Raven2 settings for redundancy

[SammyD]

Hello everyone.

I've got a Raven2 in a rocket that didn't fire either of Pyro 3 or Pyro 4 channels during a recent launch. Now, I'm not normally a Raven user, so I'm not well-versed in the configuration of Raven altimeters, and, frankly, I'm a bit confused by the range of available settings.

For instance, in this particular rocket, I can really only get one altimeter in it, so I thought I'd run with the Raven and set the extra pyro outputs for backup charges. Since they didn't fire, either of them, I wonder if my configuration is off.

Embedded here is a screenshot of my configuration. Can any of you see where my settings may have been the culprit, and can you give me some direction on setting this altimeter up to work in a redundant manner?

Thank you! S

 

[mikec]

Can any of you see where my settings may have been the culprit, and can you give me some direction on setting this altimeter up to work in a redundant manner?

Seems OK to me. Post the FIP file or look at the battery and channel voltages to see if you had continuity and what happened at the critical times.

Using accelerometer apogee can be a little off on some units, I'd use baro if possible.

In my experience people get confused about how to hook ematches up to the Raven, so I'd review that first.

 

[Ethan]

Can you post the flight data file?
Settings look OK
Has the unit been used before?

Edit - Mike beat me to it!

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Do not fly a Raven alone. The only altimeter failures I've had that I can be absolutely sure are altimeter faults occurred with a Raven, both 1st and 2nd generation. I have not tried the 3rd or 4th generation. If you must fly on a single altimeter, use a barometric unit such as the RRC3 or Strattologger CF.

 

[mikec]

Do not fly a Raven alone.

YMMV. I've used them a lot and haven't had more problems with them than anything else.

 

[Chris_H]

Have you used the test function in the FIP with matches connected to all outputs?

 

[SammyD]

Do not fly a Raven alone. The only altimeter failures I've had that I can be absolutely sure are altimeter faults occurred with a Raven, both 1st and 2nd generation. I have not tried the 3rd or 4th generation. If you must fly on a single altimeter, use a barometric unit such as the RRC3 or Strattologger CF.

Those are what I use primarily and working my way into Altus Metrum units...

 

[SammyD]

Can you post the flight data file?
Settings look OK
Has the unit been used before?

Edit - Mike beat me to it!

No. I've removed the altimeter from my inventory, but I have a Raven3 that I'm considering putting in its place because of size/volume constraints in the AV Bay.

 

[SammyD]

Have you used the test function in the FIP with matches connected to all outputs?

I did that when I got back to my garage, and I was able to get them to fire. There is a possibility that the e-matches were no good (two of them on one flight), but have never had an e-match failure in years of flying. I was hoping that someone could look at my configuration and see something obvious because the FIP program is non-intuitive to me. I can't even seem to get rounded deployment altitudes to save the way I'd like. I get things like 388' and 289'....

 

[mikec]

I can't even seem to get rounded deployment altitudes to save the way I'd like. I get things like 388' and 289'....

That's normal. The Raven stores the altitude values in some internal unit that isn't an integer number of feet.

If you were getting the expected beeps when you armed the unit, then you could have bad ematches, blown channels (probably not since you were able to fire in test mode) or you could have lost continuity in flight. The nice thing about the Raven is that there's enough stored data to diagnose what the cause might be.

That said, I usually use mine for flights that need the extra functionality (e.g., staging, want accelerometer data), and use PF SLCFs for run of the mill dual deploys.

 

[SammyD]

That's normal. The Raven stores the altitude values in some internal unit that isn't an integer number of feet.

If you were getting the expected beeps when you armed the unit, then you could have bad ematches, blown channels (probably not since you were able to fire in test mode) or you could have lost continuity in flight. The nice thing about the Raven is that there's enough stored data to diagnose what the cause might be.

That said, I usually use mine for flights that need the extra functionality (e.g., staging, want accelerometer data), and use PF SLCFs for run of the mill dual deploys.

Have you considered the Altus Metrums for the "extra functionality"? I'm working on a 2-stage, 3" Darkstar, and I'm liking the Altus for the tilt limit for firing the sustainer, but NOT firing if it's off vertical by a set amount...

 

[mikec]

Have you considered the Altus Metrums for the "extra functionality"?

I'm not a fan personally. Some people have had good luck with them, I was on a BALLS project team that used the Telemega and we ended up having some issues. I'm sticking with altitude gating like the Raven can do for staging.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

YMMV. I've used them a lot and haven't had more problems with them than anything else.

They work - until they don't. The Raven 1 failed on the 23rd flight and the Raven 2 failed on the 4th. I had set both to barometric primary apogee detect. I was able to solder wires to the Raven 2 after the ballistic impact (fiberglass rocket) and it never detected liftoff (8 g's for 5+ seconds on a K160). Both times neither charge fired and I had confirmation they were beeping correctly.

 

[mikec]

They work - until they don't.

I'm not doubting that's your experience. FWIW, I've had several of them and they've all worked fine so far, even after some pretty hard landings. I have destroyed a couple with ballistic returns but I couldn't blame the Ravens in either case.

If you don't like it, don't use it. I can only offer my opinions and my experience, both far from perfect.