Throttle Motor!
 

The KoP comes with a large supply of the Denso throttle motors. Has anyone used them for anything? Still trying to come up with an application.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

Too many other good motors, would highly recommend not using the throttle motors on an FRC Robot.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

My personal opinion is that they're completely and utterly useless because they're not that fast or powerful and the location of the electrical inputs makes them hard to locate or use. Since the other motors are no longer limited in quantity, I'd explore other motors that are easier to use.

That said, you may be able to find a creative use for them. Make sure to post if you do.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

Given how often I've seen them on robots in the past (literally 0 times), I was really surprised to see how many were in the KoP. I would guess there was a supplier out there that had a warehouse full of them and couldn't sell them... so they went the next best route and donated them to FIRST to clear out the shelves for something else.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

Donations to FIRST are the primary reason things make it in the KOP.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

I can see a business opportunity in making a gearbox which removes all of the problems present in this motor.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

It would probably be cheaper and faster to get FIRST approval for a new motor :)

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

Cost-benefit. It would have to be really cheap and better than the INFINITE MINI CIMS BWHAHAHAHA.
Infinite motors does change things.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

Our team has used them the past two years just because of their small form factor. They were a bit of a hassle with their funky power tabs, but for operating some small belts they worked perfectly.
I can take some pictures tomorrow if you want to see some examples.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

I was just curious if anyone used them considering the relative weakness yet large quantity of them received.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

But then, you'd need to spend more money on a stack of spike relays than on one larger motor and a single spike. It's like the guy who promises to give you $100, but only in person, and he lives a $500 airplane ticket away.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

I'd love to see some pics of how you used them. I'd like to know what they were originally designed for too, with the power connections next to the shaft. My guess they went into some kind of gearbox or mount that already had the power connectors in them.

Re: Throttle Motor!
 

5188 has thrown around the idea of making a gearbox next season that mounts all of the throttle motors we have. Why? Why not. :yikes:

When I was on 469, we coupled one to a lead screw in 2012 to adjust the angle of our shooter. Nearly every inspector that year said it was the first time they had seen the motors used.