Castle Telemetry Link w/ Futaba 7PXR

[extremeengineer]

Not sure if anyone else is using this combo, but I put the Castle Telemetry Link in my Kraton EXB, MMX8S, with Futaba 7PXR and 334 rx. If anyone else sees this, DON’T follow the Castle diagrams? Spent 20 minutes trying to figure out what I had wired wrong, checking servo cables, connectors, double checking all Castle paperwork and then figured out, oh, it doesn’t apply to 7PXR, just 7PX? PXR you have to do completely different.

So here’s an updated diagram in case anyone else does this:

Connect the External input wire to your ch.2 throttle, don’t leave it disconnected as Castle says.

Then use the Castle Link to connect to the telemetry dongle, and instead of setting it to ch.3 like they say, set it to External Input Wire. Do this with telemetry dongle NOT connected to ESC.

Reconnect dongle to ESC and then you’ll be able to calibrate. @robert@castle , you really should update the documentation for this, or at least send me some free stuff for spending a half hour figuring this out?

 

[BashingBrian]

Great info ??

What telemetry does the 7pxr show you when using this Castle link ??

 

[extremeengineer]

Great info ??

What telemetry does the 7pxr show you when using this Castle link ??

I'll show a pic tonight, don't have one on my phone, but the data is all of the items in my second pic with the check marks next to them. I could have sworn motor temp was one of the items too, but I'll check later.

 

[BashingBrian]

Can't wait to see..!! Your tempting me to buy this radio more and more ?

 

[FrshSnc83]

Motor temp is not included which sucks.. But being sensored, I allow the ESC to keep an eye on the motor from a temp and shut things down if it gets too toasty. To get the data on your transmitter you have to purchase the Futaba Electric Temp Sensor. I'm using the temp sensors with my TP and Cordova motors.

 

[extremeengineer]

Motor temp is not included which sucks.. But being sensored, I allow the ESC to keep an eye on the motor from a temp and shut things down if it gets too toasty. To get the data on your transmitter you have to purchase the Futaba Electric Temp Sensor. I'm using the temp sensors with my TP and Cordova motors.

Thanks. I must have remembered it in the wrong place during all of my looking through things. I now remember setting the motor temp cutoff to 180, seemed like a reasonably safe choice. If I have problems I'll have to get one of the optional temp sensors... or change pinions

 

[RCTrappings]

I wanted to thank you for this info. It is late and Castle is closed for the weekend and this post saved me from insanity. Set up the way they show and choosing Channel 2 in the drop down would make things work but a glitch would happen anytime the radio was in close vicinity of the car. Red light would go nuts on the link and bam it would do it. Set up your way it does not glitch! I also have a gyro on sbus in the mix. I had to enable failsafe on channel 2 to 0 or the esc would go in reverse momentarily and stop when a signal was lost. Learned that when I turned the radio off first by accident. 7PXR and the R334SBS receiver. I wonder if the R304 needs setting up the same way with this radio? Thanks for the info!

 

[nyev]

Hi, also wanted to say thanks for this! I have the exact same set of components (7pxr, 334RX, Castle Telemetry Link, MMX8S ESC, on my Kraton EXB).

However, when I set it up as described above, I get a really weird issue. After following these simple instructions, my motor suddenly revs massively whenever I shut off the transmitter, without fail. And, no telemetry data gets sent through to my 7pxr.

Of note, one of the led's on my Telemetry link dongle flashes red when I have it set up in this configuration. Throttle and steering control work as expected when the transmitter is linked, however when I shut off the transmitter - wham! Massive momentary throttle spike.

Thoughts? Update: Just thought to ask - do you have Link Live enabled on the ESC as indicated in the Telemetry Link instructions? Update #2: Actually my Telemetry Link LED's are no longer red and are green. But I still have the revving issue on loss of link, and no telemetry data on my 7pxr!

 

[nyev]

Duh was right in front of me above: "I had to enable failsafe on channel 2 to 0 or the esc would go in reverse momentarily and stop when a signal was lost." So, one problem down!

But I still can't for the life of me get the telemetry data to show up on my 7pxr. Wish they had this stuff documented!

 

[jkflow]

Don't ever ever ever turn off your transmitter with receiver being active.
You would learn quickly with a plane or Quad.
You have a couple horsepower without guidance (TX) and any random noise can cause havoc.

Lessons learned and never forgotten

 

[Arin]

Not sure if anyone else is using this combo, but I put the Castle Telemetry Link in my Kraton EXB, MMX8S, with Futaba 7PXR and 334 rx. If anyone else sees this, DON’T follow the Castle diagrams? Spent 20 minutes trying to figure out what I had wired wrong, checking servo cables, connectors, double checking all Castle paperwork and then figured out, oh, it doesn’t apply to 7PXR, just 7PX? PXR you have to do completely different.

So here’s an updated diagram in case anyone else does this:
View attachment 117892
Connect the External input wire to your ch.2 throttle, don’t leave it disconnected as Castle says.

Then use the Castle Link to connect to the telemetry dongle, and instead of setting it to ch.3 like they say, set it to External Input Wire. Do this with telemetry dongle NOT connected to ESC.
View attachment 117894
Reconnect dongle to ESC and then you’ll be able to calibrate. @robert@castle , you really should update the documentation for this, or at least send me some free stuff for spending a half hour figuring this out?

Thank you for this I’ve been trying to get the exact same setup to work.

 

[nyev]

Arin are you saying you managed to get the telemetry data through to the transmitter, with these instructions? If so, did you need to do anything on the transmitter (aside from selecting T-FHSS with telemetry enabled)?

All my metrics listed on the transmitter have no readings. Is there something I'm missing on the transmitter side of things?

 

[Arin]

Arin are you saying you managed to get the telemetry data through to the transmitter, with these instructions? If so, did you need to do anything on the transmitter (aside from selecting T-FHSS with telemetry enabled)?

All my metrics listed on the transmitter have no readings. Is there something I'm missing on the transmitter side of things?

So I have been able to get the data to transmitter. I have all the Castle data under the Telemetry menu function on the 7pxr but unfortunately I can’t get them to show on the instrument panel. I currently have the throttle set to channel 2 and the wire is loose like the Castle diagram. Tomorrow I’m planning to try this to see if i can get the data to the instrument panel instead of it stuck in the Telemetry menu.

 

[nyev]

That's odd.... For me, it makes no difference whether I follow Castle's instructions (except using channel 2 instead of 3), or whether I follow the instructions above - still no metrics under the Telemetry menu function. Will keep trying! Good luck getting the instrument panel to work. Hopefully I'll be there soon.

 

[Arin]

That's odd.... For me, it makes no difference whether I follow Castle's instructions (except using channel 2 instead of 3), or whether I follow the instructions above - still no metrics under the Telemetry menu function. Will keep trying! Good luck getting the instrument panel to work. Hopefully I'll be there soon.

Did you populate the Castle link in the sensor list on spots 8-15?

 

[nyev]

Did you populate the Castle link in the sensor list on spots 8-15?

On the 7px? I did play around with these settings, but wasn't quite sure how to indicate 8-15
I tried selecting "Change Slot", then setting "Start Slot" to 8. didn't do anything.... Is there more to it?

 

[Arin]

On the 7px? I did play around with these settings, but wasn't quite sure how to indicate 8-15

Yes on the 7px. Even though this video isn’t on a 7px I found it very helpful setting mine up.

 

[nyev]

Yes on the 7px. Even though this video isn’t on a 7px I found it very helpful setting mine up.

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks again for that video. I wouldn't have guessed to select "Castle TL01" on slot #8! I have readings now. On to figuring out how to get the instrument panel to show, as you are....

 

[nyev]

I figured it out. At first, the instruments do nothing. When you tap on the gauge, you need to select Castle TL01, and then which element you want to display on the gauge. You also need to change Display to be set to On.

Thanks again for the vid.... Next up, I've ordered the Futaba GPS module (v2). Hoping to show speed and velocity, in place of Throttle (which is simply the trigger position) and Receiver voltage (because who cares).

 

[extremeengineer]

Thanks

Thanks again for that video. I wouldn't have guessed to select "Castle TL01" on slot #8! I have readings now. On to figuring out how to get the instrument panel to show, as you are....

Did you get your instrument panel to show?

Set your min/max for each gauge too assume you figured that one out clicking on them.