Using the IR
 

Does anyone have a link to a manual with information about how to use the IR board, how to get started with it ?

The link on the manual that came with the IR board doesn't work anymore and my team desperately needs help getting started.

:confused:

Re: Using the IR
 

Sure, here you go:

http://johnmchilton.com/FIRSTIR.pdf

Re: Using the IR
 

I have some problems with it as well. We printed out the link above and we still cant figure it out. How do we hook it up to a battery? I assume that where it says pin # is the order of the wires. Like the brown is pin 1, red #2, ect, to black #10.

And why are there 2 wires for positive voltage and 2 for negitave?

:confused:

Thanks,

Brandon
Team 2495

Re: Using the IR
 

http://johnmchilton.com/IRBoard.jpg

There's a pic. Sorry some of the wire colors aren't exactly as they should be, but it's close enough to distinguish. The PWM cables go off to the RC, and the others go to our power distro.

Look closely at the board and notice that there are numbers printed near the ribbon cable pins. Here is a pinout of that:

1 12v Brown
2 12v Red
3 Gnd Orange
4 Gnd Yellow
5 Out2 Green
6 Out1 Blue
7 Out3 Purple
8 Out0 Gray

Re: Using the IR
 

Thanks, but...where did you get that plastic thing?

Re: Using the IR
 

Two came in the Kit this year.

Re: Using the IR
 

Also, you don't HAVE to use that part. It was just there (two actually, and I think new this year), and I'm a fan of terminal blocks, so I used it :)

Re: Using the IR
 

Did it come in the Igus bag? We didn't get that bag yet ;_;

EDIT: nvm

Re: Using the IR
 

i see on your image that the black (GND) wires in the PWM cables are running to something, am i correct in saying they are running to the negative on the din rail power distro block?

Re: Using the IR
 

Not the din rails, just a power distribution block's ground.

I'm a programmer :] so I'm no expert on electronics. Also...if you notice, the whole "stationary dev/test bot" thing is built on OSB lol.

Re: Using the IR
 

Do you guys run your positives and negatives through a breaker or straight to the power distrabution block?

Re: Using the IR
 

We aren't using the Rockwell block yet, but yes the positives are thru 20 amp fuses. The ground is just a common ground.

Re: Using the IR
 

Hello,

Please....I want know, where I connect the board´s wire in my RC?

Re: Using the IR
 

The four output pins each connect to the signal pin of a digital input on the RC.

Re: Using the IR
 

Ok, theres one thing im not sure about, do I connect just 1 wire from the digital output to the pwm or do I need to ground the black wire of that pwm to the ground of the power supply of the IR as well?

Re: Using the IR
 

Your best bet would to be referencing the ground of the IR board directly to the ground of the digital inputs by connecting it there at the ports that you connect the signal pins to. One wire then runs to a 12 volt supply panel.

Re: Using the IR
 

Could anyone give me link to http://johnmchilton.com/FIRSTIR.pdf at another site? I am looking into how to wire the IR board to the bot, but that site for some reason is blocked at our school.

Re: Using the IR
 

The IR board manual is still on the FIRST website, there are no links to it anywhere I can find. The URL on the card that came with the board still works, and the page has a link to the IR board manual. I just happen to have that card in my pocket, so…

www.usfirst.org/frc_decgift

Direct link to the PDF:

http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/Community/FRC/FRC_Documents_and_Updates/2008_Assets/FIRSTIR%20-%20Instructions%20_121007.pdf

Re: Using the IR
 

do I have to use two wires each for both ground and power? or can i just use the wires that correlate to pin 1 and 3 ?
thanks

Re: Using the IR
 

There is no requirement to use two power and two ground
connections. Also, according to team updates, you can modify
the board to run off of the 5 volt rail by removing the voltage
regulator and installing the jumper across the pads provided for
this purpose. By doing this the power and signal wires can terminate
on the digital input rail of the RC with no extra wiring to the 12
volt supply.

Eugene

Re: Using the IR
 

[quote=eugenebrooks;697894] Also, according to team updates, you can modify the board to run off of the 5 volt rail by removing the voltage regulator and installing the jumper across the pads provided for this purpose. By doing this the power and signal wires can terminate on the digital input rail of the RC with no extra wiring to the 12 volt supply.

If I understand what you are saying, there may be a problem with your recommendation. We looked up the PWM digital output capacity and it could source 8 ma of current. From memory, the IR LED was configured with a 470 ohm resistor, so it uses 10ma. The IR board, when activated, flashes a LED. You will then exceed the 8 ma sourcing capacity and experience ?? .
My recommendation is rather than modifiying the IR board and removing the regulator to keep the 5V regulator
and wire it to +12V panel. :)