Castle Creations Pixie-20P User Manual

Pixie-20P

™

By

Castle Creations

™

Programmable Sub Micro Digital Motor Control

Pixie-20P™ User Guide Page 1 of 5 Rev 2-dated 09/17/02

This document, Pixie-20P software, and Pi xie-20P PCB la yout are all Copyright  2002 by Patrick del Castillo and

Castle Creations™.

All Rights Reserved.

1.0 Features of the Pixie-20P:

• Microprocessor controlled

• Low Resistance (.0027 ohms)

• High rate (2800 Hz) switching (PWM)

• Up to 20 Amps continuous current (with proper air flow)

• High Output (1.5 amp) Battery Eliminator Cir cuit (BEC)

provides power to receiver and servos - eliminates separate
receiver battery

• Five – seven cells with four micro servos

• Eight cells with three micro servos

• Nine or ten cells with two micro servos

• Eighteen cells MAX with BEC disabled

• Programmable LV cutoff (none, 5.0V*, 6.0V, 7.2V or 8.4V)

• Programmable motor cutoff – hard with reset* or soft

• Programmable throttle range – auto-calibrating* or fixed

end points

• Safe “power on” arming pro gram ensures moto r will not
accidentally turn on

• Low torque “soft start” prevents damage to fragile
gearboxe s

• Auto shut down when signal is lost or radio interference
becomes severe

• Rugged surface mount construction

* Initial facto ry settings

2.0 Wiring Your Pixie-20P:

Tools required:

Wire cutters Wi re strippers (optiona l) Soldering Iron (2 5-40 watts - Do not use a soldering “gun”)

Parts required:

Solder (rosin core “ electronic” sol der - do not use acid core “plumbers” solder)
Battery connector

2.1 Servo Ratings with BEC Enabled

Servo Type 5-7 cells 8 cells 9-10 cells

Standard (micro) servos 4 3 2
High Torqu e servos 3 2 Not Recommended

2.1 Adding the Battery Connector

The battery connector is attached to the side of the controller with black and red wires. Cut the wires to the
length you requir e on the battery side. Strip off of the wire insulation to expose just enough wire to attach the
battery connector. ( Note: if you do not ha ve a pair of wire str ippers, you can u se a modeling knife to
carefully cut through the insulation around the wire. Then the insulation should easily pull off the wire.)

Attach the battery connector to the wires ENSURING THAT THE POLARITY (red wire to battery red wire,
black wire to battery black wire) IS CORRECT, following the instructions for the battery connector.

2.2 Attaching the Motor Leads

The motor is connected to the side of the controller with red and white wires. Cut the wires to the length you
require on the motor side. Strip the wire insulation to expose ju st enough wire to solder the wires to the motor
terminals. (Note: If you do not have a pair of wire stri ppers, you can u se a modeling knife to ca refully cut
through the insulation around the wire. Then the insulation should easily pull off the wire). There should be
a ‘+’ symbol or a RED DOT on the end of your motor which indicates which termina l must be connected to
the RED wire. Connect the other terminal to the white wire. A fuse (5-10 amps) may be connected inline in
either the white or red power wire. A fuse is recommended for the safest opera tion. DO NOT PLACE A

FUSE IN THE CIRCUIT BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND SPEED CONTROL. YOU COULD
LOSE CONTROL OF THE MODEL.

Align the wires carefully and solder to the motor terminals. Ensure that all connections (battery and motor)
are correctly polarized.

IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU MUST BE SURE THAT ALL CONNECTIONS ARE CORRECT WHEN
CONNECTING THE SPEED CONTROL. Incorrectly connecting the speed control could cause per manent
damage to the controller.

Battery Connector Pixie-20P Fuse* Motor

Fig 1: System power wiring diagram * Suggested 5-10 Amp (if installed)

2.3 Connecting the Receiver

Older AirT ronics systems require a minor change to the wiring in the receiver connector supplied with t he
speed controller. Reverse the r ed (power) and brown (ground) wires in the connect or plug so that the plug is
orange/brown/red. Use a knife blade to l ift the retention ta bs on the connector plug to r emove the red and
brown wires. Insert the wires back into the plug and press down the retention tab.

Connect the receiver lea d (the three color wires with a connector on the end) to the throttle channel on your
receiver (usu ally channel 3). Do not connect a battery to the receiver, a s the Pixie-20P will supply power to
the receiver and servos thr ough the receiver connector. If you ar e using more than eight cells, you will need
to use a separa te receiver bat tery. See the section 4 .0 (under the heading BEC) for instructi ons on disabling
the BEC to use a separate r eceiver batter y.

ALWAYS PERFORM A RANGE CHECK BEFORE FLYING WITH ANY NEW SPEED
CONTROLLER! PERFORM YOUR RANGE CHECK AT FULL THROTTLE, HALF
THROTTLE AND NO THROTTLE.

Pixie-20P

←Batt Motor→

Pixie-20P

™

By

Castle Creations

™

Programmable Sub Micro Digital Motor Control

Pixie-20P™ User Guide Page 2 of 5 Rev 2-dated 09/17/02

This document, Pixie-20P software, and Pi xie-20P PCB la yout are all Copyright  2002 by Patrick del Castillo and

Castle Creations™.

All Rights Reserved.

3.0 Flying with Your Pixie-20P:

Initialization sequenc e:

1. Connect the speed controller receiver connector to the proper channel on your receiver (usual ly channel 3)

2. Turn on your transmitter.

3. Connect the main power battery to the speed controller. The motor will emit a single beep.

4. The speed controller will remain disarmed (will not operate) until it sees more than 1 1/2 seconds of

“OFF” throttle. Move the throttle arm to the lowest position on your transmitter; wait at least 1 1/2
seconds. The motor will emit two beeps when armed and the LED will flash slowly. Test the controller to
make sure that the throttle operates.

5. Go fly!

6. If the BEC cutoff occurs before you land, you may restart the motor and use low throttle if necessary by

moving the throttle stick all the way down (to the off position) and then throttling back up. BEC cutoff
will occur again if the voltage drops too low.

4.0 Using the Features of Your Pixie-20P

Auto-calibrating Throttle Range – The throttle range is auto-calibrated to the transmitter in use to insure

maximum throttle steps.

BEC - The BEC power is su pplied to the receiver and servos through the receiver connector wires. I f you
wish to disable the BEC and use a separ ate receiver ba ttery (requ ired for more tha n eight cells), you must first
cut the red wire in the trio of receiver wir es. Simply use a pa ir of wire cutt ers to remove a short section of the
red wire near the r eceiver connector, and be sure to insul ate the cut wire with a bit of electrical ta pe. Or
remove the pin from the connector (pr y the retaining tab up, remove the pin, and insulate the pin with
electrical tape.) Then you may safely use a battery with you r receiver.

Fixed Throttle Range – Fixed throttle range sets the throttle to 1.25 to 1.75 ms fixed.

Hard Cutoff – Hard motor cutoff will occur when the input battery voltage drops below the programmed

voltage for more than one half second. Once motor cu toff has occurred, moving the throttle to the full off
position can rearm the controller. This will allow restart of the motor at low throttle after cutoff has occurred.

WARNING! Restarting of the motor may drain the battery to the point where the radio receiver will
stop operating, resulting in a loss of control of the model.

Losses of Transmitter Signal, or excessive radio noise cutoff - Motor cutoff will also occur if the signal

from the transmitter is lost, or if the radio noise becomes excessive. After radio connection has been
reestablished, moving the throttle to the braking position (full off) can restart the motor.

Programmi ng Mode – The Pixie-2 0P is alrea dy programmed from the factor y for: a) 5.0v cutoff, b) a ha rd
cutoff with reset and c) auto calibrating throttle end points. To change any or all of these settings follow the
programming instru ctions beginning in section 7.0.

Safe Power Up - The Safe Power up feature is a “finger saver” , designed to prevent the motor from starting
accidentally on power up. To arm the controller, the transmitter stick must be held in the “OFF” position (all
the way down) for at least one and a half seconds. Until the controller is armed, it will not provide any power
to the motor, regardless of where the throttle stick on your transmitter is positioned. Before flying your
model, be sure to “blip” the throttle to ensure that the controller is armed.

Soft Cutoff - Soft Cutoff reduces the throttle level to keep the voltage at or near the programmed cutoff
voltage level.

WARNING! Soft cutoff is not recommended because it is easy to accidentally run the batteries down
to a point where the receiver and servos stop responding or battery damage occurs.

5.0 Troubleshooting

Everything is hooked up correctly, the BEC (receiver and servos) works, but the throttle does not
wor k.

The controller is not seeing the one and a ha lf seconds of “dead space” (l ow throttle) and is not arming. The
motor should emit two “beeps” when it arms. Try moving your throttle stick all the way down, and moving
the trim all the way down. Wait for a couple of seconds and try the thr ottle again. If it still does not arm, you
may need to reverse the throttle control on your transmitter (see your radio documentation). You may also
check to make su re that your endpoint adjustments on your radio ( if it has them) ar e set all the way open.

Every time I throttle all the way up, the controller “cuts off” after a few seconds, even with fresh
charged batteries.

The controller will automatically shut down the motor if the battery voltage falls below programmed cutoff
voltage for more tha n a half second. Thi s prevents loss of control caused by low voltage at the r eceiver. If the
cutoff is kicking in with freshly charged bat teries, it means tha t the voltage is dr opping very quickly. This is
usually a n indication of a motor that is dra wing too much curr ent for the batteri es to handle. Tr y using a
smaller prop on the motor, or using batteries with a higher rating (for example, if you are using 600 AE cells,
you might try going to 800 AR cells.)

It is also possible that the microprocessor on the Pixie-2 0P is being overwhelmed by noise from the motor.
This can occur if the motor has no capa citors installed. In most cases the Pixie-20 P does not require
capacitors to be installed on the motor . However, some motors a re extremely noisy electr ically, a nd need to
have capacitors installed. If this is the case, add a capacitor across the motor terminals, or even better, add
three capacitors: one across the motor terminals, and one from each terminal to the motor case. Capacitors
can be purchased from Radio Shack. Be sure to get “ceramic disk” capacitors, in the range of .01uF and .1uf
(.047uF being the best choice.) Do not use electrolytic (can style) or tantalum capacitors with a high-rate
control.

When everything is all connected and powered on the motor emits continuous “beep” sounds.

The unit i s not receiving a signa l from the receiver. Make sure the receiver connector is plu gged in correctly
and plugged into the right channel of your receiver. Rule out the possibility of a faulty receiver.

Nothing seems to work, receiver and servos are dead, and the throttle is dead.

Check all connect ions to ensure that they are corr ect, and that the polarity ( +/-) connections are correct.
Ensure that the battery is not connected to the motor side of the speed controller. If everything is correctly
connected, and the receiver and servos still do not work, contact the dealer where you purchased your Pixie­20P or conta ct

Castle Cre ations

directly. (See info below)

Pixie-20P

™

By

Castle Creations

™

Programmable Sub Micro Digital Motor Control

Pixie-20P™ User Guide Page 3 of 5 Rev 2-dated 09/17/02

This document, Pixie-20P software, and Pi xie-20P PCB la yout are all Copyright  2002 by Patrick del Castillo and

Castle Creations™.

All Rights Reserved.

6.0 Contact/Warranty Information

Your Pixie-20P is warra nted for 1 year from da te of purchase to be free from manu facturing a nd component
defects. This warra nty does not cover abu se, neglect, or damage due to misuse, incor rect wiring, over
voltage, or overloa ding. If you have a ny questions, comments, or wish to retu rn your Pixie-2 0P for warra nty

or after warranty repair/replacement contact

Castle Creations™

at:

Castle Creations™

Email: support@castlecrea tions.com

18773 W 117

th

Street Fax: [phone]
Olathe, KS 66061 http://www.castlecreations. com
Tel: [phone]

7.0 Pixie-20P Programming Features

Programming the Pixie-20P

Programming the Pixie-20P is as simple as answering a few questions. The Pixi e-20P asks questions by
flashing a setting nu mber, followed by the possible setting val ues. There a re three settings tha t can be
programmed in the Pixie-20P: 1) Cutoff voltage, 2) Cutoff Type, and 3) Throttle Range.

As the programmer, you mu st answer “yes” or “ no” to the setting va lues as they are presented by the Pixie­20P. The setting values are “flashed” out by the LED. Answering “no” to a setting value will cause the
Pixie-20P to ask for the next value. Answering “yes” to a setting value will store that setting in the Pixie­20Ps permanent memory. After a setting is stored, the Pixie-20P will continue to ask about other settings
until all settings have been stored. NOTE: If you answer “no” to all values for a particular setting, the Pixie­20P will keep whatever value had been previously programmed. Only by answering “yes” to a value will the
Pixie-20P store/change that val ue.

When answering a question, you will need to move the transmitter stick to the yes (full on throttle) position or
the no (full off throttle) position and keep it there for about 5 seconds. When the Pixie-20P has accepted you r
answer, it will flash the LED rapidly. After the LED starts it’s rapid flashing, move the throttle stick to the
middle position to confirm that you are rea dy for the Pixie-20P to ask the next qu estion.

You are not r equired to continu e through all three programming opti ons. For example, if you wish only to
change the Cutoff Volta ge (option 1) then a fter programming tha t setting you can di sconnect power from the
Pixie-20P™ and proceed to the a rming sequence (see Section 3 .0). Disconnecting the controller in the
middle of programming simply reta ins the values for the remaining progra mming options that were
previously set up.

8.0 Entering Programming Mode

The Pixie-20P software is designed to make it difficult to accidentally enter programming mode, therefore it
may seem like a long pr ocess to enter programming mode. T his is to prevent entering programming mode
while preparing to fly or while in flight. To enter programming mode, follow the steps below:

8.1 Verify Normal Operation

If this is the first time the Pixie-20P has been used, it is important to verify that the Pixie-20P operates
normally with your transmitter otherwise programming may not function properly. Follow the instructions in
section 3.0 Initialization Sequence (steps 1-4). Once you have verified that the Pixie-20P operates normally,
proceed to 8.2 bel ow. If the Pixie-20P does not operate properly, see section 5.0, T roubleshooting.

8.2 Enter Programming Mode

8.2.1 Remove battery power from the Pixi e-20P.

8.2.2 Move the transmitter stick to the top position (normally full “ On”).

8.2.3 Reconnect battery power to the Pixie-20 P.

8.2.4 After approximately 1 0 seconds, the LED on the Pixie-20P should flash a short, single flash

followed by a pause.

Pixie-20P responds: flash – pause

8.2.5 Move your transmitter stick to the middle position.

8.2.6 After approximately 5 -10 seconds, the LED on the Pixie-20P shou ld flash a short, dou ble flash

followed by a pause.

Pixie-20P responds: flash – flash – pause

8.2.7 Move your transmitter stick to the top position again.

8.2.8 After approximately 5 -10 seconds, the LED on the Pixie-20P shou ld flash a short, tr iple flash

followed by a pause.

Pixie-20P responds: flash – flash – flash – pa use

8.2.9 Move your transmitter stick back to the middle position again.

8.2.10 After approximately 5 -10 seconds, the LED on the Pixie-20P will quickly flash 8-10 times and

will then start a flash sequence of a single flash followed by another single flash, followed by a
long pause.

Pixie-20P responds: flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash

flash – flash – pause

8.2.11 The Pixie-20P is now in programming mode.

8.2.12 Proceed to Section 9. 0 – Programming the Pixie-20P

Pixie-20P

™

By

Castle Creations

™

Programmable Sub Micro Digital Motor Control

Pixie-20P™ User Guide Page 4 of 5 Rev 2-dated 09/17/02

This document, Pixie-20P software, and Pi xie-20P PCB la yout are all Copyright  2002 by Patrick del Castillo and

Castle Creations™.

All Rights Reserved.

9.0 Programming the Pixie-20P

Important Note: When answering a question, you will need to move the transmitter stick to the yes (full “On” throttle) position or the no (full “Off” throttle) position and keep it there for about 5 seconds. When the Pixie-

20P has a ccepted your answer, i t will flash the LED rapidly. After the LED starts it’s rapid flashing, move the throttle stick to the middle position to confirm that you are ready for the Pixie-20P to ask the next question.

If you wish to re-program only the cut-off voltage you do not need t o continue throu gh the programming steps for the r emaining two settings. Once you have programmed the cu toff voltage and the Pixie-2 0P has confirmed the
selection, instead of returning to mid-throttle for the next question, disconnect battery power, re-connect power, and ar m the speed control as norma l (see Section 3.0 ).

*Factory default settings are indicated by an asterisk in the option listings below.

9.1 Programming Setting 1 –Cutoff Voltage

Option 1: No cutoff voltage Recommended for use with 4 cell NiCad or N iMH packs
Option 2: 5.0V cutoff volta ge * Recommended for use with 5-8 cell NiCad or N iMH packs
Option 3: 6.0V cutoff voltage Recommended for use with 9-12 cell NiCad or NiMH, or 2 cell Lithium packs
Option 4: 7.2V cutoff volta ge Recommended for use with 14-16 cell NiCad or NiMH packs
Option 5: 8.4V cutoff voltage Recommended for use with 3 cell Lithium packs

Pixie-20P Displays: Programming Question Asked: Your Response: Pixie-20P Action: Your Action:

Yes – Throttle stick in up position

Stores selection. Flashes rapi dly to confirm
receipt of your response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next setting–Cutoff Type (9.2 below)

1 flash – short pa use – 1 fla sh – long pause Setting 1 (cutoff voltage), Option 1

(no cutoff)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next option for this setting

Yes – Throttle stick in up position

Stores selection. Flashes rapi dly to confirm
receipt of your response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next setting–Cutoff Type (9.2 below)

1 flash – short pa use – 2 fla shes – long pause Setti ng 1 (cutoff voltage), Option 2

(5.0V)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next option for this setting

Yes – Throttle stick in up position

Stores selection. Flashes rapi dly to confirm
receipt of your response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next setting–Cutoff Type (9.2 below)

1 flash – short pa use – 3 fla shes – long pause Setting 1 (cutoff voltage), Option 3

(6.0V)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next option for this setting

Yes – Throttle stick in up position

Stores selection. Flashes rapi dly to confirm
receipt of your response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next setting–Cutoff Type (9.2 below)

1 flash – short pa use – 4 fla shes – long pause Setti ng 1 (cutoff voltage), Option 4

(7.2V)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next option for this setting

Yes – Throttle stick in up position

Stores selection. Flashes rapi dly to confirm
receipt of your response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next setting–Cutoff Type (9.2 below)

1 flash – short pa use – 5 fla shes – long pause Setting 1 (cutoff voltage), Option 5

(8.4V)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response. Maintains previou s setting for
cutoff voltage (no cha nge)

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to
next setting-Cutoff Type (9.2 below)

Pixie-20P

™

By

Castle Creations

™

Programmable Sub Micro Digital Motor Control

Pixie-20P™ User Guide Page 5 of 5 Rev 2-dated 09/17/02

This document, Pixie-20P software, and Pi xie-20P PCB la yout are all Copyright  2002 by Patrick del Castillo and

Castle Creations™.

All Rights Reserved.

9.2 Programming Setting 2 –Cutoff Type

Cutoff describes the way the Pixi e-20P handles a low voltage situ ation. There are two options for cu toff type:

Option 1: Hard cutoff with resta rt* Recommended for aircra ft use Option 2: Soft cu toff Recommended for helicopter use

A Hard Cutoff (the default value) will turn off the motor when a low-voltage condition occurs. Moving the throttle stick to the lowest (off) position, and then throttling back up will restart the motor.
A Soft Cutoff reduces the throttle level to keep the voltage at or near the cutoff voltage level. A soft cutoff is not recommended because it is easier to accidenta lly run the ba tteries down to a point where the receiver
and servos stop responding or batter y damage occurs.

Pixie-20P Displays: Programming Question Asked: Your Response: Pixie-20P Action: Your Action:

Yes – Throttle stick in up position Stores selection. Flashes rapidly to

confirm receipt of your r esponse.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to next
setting–Throttle Range (9.3 below)

2 flashes - short pause – 1 flash – long pa use Setting 2 (cutoff type), O ption 1

(Har d cutoff)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of
your response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to next option
for this setting

Yes – Throttle stick in up position Stores selection. Flashes rapidly to

confirm receipt of your r esponse.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to next
setting–Throttle Range (9.3 below)

2 flashes - short pause – 2 flashes – long pa use Setting 2 (cutoff type), Option 2

(Soft cutoff)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of
your response. Mainta ins previous
setting for cutoff type (no change) .

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to next setting
– Throttle Range (9.3 below).

9.3 Programming Setting 3 – Throttle Range

Option 1: Auto throttle calibration* Recommended for aircraft use
Option 2: Fixed throttle range Recommended for helicopter use

Auto Throttle Calibration is a feature of the Pixie-20P that automatically adjusts the throttle range to match the range of the transmitter in use. In most cases, Auto Throttle Calibration is desirable, however, in
some cases (such as with a helicopter tail rotor control) a fixed throttle response is desirable.

Pixie-20P Displays: Programming Question Asked: Your Response: Pixie-20P Action: Your Action:

Yes – Throttle stick in up position Stores selection. Flashes rapidly to confirm

receipt of your response. LED remains on to
confirm it is ready to be armed.

Programming complete. Proceed to arming
section of this User’s Guide (section 3) to
arm the unit for flight.

3 flashes - short pause – 1 flash – long pa use Setting 3 (throttle range), Option 1

(auto calibrate)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response.

Return T x stick to center a nd proceed to next
option for this setting

Yes – Throttle stick in up position Stores selection. Flashes rapidly to confirm

receipt of your response. LED remains on to
confirm it is ready to be armed.

Programming complete. Proceed to arming
section of this User’s Guide (section 3) to
arm the unit for flight.

3 flashes - short pause – 2 flashes – long pa use Setting 3 (throttle range), Option 2

(fixed)?

No – Throttle stick in off position

Flashes rapidly to confirm receipt of your
response. Maintains previou s setting for
throttle range (no change). LED remains on
to confirm it is ready to be armed.

Programming complete. Proceed to arming
section of this User’s Guide (section 3) to
arm the unit for flight.