Beier sound controllerand light setup

[DrDiff]

Rather than risk my rig with a tamiya MFU burning up my LiPo batteries I chose to go with a Beier setup as it has low voltage cutoff. I will be posting pictures as my build progresses.

[gismow]

Hi Dean,
great choice, all my Trucks do have this Module and it is absolute fantastic.

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4524/38774792451_80887d12f3_c.jpg

The Beier USM RC2, LS-4R-10W-50, 4 Ohm, 10 Watt, 50 x 50 mm Loud Speaker and Housing

[DrDiff]

I also have:

Volume Control Pot, 2 Additional Servo patch cables, Terminal Clamp for lights, EXM2 Extension module Extension Data cable K-USB-2, and a battery Y cable.

[gismow]

Hi Sean,

full feature package...

What kind of truck do you want to set up with this and which features do you want to implement?

[DrDiff]

I am going to setup my Freightliner Cascadia Evolution. I want it to have startup and when the engine fires the running lights come on. Turn signals Engine sounds, Low Beam Headlights, High Beam Headlights, Fog Lights, Stop Lights and Reversing Lights Couple and uncuple. Horn

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4584/38788502632_e170f29380_c.jpg USM-RC2

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/23954723977_b030ffe5a6_c.jpg Bottom of USM-RC2

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4541/27043418389_cf8aa7e070_c.jpg Press in Light Harness If you have an Extension Module EXM2, you will want two of these

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4528/38103262324_62f339d3f7_c.jpg Power Harness

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/37932997215_690d9bd781_c.jpg USB Communication Harness. So you don't have to pull the memory card.

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4516/23954726177_7d14f2caf9_c.jpg Volume control pot

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4573/38788508022_d22cc283e0_c.jpg Extemsion Module EM2 and Harness.

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/24947177158_1654c0e50d_c.jpg Test Setup

[DrDiff]

OK I know that the Sound Unit goes between the output of the RX and the Steering Servo and ESC. I am confused as to where the jumpers from the RX to the Sound Unit plug in at.

[Kingcam2]

HI DrDiff

There is some helpful video Tutorial for the USM-RC2 on Beier youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/BeierElectronic

Regards Cameron.

[gismow]

Hi...

on the upper right you connect the module to the receiver resp. other modules.

From top to bottom:
- Prop#1 upper: Cable from the receiver (gas)
- Prop#1 lower: Cable to the ESC
- Prop#2 uppper: Cable from the reveiver (steer servo)
- Prop#2 lower: Servo cable
- Prop#3: Optional : If you want to want to use e. g. the EKMFA
- Prop#4: Optional

The cabeling for Prop#2 is only needed if the turning lights should be turned off by the steering or if the curve lights (correct word ?) should be used.

[DrDiff]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/38126496704_a1abbd8472_c.jpg +

Test setup.

The Taranis is an airplane radio. Meaning throttle is on CH3. Beier USM-RC-2 is setup for surface radio so they expect throttle to be on Ch2. So to solve this I had to pull signals from Rx Ch3 and put them into the USM-RC-2 Ch2. Now the throttle is on the throttle stick and steering is on the other stick. Since my Freightliner has the stock three speed transmission I want to put it on ch Ch3 and have Ch2 for lights and sound. I may have to delete the shifting and lock it into Low range so I can use Ch3 for sound and lights on Ch4.

A sharp eye will notice the Airplane Brushless ESC and Motor.

[DrDiff]

Hi...

on the upper right you connect the module to the receiver resp. other modules.

From top to bottom:
- Prop#1 upper: Cable from the receiver (gas)
- Prop#1 lower: Cable to the ESC
- Prop#2 uppper: Cable from the reveiver (steer servo)
- Prop#2 lower: Servo cable
- Prop#3: Optional : If you want to want to use e. g. the EKMFA
- Prop#4: Optional

The cabeling for Prop#2 is only needed if the turning lights should be turned off by the steering or if the curve lights (correct word ?) should be used.

Yes, I want Turn signals to function.

[DrDiff]

I am starting to think that to be able to use all channels on my Taranis Plus, I have to use the ECM-2. I purchased the ECM-2 as well as my USM-RC-2. I understand that the USM-RC-2 can detect the motor signal coming out of the RX into the ESC.

This will give me the same number of channels as my RX for sound and control. I have both a 6 channel RX and an 8 channel RX.

This leads to questions...

How do I tell the USM-RC-2 that I want Digital mode?

For example for the head lights, can I string two bulbs on a single output?

[DrDiff]

A diagram for the low beam headlight circuit...

(+led-...+led-... resistor...)?

[DrDiff]

The way I see it I have the following circuits for the tractor..

Two bulbs for fog lights, Two bulbs for low beams, Two bulbs for high beams, 7 bulbs for marker lights, one front left turn signal, one front right turn signal, 3 back up lights, 2 rear combination brake and turn signal lights.

So that is a total of nine circuits.

[gismow]

The light is cabled like this:

Battery + -> resistor -> led + (long pin)
Led - (short pin) -> output pin at the USM-RC-2

You can also put the resistor behind the LED.

For 7.4V circuits I use 220Ohm resistors.

[DrDiff]

I run 3S lipo Packs (I use them in my crawlers, Quad Copters, Airplanes and RC Cars.

That would give 11.2 volts fully charged and cut off at 9.6 volts.

What resistor would you suggest?

The light is cabled like this:

Battery + -> resistor -> led + (long pin)
Led - (short pin) -> output pin at the USM-RC-2

You can also put the resistor behind the LED.

For 7.4V circuits I use 220Ohm resistors.

[DrDiff]

Well this calculation was wrong. Not correct for my exact bulbs

[gismow]

Hi,

the needed resistor can be calculated. Ser this page.

LED resistor calculator (http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz)

Just ensure that your LEDs are mounted parallel, not in a row.

[DrDiff]

OK now that I know how to get the proper resistance value,

Do you have a suggestion where I can get them?


Hi,

the needed resistor can be calculated. Ser this page.

LED resistor calculator (http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz)

Just ensure that your LEDs are mounted parallel, not in a row.

[frizzen]

Any reason you're tapping power for the LEDs at pack voltage instead of going through the bec and tapping recciever voltage?

If you like local, see if you've got a Radioshack still around, or an electronic surplus place. Ebay can get you a lifetime supply of them for like $2. Mouser, digikey... Just plug your ohm value into a search engine.

[DrDiff]

This is the sound module that controls the lights and sounds.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/24947177158_1654c0e50d_c.jpg

Negative is pulled off the rainbow cable into the resistor through the LED and back into the left hand side of the sound module. It operates off of pack voltage and not the 5 volt off of the rx.

[DrDiff]

Did the first test with the Taranis Plus. I am confused although the signal for the steering servo goes through, I can not figure out how to program the turn signals to flash and the blinker noise to go off when the steering servo moves.

[DrDiff]

OK So, I have the Sound Teacher software open and am on the Configuration tab, on the proportional sounds tab. /i am in mixed mode. I want my turn indicators or blinkers to work with the steering channel, CH1 out of the RX. But there is not a tab labeled Prop#1

So my question is on hook up of the steering servo so that I can tell the turn indicators to function with the steering servo?

[gismow]

Hi,

by default the Sound Teacher doesn't have a "tickbox" to activate the indicators if the steering is moved. But there's a possibility to do that.

First you must connect the steering channel with the USM. If your steering is on Channel1 on your RX, you connect the Channel 1 with the upper Prop#2 connector at the USM. Now you plug the steering servo into the lower Prop#2 connector. Both connectors are connected, so the USM is listening to the signal that is going to the servo.

Now you step into the configuration of the proportional channels. We must edit Prop#2

http://up.picr.de/31316382qa.jpg

First you must change the settings of the areas. Please make the area B and C smaller and the A and D bigger. Now you configure the indicators as static functions on the areas A and D.

The areas B and C define the steering area the indicator doesn't start. So you can correct the riding without starting the indicato directly on every tick to the channel.

As soon as the steering enters area A or D, the indicator starts and as soon as the area is left again, it stops again. If the indicator starts too early, increase the areas B and C again a bit.

I hope this helps you to implement your wishes and requests.

[gismow]

Hi Dean,

here you can activate the digital mode:

http://up.picr.de/31316583et.jpg

[gismow]

Hi,

another hint to your indicators.

as shown above you can activate the indocators by moving the steering. I'm using this in combination with an alternative configuration.

I'm using the EKMFA to activate the wanted functions.

http://up.picr.de/31316716bx.jpg

In addition I configure the indicator to be switched off via the steering

http://up.picr.de/31316717hg.jpg

Now I do have 2 possible ways touse the indicator.

1. I can activate the indicator a time before I make the turn by using the EKMFA. It will be automatically turned off if I steer back.
2. I let the Prop#2 settings activate and deactivate the indicator

Both options can be configured together, they do not exclude each other.

[liftmys10]

Just got my beier and started programming sound for my 870k and then I'll setup led lights. I'm also usingb3s Lipo and had the same question. Fully charged 3s Lipo has 12.6v so which resistor did you use? The manual shows which one to use for nimh 12v batteries.

[gismow]

Hi...

just use an LED resistor calculator, enter the values of the LEDand you'll get the needed resistor value.

[DrDiff]

ifmys10: I bought my LEDs here... lighthouseleds.com (https://lighthouseleds.com/12v-flexible-led-strips.html). Since I have 3S Lipo batteries I used 12 volt pre wired LEDs.

For example the high beam headlights, I soldered the black wires (negative from the LED) on both sides together and then connected it to the appropriate wire from the rainbow harness. the red wires from the LED's are soldered together and then a jumper wire takes that to #8 on the left side of the soundmodule [the side where the power comes into the unit]

Just got my beier and started programming sound for my 870k and then I'll setup led lights. I'm also usingb3s Lipo and had the same quest1ion. Fully charged 3s Lipo has 12.6v so which resistor did you use? The manual shows which one to use for nimh 12v batteries.

[DrDiff]

I started to connect the black wires from the LEDs to the oundmodule. I had intended to use the optional plug in rainbow wire harness. However the more I tried to use it, the more problems I had.

So I went back to the original rainbow harness and started soldering the lights to the individual wires. I still have to connect the front and rear Fog Lights, the tail lights, back up lights, and the front and rear turn signals.

As soon as I get my tax refund I am going to order the UFR-1230 ESC

Pictures soon!

[DrDiff]

I got my Beier UFER 1230 ESC today. Steering and throttle work fine. Sound and lighting effects have all gone out the toilet! :mad:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4769/39559068154_91d34e820a_c.jpg

[liftmys10]

Any updates on this? Alot of good info in here.

[PhyllisFrerichs]

Great information with the pictures.

[Tommy R]

Anyone running iBUS or sBUS with a Beier USM-RC-2? I've got mine all working, but can't get the ESC to function. Not sure where it needs to be plugged in.... Anyone?