Wiring Encoders?
 

Hey so i am a bit confused as to where the optical encoders go on the digital sidecar

Can they plug into the Digital I/O slots?

Also what color wire correspond to 5V,GRND, and sig1,sig2, from encoders (assuming standard kit from first)

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

They go to the Digital IO section.

You will need some spare PWM cables to connect the encoders, two per encoder. There are four wires in the encoder - Plug the cable into the encoder and read the labels on the cover for what wire goes to what. There should be an +5v, A, B, and Gnd. Cut the female end off of each PWM cable, leaving enough cable to run from your DSC to wherever your encoder is. You do not need the male end. Wire the red wire from one of the two cables to the +5 wire, the black one to the GND wire, and the white from one to the A wire. The other one will only need the white wire, and that will connect to the B wire. It does not matter where you plug the cable into the DSC, as long as they are in the Digital IO section. Usually you would plug them in to IO pins next to each other.

If you need help with the software, ask.

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

OK thanks we will try that tomorrow.

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

Thanks from team 434 as well!

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

which wires are channel A and channel B???

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

As in which port goes to what wire?

It dosen't matter, if you get them backwards the controller will think the robot is going in the other direction. If the robot thinks its going backwards then swap the A and B wires.

What color wire?

Plug the cable into the encoder and read which wire is A and B. It should be labeled.

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

Perhaps you should look here.
I got that from the FRC Manual. Did you look there?

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

Umm, could you please post a picture of an encoder wired properly? It would be a great help.

Re: Wiring Encoders?
 

I'm not at the BotCave right now, so I'll use a picture from AndyMark's site. You plug the encoder cable into the encoder board, make sure it is in. Then, you place the cover on top of it so you can see how the labels line up. You take two PWM cables, and cut the male end off of them. You strip all three wires of one and only the white or yellow wire from the other. You connect the red wire from the first cable, to the cable that matches with the "+5v" on the encoder. Solder it and wrap the connection in electrical tape or heat tubing. Then, connect the black wire from the first cable to the wire that matches the "gnd" on the encoder. Then, you connect the white or yellow wire from the first cable to the "A" wire on the encoder. You connect the white or yellow wire from the second cable to the "B" wire on the encoder. You plug the two PWM cables into the Digital SideCar in the Digital IO section, not the PWM section. The black wire goes to the outside. If the software sees your robot going backwards, you need to switch the two PWM cables on the Digital Sidecar so the A is where the B was and the B is where the A was, or set the gain negative.