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Gimbal knock

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This message from a member:

"Good afternoon. I have a question about the mavic gimbal.. I had to replace ribbon and that went ok. However, now when the mavic starts up the gimbal HITS its limits (makes a knocking noise during the gimbal startup procedure. It is on the up and down movement as it goes up it knocks loud and then finishes the startup and levels out.. I DO NOT get a gimbal overload error... just this annoying knock. Is there some way to adjust the limits when it starts? I have calibrated the camera 5 times now.. all with the same results. I have also changed out the ribbon with a new one and I also swapped out the main board with another and redid the complete calibration process. If needed i can send a video on what it does?

any help would be greatly appreciated ... (before I take a hammer to the gimbal..LOL)"
 
I guess if you can be able to access the setup parameters, it's doable to change/modify all those limits.
 
My response:

If the gimbal knocks after the replacement of the ribbon cable, you cant fix the knock, there is no way to calibrate it. It is a compatibility issue between your ribbon, gimbal PCB, gimbal motor assembly. You already replaced the ribbon, if you really dont like the knock, you can replace the motor assy.

At the factory, all items are new and easy to calibrate. When items are damaged, or have been used, the ability for the gimbal to do it's initial calibration, without a knock or squeal, goes away in many cases.

The gimbal knock is similar to a cosmetic flaw in the body caused by a crash. WIll the Mavic still fly with cosmetic damage? Of course, as long as the damage is not structural. Same with the gimbal knock. Yes it might decrease the lifespan of your gimbal, but if the gimbal still works and doesnt overheat, is able to find the horizon, and doesnt cause any negative electronic feedback to the gimbal PCB, you can fly it until it fails. Even if you are getting gimbal overload messages, and a gimbal knock, as long as none of the above mentioned problems occur, you might be ok.

One caveat, if you are OCD, change it immediately or it will keep you up at night. Just kidding :)
 
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Thank you for the response. I figured it was something to do with the ribbon... and a new factory calibration setup is needed. It sure would be nice to have the program to do this !? YES.. I will have to live with it for now.... but Ya, I am OCD and I probably won't sleep tonight because of it! ;)
I guess $200 (ebay / amazon) for a new complete setup may be worth a good nights sleep. HAHA

Thanks again....

ON a second note, If I end up replacing the gimbal only would it still knock? or
I have seen gimbal and preinstalled ribbon combos for sale on Ebay. Are the ribbons and gimbal married to each other?

What do you do?
 
I guess $200 (ebay / amazon) for a new complete setup may be worth a good nights sleep. HAHA

Make sure it's an OEM DJI complete gimbal including camera lens, motor assembly, ribbon, LVDS, and PCB.

If I end up replacing the gimbal only would it still knock? or
I have seen gimbal and preinstalled ribbon combos for sale on Ebay. Are the ribbons and gimbal married to each other?

What do you do?

50/50% chance. The motor assembly might work, but then again.
 
This message from a member:

"Good afternoon. I have a question about the mavic gimbal.. I had to replace ribbon and that went ok. However, now when the mavic starts up the gimbal HITS its limits (makes a knocking noise during the gimbal startup procedure. It is on the up and down movement as it goes up it knocks loud and then finishes the startup and levels out.. I DO NOT get a gimbal overload error... just this annoying knock. Is there some way to adjust the limits when it starts? I have calibrated the camera 5 times now.. all with the same results. I have also changed out the ribbon with a new one and I also swapped out the main board with another and redid the complete calibration process. If needed i can send a video on what it does?

any help would be greatly appreciated ... (before I take a hammer to the gimbal..LOL)"

I had my gimbal do the same thing, however, it was still new, only about 6 safe flights. No ribbon change prior to it, no nothing. Did a flight, all perfect, landed and changed batteries, as I had done in the past and then turned it on again and the gimbal began the up and down rocking and hit its stops, going click, click, click a number of times then stopping. This means there was no compatibility issues, no bad ribbon, no bad boards, it was simply a gimbal issue.

The gimbal was getting too hot to touch, so if this person is experiencing that, then it is probably the same problem as mine. From out of no where the gimbal motor fails for no reason at all. It turned out to be my top gimbal motor that was faulty. Early last year there were no gimbal motor parts available from DJI so I had to change out the whole gimbal and camera and since doing that the replacement, also used, has been working flawless. I now want to get my faulty gimbal motor repaired/replaced, so that I have a spare because we all know that when you have a spare of anything that is expensive, the part in the unit will NEVER fail again. Just like if you go out and buy an expensive generator for your home, because there have been several power failures in the past from the electric company, from the day you make the purchase you will never again experience a power failure.
 
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