r/Multicopter • u/Meheusz • 7d ago

Question PDB connection

Hi guys, me and my friends are building a drone at uni. My current task is to connect this Pilotix PDB to this Iflight FC. The description of this PDB says that it has built in ammeter. How to read it's value? Through TLM pin? If yes where to connect it?

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u/Dragongeek 7d ago

In the description it says:

Wiring suggestion UART5 for ESC Telemetry

Not familiar with these specific components but you probably need to connect TLM from the ESC to the RX on UART5. Just my guess though, the doc on the ESC is lacking. 

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u/Meheusz 7d ago

We are using 4x GepRC Taker 100 Single ESC. They don't have telemetry pin so only telemetry from DShot can be used. But this does not provide amp reading from each ESC so we thought that we could use the built-in ammeter in the PDB but there is no information on how to use it :/

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u/izzeww 7d ago edited 7d ago

You read the current data through the current pin "CUR" on the PDB which should be connected to the current pin "CUR" on the flight controller. I don't know what firmware you are running so can't advise you on what exactly you need to do there but it should be simple. There is a cable that goes between the FC and the PDB. The cable connector is standardized but the pinout is not, so you need to check the pinout and likely repin the connector. After you have done that you just need to plug it in and read the data in the firmware. EDIT: and because it's 6 motors instead of the regular 4 you need to wire 2 of the motor wires to another plug or pads

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u/izzeww 6d ago

I messaged the company customer support regarding this situation but their reply/explanation is very confusing: https://imgur.com/a/1Mxu92v

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u/ggmaniack 7d ago

I can't see a current sensor on that PDB in its photos. It's in the description, but visually it's not there.

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u/izzeww 7d ago

It uses hall effect not a shunt, so I think it's there just small.

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u/ggmaniack 7d ago

I'm not seeing any current sensor on that PDB ANYWHERE.

All that's in the pics are two BECs.

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u/izzeww 7d ago

TBH you might be right, I'm not a PCB expert. They say they have hall sensor though.

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u/ggmaniack 7d ago

I mean, there isn't even a CUR pin anywhere on the PDB, much less the actual sensor.

Real pics of the PDB would be useful, in case it differs from the renders.

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u/izzeww 7d ago

That is curious that there isn't a pin for it. There are 9 pads but 10 pins on the connector. Real pics would indeed be useful.

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u/izzeww 6d ago

I messaged their customer support and honestly I have even more questions lol: https://imgur.com/a/1Mxu92v

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u/ggmaniack 6d ago

Are you... Getting responses from AI?

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u/izzeww 6d ago

Not sure. The last response is AI generated but the middle on was human written (according to Pangram). Of course they might just use AI to translate so who knows. It doesn't make a lot of sense at least.

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u/ggmaniack 7d ago

Can you provide real photos of the PDB?

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u/Meheusz 5d ago

I'll be at the university on Monday and I'll send a photo

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u/Meheusz 3d ago

https://imgur.com/a/VvxAhDd

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u/ggmaniack 3d ago

And the other side of it?

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u/Meheusz 3d ago

There are no electronic components on the other side of the board. Only solder pads for ESC

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u/ggmaniack 3d ago

Yeah so all I'm seeing are two near identical BECs on the board, and a bunch of capacitors. That's it. No current sensor to be seen anywhere.