VESC WAND REMOTE soon to arrive from the future

[Pimousse]

Interesting.
The only time I found range issues was when I broke the antenna while mounting the MadMunkey mod.
I performed some comparison tries with antenna broken and after having it repaired.
That was day and night.
No antenna break or something on yours ?

[Pedrodemio]

I think not, I was pretty careful, the carbon fiber on the Hummie deck certainly doesn’t help

We’re you using any mod on the remote?

[Pimousse]

@Pedrodemio

We’re you using any mod on the remote?

What do you mean ?
I kept the GT2b PCB as it came. I just rolled the antenna in the bottom of the MadMunkey case, that’s all.
I use like 3 different GT2b remotes (one daily), and I never had any issue.
I also ride with the remote in the front hand. I never thought it could be a difference.
Pretty astonished !

[Pedrodemio]

Exactly the same as mine, I will play around with the antenna on the board, or coil it to the other side on the remote so it stays farther from my hand

[pookybear]

@Trampa

First of all, when you test a new hardware setup, you de-power the board using the VESC-Tool profiles.
go for 12Km/h and maybe 30% power. Ride in a place where you can safely test things our.
That is common sense and we advised to do so.

We always ride conservatively when we get new hardware. In fact, we haven’t even gone over 50% of our power band because we are scared of the cut outs. Give us a little credit.

@Trampa

A carbon fibre deck will definitely block the radio signal. You need to place the dongle outside of the CF enclosure. CF or metal enclosures shield the signal.

Well. We’re SOL then. Is there a way to add/solder an antenna on the receiver? We can route this antenna outside of the enclosure.

@Trampa

The time, you will have the last signal lasting is the TIMEOUT setting. After X milliseconds of signal loss the VESC will go into failsafe mode. That could be free rolling or a mild brake (when defined). If your signal is stable and tested, you can use a faster TIMEOUT.

Where is this setting? Where do we define this failsafe mode?

@Trampa

That worked very nice but for left handed riders some cutouts could happen if the receiver was in a bad location behind the body.

Since I’m Goofy and I use my right hand for the remote, receiver is behind me, which explains the signal loss. A router antenna outside of enclosure should help w the cut outs.

@Trampa

I do live in a big city with 4M people. I do skate here and have ZERO issues.
Riders in SF had ZERO issues, group rides with dozen other riders: Zero issue.
Paris Event: Zero issues
Skate night with 5K people in a down town area: Zero issues.

I believe you. It just doesn’t change the fact that we are having issues. And like you said, CF deck doesn’t help w the signal. Hence the inquiry to add an antenna.

@Trampa

In all our tests and everyday riding we never had signal loss issues like you would experience with PPM skateboard controllers.

For the record, my PPM remote (Hoyt Puck) and mini remote never gave me a signal loss. It was/is placed exactly where my Vesc dongle is/was.

These are all feedbacks from me and my friends so far. No malice nor “vendor bashing” is intended from any of it. We just want to enjoy our new toy. Safely.

[Trampa]

Timeout: App Settings general >> default is 1000ms
Timeout Brake Current>> default 0 Amps

Timeout Brake is a critical setting since you are not prepared to handle brakes when the board applies them without any warning!

Antenna: You can’t mount an external antenna cable. You should have a portion of the deck without CF or have the entire dongle outside of the enclosure. Since the dongle is very small, you should be able to locate the dongle in a small 3D printed / CNced housing. If you are handy, you can de-solder the JST connectors and solder the cable directly to the PCB. This way it is only a tiny flat PCB that can go pretty much anywhere outside the enclosure.

[Xenon]

any updates on the TPU case?

[Ukesu]

Do my Trampa deck will also shield signal like pure CF ?

[Trampa]

No, they do not shield the signal a lot.

[Soflo]

Any idea how long of a wait it’ll be for round 2 wands?

[pduck911]

I want to hook up my wand to an enertion focbox single in my Lacroix DSS50. Just double checking that the VCC terminal on the VESC is the same as the 3.3V terminal on the focbox. If anyone can confirm I would appreciate it. Thanks

[pookybear]

SWD is only for uploading fw for the dongle. Just connect the dongle to the focbox UART port. You may need to switch your Rx and tx pins. That what I did to my friends single focboxes.

[pduck911]

I’m sorry not the SWD port, on the Comm port on my Trampa VESC 6 plus there is a pin labeled VCC, on the same pin on the FOCBOX it’s labeled 3.3v. Just want to be sure these are the same pin. Thanks for the help @pookybear

[pookybear]

If you look at the pins, it’s 5v gnd Rx tx. Where do you see the 3v?

Edit I see the 3v now. Look at the back of dongle. You should see the pinouts there. It should be 5v.

Edit 2
No 5v on there. Just VCC like you said. Same as mine.

[pduck911]

3.3v is second pin up from the bottom on the focbox and that same pin is labeled VCC on the VESC

[pookybear]

If you line up the connector that you received w your wand to the vesc6 comm port, it goes to 5v (red wire). That’s what I have on mine on my Vesc 6 as well as my friends focboxes.

@Trampa should be awake soon.

[pduck911]

Thanks @ pookybear, my Trampa connection lines up on VCC, and the dongle has a VCC terminal. I will reach out to @Trampa for clarification. Thanks again for all the help

[Trampa]

3.3v = VCC

[Lee_Wright]

And just to add to this I have my VCC going to the 3.3V pin on my focbox and it works great

[Skaterboy58]

did you get a response to this?

maybe for vesc Hw4 to wand
rx to rx
tx to tx?