BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

ok, i am helping out a rookie team, when i hear that they are having issues w/ their jag. when i go over there, i hear that the device the jag controls got jammed, and i also see that the jag has a flashing red light :ahh: , and won't do anything.

what is wrong, and can i fix it?

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

I have had only 2 experiences with jaguars and its at once.
We had a similar problem with them last year but the problem was that it only did this for one direction of speed control. We figured we burned the jags and just replace them with victor 884s which are still legal.

Good luck with the issue.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

Depending on the speed of the flash it is either going backwards at less than 100% reverse or is having a code error. The slower cadence is the code error one. Use a voltmeter to see whats coming out of the motor side of the jaguar.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

welll... i think that it also smelled kinda like it does when u solder electronics

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

The flashing red light indicates an error state. The error state I encounter the most is a low bus voltage error when the drive stalls out or the main battery runs too low (both easily fixable). Of course this is one of several possible errors.

I suggest you replace the battery and disconnect the motor from the jag. Confirm the jag is operating correctly by watching the indicator light. If not operating correctly replace the jag. Otherwise your problem is probably elsewhere.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

tell me more about this voltage error, it's possible that that could be the problem, otherwise, it's probably fried

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

Just follow the suggestion about disconnecting the motor, replace battery etc... See if the jag works with no motor attached. Then you know if it is the jag or the motor that is the problem/smell

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

The motor is drawing so much current that either A. the jaguar is holding an error condition to attempt to save itself from certain destruction under the full 129 amps of a stalled CIM (something the Victors don't do) or more likely B. the battery cannot supply that at 12v and so the voltage dips low enough to reset the Jaguar.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

so... if it is reset, how do i un-reset it?

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

A stalled CIM or FP can each pull enough current to trigger a Jaguar overcurrent fault. If the mechanism is stuck you will likely have to manually unstick it to see if the Jaguar is still working.

As The Lucas said, observe the jag lights with no motor attached. If it does not fault, then the mechanism is stuck or the gearing needs to be changed to draw less current.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

i will try that, btw, if you can come over and help me, i'm in the other regional (williams), it's the robostangs that are having the issue, it'd help a lot. if you do, tell them that joe set you, and that your there to check out the jag

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

We're in Northstar at Mariucci, same as last year. Looks like you guys are in 10k Lakes in Williams.

If it is a Northstar team that needs help, either find me in the 2175 pit tomorrow morning or let me know the team number and I'll see if I can make some time.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

it's williams, just come to 2052, and ask for joe (me)

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

You do realize we have been using Victors for years with the CIM motor right?

If you are still having problems, come and find me or ask the LRI at your event. I am working both sides of the street in Minnesota and can be in your pit in a few minutes.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

well,,, comp is over, wish i'd checked this earlier

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

I had this same issue, it's the voltage. Mine stalled and after a few seconds then reset. But i replaced the problem Jags with Victors and :D bingo off to work we go.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

just wondering...

do victors "reset" or go into an "error state" when their voltage dips too low?

The gearing in our drivetrain is high, which draws a lot of power from our battery. It seems that when our wheels stall from say running into the wall we run into the problem mentioned above with blinking red lights and the robot pauses for about 3 secs(about the time to reset a jag)...

we are hoping that switching to victors will get rid of this problem, does this sound like it will work?

thanks

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

It's not likely. More likely, you are tripping the 3 second snap action breakers by drawing too much current. That is not a Jag or Victor issue - you are simply drawing more than 40 amps.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

I disagree. We have managed to trip the Jaguar current protection many times this year (we had an issue with our kicker leadscrew getting stuck) and I don't think we tripped the snap action breakers a single one of those times.

Brian,
The Victors do not have the same current protection the Jaguars do, they will keep running during the conditions described. It is very possible that you would just move the fault upstream to the breakers by switching the speed controllers however.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

From what little electronic knowledge I have... the 40A breakers can actually handle larger currents for small amounts of time(less than one second). For that little bit of time we should be ok.

You will see us on weds litterally taking our robot and driving it straight into the cement wall or side of the practice field and seeing if it does the delay(this is the easiest way to replicate). We have to fix this problem. I hope the victors fix it, if not there will some cool coding taking place.

here is video http://www.youtube.com/user/bhop2323#p/u/0/jxDuGIMYkJY, some people say they don't notice it, but you can see when we score, run into a wall, etc. the robot sometimes stops for a brief period, but we are still enabled.

Thanks for the advice, see you all at championship

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

That is correct. I believe 971 also has issues with the Jaguars faulting due to fast gearing on their drivetrain which was remedied by replacing them with Victors.

Re: BLINKING RED LIGHT!
 

excellant to hear that. we basically have the exact drivetrain as 971. thanks for the help kevin. going back to roboacad or are you graduating?