Miniature Innovation First RC System
 

Check out http://www.ifirobotics.com/. This one seems to aimmed at BattleBots, but I think you guys would still be interested. It's going to be the standard controller within a few years, it will allow some cooler and more sophisticated bots.
Dan

Since IFI robotics is the same company as Innovation FIRST (IFI stands for Innovation FIRST, Inc.), I'm sure Innovation FIRST will have one for us next season. It's nice to see other robotics competitions using the same controllers as us.

Re: Miniature Innovation First RC System
 

Actually, I think we have had them for a while. At least since the kickoff. Can anyone confirm that the eduRobots are the same thing? eduRobotics.com I looked at the specs and they looked identical.

Does this mean that the power requrements will remain the same?
if i remember correctly the battlebots version uses a 24volt system


but on the good side it means the robots will be more robust in tthe amount of pounding they will take before there are failures



does this mean back to 2 on 2 comp with some puyshing and hitting?



dahl
team497

"blavin!!" Prof Frink

i forgot about the battery situation. i'm not an expert in electronics but i think 24v vs. 12v makes a pretty big difference.

The only difference between the 12v and 24v versions is the fan on the Victors. One of the FAQs said that the victors handle 6-30v, but the fans can't handle that whole range.

Now I'm wishing I had an extra Victor lying around to see exactly what happens when you try to send 30V to a speed controller who's fan can't keep up. Melt down or all out explosion?

~Tom~, the guy with the idle mind when inbetween seasons.

i tried it and it is not a pretty sight-

0-10 sec runs like a bat out of heck
11-20 whirring sound and crunch crunch
after that-
high pitched whine and then a spark and smoke

I should have tried it on the 4th (LOL)



dahl
team497

My hats off to Andrew. If NASA ever caught me blowing up speed controllers for fun, let's just say that this message board might then become my only connection to FIRST! ;)

~Tom~, who wants more spontaneous/dangerous experimentation in FIRST.

What went crunch?
 

Andrew,

Was it the fan that crunched because it was overpowered, or did the victor itself die because it was undercooled with the extra power? And do you understand the question?

I think it was a combo of the two

1: the fan was spinning wicked fast (an actual tech term!)
and i think it threw the small bearings-

which was precipitated by the fact that the plastic parts started to deform because of the heat-

if threr was another war to put it in a cold air bath and keep the temp down I think It would operate better and longer

wish I had another one (I dont want to sacrifice ones off the bot just cause Im bored this summer


dahl
team497

I think we need gas-powered fans for next year... if it can break it will :)

My team (I actually) broke one of those flexshaft thingys this year during our practice runs at the NYC regional... we had to go over to the machine shop and make new ones out of alluminum. Its funny, i break somthing and eveyrone is happy for a change.

Back to the subject, I actually was present for the burn-out of a victor fan... it didn't really speed up all that much, just got hot and died.

The big cooling fans could take it a bit better.

A team member of mine is constantly joking about the "muffin fans" and his wonderful "hovercraft" idea that incorporates them into the drive system. Its usually followed by a chorus of "shut up Patrick!" (In a joking manner, of course. We still love da guy)

~Tom~

New Controller
 

after talking to IFI guys at the most recent Battlebots Competetion i have a little insight on how things are going. yes they have released a newer conroller however it is not the battlebots model just a smaller version of the current system. the bb controller will have pwm lock downs and be much more robust. unfortunatly we will not be using them next year because of the extra cost almost $300 more, they arent as user friendly(less leds) and IFI will not be able to meet the needs of BB compedators. IFI currently has two versions of the victor 883 a 12v aprox 50 amp what we use and a 30v 80 the BB version. both work as low as 6v. and yes if you put 24v to the 12v brushless fan motor the controller will fry itself. IFI is also working on a larger speed controller that should be able to handle atleast 36v and possibly 300amps. any new news and ill let you know.

tyler forbes
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