First I use the st link to install both the bootloader and the firmware. Then I remove the st link from the FOCer (important), power up the FOCer via a battery, and then plug it into my computer via the usb. I generally don’t have issues with my computer recognizing the FOCer. I fire up the vesc tool and connect just fine.
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FYI powering the FOCer from the little 5V pin is not something I recommend. It’s meant to provide access to 5V for accessories not receive 5V from an external source
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Yes
There’s more than one way to skin this cat. The way from the tutorial should work but I just knock out the firmware with the st link
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With some help from Shaman behind the scenes, I’ve got 3 of my boards up and running. I imagine the other two will work smoothly at this point. Just too late to do it tonight.
Two problems I had:
- My ST-Link module was CRAP. I took it apart, shook it around, and waved it in circles, then tried it again with it outside of its case. Then it worked perfectly. Perhaps it was somehow shorting against the inside of its aluminum case(?).
- In addition to flashing the bootloader with the ST-Link module, I also uploaded the firmware with that module (according to Shaman’s suggestion). And that’s what made it all work. When I flashed the bootloader, but didn’t upload the firmware with the ST-Link, I could not get the Device Manager on my laptop to recognize the board in any way. After doing both with the ST-Link it worked flawlessly. I was able to open it with the VESC tool and confirm the IMU was working in real-time.
I deleted some of my previous posts because I think they were just more of a distraction. Shaman suggested I just post a summary when it was resolved, so that’s what this is.
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Mine slip out the case easy causing me to not fully plug them in when theyre partially slipped out, that wasted a few hours of my life.
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Yeah - I just verified that the case is the problem. When I put it in the case you can feel and hear the bottom of the board scraping against the inside of the case in a most horrific manner. And it stops working. Take it out of the case and all is well again. I tried putting a piece of paper on the bottom of the board to protect it, but no good. I think the case is gonna get tossed.
Gratuitous update…
I identified the longer leads on the back of the ST-Link board and clipped them short. It now works perfectly in or out of the case.
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VESC-Tool question…
I loaded the bootloader and FW-3.62 on one of my new Cheap FOCer 2’s, hooked it up to the VESC-Tool that’s included at Shaman’s Github node, and did a motor detection. All seems well.
But I then decided to load the latest firmware that comes in with Shaman’s Github download. With the newer FW, the included VESC-Tool (1.25) says the FW is too new for the tool, and I’ll have to download the latest VESC-Tool. So I downloaded the latest version of the free Windows VESC-Tool (2.06) and tried it again. Still got the same message - that the FW is too new for the tool and that I should download a later version of the VESC-Tool.
I’m pretty sure I downloaded the latest version of the tool (2.06). But maybe the free version won’t handle the latest FW provided with Shaman’s Github download?
Do you guys have any tips? Has someone here managed to load the latest FW version and configure it with a VESC-Tool?
This is pretty low priority because I can happily work with earlier FW versions, but curious minds want to know 
does it mention what version is installed?
2.06 is the latest vesc-tool. 5.1 is the latest non dev firmware.
I saw this similar message when I hooked vesc-tool up to a unity running firmware 23.44 so that number is technically “newer” … but not sure how you got in such a state.
I’m not sure if you’re asking about the VESC-Tool or the FW. The VESC-Tool I downloaded was 2.06. The firmware versions that came with the Github download were:
3.62
4.02
5.01
“latest”
I only tried using 3.62 (which worked fine) and “latest” which didn’t appear to be compatible with either version of the VESC-Tool.
Just looking at the byte count on the different versions, it sort of looks like “latest” may simply be a copy of 5.01.
FW 5.01 should work with vesc tool 2.06. This is what I’ve been using in the CFOC2 without issue
Try the FW 5.01 folder instead of the “latest” folder.
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Alrighty - I just tried the firmware marked 5.01 in the Github distribution (shows up as 5.1 in the VESC-Tool) along with VESC-Tool 2.06 (not included in the Github distribution, but available for free from Vedder’s site). That worked very well.
So for me the secrets to success were:
- Make sure your ST-Link works (mine didn’t).
- Use the ST-Link to load both the boot-loader and firmware version 5.01 from Shaman’s Github distribution.
- Power the board via the battery inputs (not the 5V & GND pins).
- Download the latest VESC-Tool (2.06)
- Run the VESC-Tool wizards for motor and app setup.
Go ride your electric skateboard (or electric blender or whatever).
Thanks very much to Shaman, and to everyone here offering help!
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Electric weedwacker 
Btw, can I still buy one of these off you? No rush, im not in a hurry.
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Edit: This was due to a diode on backwards.
Finally got the rest of the components.
Decided to try assembling one after a 12 hour shift and work and promptly found out my solder paste was well beyond it’s best before date. Pretty sure in my attempts to clean it off I got some on the driver circuit.
As a result my first one wont power on. No blue LED and no voltage at the 5 volt pin.
I’ll try again another day when I don’t have to work all day before hand. Also hand solder everything rather than trying to use solder paste and hot air.
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Yeah sounds like the DRV is sad.
Yeah I recommend this just for the few components you have to finish out on your own. Leaded solder (flows the best, shines the best, tastes the best, ect) and good flux.
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Ironically I have all of that and decided hey lets try out this 2 year old solder paste and hot air gun.
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Do you keep it in the frig when you’re not using it? I’ve had pretty good luck with that.
Also hand solder everything rather than trying to use solder paste and hot air.
That should be pretty easy for everything but the IMU. Not sure if it’s possible to hand solder that.
I meant when it gave you “firmware is too new” did it say what it thought the firmware version was in the “vesc firmware, hardware, and uuid”. portion fo the firmware page in vesc-tool. was curious why you even got that message.
That said. seems like you’re past it and fixed. so yay.
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Unfortunately I don’t recall the details. My only recollection is that both versions of the VESC-Tool complained that “latest” firmware was not supported and I’d need to get the latest version of VESC-Tool (but one of them already was the latest version). When I flashed FW 5.01 the problem was gone.
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LCSC Parts are in!
Thanks to @doomy I have the right usb connectors .
The IMU’s are tiny though, like smaller than a grain of rice tiny, wondering how I’m going to hot air solder those.
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