Broken USB port on DV6 and Can't Connect to Bluetooth

How-Tos & Esk8 mechanics Esk8 Mechanics
1

A couple of issues:

I stupidly broke the USB port on one side of the vesc, so I can’t program that side…

I have a bluetooth module from Makerx, but I cant find any installation instructions. Four wires come from the bluetooth module, but I can only find a 3 wire port on the DV6. So I thought (stupidly) that I could just use the three wires and not the green one. Now when I use the Vesc Tool, I can’t connect and it just keeps saying “Cant read firmware version. Make sure the selected port actually belongs to the vesc.”

So am I screwed?

2

The bluetooth module plugs into the UART port

5v → 5v
Gnd → Gnd
TX → RX
RX → TX

Pinouts should be on the ESC and module, you can also look at the all in one schematics on the forum

1 Like
3

My apologies, but with the bluetooth I’m outside of my comfort zone. Is there something I can watch? Or a link with a step-by-step? I looked at the all-in-one schematics and I’m still a bit confused. I posted a pic of all of the wires that I have. And i dont know which of these are the uart port…
Capture

unnamed
unnamed1920×2560 404 KB

4

this is the uart port

image
image1559×698 113 KB

u should use the 5V, GND, RX and TX pins to wire up the BLE module

2 Likes
5

Awesome. And when Im setting it up, do i program it by switching from one uart port to the other?

1 Like
6

u technically don’t even need the BLE module, DV6 is internally canbus linked, u can just plug into the working usb side, and do the canbus forward button in vesctool, then program the other side

3 Likes
7

You only need 1 USB port. Both halves of the esc are connected via CAN. Press the can fwd button in vesc tool and it’ll switch sides.
Same with the bt module

4 Likes
8

If the BT module doesn’t work when you first hook it up, you may need to swap the tx/rx pins around.

But agree with others, you only need one side to connect and then you can program the other side over CAN. I never used to like doing it like that, but the recent versions of vesc tool seem to be pretty good with it.

2 Likes
9

now all we need is a one click button to auto sync to all connected vesc with current setting, then we r golden…well until they actually make HFI works also :joy:

2 Likes
10

Hi all! I appreciate everyone’s help so much!

I wired it correctly, but I’m still getting the same error code and it won’t connect? Are there settings I need to enable? If someone could help or point me in the right direction. I’m having a hard time finding the right resources.

11

Include the error text, maybe send a pic or let us know how it’s wired.

Try swapping TX and RX

But the best advice is here:

Just connect with USB to the other side

1 Like
12

Oh, everyones advice worked perfectly! The board is up and running and it was a big relief. Thanks so much. I was just hoping to get the bluetooth up and running so i didnt have to keep opening the board to change settings. I will try to flip the wires. Thanks!!!

3 Likes
13

Ok, so I’ve hit a bit of a snag.

I programmed the board and everything was working well until i changed a few settings. Right now, I’m trying to run motor detection, but it keeps timing out on me.

I’ve noticed that I can write to the local vesc, but not the other. I can update the firmware on the local vesc, but when I switch to the other, it keeps saying “Erasing Buffer Failed.” Any ideas?