Chief Delphi - DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

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- - DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts? (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91739)

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

If I haven't said this yet (and I don't think I have), sorry Ted, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Krass (Post 1024449)

If the voltage is low as I suspect you may have a bad converter

We did the test today, and with the DAP power plugged in we again read 2mA being sourced, but when we're sourcing current from the 5v output the voltage on the converter drops from 7.3V to 4.0V. We're satisfied with calling it "blown", and we've ordered a replacement (2 actually). What's really cool is that the 5v output on the PDB works wonderfully to power the DAP, and its maximum current draw is only .5A higher than the camera - we're not even using the camera this year (programmers decided they had enough to chew on given the control challenge they were given for the rest of the bot), so we'll just keep using that until the new converter comes in (too bad that's not competition legal).

The only thing that interests us is that before we realized the converter was required for powering the DAP, we were using the converter as a benchtop 5v power supply for testing 5v sensors using competition batteries as power sources, and the tests all seemed successful (and the sensors draw about 60mA) - the tests are no longer successful, we cannot power squat. Perhaps the 12v input got its polarity swapped incorrectly once or twice, causing the converter to blow? That would be a crappy converter for sure without polarity protection. Anyone know if the device has polarity protection, I couldn't find any real specs on it to determine this. I do know that in its current configuration if you reverse its input polarity the 5v output drops from 7.3V to 0.2V until you swap the polarity back again (we just HAD to test it).

-Danny

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz (Post 1024059)

Danny,
There are two things that concern me. The first is that the DAP works on 12 volts when you bypass the convertor. This should not happen, it should blow up the DAP at 12 volts. The second is that you are measuring 12 volts into the convertor but only getting 7.3 volts out.
I have to ask (even though I know the answer) is the convertor wired exactly according to the drawing. The +12 volt radio connector on the PD wired to the convertor input leads and the DAP connected to the output leads?

The DAP seems to have a switching voltage regulator inside it immediately following the power input, so I'm not surprised it worked.

~David

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Ted,
It is best to mount the DAP-1522 away from motors and large metallic objects but two feet from electronics is kind of extreme. There should be very little lag in controls with this device. Are you getting any indications of loss of signal, dropped communication, etc.? Does the robot run correctly if you tether through the DAP? (That is an extra added feature this year. You do not have to disconnect the wireless to tether.)

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Diaz (Post 1024874)

If I haven't said this yet (and I don't think I have), sorry Ted, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. ;)

We did the test today, and with the DAP power plugged in we again read 2mA being sourced, but when we're sourcing current from the 5v output the voltage on the converter drops from 7.3V to 4.0V. We're satisfied with calling it "blown", and we've ordered a replacement (2 actually). What's really cool is that the 5v output on the PDB works wonderfully to power the DAP, and its maximum current draw is only .5A higher than the camera - we're not even using the camera this year (programmers decided they had enough to chew on given the control challenge they were given for the rest of the bot), so we'll just keep using that until the new converter comes in (too bad that's not competition legal).

The only thing that interests us is that before we realized the converter was required for powering the DAP, we were using the converter as a benchtop 5v power supply for testing 5v sensors using competition batteries as power sources, and the tests all seemed successful (and the sensors draw about 60mA) - the tests are no longer successful, we cannot power squat. Perhaps the 12v input got its polarity swapped incorrectly once or twice, causing the converter to blow? That would be a crappy converter for sure without polarity protection. Anyone know if the device has polarity protection, I couldn't find any real specs on it to determine this. I do know that in its current configuration if you reverse its input polarity the 5v output drops from 7.3V to 0.2V until you swap the polarity back again (we just HAD to test it).

-Danny

Oh goody, we're back in the land of sensible result! :)

You had me really wondering for a while, sorry your converter is toast, but it sounds like everything's gonna work out for you. Maybe when testing sensors your converter got shorted by accident? Since it's a vital part of the robot and we're down to under a week, I'm sure not going to try shorting ours out now to see what happens!

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz (Post 1024931)

As for indicators of lose of signal - we did have that two days ago when I first created this thread - where the various LEDs would go dark as if in a reboot sequence and about a minute later, the Driver Station on the laptop would report that communications were back up. During this time, the cRIO had power and looked fine. The second DLink is more of a momentary lapse. During the time where students are reporting they are pushing controls and the robot is not moving - I viewed the DLink LED's and they were flashing away. The LAN LED that the cRIO was plugged into was flickering the most. To me, that indicates communications are there - just that the robot is not responding.

Not sure what you mean by 'tether'. Using the "How to configure your radio" doc from FIRST, we have set up our DLink to be in AP mode. Therefore, wifi comms wise, we have just the DLink in AP mode (10.11.11.1) and the cRIO (10.11.11.2) communicating with the laptop (10.11.11.9). There is no separate WAP (wireless access point) or Router such as we have had in the past two years.

The two feet comment came from this thread (see 'billbo911'):
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=91779

Honestly, it's currently attached to the same board as the 'big battery', the PDB (Pwr Dist Brd) and the various Jaguars. So, not sure how to rule out 'noise' and interference of the wifi signal except to go up and away from the rest of the electronics. 6 inches, 1 foot, 2 feet - I'm game to try them. I figure at two feet, I've completely reduced that 'wonderment' as to why we see a lag every once in a while.

Thoughts?

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Ted,
A minute of lost communications is what you will get when the DAP reboots. It takes around 55 sec. Just to be sure, you are using the power convertor connected to the +12 volt radio output of the PD. This is a protected and regulated power supply that is independent of the battery voltage swings.
Tether is a method of controlling the robot without the radio using a cable between the driver's station and the robot.

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Right! Tethered. No tethering here - in all these interactions, we are not tethered. All intereactions are over wifi. We are using the converters. Others on this thread have mentioned power issues with their converters but we are not seeing thier symptoms.

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

Not to possibly make this seem like more problems, but are your sure that the problem is still with the router?

Momentary lapses sound like it could be Jaguar faults, did you happen to see what the lights on your Jags were doing when these lapses occurred?

Matt

Re: DLink / D-Link resets going over bumps! Thoughts?

We had a problem with momentary lapse of not being able to drive. I was able to actually hear the click of the auto reset fuses when I was troubleshooting. Found out my students were powering the cims from the 20A auto reset breakers instead of the 40A ones. We reconnected to the 40A circuits and haven't had a problem since.