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This is pretty explanatory... there's a pull-down to select the channel that you want to test, then
you simply enter the 4-digit validation code and click on the TEST button. The channel settings
are inherited from the channel's setting page... for example, if you have a channel set to be used
in igniter mode with a 3-second firing time then that channel will fire for 3 seconds. Channels
that are set to OFF will not display, since there are no settings to use for testing. This means
that you must enable a channel and set it properly in order to get a deployment test... you don't
need to test a channel if you're not using it, do you?
If you set a channel up for servo deployment, it will use the same servo direction and
direction/skew that you programmed into Global Settings, but you will see a FORWARD and a
REVERSE option. Forward moves the servo in the programmed direction; Reverse rotates teh
servo in the OPPOSITE direction by the programmed skew amount. The RESET function can be
used when you're at your worktable to close up the deployment bay... typically, servo
deployments use some kind of trapdoor system so you'll generally need to rotate the servo in the
opposite direction to close it up after you pack the parachute. You generally don't want to do
this by manually moving the servo's output wheel, since that can strip the gears.
If you have a channel that's clustered to an Airstart channel and fire the Airstart channel, it will
also fire any clustered channels as well. That allows you to test your battery with all the igniters
that you're going to use in flight. If you want to test the Airstart channel by itself, turn OFF the
clustered channels first.
After you enter the validation code and click on the TEST button, you'll see a count down screen
from five to zero seconds, after which time it will trigger the deployment device. When it's
done, it goes back to the Deployment Test page.
If for some reason you need to abort a test, all you need to do is to close your browser BEFORE
it counts down to zero. After you close it, you should open the Status Page; re-opening the test
page immediately after closing it may cause it to be resumed from that point, depending on how
your browser caches pages.
Note: NEVER do a deployment test with just a piece of bare wire, you need to have some kind
of resistive load such as an ematch, igniter, or small piece of fine nichrome wire (#36 or #40, for
example). If you do, you may blow out the output drivers or the FET. We've designed the
Proton very conservatively, and the drivers provide current limiting to help protect the
themselves and your battery. Nevertheless, it is still possible to blow something up if you try
hard enough.
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