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G3X System Installation Queries - RV7

Hello All

Hoping that you guys might be able to answer some queries I have around certain things not working well in my new G3X installation on my RV7 build:

ould you please assist me with a few questions relating to my G3X system installation:

- What is the best way to test the health of the Canbus network? When I view my system status under normal operations I am showing 0% loss across all the connected LRUs, however when I pushed out the latest 8.6 update to the system as each LRU was upgrading it was intermittently spiking up to 40-50% loss for a split second before dropping back to 0%. Some LRU updates failed and retried several times and in the end to get the GTR200 update applied I had to power off several other LRUs. Does this represent any issues?

- I am currently still working on my RV7 build and haven't yet attached the wings. As such I haven't connected my Roll servo into the G3X system. Currently the Pitch servo connected is being identified in the G3X as the Roll servo. How do I reassign this to the Pitch Servo? This is important as I have my Elevator Trim Servo connected via the Pitch Servo to the Vertical Power VP-X Sport and want to test the pitch servo functionality before I remove the tail for painting but cannot get this to operate as I assume the G3X thinks its the Roll servo with no trim servo attached.

- With the GTR200 powered on I have found that it is stuck constantly in RX mode with loud static noise in the headset. I have found that as soon as the antenna cable is removed from the aerial it stops RX and returns to normal, then as soon as the Aerial Cable is connected to the Antenna it starts RX again. Does this indicate an issue with the aerial cable?

- With the GA35 GPS antenna visible to the sky and connected to my GPS-20A module, I have checked the GPS Satellite screen on the G3X 460 and found that it can see approx 3 Satellites but only appears to get a solid signal from 1 of them and doesn't establish a GPS signal. What does this indiciate?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Regards,
Jonathan
 
is your roll servo at the end of the canbus? If it is then it needs to have a terminator or do as I did and just wire connector, plug it in and leave it. It doesn?t have to be mounted in the wing. Mine just sits on a ladder. There just has to be a terminating resistor at each end of the bus. For your servo id issue, pitch servo is identified by installing a jumper from pin 5 to 8. As far as your comm, it could be picking up noise from nearby source of noise.
 
As for you GPS issue. What is the length of your coax cable? It should be a minimum of 6.5 feet (almost 2 meters). Are you using RG-400?

Jay
 
G3X Installation Issues

Hello All

Hoping that you guys might be able to answer some queries I have around certain things not working well in my new G3X installation on my RV7 build:

ould you please assist me with a few questions relating to my G3X system installation:

- What is the best way to test the health of the Canbus network? When I view my system status under normal operations I am showing 0% loss across all the connected LRUs, however when I pushed out the latest 8.6 update to the system as each LRU was upgrading it was intermittently spiking up to 40-50% loss for a split second before dropping back to 0%. Some LRU updates failed and retried several times and in the end to get the GTR200 update applied I had to power off several other LRUs. Does this represent any issues?

- I am currently still working on my RV7 build and haven't yet attached the wings. As such I haven't connected my Roll servo into the G3X system. Currently the Pitch servo connected is being identified in the G3X as the Roll servo. How do I reassign this to the Pitch Servo? This is important as I have my Elevator Trim Servo connected via the Pitch Servo to the Vertical Power VP-X Sport and want to test the pitch servo functionality before I remove the tail for painting but cannot get this to operate as I assume the G3X thinks its the Roll servo with no trim servo attached.

- With the GTR200 powered on I have found that it is stuck constantly in RX mode with loud static noise in the headset. I have found that as soon as the antenna cable is removed from the aerial it stops RX and returns to normal, then as soon as the Aerial Cable is connected to the Antenna it starts RX again. Does this indicate an issue with the aerial cable?

- With the GA35 GPS antenna visible to the sky and connected to my GPS-20A module, I have checked the GPS Satellite screen on the G3X 460 and found that it can see approx 3 Satellites but only appears to get a solid signal from 1 of them and doesn't establish a GPS signal. What does this indiciate?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Regards,
Jonathan

Jonathan,

It is normal to see the CAN bus error rate briefly move during a software update, as LRU's reset and come back online. Any other time it would be cause for concern. There are some advanced CAN diagnostics we can look at with you to look a little closer at the health of the CAN bus however.

Page 26-57 of the G3X Touch Installation Manual includes the information you need to identify each servo (ID Strap).

It is possible you have some antenna/wiring issues on both the GPS 20A and GTR 200. Please email us at [email protected] as we will need some additional information from you to help with these.

Thanks,

Justin
 
Jonathan,

Where is your comm antenna located? I have a GTR200 and my antenna is mounted on the belly under the passenger seat. During my build while the plane was in my garage without the wings on, I experienced the same thing as you. I am not an expert on antennas, but I found the wing skins form part of the ground plane of my antenna and without the wings installed the antenna would pick up interference that could open the squelch. If I recall, I experimented with some scrap aluminum to temporarily extend the ground plane. Once the wings were installed, I've had zero issues with the reception or the radio in the air or on the ground.

Mark
 
- With the GTR200 powered on I have found that it is stuck constantly in RX mode with loud static noise in the headset. I have found that as soon as the antenna cable is removed from the aerial it stops RX and returns to normal, then as soon as the Aerial Cable is connected to the Antenna it starts RX again. Does this indicate an issue with the aerial cable?



Sounds like you have something in your shop that is producing RFI, start by turning out the shop lights. Many of the new efficient lights produce RFI. Switch off the shop breakers one by one and identify which one is powering the problem device.
 
Hi Justin

Thank you for the response. I think I may need to look closer at the health of the CAN Bus network and determine if I need to start again with the CAN wiring.

I did email [email protected] a couple of days ago but hadn't had a reply so thought I would post to the community here for help. If you can't find my email let me know and I will resend it.

I had missed the ID strap for the GSA28 servos so will rectify that.

Regards,
Jonathan

Jonathan,

It is normal to see the CAN bus error rate briefly move during a software update, as LRU's reset and come back online. Any other time it would be cause for concern. There are some advanced CAN diagnostics we can look at with you to look a little closer at the health of the CAN bus however.

Page 26-57 of the G3X Touch Installation Manual includes the information you need to identify each servo (ID Strap).

It is possible you have some antenna/wiring issues on both the GPS 20A and GTR 200. Please email us at [email protected] as we will need some additional information from you to help with these.

Thanks,

Justin
 
- With the GTR200 powered on I have found that it is stuck constantly in RX mode with loud static noise in the headset. I have found that as soon as the antenna cable is removed from the aerial it stops RX and returns to normal, then as soon as the Aerial Cable is connected to the Antenna it starts RX again. Does this indicate an issue with the aerial cable?



Sounds like you have something in your shop that is producing RFI, start by turning out the shop lights. Many of the new efficient lights produce RFI. Switch off the shop breakers one by one and identify which one is powering the problem device.

Ok Thanks for the suggestion, I do have a number of LED light fittings in my shop so I wonder if thats causing issues. Will do some more testing.

Thanks
 
Jonathan,

Where is your comm antenna located? I have a GTR200 and my antenna is mounted on the belly under the passenger seat. During my build while the plane was in my garage without the wings on, I experienced the same thing as you. I am not an expert on antennas, but I found the wing skins form part of the ground plane of my antenna and without the wings installed the antenna would pick up interference that could open the squelch. If I recall, I experimented with some scrap aluminum to temporarily extend the ground plane. Once the wings were installed, I've had zero issues with the reception or the radio in the air or on the ground.

Mark

Hi Mark

Thanks for the suggestion. My antenna is located under the Pilot seat on the belly skin and no I don't have my wings fitted yet. I did wonder if I have a ground plane issue, which I may well have .. either that or a cabling issue. What is required for a good ground plane? Should the aluminum under the antenna and mounting hardware etc be bare rather than primed?

Thanks,
Jonathan
 
As for you GPS issue. What is the length of your coax cable? It should be a minimum of 6.5 feet (almost 2 meters). Are you using RG-400?

Jay

Hi Jay

Yes I am using RG-400 cable and my cable length is definitely longer than 6.5 feet ... as I have the GPS antenna mounted on the top of turtle deck behind the rear window and it runs up to the front of the plane as the GPS-20A is mounted on the sub panel.

Thanks
 
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