I have a very specific build in mind, with components I already have. I am building a 4wd build and I would like to use a DV6 for the rear motors, a DV4s for the front, and an ESP32 that’s connected to the canbus and powered by a buck converter. Ideally, all VESCs and the ESP would be switched on and off at the exact same time, but I don’t know how I can do that, as the DV4s has a switch while the DV6 doesn’t (and I just use an XT90S antispark loopkey).
When I connect the loopkey the DV6 and the ESP32 would switch on, and the DV4s would go into hibernation mode until I press the on/off button.
My question is, would it be an issue that 2 canbus devices (DV6 & ESP32) are online as soon as I connect the loopkey and they boot, but the DV4s takes a little longer to connect to the canbus since I also need to press the button to turn it on first? Or is canbus turned on even in hibernation mode?
EDIT: I just realised canbus is probably always on even in hibernation mode because I think the side with the switch turns the other side on via canbus, so even if the switch is off canbus still has to be on. Regardless, this setup wouldn’t cause any issues, right?
You don’t have to use the switch on the dv4s, you could then have it as on as soon as the loop key went in? Or at least i think that’s the way it works? Just have to disable any auto shutdown mode on the dv4s.
The buttons are not connected to the CAN BUS in any way. You can try shorting the buttons on the DV4s and setting always on on the vesc tool, this will keep the ESCs on. Then use the loop key to turn on both ESCs at the same time. Note that once the can wires are connected, the two ESCs must be connected in parallel to power up, otherwise they will kill the can chip.
If I also want to have an ESP32 microcontroller monitoring canbus over a TJA1051 or similar interface module, powered by a buck converter, if I were to switch the buck converter with the exact same loopkey that I use to switch the ESCs, that would be fine, right?
And I only have to connect CAN_H and CAN_L, or GND as well?
Having trouble with dv4s - relatively new to this.
Initially installed (with some guidance) and all good - could only ever get into vesc tool over bluetooth - couldn’t connect by plugging in using Mac
After first real ride I noticed I couldn’t turn board off - thought this was because I forgot to turn left side shutdown mode to ‘always on’ as per makerx
Tried updating firmware, tried refreshing Vesc tool but here’s what happens now:
Both sides of esc don’t always show up
If they do I’ll run motor detection and all seems well but in the end motors run like shit (like there’s a phase wire problem)
Then one of the sides of esc wont show up anymore on canbus - when this happens and I try to run motors only one will run but run perfectly normally
Then esc won’t turn off with switch anymore
Tried installing a dv6s (I have for a future project) and it was a pretty similar scenario - bottom line only one side of esc wants to stay on, other side is intermittent at best…
I had the same exact thing happen to me. When one side didn’t show up on the canbus, I then reflashed the DV4s firmware from the MakerX website. That fixed being able to see both sides, but still failed motor detection on one side.
Contacted MakerX for a replacement and they asked for video proof. Two days later when I ran detection on video, both sides worked fine.
So weird. Tossing it in my parts box for a someday spare.
Out of box neither dv4s or dv6s would connect with cable - not sure if it’s because I’m using Mac and need a dongle to connect to regular usb?
Out of box both gave me the same issue
Tried to bootload diff versions on dv4s to try and get a different outcome but had read about needing to do one side at a time and with cable etc
I’m sure it’s likely still user error…
Firmware out of the box was either flawed or the settings somehow changed after motor detection. Wish I knew. I always use a cable, have never connected any other way.
Yep. Lots of other crap but no switch. It appears I do need to short something to get it to power on without the switch as I’m getting no sign of life at the moment.
Which pins is @YUTW123 referring to below. Is this the 5V and SW?
Furthermore, I noticed on the image of the DV4s on the website it shows the SW pin on the UART and the PPM pins as one would expect but on my unit it has the SW and PPM pins swapped around.
