GTV Power Kit - Accidentally Reset Configs / Motor Squeal on Engagement; How to Fix?

FAQs & How-tos Controller Tutorials
, ,
1

Some GTV kit owners have experienced that after messing around in VESC Tool, they go to engage their board, and it only lets out a high pitched squeal. What’s going on? Well, that Motor Squeal indicates the configuration was likely reset to complete defaults. The likely way this happened was entering Motor Setup from the Start Tab, which pops up a message asking if you would like to reset everything to defaults. Without proper care and attention, it’s possible to tap Yes without reading or understanding, wiping your configurations completely.

First thing to check is if you have a working Backup. If you managed to save a working Backup prior, all you have to do is restore it by tapping “Restore Configs” under the Start tab. However, if you have no backup, the easiest way to proceed would be to load up the configuration files below. This will get the Motor and Float configs back to how they were out-of-the-box. But, you will have to re-do IMU calibration manually, as this is specific to your board. But first, we must load the files.

First, you must download the files below, each correlating to a specific tab at the top of VESC Tool (Float CFG, Motor CFG, App CFG). Go to each tab, tap “…” in the bottom right, select Load XML, and locate the correct file for that tab. Once loaded, be sure to tap “Write” at the bottom of the screen, this applies the change. And repeat this for the remaining CFG tabs.

GTV_Motor.xml (10.6 KB)
GTV_App.xml (12.0 KB)
GTV_Float.xml (5.6 KB)

Now, before IMU setup, we should disable the Float Package (to prevent engagement while setting up). To Disable the Float Package, go to the Float CFG tab at the top, and under the new dropdown at the top (likely set to “Tune”), tap that and switch over to the Specs menu. You will see a toggle that says “Disable Float Package.” Switch that toggle, and tap Write at the bottom of the screen to apply the change.

Now, you need to re-do IMU Setup. First, I would Backup from the Start tab so that you don’t have to worry about loading the XML’s again if you mess up somehow (since you don’t have a working backup currently anyways). Then, still on the Start tab, go to the IMU Setup.

You will see 4 buttons, with IMU Configurator being the first one. Since we loaded the App XML, we can skip this one and go straight to Gyro Calibration. Go through the IMU Setup process for the remaining three buttons (Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Orientation). Be especially patient and careful with Accelerometer, as it’s not obvious how to do properly just from looking at the app. I highly recommend following along with a guide, such as TheBoardGarage’s VESC Setup Video (starting at 1:00:32): https://youtu.be/YeFLmPA049o?si=OR_xu3jxu4qodTAg&t=3632

*Note, for the Orientation step, calibrate Roll and Pitch with a level board like normal, but then you can feel free to tap SKIP for the Yaw step (correct value was included in App XML). If you follow a guide properly, doing this step won’t cause any issue, it’s just skipping another point where you could potentially mess something up.

From here, it’s time to verify functionality. Go to the RT Data tab, and scroll down to the screen with a 3D model and IMU data (Pitch, Roll, etc.). Set the board tail down (normal resting position), and make sure Roll reads around 0, and Pitch reads as positive (probably ~20 degrees). Then bring the board level and make sure Roll and Pitch reads around 0. If so, go back to Float CFG → Specs, turn off the Disable Float Package toggle, then Write. Then, follow this process for hand-testing: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4g2xmK8zSkI

If successful, you should hopefully be good to go! Once you confirm it’s up and riding properly, feel free to make a new Backup so that you have a working Backup to restore to if ever needed. Then, follow the proper Start-up Guide to proceed: GTV Power Kit Start Guide

If the IMU readings aren’t as expected, you likely messed something up in the calibration process. Restore your backup from before the calibration and be sure to be as patient as possible, reading/watching steps carefully from a trusted guide.

4 Likes
2

I am only 4 days post Heart Surgery and YES to the two Statements. A new user to the Vesc App. And fat fingers and Arthritis, is there a Vesc Desktop app that I can connect to the USB C port on the GTV Control board. Less chance of ME doing the wrong thing AGAIN.

PS: How do I send you an Australian Flat White Coffee, because you deserve one.

" The likely way this happened was entering Motor Setup from the Start Tab, which pops up a message asking if you would like to reset everything to defaults. Without proper care and attention, it’s possible to tap Yes without reading or understanding, wiping your configurations completely."

AND

" Now, before IMU setup, we should disable the Float Package (to prevent engagement while setting up). To Disable the Float Package, go to the Float CFG tab at the top, and under the new dropdown at the top (likely set to “Tune”), tap that and switch over to the Specs menu. You will see a toggle that says “Disable Float Package.” Switch that toggle, and tap Write at the bottom of the screen to apply the change."

I have a Breville / Sage Oracle that I need to replace some triacs and opto isolators first as the owner is going through withdrawals . I will then update you as to your well worded procedure and If i was able to follow it :slight_smile: and get the Plug and Play GTV kit all working.

Thankyou once again…

3

Awesome, thanks! What firmware should the controller be at? are there any custom files that would need to be uploaded? I had a buddy who ended up doing an update 6.2? Just to see if the lights would work within the float control app. I am beyond experienced and new to VESC but I kinda trusted him, hahah. Shortly after, I jumped on and read up about the lights…bummer. I restored the configs but it’s still acting a bit wonky.

1 Like
4

Sort of lost on what you mean about the lights or what could be causing wonky behavior. The firmware included is the latest, 6.2. Technically its firmware for the Little FOCer v3, the controller has similar enough architecture to use the same firmware. If the firmware was re-flashed though, doing so resets all your configs. So im guessing your buddy set the board up from scratch if he did so, which would explain why it might behave weird, if he possibly missed something or did a bad job calibrating the IMU.

1 Like
5

Sorry, should’ve described the lights a bit better. Within the Float Control app, I was not seeing the little icon for the flashlight in order to control them. Once he updated it appeared but it was not functioning (could not turn them off or do those fancy light controls).

Regarding the wonky, it’s as if the motor skips and and there’s a slight crunchy sound. This is after loading up the configs you mentioned above.

I tried running the IMU configurator again but noticed the balanced board option/setting wasn’t being applied correctly. I was seeing a value of 1000 rather than 800 for the sample rate. I tried changing it manually after running the rest of the calibrations. I did them in sequence (not sure if that matters). Gyroscope, Orientation, Accelerometer.

6

Ah, yeah I cant help with anything regarding Float Control, i think that feature requires custom LCM firmware though which is a bit more complex and might require an ST Link, it’s a whole thing. Ive never messed with it.

Yeah thats fine for IMU, seems like a Motor / motor configuration issue just from that description but hard to say without video and without being there to diagnose. I wouldn’t expect anything like that though if you loaded up that Motor CFG XML though, so not sure. Definitely make sure to follow the GTV Start Guide here on pev.dev and calibrate your hall sensors.

Also make sure to reboot the board at least once before disabling Calibration on Boot in Motor CFG → FOC → Offsets, the guide assumes you already had the config loaded when you booted up for the first time, allowing it to calibrate.

1 Like
7

Thanks! I’ll give this a shot and run through the guide again. I didn’t do a reboot the last time around so maybe that was it? I’ve also read on maybe having to reset the values for IMU to zero just in case. Is that something you recommend or have seen any issues with? My biggest fear was having the wrong firmware but doesn’t sound like that’s the case.

8

Still waiting b4 I start the process, got distracted.

When I was following a total rebuild 6.02 LF3.1 they kept saying a frequency of 1000 was incorrect and that it should be 832 if I recall… And that you had to manually set it…

Again for me, once I do the Accidently reset my ************** : how to fix. procedure.

And it works / tested by another person that rides…

I AM NOT TOUCHING ANY THING.… No screens no nothing…

9

I got my GTV kit yesterday and in my excitement, I was unfortunate (careless? clumsy? eager?) to have fat fingered the “wipe everything and set to default”.

I was able to, thanks fully in part to this guide, to get myself back up and restored within 30 minutes of reading through and following the steps.

I have a few questions however, and this maybe be general in nature, but my concern stems from “did I restore it all properly”.

  1. When I look in the BMS tab in VESC tool, I do not see any cell voltage values or values of any kind. I do see the values in the RT Data gauges section. I bought the GT used and am curious about the balance state of the cells. I understand that the GTV BMS is one way only, so I am interested in what practices I can put in place to mitigate cell imbalances if I can’t know them outright.

EDIT: Tony’s reply to my inquiry about this indicated that there are some blue LEDs in on the BMS that light up when the balance cycle is engaged but they don’t appear to be visible from the outside of the board. Gonna have to trust that it’s coded and wired right for now, and just observe good practices for charge maintenance.

  1. The lights. They all work, but I see a number of options in the FloatCFG to have the status bar indicate duty cycle etc. I am curious to know what options there are, and if I should expect to be able to configure them, of if that’s not supported in this particular kit.

EDIT: Reached out to Tony and he’s let me know the feature isn’t available “at the moment” and requires an LCM firmware update, which is exciting in and of itself to hear.

  1. Lights again. When I took it for a ride last night, the status light was lighting up white, seemingly only when I was accelerating. I took this as an indicator of something (duty cycle?) but not sure what. You can see this same behaviour happening on this video: https://youtu.be/4LZWEsTluTs?t=159

EDIT: I suppose now that this is just the low speed indicator light coming on, it just seems to be happening at a much higher speed than what I am used to, or feels safe, but I am sure I can adjust. An inadvertent heel lift at that speed would be a bad time.

Thanks to anyone who happens to have knowledge about these things, and again, thanks for posting this and all the rest of the amazing work!!

10

Any chance of getting these files for Pint V kit? I am pretty certain I fall under this category. I did a full Reflash in VESC Tool following the guides. But believe I need a from scratch set of cfg files.

11

Someone would have to provide the files from a new PintV Kit. Wish I could, I don’t have one personally