MobiFlight Community Support

After using mobiflight for some months without any issues this morning I started my computer and mobiflight seen my Arduino board as a new one, asked if wanted to upload firmware but doesnt seem to work, I've checked the board in Arduino software and I can upload sketches ok, any ideas ?

Use the EEPROM/eeprom_clear sketch from the arduino-IDE and then reload the MF-Firmware and the Devices. Then the MEGA should do his work again as MF-Module.

Please report the result.

Hi Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. So I used the EEPROM_clear and this worked fine, Mobiflight seen the board as a new board and uploaded the firmware I then browsed to my .mfmc and uploaded the file. This worked fine until I restarted Mobiflight and it asked to upload the mobiflight firmware only this time after the upload the modiflight icon in in configured modules is greyed out.
If I use the eeprom clear again and upload the new firmware again this seems to stay configured so I think it may be a problem with my mfmc file. Any ideas as to what might be the problem ? too many servo's/motors ? my mfmc file is below :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<ModuleName />
<PowerSavingTime>600</PowerSavingTime>
<Stepper Name="altimeter needle" Pin1="43" Pin2="44" Pin3="45" Pin4="46" BtnPin="5" />
<LedModule Name="Altitude Display" DinPin="23" ClsPin="26" ClkPin="25" Brightness="15" NumModules="1" />
<Encoder Name="altimeter encoder" PinLeft="2" PinRight="3" />
<Stepper Name="wet compass" Pin1="4" Pin2="5" Pin3="6" Pin4="7" BtnPin="5" />
<Stepper Name="asi" Pin1="8" Pin2="9" Pin3="10" Pin4="11" BtnPin="5" />
<Servo Name="attitude pitch" DataPin="12" />
<Servo Name="attitude roll" DataPin="13" />
<Stepper Name="heading indicator" Pin1="14" Pin2="15" Pin3="16" Pin4="17" BtnPin="5" />
<Encoder Name="hdg Encoder" PinLeft="18" PinRight="19" />
<Stepper Name="vor obi card" Pin1="20" Pin2="21" Pin3="22" Pin4="24" BtnPin="5" />
<Servo Name="ils needle" DataPin="27" />
<Servo Name="ils to from" DataPin="28" />
<Encoder Name="vor obs Encoder" PinLeft="29" PinRight="30" />
<Stepper Name="vsi" Pin1="31" Pin2="32" Pin3="33" Pin4="34" BtnPin="5" />
<Servo Name="tc bank" DataPin="35" />
<Servo Name="tc ball" DataPin="36" />
<Stepper Name="Stepper" Pin1="37" Pin2="38" Pin3="47" Pin4="48" BtnPin="5" />
<Output Name="low volt" Pin="49" />
<Stepper Name="rpm" Pin1="50" Pin2="51" Pin3="52" Pin4="53" BtnPin="5" />
</Config>

Hi Crazypilot_uk,

your mfmc file seems fine.

You use 8 steppers and 3 servos. Do you have an external power supply for these devices or do you operate them with the MEGA?

If you supply them with a separate power adapter that is rated for at least 5V, 1.8A current, that should be enough. Then the issue must be another.

Do you supply these devices with the MEGA, then I suspect that your operating voltage simply collapses. A stepper, once activated, needs approx. 180-200 mA current permanently !! (x 8 = 1.6A) plus the servos. A MEGA can not do that anymore.

I suspect that due to the collapsed power supply your MEGA can no longer function and therefore Mobiflight no longer recognizes him. As well as?

Please check your power supply and measure the voltage on the MEGA under load.

I look forward to your result.

Hi StepanHo, yes I'm using a separate PSU to power each motor separately which has worked fine for the last few months. I'm at a bit loss with this one

Hi,

can you exchange the MEGA, if possible one that has not been used yet? The neuralgic point in the MEGA is the EEPROM, that max. 10000 times can be written. Is only an idea.

Your file is fine, so it can basically be just a technical problem. Presumably, this is pizman who has a wider and deeper experience range than me. It is quite possible that he has more ideas.

Hello! I think this might be a timing issue, give the new 7.5 firmware a try and see if the problem still persists.