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D180 software update?

RGaines

Well Known Member
Has Van's posted the locked settings that we will need to be able to upgrade the AP 74 auto pilot? I have been following it but I did I miss it?

Richard
 
Locked settings

Have not heard the locked setting are posted but nobody seems to be asking the obvious question.

WHY?

The SkyViewers don't have any stinkin' locked setting, why must the little ol' D180 have them?

We have it tough enough as it is, having to lug a full-blown windows computer to the hangar then run quirky software to do the update. I think all the SkyViewers have to do is plug in a data stick.

Excuse the rant, I learned from my airport buddy, Bogey.

Tony
 
I agree with Tony that Van's should unlock all of the D-180s. Doing so will make their job easier, no locked settings software to update every time that Dynon comes out with an upgrade. And most of the customers will be happier too, except for those few that mess up the settings. Van's could publish a pdf file with all of the RV-12 settings. Owners could use that info to restore the settings if need be. Any computer savvy person can do it.
Joe Gores
 
The only problem I know of (and have experienced) is the lost Nav source issue. Other than that my D180 works great. I'm reluctant to mess with something that works. Seems like all new software has its issues.
 
Van’s has a zip file called “Dynon Support 5.5.0"on their Download page. This contains the Dynon D180 V5.5 file and the unlock files. There is also a PDF document called “RV-12-Dynon support program download instruction.pdf and a PDF file called “12-D180-PRE-SETS.pdf.” In this update, all fields are unlocked, with the exception of data logging and airspeed. One interesting observation, in the upper right corner of the PRE-SET document you will find a revision history.

Mike
 
OK, Rich.
I spoke too soon in post #3 above. Van's has already provided settings and unlocked the D-180 except for airspeed. The lawyers probably wanted airspeed locked so that owners would not stall the wings or break them off at high speed.
Joe Gores
 
Locked settings

Thanks guys for the info. But my problem was not with what is locked, but the fact that in addition to the update software you had to have another file of "locked settings" software that you have to direct the update software to.

Since the airspeed is still locked I assume there is still a locked settings file, same as before? Pardon my ignorance on this, I have not tried to do the update yet.

If I wanted to upgrade my plane to Skyview, and sell my D180, would it have to go back to Dynon to have the locked setting turned off? Never mind, much as I like Skyview, I don't think I would want to try an upgrade.

Tony
 
Never mind, much as I like Skyview, I don't think I would want to try an upgrade.

Tony

It's not that difficult using the conversion kit, particularly as you have all the D180 wiring already installed. I had very little of the D180 wiring in place when I got the conversion kit, and that made following the instructions a bit trickier when they referred to wiring that wasn't there. Don't let the conversion put you off if you're considering a move to Skyview. Vans did an excellent job.
 
Since the airspeed is still locked I assume there is still a locked settings file, same as before?
Yes, you are correct. The locked settings file is included in Van's zipped file:
http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/download/RV-12/Dynon%20Support%205.5.0.zip
If I wanted to upgrade my plane to Skyview, and sell my D180, would it have to go back to Dynon to have the locked setting turned off?
First of all, Dynon must be convinced that the D-180 has been sold and will be installed in another aircraft, not an RV-12. Then the D-180 can either be sent to Dynon or they can email an unlock file to the new owner.
Joe Gores
 
I installed D-180 firmware version 5.5.0 and it works great with no issues or problems that I am aware of.
Joe Gores
 
Thanks Joe,

One question, did you have to redo any of the your personal D180 settings or autopilot settings after the update? Example: fuel flow K factor, etc.

In the past, these were reset to defaults by an update, but the calibrations like the fuel tank and compass were not.

I am in the process of making sure I have everything recorded before doing the update.

Tony
 
One question, did you have to redo any of the your personal D180 settings or autopilot settings after the update? Example: fuel flow K factor, etc.
I am in the process of making sure I have everything recorded before doing the update.
I should have recorded all of the setting but did not. Some could have changed without me noticing.
Joe Gores
 
5.5.0 woes

Well, I didn't adhere to the 'don't fix what ain't broke' credo, and did the 5.5.0 update. Followed the update instructions to a T. After update, all buttons on AP74 were lit up! Did a DSAB check and confirmed that the AP74 and servos were missing! Oops! I needed to do a DSAB configuration. A discussion with Dynon confirmed there seems to be a problem with the update when used with Vans locked file. Things got worst. As Van's warned as a possibility, all user settings seemed to get wiped out! (and I mean ALL! ...even Hobbs & Tach time reset to 0; I did take a lot of pics of a lot of screens - but not enough!!) After another call to Dynon to see if there was any way to input my tank calibration settings I had recorded and saved from my original calibration (there isn't!!!! - must recalibrate!), I realized the task ahead. Still need to recalibrate compass, AP, etc etc etc. All this just to correct the minor anoyance of the GPS Nav getting dropped now and again. UGH! Knowing what I know now, I NEVER would have updated. I have many hours ahead just getting back to where I was (though I am considering reloading my 5.4.3 settings..) For those that wished Van would 'unlock' our D180, all I can say is watch what you wish for! The 5.4.3 update went without a hitch. This one for me is a disaster!
 
After another call to Dynon to see if there was any way to input my tank calibration settings I had recorded and saved from my original calibration (there isn't!!!! - must recalibrate!)

Did you really lose the tank calibration settings for the float? I just performed the update to 5.5 this evening and it appears the float calibration was not reset.

The other items you mention have to be reset. Not difficult but a pain. (Another reason for Van's to ditch the notion of the necessity of a locked setting file)!

Suggest to those that have yet to install, take photos of all of the screens before installing the update.
 
Updates

Given the horror stories, is Dynon going to put together an update that has fewer consequences? I would like to update because it will solve an annoyance but it sounds like trading an annoyance for a disaster.

Richard
 
Is it possible to download all of the settings and restore them after the update if they are lost? It seems to me that Dynon has that capability. My buddy, Skunkworks, builder of one of the best -12's flying, was going to do this update for me this week end. I am with the others, I don't need this hassle, I have been through enough with the D180 over the years. Mine was sent back to Dynon 3 times in 3 weeks for completely berzerkish behavior before they sent me a new one. Over 200 hours now without a hiccup so for now, I will just keep pushing the NAV button. I do think Dynon will remedy this. They are a good outfit.
 
The update is not too difficult but takes a bit of preparation. Here is what I remember from last night. Record the following parameters as they have to be re-entered. (I also took photos of ALL of the D-180 screens, prior to the update as a backup).

Magnetic Inclination
Magnetic Intensity
Hobbs Time
Fuel Flow K-factor
If autopilot is installed, ALL of the Roll Servo parameters
If autopilot is installed, ALL of the Pitch Servo parameters
If autopilot is installed, the 3 autopilot alarm parameters
If you customized any of the EMS alarm settings (such as low fuel pressure, record your customized settings)

Follow the update instructions (print the pages) as shown on the Dynon website and the RV-12 Dynon D-180/D-100 Upload instructions as shown on the Van's website. Also print the "RV-12 D180 Presets" .pdf file from the Van's website.

Prior to the update, BACKUP the D-180 firmware.
Prior to the update, BACKUP the D-180 checklists, if you customized them. (I did not have to restore, they were untouched).
Set the trim to the Take-Off position. Just in case you lose this parameter. (I did not have to restore, it was untouched).

PERFORM the Version 5.5 update. Upon completion,

Set the CLOCK (GMT and Local)
Set the Hobbs time and the Tach time.
Check the EFIS/EMS SERIAL settings.
--EFIS Serial Input: AUTO
--EFIS Serial Baud Rate: AUTO
--EMS Serial Input: NMEA
--EMS Serial Baud Rate: 9600
If the autopilot is installed, Reconfigure DSAB to re-find the AP74, roll and pitch servos.
If the autopilot is installed, enter the Roll Servo and Pitch Servo settings.
If the autopilot is installed, review the autopilot alarm settings and set as desired.
If the autopilot is installed, toggle the bugs on or off as desired.
Set the Fuel Flow K factor.
Set the Magnetic Inclination
Set the Magnetic Intensity
If you customized any of the EMS alarms, reset as desired.

The clutter menu is UNLOCKED via this update. Toggle the display items on or off as desired. See pages 5-8 thru 5-10 in the D-180 Pilot's User Guide (Revision H).

Run thru the "RV-12 D-180 Presets" .pdf file and check all to see if in agreement. If you find an item that does not agree, review the D-180 Pilots Guide and/or the D-180 Installation manual and choose the setting you desire.

I did NOT lose the fuel float calibration.
I did NOT lose my customized checklists.
I did NOT lose the trim takeoff setting.
I do not know if I have to recalibrate the magnetic compass. (Others please comment).
I do not know if I have to recalibrate the AOA. (Others please comment).

The update to 5.5 was no different than the update from 5.3 to 5.4. Not hard and FAR from a horror story.
 
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5.5.0 woes update

After more than a few hours today, I hopefully got my D180/AP74 back to where it should be. MartySantic comment on fuel tank's calibration being saved may be right. It also was easier for me to just recalibrate the servo's and compass than worry about whether those settings were saved. Re Dave12's question, you can not save your settings independent of the firmware version, so if you update to 5.5.0 and you lose all your settings like what happened to me, you can either recalibrate/reset/re-add/customize or restore your 5.4.3 backup with it's settings. Dynon also passed on that this update (5.5.0) will probably be the last D180 firmware update...
Re MartySantic comment that his update was like the 5.4.3 update. As my post said, my update had glitches that Dynon confirmed happened with other RV-12'vers (and not implying with all updaters...) It certainly did not go like the 5.4.3 update (fast and simple, all my settings were still there. Unlike Marty, I never had to reset anything when I did my 5.4.3 update...) It is clear that a 5.5.0 may go like Marty's, but also clear that it may go like mine. He should be open to that possibility, and the horror that goes with it. With no known data on horror vs bliss update percentages, it seems others are facing a **** shoot! For what little one gains in this update, is it worth the time and risk?
 
Marty's post on 5.5.0 update

Thanks Marty, for your excellent post. This is very helpful, factual, unemotional, black and white. Spoken like a true engineer :cool:

Tony
 
For what little one gains in this update, is it worth the time and risk?

There is absolutely NO risk if you perform the backup and write down ALL settings (or take digital photos of all of the screens) before attempting the firmware upgrade to Version 5.5. Such is stated in the upgrade instructions. Gotta follow 'em.
 
Garmin GPSMAP 495 firmware update

FYI - Garmin issued a firmware update for our 495 in May 2013, version 2.8. For those updating D180 to 5.5.0, something to consider (and recommended by Dynon...)
 
Info Items and the Clutter Menu

With Version 5.5 the Clutter Menu is unlocked and the user now has control of the items displayed on the D-180.

After I installed the update and setting the items I wanted to display using the Clutter Menu, the left hand side INFO item no longer appeared.

In the Clutter Menu, if you choose CDI = CDI+GS, you will find the glideslope uses the same real estate as the left hand side INFO item. As such it is not possible to set a left hand side INFO item. To re-enable the left hand side INFO item, set CDI = CDI and the left hand side INFO item will be re-enabled.
 
Update done!

I completed the D-180 update today and it went exactly as Marty's went in post #20 above.

To that, I can add:

I use the RETN FLOW parameter on the Fuel Flow menu as well as the K-Value and I had to reset that, in addition to the K-Value.

The Magnetic Intensity and Magnetic Inclination were reset to "blank", and I had to put in my saved settings, but I don't know if the compass has to be re-swung. I did note that the compass heading reading was the same as before the update.

My AOA display did not reappear after the update. I have not checked the clutter menu for that items status but I may have to re-calibrate the AOA.

If you have the AP-74 autopilot it will reappear with all lights lit after the update and if you do a "Detect Firmware Version" on the Product Support Program screen you will see the AP-74 and servos are not found. That is because doing a firmware upgrade you are starting over with the DSAB network and you need to do the DSAB configuration per the installation manual and follow that with the servo calibration and servo test just as you did on the initial startup of the autopilot. Once those things are done, then you can re-install any custom settings you had on the servos and everything should be working. If you "Detect Firmware Version" again you should now see the AP-74 and the servos listed:
i-V8b52q6-M.jpg


I also have the D-100 and that unit is updated separately from the D-180:
i-fpQvCz7-M.jpg

That went smoothly and I don't have many custom settings on the D-100 but did find that all my screen rotations were wiped out and as I could not see EMS data from the D-180, I thought there was a communication problem. As it turned out I just needed to reset the screen rotations as the EMS screen was no longer in the screen rotation.

This update has some some important fixes, the main being correction of the NAVSRC lost which resulted in the autopilot dropping off the GPS magenta line and going to TRC mode. On my ship this would happen probably 5 times in a 200 mile run.

Also my altitude hold would always offset about 20 feet higher than set point. If I set ALT to 6500, the autopilot would hold it at 6520. This upgrade is supposed to improve the target hold.

There is also supposed to be improved autopilot tolerance of EFIS installations that had higher than ideal vibration levels. I don't think my autopilot had this as an issue, but don't know, it could have.

There is also improvement to fluctuations in at least one type of sensor. I hope so, a lot of the sensor needles fluctuate more than I like.

It took me about 2 1/2 hours to do back-ups, install the update on the D-180 and D-100 and go through all of the resetting of parameters.

I hope to fly in the next few days and check how things are working. I don't anticipate any big issues, but there will probably be some tweaks necessary.
 
Tony You will find that the AOA is decluttered. Easily turned back on. I seem to recall that you will have to reset the alarm point tho. I have not recalibrated the AOA and haven't noticed anything different than before the update.
 
My 496 died recently, So I decided to do the version 5.5.0 update. Thanks for the posts, Marty. They were a real help. Unfortunately now my D100 won't display the EMS pages generated by the D180 and the auto pilot won't go into NAV or TRACK mode. I do get the wind arrow on the D180 so the GPS seems to be talking to the D180.

Any ideas on what may be wrong?

Thanks,
Rich
 
I'll take this one on.
Did you have all the different parts of your setup powered up when you did the update, meaning D180 on, auto pilot powered up, both servos powered up, which if auto pilot on then servos powered up?
If yes and all components were updated to the new software version by verifying this by checking with the Dynon update software option at the end of the update, "Detect Firware Version". Then did you do a dsab again after you were all done to reastablish that all the components were again found by the D180? Then did you do a autopilot calibration after you were done? These last two things need to be done after the software update. To get the EMS on your D100 push and hold the far right button(button 6) until a new menu pops up with options for what you would like to power up or boot to and the rotation sequence of which screens you would like to rotate through as you push either button 6 or 1. One last thing did you remember to update the D100
Separately from the D180?

References per Dynon D180 Installation manual latest version,
DSAB pg 7-4
Autopilot servo configuration pg 8-14
EMS Setup D100 pg you'll have to trust me on this one!:D
Let me know how I did.;)
 
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Hey Rich - -

My Garmin stopped working a while back also. I removed the battery and checked the contacts - all seemed perfect. Put it back in and it has worked now for several weeks. Something to try anyway.
 
Thanks for the replies. Yes everything was on and I did the D100 separately. I did the DSAB CONFIG and AP CAL. The AP works fine in HDG and ALT but it will not go into NAV or TRK. The wind arrow suggests the 496 is tied into the data bus, so it really has me puzzled.

The 496 would not acquire satellites. I did swap the battery, but eventually had to send it to Garmin for repair. BTW I ran a USB cable through the avionics bay deck so I can update the unit without opening the bay. I don't use the XM feature so I left the XM antenna disconnected.

Rich
 
On the HSI page do you have any magenta writing above the compass rose?
If it's in the hanger and the GPS is on then you would have something like, "WAITING FOR GPS FIX". If not then sounds like your 496 is not talking to your D180.:( This maybe why NAV or TRK won't work. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for the heads up on the page rotation. That was a smack to the forehead for me! Today the TRK mode worked fine, but the NAV still won't arm. I do get the magenta GPS data display.
 
Rich,
When trying to get the autopilot nav function to work, does the GPS have an active flight plan or is it using the "direct to" mode?
Joe Gores
 
I was in DIRECT TO mode. Does it matter?
No, it shouldn't. I just wanted to make sure that it was not another "smack to the forehead." :D
Have you tried disconnecting the D-100 to see if that is affecting communications between the GPS and D-180?
Any chance of trying another GPS? Doing that will help to determine if the problem is with the GPS or D-180.
Does the AP74 have the same firmware version as the D-180?
Joe Gores
 
I do have a 396 I could try. The AP is also running 5.5.0.

Due to the way I did my canopy fiber glass I have to remove the canopy to get the avionics bay cover off, so I'm not anxious to dive in again. I may just live with it until the next time I have to go back in. After all, before 5.5.0 NAV didn't work, now after 5.5.0 it still doesn't.
 
I was just wondering if anyone else has performed the download and if you have anything to add? How is the system working now that it has been several months? IF you had it to do over, would you do it?:confused:
 
I did mine!

I did mine in December and helped Steve G. over in Pairs Tx do his to. So far mine is working great. I followed all the advice from the previous posts. Steve had some problems finding a computer that was compatible to communicate with his D180, but he did find one and once over that hurtle update was uneventful.
Some suggestions.
1 Take pictures with ipad of all your old setting.
2 Make sure all sub-components like autopilot are powered up before you start update. You can verify this by selecting Detect Software Version in the Dynon program. I think there are 6 sub-componets on basic setup if I recall correctly.
3 Back up your old settings with the Dynon program.
4 Complete update
5 When done with update you will have to do a DSAB, then you should verify one last time with Detect Software Version that all components are updated.
6 Use Vans printed guide to verify all the new settings after update. Note there are only two locked settings after the update, the airspeed settings and the data recording settings.
7 Lastly after done then recalibrate Autopilot and put in you old AP settings.
Yes I would do it again if I had to and there was some benefit.;)
 
I still can't get my autopilot to arm on NAV, but other than that it worked fine. I did it as a hedge against converting to the he style yellow and oil pressure sensors.
 
Do as Jetguy suggests. My upgrade working fine. One other suggestion. Have battery charger on aircraft battery, and have the laptop plugged in. Dire consequences could be the result of losing power in the middle of the operation.
 
Upgrade 5.5.0 works well

Did mine in Oct and have had no problems since. NAV function now works as it should without dropping out. The altitude hold is more accurate. The overall autopilot operation seems smoother than before the upgrade.

As stated in several posts, preparation by taking pictures of all of the screen setting will be a big help. Also, a review of this thread.

Dynon provides excellent support if needed. And if you ever have to call them with a question or problem they will want you to install the latest software. So, I would certainly go for the update.
 
More Woes

Started to update my 180. First thing I noticed was that when I went to the setup menu there was blanks in the spots where I should have seen UNITS AND CLTTR. I called Dynon support and they said it was Van's lock outs. Well I went ahead with the upgrade to 5.5 and I still don't have these menu items and of course I cannot finish the upgrade.
P.S. I had no issues with the unit before the upgrade.
Is there some way to get these item back up?

Gary Krause
 
I just walked in from performing my upgrade. Did you get your upgrade from the Dynon site or from Van's? After learning the hard way, as usual, I found that the data has to come from Van's to deal with the locked settings. The servo's and the AP74 will accept the data from the Dynon site.
 
That thought did cross my mind. Just to be sure I will try and reload 5.5.
Hope that is not a problem. Guess I should check with Dynon before I try.
I will dump all the old files as well so that won't be an issue.
One question--is there more than one lock file that is down loaded?
 
If you did a backup when you started you should be able to restore the old software. If not, you may be screwed (technical term I learned from IT guys).
 
Dave,

I downloaded the 5.5 files both from Dynon and Vans.
Do you have any blank menu items?

Gary

Yes, in the setup menu I am missing the IASCLR. I also had to re-calibrate my fuel tank. This time the fuel gauge reads 15 gallons. Just wondering if some others read 15 gallons when full. It seems I have heard of this.
 
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