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Unread 13-08-2013, 22:00
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FRC #0011 (MORT - Team 11)
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Re: Low Cost Encoders

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamHeard View Post
Interesting, we've run at least 2 (and as many as 8) Us Digitial s4's on every robot since 09 without a single failure. Practice bots and multiple offseason bots included.
Glad they are working out for you.
We've not been so lucky.

Sometimes it's how they were installed.
Sometimes it's how they got damaged during play.
Often times it's adjusting the disc.
I personally destroyed a pair because of a wiring error with the tiny connectors (my fault and I admit it).
We've had a few that no matter the encoder wheel read unreliably (confirmed with an oscilloscope).
They are often in places that it is just plain hard to work on them.

Plenty of that is us and some of that is just the issue of something delicate in the midst of something not very delicate.

Finally last year we got fed up and ordered some sealed encoders from Digikey and had better success.
They cost more but like you said sometimes it's not worth the savings.
They had 0.1 inch spaced header pins so that reduced the tooling, the connectors and the tails.
Never mind the aggravation of remembering to haul around that extra stuff.

Would I use a U.S. Digital encoder on my own professional stuff?
Sure but my professional stuff is not designed, installed or treated like this.

Last edited by techhelpbb : 13-08-2013 at 22:08.