting the same thing. I'm on my way out and when I get back I'll take a closer look but the radio is resetting itself.

Ok subscribed.... the posts go to my phone too, but its too stupid to reply right to the web, like read only. Email direct is best if there is time.

P.

Still testing, but so far, I suspect it might have had something to do with the not tight board. After fixing the stripped screw, I still had to torque beyond comfortable to get USB to read eeprom files..... it reads now, so I am continuing with testing with the EL panel unplugged. So far, i cannot get a faliure. (txreboot) My presumption is thats because the light is not activating.
More to come.
Stay tuned.

I'm using r246. The first thing I noticed is the radio was beeping the 1st time I turned it on but it was facing away from me. As I went to turn it around to look at the screen it had stopped beeping and the light was off.

I then went to setup the light in the menu. As soon I turned it on via the chosen swith it started beeping and this when I realized it was beeping because it was resetting itself over and over.

I really can't find any pattern. Even when I remove any switch and set it to off so the menu buttons trigger it it might reset or might not. Sometimes the radio just turns off and then it won't turn back on after I switch it off and back on, I have to wait say 10 seconds it will turn back on.

Scared the crap outta me when the radio didn't turn back on at first.

I flew today, just a slow foamy trainer, nothing fast yet, good thing because even though I did not touch menu or directional keys, I did not realize that the timer, flash/beep would activate the light. And it did re-boot while in flight. My ignorance made it longer in duration because 1. I did not realize what was going on right away, because there was enough light outside to not see the light, and i did not really look at display, I was just too shocked to do anything when I realized that my inputs were not changing the plane.!2. i also didnt realize that upon quick restart, the throttle not minimum warning and lockout was activated. But luckily, I instinctively thr down to try and get the plane down and the regained control, landed and quickly switched the light setting to off!
Good adrenaline dump, no damage.It was really only 3 or 4seconds but it felt like 10 minutes at the time.

P.

Reacher, does it re boot only when the light shuts off, or can you tell? Like on mine, I tested by putting on trainer switch, so I can hold the light in the on position indefinately, no problems, when I release the switch(light off) thats when it re boots. ?? just wondering.

You have no solder-less programmer board hey?

pat.

Yeah I just needed the El circuit because I just wired this radio like the my other one and I can use the same interface with the computer.

I just turned it on and it reset right off the bat 5 times and right now the light ios on. ok the light turned off and the radio is still on. I'm back in the menu and light came back on and I went to the nain screen, light turned off and radio is on. Alright...I was just setting up a new plane and it's resetting at random.

EDIT: I'm going to remove it because as of right now the radio is not functioning well enough to even think about putting a plane in the air with it.

http://vimeo.com/17906857

There are some clicks in the background audio at the beginning, that's my wife with a lamp switch, just so there is no confusion.

It cycles repeatedly because when it reboots, the light gets the command to light up for another 5 seconds, sometimes this goes 3 or 4 cycles, never more than 4. Let me know if any questions... and yes, I tried with it unplugged from the board, and I could not get the tx to re-boot at all for anything except the main power switch of course.

P.

Does anyone with this problem have an oscilloscope they could watch the 5V with? That could lead to some revelations I think. The atmega64 is set with a brownout detection equal to 4.0V. Dipping the voltage below this will cause a reset. Odd though that it happens when the light turns off. Seems more like some kind of discharge somehow???
-Gohst

Here's a pic of my fix on the damaged el panel, kinda ugly, and I don't know how good the contact paddle connection is with the conductive substance in the el film is. If that makes sense. I cant help but think that might be part of the problem.... Although it is not intermittent or flickering or making noise, it is very steady and quiet when lit. I rotated it near 90deg because that the only way to get that paddle completely covered by both top and bottom pieces of the laminate. That was the original problem, it just slid out of its home because the sealed portion was trimmed off of one side. Or never sealed properly.

No I don't have an o-scope, and even if I did, I would not know how to use it...

I do have a borrowed fluke volt meter that is very accurate. If that helps.

Oh and I took the opportunity on my 6th rep of install to dab a little hot glue on the standoffs to make the install a little less tedious. The little bit that spooged into the inside makes a nice accidental retention benefit for the screws.

Oh that sounded like I was complaining, I'm not really, a couple of those reps were my fault for putting the el panel in backwords the first time, then it failed to light the second, and I installed a borrowed one from a friend I met through steven who has helped alot. Thanks Lee.
Also, I posted that as a helpful hint for others, but, be careful not to leave too much hot glue (low temp) build up under the standoffs which would increase clearance between the programmer board and the main board. (which would lead to eepe not being able to find device.) you know steve, for as much travel is in those pogo pins, I was surprised by how tight that board has to be to the main to achieve good comm.?

P.

No scope here. I put back lighting in my other radio using a rather large inverter but I've never had any problems with it.

I'm tempted to put this El driver on a seperate on/off switch and see what happens.

I have a suspicion that your two problems are unrelated... just with similar symptoms.

Both of you... what battery setup are you using and what is the displayed voltage?

Pat... can you try this: leave the main power switch OFF, plug the USB cable in, and repeat your tests under USB voltage?

Reacher... can you take a good quality photo of how your installed board, in particular how things are wired and especially the connection at pin 17?

Pat... if you've confirmed that this issue does NOT present itself when the EL panel itself is unplugged, then it would seem that your damaged/fixed EL panel is the culprit. I think that's what you've confirmed anyway... does that sound right?

- Steven

Originally Posted by wheelspinner20

you know steve, for as much travel is in those pogo pins, I was surprised by how tight that board has to be to the main to achieve good comm.?

The pins have quite a bit of travel, sure, but not really when relative to the height of the spacers. Anyway, you might benefit from using a Q-tip in some rubbing alcohol and make sure the pads are clean. Clean the pins while you're at it. If your alcohol is not >99% (some are like 70%) then MAKE SURE IT DRIES COMPLETELY before plugging anything in.

- Steven

From Pat:

Steve. i will re-post this on the thread too but just to answer your question 800 mah 2s lipo. when i first powered up it was at 8 volts now at 7.4 but symptoms have not really changed. repeated cycle loops have gone from 2 to 3 to 4 cycles randomly. to eliminate that as poss. tonight i will get alkalines back on board and re test. Reason is pointing towards bad el panel...maybe in both cuz reacher10 has never indicated any close inspection of the pockets where those wire contacts meet the film pockets. dude even the good side was off center enough to almost make contact with the conductive material on the bad side(chinese quality at typical level maybe) not surprising that out of what 50 or so units you have shipped 2 are not functioning properly not your quality but your suppliers). my other guess is whatever signal is shutting off light is also opening power circuit somewhere maybe the timer ic...if used? or is the time done on the main board with the fw?. dont know enough about electronics to do more than ask questions.

if you want you can just copy and paste this to thread. cuz i cant get there from my phone.

P.

Your battery isn't the problem. I just thought if you were down near 5v then the fluctuation from the EL panel might be the problem, but you're nowhere near it so that's not it.

I can't quite wrap my head around how a faulty panel could cause any problem. A faulty panel should just mean the light doesn't come on. But you're probably right because you say it stops being a problem when you unplug the panel. You're also right about them falling into the "cheap Chinese crap" realm. I've been taking a closer look at the connections and I have found one with exactly the problem you described... but I installed it and it did what I expected... it didn't work. No problem with the radio rebooting though. I even squished the plastic with my fingers to force the connection while the radio was on and let it flicker on/off and had the radio turn it on/off with it connected, disconnected, and partially connected and it never rebooted. So I'm still confused.

I have ZERO problem sending out replacement lamps or boards, so whatever you guys want to try.

Pat, I also got your email that you would try your exact circuit in a friend's 9x... its a good test. Let me know what happens!

- Steven

Originally Posted by s_mack

The pins have quite a bit of travel, sure, but not really when relative to the height of the spacers. Anyway, you might benefit from using a Q-tip in some rubbing alcohol and make sure the pads are clean. Clean the pins while you're at it. If your alcohol is not >99% (some are like 70%) then MAKE SURE IT DRIES COMPLETELY before plugging anything in.

- Steven

Steven. When my board comes, I myself is going to add a bit of solder to all the pads in the tx, so the pins will get a better connection, when pressed against the pads, cos I want my board to work perfectly (no harm in that)

Mike..

See you have a blog set up for this.. I sent you a PM but I am seeing the same thing - no issue with the unit when it boots, light on fine, then if light is turned off, it reboots but does not reboot every time - just most times.

I am running dry cells (fresh - 12.1V), the latest stable ER9x build R286, and everything else works fine from a FW perspective.

I checked the 5 volts out - it was at 5.4V to 5.3V when flipping the switch using my Oscope. I didn't see any appreciable glitches over time (when flicking switch) but will keep checking.

Update - I can make it the boot screen come up just by running the throttle trims... While light is on.

Thanks,
Scott