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Futaba 4PL Setup, Tips, Tricks & Help

If you have a bec running to the RX, both esc red wires should have been disconnected. I just pulled back the pins on mine.

FWIW, I have the same hardware as you. 4PL and dual FXR's. Both FXR's came with version 28 software and needed to be updated to version 30 using Tekin's Hotwire. To do that I had to temporarily reconnect the red wires. Then disconnect the red wires again and hook everything back up to run radio calibration. I calibrated each esc separately because the Tekin tech support guy said to. And lastly I had to reverse Channel 2 during programming. Don't recall if I had to mess with Channel 4 as well.

k. I'll try and find someone with a hotwire and see what they are. I'll also disconnect the red wire from the rear and see what I get
 
Harley, while we're talking about removing the red wires etc, how about some education on that stuff? Am I correct in assuming all the center RX pins are tied together inside the RX? Without a bec, the esc supplies input voltage to that network and the RX and servo live off that power. We disconnect the esc red wires with a bec because now the bec supplies the power and we don't want that to fight with the esc power.

Assuming I got all that right (??) how much current can pass thru the RX from the bec to the servo? Do even biggish servos draw more than 3 amps or so? Are we at any risk of burning out the RX internal wiring if we don't bypass it for the biggest servos? I just assumed you'd know.
 
ok so I got both motors going the same direction, proper trigger throttle direction, digs, proportioning etc...

However...

The front is spinning much faster than the rear with the proportioning at norm. Also If I go from full throttle forward to reverse nothing happens. I have to wait a second before I can hit reverse.

I did check both esc's are updated and set exactly the same.
 
ok so I got both motors going the same direction, proper trigger throttle direction, digs, proportioning etc...

However...

The front is spinning much faster than the rear with the proportioning at norm. Also If I go from full throttle forward to reverse nothing happens. I have to wait a second before I can hit reverse.

I did check both esc's are updated and set exactly the same.

Recalibrate the ESC's to get the motors close to the same speed. If that doesn't do it then you may have a binding issue. Are both motors new and both ESC's purchased new at the same time?

Are your capacitors installed correctly and in good shape?
 
Will do it again and see. No they have a season on them. Nope both used. Yes

Recalibrated. Same thing. Anyone wanna buy an fxr and a new 4PL?

IMAG0162.jpg
 
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Also If I go from full throttle forward to reverse nothing happens. I have to wait a second before I can hit reverse.

I had that problem originally. It's one of the FXR brake options. I had the wrong option set. You need Hotwire. It's the only way you can check/update the software version on your escs. For all you know, they may not even have the same software. None of my FXRs came with current software.

When you get a Hotwire, set the braking option at the bottom of the menu to "F/R" to get rid of the delay. Okay, it can be done with button pushes, but Hotwire is way easier.
 
Recalibrated. Same thing. Anyone wanna buy an fxr and a new 4PL?

Could be a binding issue or one FXR is worn out compared to the other. Properly setting up dual ESC's is not for the impatient. It takes time and some skill to get it all correct. Your issue is not in the radio as long as you have everything set at 100% when programming.
 
I had that problem originally. It's one of the FXR brake options. I had the wrong option set. You need Hotwire. It's the only way you can check/update the software version on your escs. For all you know, they may not even have the same software. None of my FXRs came with current software.

When you get a Hotwire, set the braking option at the bottom of the menu to "F/R" to get rid of the delay. Okay, it can be done with button pushes, but Hotwire is way easier.

I did use a hotwire and updated all software, and make sure all settings were correct and matched between the 2.

I will check braking option again though. Thanks
 
I did use a hotwire and updated all software, and make sure all settings were correct and matched between the 2.

I will check braking option again though. Thanks
When I set up 2 CC MM's, I made sure both had the same firmware version, then set a throttle/brake curve on one and copied it to the other. Then, and only then, did I recalibrate the ESC's.8)

As to the "reverse delay", as mentioned, there are a few options with most newer ESC's, one has a delay between "forward" and "reverse". This is why I did one ESC set-up and then copied it to the other ESC.
Are you running the same tooth pinions on both motors??
 
When I set up 2 CC MM's, I made sure both had the same firmware version, then set a throttle/brake curve on one and copied it to the other. Then, and only then, did I recalibrate the ESC's.8)

As to the "reverse delay", as mentioned, there are a few options with most newer ESC's, one has a delay between "forward" and "reverse". This is why I did one ESC set-up and then copied it to the other ESC.
Are you running the same tooth pinions on both motors??

I got that problem fixed.

You can do a model reset, just select the model on the main screen and scroll down to reset. You can't reset the entire radio.

Got it reset, Thanks
 
Ok so I know you have to be tired of me, but here's my last ditch effort.

I reset the radio, reset the esc's, plugged in the hotwire, reconfig'd everything. Bound the esc's to the radio. Everything works perfectly and as it should, but the throttle lever is still reversed.

Reverse = Forward and Forward = Reverse.

If I change the throttle option on the radio to reverse, the motors spin opposite and it creates other issue's. Is there a different setting then under the throttle menu to get this to switch? If everythings wired as should be, which no one seemed to have an issue with my pic, why is the input backwards?

Thanks again
 
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Channel 2 and 4 needs to be reversed

Hello,

From what I read in your last post, you need to reverse the throttle on channel two and channel four. Sounds like you only did it to channel two.

Go to the throttle screen and set it to reverse and then go back a screen and set up channel four to reverse.

I just got the same set up a few weeks ago and was running into the same issues you have.

I still have one motor slightly engaging before the other.

Hope this helps.
 
Ok so I know you have to be tired of me, but here's my last ditch effort.

I reset the radio, reset the esc's, plugged in the hotwire, reconfig'd everything. Bound the esc's to the radio. Everything works perfectly and as it should, but the throttle lever is still reversed.

Reverse = Forward and Forward = Reverse.

If I change the throttle option on the radio to reverse, the motors spin opposite and it creates other issue's. Is there a different setting then under the throttle menu to get this to switch? If everythings wired as should be, which no one seemed to have an issue with my pic, why is the input backwards?

Thanks again

Yes like the previous poster said, you need to reverse both 2 and 4. And don't worry about the questions, if you can't get through it this time shoot me a PM and I'll give you a call and we can walk through it.
 
Hello,

From what I read in your last post, you need to reverse the throttle on channel two and channel four. Sounds like you only did it to channel two.

Go to the throttle screen and set it to reverse and then go back a screen and set up channel four to reverse.

I just got the same set up a few weeks ago and was running into the same issues you have.

I still have one motor slightly engaging before the other.

Hope this helps.

Yes like the previous poster said, you need to reverse both 2 and 4. And don't worry about the questions, if you can't get through it this time shoot me a PM and I'll give you a call and we can walk through it.

That worked perfectly.

However...Why do I keep having however's? LOL

Now the rear motor is slower than the front, but only in forward. Reverse they are the same speed. It's almost like there's just some stall going forward. This is under light throttle, too hard to tell on full throttle. It almost seems at full throttle they are the same, but I hate to make that statement without a way to tell for sure.
 
That worked perfectly.

However...Why do I keep having however's? LOL

Now the rear motor is slower than the front, but only in forward. Reverse they are the same speed. It's almost like there's just some stall going forward. This is under light throttle, too hard to tell on full throttle. It almost seems at full throttle they are the same, but I hate to make that statement without a way to tell for sure.

Have you checked the timing on your motors?
 
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