We were trying something a bit different than normal and ran into an issue while troubleshooting. Essentially, we have a special BLDC motor that uses an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) like an R/C plane or quadcopter uses. We tried to control it with PWM from the BlackBox and it didn't seem to work. After reading that the ESC needed to be calibrated (as it's normally used in a wireless application where controller inputs vary from brand to brand), we decided to unplug power from the ESC, set spindle to 100% in OpenBuilds Control, and then re-connect power to the ESC. We did that with no issues, but after about 5 or 6 seconds we heard what sounded like popping electronics for just about a full second or two; there were no smells, there was no smoke, nothing. The BlackBox appeared to be a-okay with no apparent issues (fan was spinning, lights were still on, etc.) However, now we can't connect to the BlackBox at all! We tried multiple PCs, power cycling the BlackBox, disconnecting everything but USB from the BlackBox (kept power though), and nothing seems to make a difference! We're starting to think we've fried it... I know this is quite an odd situation. Regardless, any input is appreciated!
That would indicate the ESC backfed and killed the BlackBox. Sorry for the loss. If you do want to attempt something odd like that next time, do plan in a little extra protection like an Optoisolator board. Always use a separate PSU because motors create Back-EMF on the power lines too. For programming an ESC rather invest in a programming card, etc.
